Ristolainen Signed, 6yrs 5.4mil per

[K-9]

Why should GMTM bow to his demands?   Again, Risto has no leverage here.   He either signs or he doesn't play... and at this point of his career he needs to be playing or he will regress.. maybe permanently. 

 

I'm hearing he'll settle on a bridge deal in the next 36 hours.... but it won't be anywhere near $6.0.

Not sure how compromise is bowing to demands. 

 

I understand the point about leverage and I agree Risto has none, but sometimes deals are done to establish good faith moving forward. If Risto turns into the kind of player we all hope he can be, we don't want this to be the last contract he signs with us. 

[Cisse]

As I understand Ristolainen has only been thinking about staying in Buffalo since the season ended. He has trained extremely hard and I believe he will be taking a step forward as a player this season.

I have however no clue how much his agent is asking for him. I doubt Risto would go on some ego trip though asking some crazy money. Given his age and work ethic I believe he will develope to an elite player within the next 3-4 seasons.

[beerme1]

I apologize for posting what I heard. Can't confirm anywhere. Maybe that is his asking price. Please, for those of you that haven't done so yet, put me on ignore. Walks away in shame.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I think $5.5 is the good compromise number if what we were offering and what he was demanding are to be believed. IIRC, $5.75 would be meeting exactly in the middle. 

Link please because I can't find any confirmation of this.  I did find out the Sid has a concussion.

Edited October 10, 2016 by GASabresIUFAN

[pi2000]

Not sure how compromise is bowing to demands. 

 

I understand the point about leverage and I agree Risto has none, but sometimes deals are done to establish good faith moving forward. If Risto turns into the kind of player we all hope he can be, we don't want this to be the last contract he signs with us. 

 

I understand your point.   A bridge might rub Risto the wrong way... or it might motivate him to continue developing his game.    If he turns out to be a franchise guy, there's no reason GMTM wouldn't start working on an extension long before his deal is up.    Hell, he asked for permission to skate with the team during negotiations.... that doesn't sound like a guy who wants to leave.    The team will likely be a contender at that point (assuming he blossoms), so he would have even more reason to stay.

[K-9]

Link please because I can't find any confirmation of this.  I did find out the Sid has a concussion.

A few weeks ago someone in this thread posted Bob McKenzie's rumor that Risto was seeking $6-6.5m and the Sabres were offering $5-5.5m. It will take a ton of sifting through McKenzie crap to find it, probably. Thus the caveat, "If rumors are to be believed." 

 

Perhaps it was this string of posts that made someone put the numbers together up thread:

 

http://mynhltraderumors.com/nhl-rumors-hampus-lindholm-rasmus-ristolainen/2016/09/29/

[Thorner]

If Rasmus believes he deserves more than Lindholm, Jones and Reilly, I'd do 5.75 if it buys UFA years.

If he doesn't accept that, he's out to lunch.

I agree. If it's buying UFA years, plural, the deal has to be for at least 6 years, so I'm ok w/that. Would prefer 7 or 8, but anything other than 5 (and obviously 4) is palatable.

[Hank]

If Rasmus believes he deserves more than Lindholm, Jones and Reilly, I'd do 5.75 if it buys UFA years.

If he doesn't accept that, he's out to lunch.

5.5 is well below Lindholm's value. If he signed that, it's not Risto's problem. Risto shouldn't be expected to sign a below value contract just because Lindholm was stupid enough to. Plus, the Sabres need Risto way more than the Ducks need Lindholm. With Risto the Sabres have a shot at making the playoffs, they have absolutely no shot at the playoffs without him. Risto DOES have leverage.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Johnny Hockey re-signed 6yr $40.5 million. http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/flames-finally-re-sign-johnny-gaudreau-with-six-year-40-5-million-deal/

 

Kucherov nearing a 2-3 bridge deal. http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/lightning/optimism-that-nikita-kucherov-could-be-signed-by-opener/2297322

 

When Kucherov gets done, that leaves Risto, Rakell, Lindholm and Trouba.

[K-9]

The only way Risto's "leverage" manifests is if he hasn't signed before the season starts, his replacement craps the bed, and the Sabres panic. I don't see the Sabres panicking, however. What if his replacement plays OK? What happens to Risto's leverage in that scenario? If his agent is advising him to sit in the hopes we fall apart without him, he's getting bad advice. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

The only way Risto's "leverage" manifests is if he hasn't signed before the season starts, his replacement craps the bed, and the Sabres panic. I don't see the Sabres panicking, however. What if his replacement plays OK? What happens to Risto's leverage in that scenario? If his agent is advising him to sit in the hopes we fall apart without him, he's getting bad advice.

 

I completely agree. Assuming Kulikov and Bogo are healthy and Nelson and/or Guhle play ok, then The Sabres could be ok. I can also see GMTM picking up Fowler, which also ends Risto leverage.

 

If I were GMTM i'd float a Fowler trade rumor in the media. I saw a Trouba rumor from a credible source (Mackenzie).

Edited October 10, 2016 by GASabresIUFAN

[pi2000]

The only way Risto's "leverage" manifests is if he hasn't signed before the season starts, his replacement craps the bed, and the Sabres panic. I don't see the Sabres panicking, however. What if his replacement plays OK? What happens to Risto's leverage in that scenario? If his agent is advising him to sit in the hopes we fall apart without him, he's getting bad advice.

Exactly. GMTM holds all the cards, he just letting it play out.

[dudacek]

5.5 is well below Lindholm's value. If he signed that, it's not Risto's problem. Risto shouldn't be expected to sign a below value contract just because Lindholm was stupid enough to. Plus, the Sabres need Risto way more than the Ducks need Lindholm. With Risto the Sabres have a shot at making the playoffs, they have absolutely no shot at the playoffs without him. Risto DOES have leverage.

Lindholm signing there sets the market value. With Jones and Reilly settling for less, Risto doesn't have a leg to stand on.

[TrueBlueGED]

I completely agree. Assuming Kulikov and Bogo are healthy and Nelson and/or Guhle play ok, then The Sabres could be ok. I can also see GMTM picking up Fowler, which also ends Risto leverage.

 

If I were GMTM i'd float a Fowler trade rumor in the media. I saw a Trouba rumor from a credible source (Mackenzie).

 

There's a whole lot of ifs, maybes, and hopefullys in there.

 

 

Lindholm signing there sets the market value. With Jones and Reilly settling for less, Risto doesn't have a leg to stand on.

 

But he hasn't signed there, as far as I can tell.

[I-90 W]

I wonder what the hold up is? Either way they need to get him signed.

[Doohicksie]

I dunno, but welcome to the forum, Saratoga!  :thumbsup:

[I-90 W]

Thanks Doohickie!

[Sabel79]

I think it's an over elaborate game of chicken between the remaining RFA D's, their respective GM's, each other, and so on. Nobody wants to swerve first, somebody's going to have to. Once the first guy signs, the market's defined and the rest get done quickly.

[beerme1]

DARCY!!!!!! :doh: 

[matter2003]

They're not nickel and diming him. He wants way more than he's worth right now. They'll settle on a bridge deal in the next few days, GMTM is still hoping he comes to his senses and takes a 5-6 year deal at a reasonable price... 4.5-5.5 per.

So we give an over the hill player $5 million a year for 5 years and won't give a stud 21 year old defenseman who doubled his point total from the previous season and is inching closer and closer to elite status slightly more money which will likely be a bargain in 3 years?  Something doesn't add up here.

Edited October 11, 2016 by matter2003

[Cisse]

I'm starting to ask myself questions about what is happening here. Risto wants to stay in Buffalo and I doubt he is asking way more he is worth. There is no way we are speaking about a big difference in salaries. Is there something else going on?

[gilbert11]

TM being an a$$?

[Doohicksie]

I'm starting to ask myself questions about what is happening here. Risto wants to stay in Buffalo and I doubt he is asking way more he is worth. There is no way we are speaking about a big difference in salaries. Is there something else going on?

 

No.  Both sides insist they think they'll work out a deal.

[GASabresIUFAN]

So we give an over the hill player $5 million a year for 5 years and won't give a stud 21 year old defenseman who doubled his point total from the previous season and is inching closer and closer to elite status slightly more money which will likely be a bargain in 3 years?  Something doesn't add up here.

 

What does one have anything to do with the other?  Moulson was signed to help change the reputation of the franchise.  He was also a 30 goal scorer at the time and would have been signed to a similar contract elsewhere.  GMTM wanted him back for leadership and ability.  He could not have anticipated that his game would fall off so fast.  If he has a good year this year, say 20 goals +, then the deal will be ok.

 

SIgning an RFA with no leverage to a fair and cap reasonable contract is the job of the GM.  Giving stupid long-term contracts to RFA's with gaping holes in their game can sink a team.  Just look at the Myers and Hodgson deals for example.  Both should have signed to bridge deals and then given big money once they developed and fixed the issues with their games.  RIsto is not up to par defensively and hasn't earned 6 mill per season.  It's really that simple.

[Brawndo]

From McKenzie

 

As best we can tell, Ristolainen and Lindholm are no longer seeking north of $6 million a year and perhaps open to something in the $5 million to $6 million range, with an obvious preference for the higher side of that million-dollar range, no less than $5.5 million.

But it appears Buffalo and Anaheim want to toe closer to the Rielly deal of $5 million, which might suggest the two defencemen are perhaps at least $500,000 a year apart from their clubs. On a six-year deal, that's a $3 million swing.