Gonna be in mediocrety for a while unless something changes

Teams, owners and GMs often do so much for the "now" and can't step backwards to make their clubs long term better. Zuccharello for five years...sound yucky to me. Sprugeon could have traded for futures. Maybe you can resign as UFA next summer if you really want him, but if nothing else you have the futures and 7.5m in cap space for 7 years.
Doesn anyone think this edition of the Wild good enough to make the playoffs over Jets, Blues,Stars, Avs, and Predators in the Central.

Wow seven years seems like a long time here, 4 or 5 would have been way better IMO.

I think people are struggling to see the truth behind their current criticism of Toronto: "you can't fill out a team around those 4 contracts".

Their argument does makes sense ... but it's only one perspective of the situation (the worst possible perspective).

For example: Lets widen the lens a bit and compare the new cap situation to other NHL teams.

Can Toronto afford to build a team around the TOP-9 forwards that they've locked in?

$11,630,000 x 5 years = Matthews
$11,000,000 x 6 years = Tavares
$10,890,000 x 6 years = Marner
$6,960,000 x 5 years = Nylander
$3,500,000 x 4 years = Kerfoot
$3,400,000 x 4 years = Johnsson
$3,200,000 x 3 years = Kapanen
$2,250,000 x 2 years = Hyman
$770,000 x 2 years = Moore (or replacement)

$53,600,000 = TOTAL CAP-HIT (for top-9 forwards)
$5,950,000 = AVERAGE CAP-HIT (for top-9 forwards)

The answer to this question is an easy yes .

Many teams are actually spending more than this on their top 9 forwards (or their 9 most expensive forwards).

But most of them don't have a group this talented:

Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander
Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Moore - Kerfoot - Kappy

But I still don't think Dubas did a very good job.

Amazing ... Montreal owners get a steal of a cash deal ... but can't use it to make their hockey team better ... everyone wins.

"To get assets" was the key word ... no one is looking to take them on for anything less than a premium.

The new FA market has basically forced every team past the cap-floor (at least for a few years).

And their will be an corresponding surplus in salary dump attempts ... which will push the premium even higher.

Weber's term will be the problem ... not actual salary ... what GM wants to handicap their team for 3-5 years?

Every GM will know if their not contending this year or next year ... but then it gets murky ... why take the risk with huge reward?

So in 5 years the Wild will have about $30 million into 4 players 35 and over. Given we are probably due for a recession in the next couple of years the cap won't rise enough to hide it and fans won't support the bubble playoff team that's been put on the ice consistently for years much longer with all the quality hockey to see in this state . Guerin has a tough road ahead (I do like his selection as GM). I have been wondering for over a year if it's not the GM, but the owner causing the issues. I love the let's win now attitude and the willingness to spend, but that just doesn't work in the salary cap era without building a solid young core or filling in around superstars with value players - Wild have neither. I love Spurgeon and would have given that easily at 5 years. If Mr. Hockey were still alive they'd probably throw at least a 5 year deal at him.

It’s very very long maybe a bit too long for my blood but for someone this defensively talented the cap hit is pretty good. Just hope he ages with giordano.

DET was the NYY of the NHL for like a quarter of a century, and arguably even more consistent. They ultimately paid the price of incredible sustained greatness in a cap league. I think the fans of any team would sign up for 25 years of winning in exchange for 5+ years of bottom dwellers. Eventually, PIT will be terrible too. MIN was never better than a borderline playoff team.

I have to say I won't be shocked to see them snag a WC spot in the West this season. It'll obviously be tough, but they still have a pretty decent roster, and players from other teams could get injured lol. I'm probably gonna pick them to finish 7th, but I think it's premature to completely bet against Bruce Boudreau in the regular season.

what the hell

That's a lot for Spurgeon.

Exactly what Minnesota needed. Another bad long-term contract.

Minny really should have moved him and kicked off a re-tool/re-build, but I guess given the other long term contracts for players over 30 they decided to keep this group together. A bit high for Spurgeon and the term is too long. Personally, I think a better deal for the team would be a five year taking him to 34 only at about a million bucks less. I'm also surprised this deal doesn't back dive a bit more as I doubt he'll be a top paring D in the last few years of the deal despite carrying the salary of one.

I just realized that this makes the Muzzin deal look amazing.

Two million cheaper for three less years ... and both deals start at age 31.