JJFIVEOH

:D

You can't use a Kovalchuk comparison when they didn't have to live up to the contract in the first place. Stamkos wants money in the range of elite players that bring much more to the table than he does. When O'Reilly doesn't score he still brings something to the table. When Stamkos doesn't score, he brings nothing. Nothing. That cap space needs to be had for Eichel, Risto, Reinhart, Girgensons, and anybody else brought in as complementary pieces. A Toews type contract for a regressing one dimensional player carries a tremendous risk of handcuffing a team in the future. The Blackhawks are the exception to the rule making two superstars work. Pittsburgh is proof it doesn't. 30+ goals can be had for much less than 10/yr.

It's a perfect comparison when it comes to contracts. One player is elite at only one aspect of the game, the other is great at many aspects. I'm not willing to pay a one dimensional player more than O'Reilly.

They haven't had to deal with the Kovalchuk contract for six years now.

I think O'Reilly brings way more to the table than Stamkos.

Me and you in Gold?

Eichel has an upper body condition.

Who is Eichel2020?

Kane is also one of the best 5v5 players in the league, and he also steps up in the playoffs and carries his team, regardless of who his linemates are.

I'm still looking for some justification as to why Stamkos deserves this massive contract. I've mentioned that I consider Stamkos to be a one-dimensional player and some have disagreed. Where are these other dimensions? There is a certain dollar figure for players that score, and there are elite contracts. Players that deserve elite contracts bring more than one dimension. All of the highest paid players are multi-dimensional.

I've been waiting all thread for some proof. There's more to a player than power play points.

Today's power play opportunities are only about 60-70% of what they were in Andreychuk's days. http://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/stats.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comparing Stamkos to Ovechkin? Stamkos is 58th in goals/60 minutes 5v5................ Ovechkin is 2nd. http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/ratings.php?disp=1&db=201516&sit=5v5&pos=skaters&minutes=500&teamid=0&type=individual&sort=igoals60&sortdir=DESC

How many power plays did the average NHL game get in the 80's and 90's compared to today?

I think that ended in Montreal.

Sideshows are all we have left. 5 out of 6 games I find myself falling asleep.

Good point. Power play performance is critical. But there is one thing you can count on, it's 5v5 play. You can't count on power plays. Especially today where penalty minutes continue to drop to the point where discipline has gotten so critical that refs need to make up calls just to get some flow into a game. Now if the league was still the way I prefer it, hitting, fighting, entertainment............. where there was plenty of power play opportunities I think I might change my opinion on bringing Stamkos to BFLO.

I haven't seen a decent argument for 9/yr. Of players to play 500+ minutes, Stamkos is 131st in the league in pts/60 minutes 5v5. So do we cough up $10mil/yr and just let him ride the bench until we get a power play?

3 losses in the last 5 games against AHL teams.

Bobby Smith:End to fighting will not make hockey a safer sport http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/end-to-fighting-would-not-make-hockey-a-safer-game/article29300049/

The Sabres do score a lot more when he's in net. .931 save percentage since October.

If you sign Stamkos, at least one of Kane, Reinhart, Ristolainen or Eichel will have to be gone come contract time. I'd rather keep those four over a one dimensional player.

Arm hamstring?

At the very least a league where players were still allowed to police themselves. He didn't break it good enough, he's still here.

St. Louis has 12 regulation wins in their last 38 games. Anybody would love to have them in the first round. Granted they are 21-12-5 in that stretch, but they aren't setting the world on fire. Although they did just activate Elliot off of IR, so there's that.

Colton Orr gave it to him pretty good! This is a heavyweight fight. http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/100534 Same thing with Shawn Thornton. http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/109389 God I miss real hockey.............................. :(