I would have walked away at anything north of $2M. I like him but not at that price.

Absolutely. I mean, it doesn't matter since there's plenty of cap space but I don't understand Kurashev at that salary. He's just a warm body. What has he really shown to suggest any Rockford callup couldn't replace him cheaper.

Thankfully it's only 2 years so if he improves it'll be nice but he's only shown flashes and flashes don't earn you $2.25M.

If he only marginally improves, his QO might hurt.

Agreed, the next two years are more or less a wash, they're not even thinking about being a playoff team until 2025-26. So ultimately it doesn't matter. I just don't know what anyone sees in Kurashev. Whatever it is, I didn't see it.

Personally, I like this number for him. This was my guess back months ago. I think everyone forgets how young and inexperienced he really is. He has shown flashes of some really high end play, and if he grows into that and becomes more consistent, he could actually end up being a really important piece for CHI. If he just kind of levels off and maybe improves defensively a bit, he should be a nice trade chip or even a long term bottom 6 option. Not really much to worry about here.



His QO won't hurt. The most it could be is like $3.5M, depending on how they structure his salary. If his salary is straight up $2.25 both years, his QO will only be $2.25. If they front load it, his QO will be less than his new AAV. There isn't much to worry about with him, he either pans out or he doesn't.



The walk away number was around $4.5M. So, CHI had to pay him, their only choice was one or two years.

I should have clarified my walk away comment. I meant take 1 year and not qualify him next offseason if he doesn't improve. He's shown flashes and I like his speed but demanding $2.65M for his lack of production soured me on him. I'm no longer a fan.

I had it at 2m... so 2.25 isn't that much more and for 2 years is easily a good price. If he doesn't improve just walk away, but maybe he shows huge upside and another team will offer a Hagle type deal!

That isn't fair. $2.65M is not an obnoxious number in the least bit. He was well within his rights to command that much and file for arbitration, and he didn't put CHI in a difficult place at all. That is rule one when negotiating salary, ask for more than you are willing to settle for, start high and negotiate down. IMO, what he did showed intelligence and belief in himself, and I like that.

Exactly this. I have zero problems with him asking for $2.65m. Doesn't bother me when guys try to get their money.

Idiot GMs giving average players too much money is what I do have a problem with.

Exactly, the player has a short career and has to get the money when they can. But, if the Hawks had declined to give Kurashev a QO and he hit the open market, would he have gotten the deal he just got in arb? I highly doubt it. He had 1 x $800k written all over him in that scenario.

What has he done to earn what he requested? He has potential and has shown flashes but has yet to put everything together. If he's betting on himself he might be out of the league in two years because now he's going to be expected to produce like a $2.25M player. Guys like him and Yamamoto price themselves out of roles due to cost exceeding value. I hope he improves and turns those flashes into consistent play and this contact looks like a deal in year two but I'm skeptical.

Technically, he already does produce like a $2.25M player, though, other than maybe his defensive metrics, but even those are swayed by the awful CHI rosters he played on the last two years. Plus, in two years, it is essentially guaranteed to look like a good deal, with the cap going up as much as it supposed to, and if he does take big steps, that QO will be a god send. Anything less would have certainly been favorable and it would be appreciated that he would take a discount to stay and prove himself, but that shouldn't be held against him. Personally, I want the players to start commanding more. They are they ones sacrificing their lives and their bodies for the team. It's WAYYY past time that NHL players got paid more. And that could force the owners of all the teams to reassess Gary Bettman's leadership, oust him, and hopefully get someone in there that could grow the game the way it should have been over the last 30 years.

Either way, I like the upside. If he doesn't take steps, walk away and/or trade him, or just lock him up at his $2.25M QO, and he'd be a solid and affordable bottom 6 option for the long term, who could float up and down the lineup and is streaky enough to provide in top 6 situations from time to time. But, this contract won't be a problem at any point, and he could look like a GREAT value at the TDL or next summer if he does take a big step. That or he is just baseline. But you can't be mad because it isn't a "great deal", we can't expect everyone to give CHI a discount all the time. We need to expect that players will get paid what they are worth within a flexible margin for slumps and streaks.

At least that is how I feel. But to each their own.