Lowball contracts
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 11:47 am
Beyond the goaltending situation, McCann and Schultz are the biggest ticket FAs for the Pens this summer.
McCann was looking to get a substantial raise over his $1.25M hit.
11 goals and 17 points (+8) in 32 games as a Pen last year; then 14 goals 28 points (+15) in the first 44 games this year. That's almost a 50p/82 rate (+23), and he gives a lot away from the puck too. Then mid January came... 0 goals and 6 points (-9) in the last 21 games. Could he be playing himself out of a multi-year $4M+ Rutherford contract and into a one year, lower $ bridge deal? He has arbitration rights, but if he finishes the season on this path (say 10 points over half the season), I'm not sure he would "win" that. A show-me bridge deal for McCann would also help the Pens get past Bjugstad's contract.
Will anyone pay Schultz?
Schultz got his $5.5Mx3 deal after getting 51pts (+27) in 78 games in 16-17. Since then he has been racked with injuries, 63 games played 17-18, 29 games played 18-19, and he has already missed 23 games this year. Even with the injuries he was scoring at nearly a 40 point (82 game) pace the last two years, but this year he is on a 20 point (82 game) pace. His +/- has also tumbled from that contract year +27, to +22, to 0, to -14 in each of the three last years. The elephant in Schultz's room is that while he doesn't stink, he really has only had one good year, and that was that contract year. Will someone offer him, at 30 years old, big $ in hopes to re-catch that year? Would he be willing to stay in Pittsburgh for 3rd pair time and $? RD is a bit thin for the Pens. When the Pens traded for Schultz he was on a $3.9M deal. They did not qualify him and instead he accepted a cut to a 1 year $1.4M deal. Could another situation like that happen?
McCann was looking to get a substantial raise over his $1.25M hit.
11 goals and 17 points (+8) in 32 games as a Pen last year; then 14 goals 28 points (+15) in the first 44 games this year. That's almost a 50p/82 rate (+23), and he gives a lot away from the puck too. Then mid January came... 0 goals and 6 points (-9) in the last 21 games. Could he be playing himself out of a multi-year $4M+ Rutherford contract and into a one year, lower $ bridge deal? He has arbitration rights, but if he finishes the season on this path (say 10 points over half the season), I'm not sure he would "win" that. A show-me bridge deal for McCann would also help the Pens get past Bjugstad's contract.
Will anyone pay Schultz?
Schultz got his $5.5Mx3 deal after getting 51pts (+27) in 78 games in 16-17. Since then he has been racked with injuries, 63 games played 17-18, 29 games played 18-19, and he has already missed 23 games this year. Even with the injuries he was scoring at nearly a 40 point (82 game) pace the last two years, but this year he is on a 20 point (82 game) pace. His +/- has also tumbled from that contract year +27, to +22, to 0, to -14 in each of the three last years. The elephant in Schultz's room is that while he doesn't stink, he really has only had one good year, and that was that contract year. Will someone offer him, at 30 years old, big $ in hopes to re-catch that year? Would he be willing to stay in Pittsburgh for 3rd pair time and $? RD is a bit thin for the Pens. When the Pens traded for Schultz he was on a $3.9M deal. They did not qualify him and instead he accepted a cut to a 1 year $1.4M deal. Could another situation like that happen?