The Savior Foretold
Rejoint: mai 2015
Messages: 43
Mentions "j'aime": 3
At the same time the only way you are going to get a decent return for Phaneuf is if you retain salary and if they do retain salary for 7 years it is going to bite them in the ass hard in 4-5 years time when a bunch of the youth will be getting new contracts. So I wouldn't personally retain on Phaneuf period as that would be locking up 2/3 retention spots and probably close to 3 million dollars for the next 7 years because of the kessel trade.
Also Phaneuf is far better than anyone you are going to be getting as a FA so I would just keep him rather than get the return he would yield without retention. Playing 24+ minutes including PP and PK is not an easy thing, doubt any FA was playing close to those minutes last year or they would have been signed.
I think Gardiner is going to top out as a good to great #3 defenseman. I don't see him playing on the top pairing. Also I would be Sheltering Rielly on the 2nd pairing for the next couple seasons as defensmen seem to develop more slowly