Where did I say all of them get paid that much too?

I just said it's a bit low for the most part. With the cap the way it is, it seems like the top 6 make a bit more than that, even most bottom 3 in there.

Contracts have leveled out a bit though. So most take around 5 million it seems.

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if this were true, the average payroll would be $115 million per team (23 x 5). Yet that's 150% of the cap or around that. (Sorry I don't feel like checking the exact cap number, but I'm still putting more effort into this than your 5 million proclamation). If the cap is 70 mil, then the average cap hit would be 3.04 million per player. Thus if you pay a third line player or below 4.5, then you are saying that player is worth 150% of an average paler's salary.

I think he was talking about top 6 forwards. So, 30 mil for the top 2 lines.

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Ah, OK.

Still, I think that my math there is useful in determining just how absurd a number $4.5 million would be for Gaustad. Either that's made up or he wants out of Buffalo now.

It's got to be made up. Nobody besides Gaustad's agent, while drunk, would suggest he should be able to sign in that salary range.

I give this zero creedence. Gaustad might be able to sign somewhere (maybe Buffalo) next season for about a 2.5-3.0 mil cap hit.

If I had to guess, 4.5M would be for the total of a 2 year deal 2.25M on an annual cap hit...fair market value for a Gaustad.

4.5M a year, that has to be a completely made up number by some crazy person with a twitter.

If Gaustad isn't signed to an extension by Sunday night...then he has to be moved by Monday afternoon, thats all there is to it. I know he's a 7th round pick, but the sabres have too much time and money invested in him to not get at least a 2nd round pick back.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

Totally agree with you. Gaustad's got one role on this team and that's so fans can chant "GOOOOOSE" once every 20 games. $1.75 is almost over budget for a guy that has never scored more than 12 goals his whole entire NHL career. People can say top 6 this and that but he's nowhere near top 6 forward quality. All he has on his side is faceoffs. But he's never performed when it counts (Playoffs) plus he's getting pretty good mins on a crappy team and he's still hasn't cracked 10 goals for the year. The guys a 3rd liner on a crappy team at best and a 4th liner on a playoff team. Ship him out west or ship him out east I do not care just please Darcy do not waste Pegula's money and the fans money on Gaustad.

Darcy should start cleaning house. Get what he can for the likes of Roy, Stafford, Leopold, Gaustad, Hecht, and Sekera and don't look back...

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"If you want to know what I've been doing lately, I've been driving around from Tim Horton's to Tim Horton's, rolling up the rim. Haven't won anything yet. Thanks." - Lindy Ruff

Goose is a 3rd line center. For $2.5-$3M per, he's the player you're going to get.

goose is overrated. trade him, and dont look back. peace.

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If you look around the league, there are also many 3rd line centers who are much more productive offensively than Goose that are making significantly less. The key feature is that these are younger guys who are RFAs or yet to be RFAs, not UFAs.

So while I agree that Goose may be a 3rd line center on paper and that the going rate for a non 4th line UFA center is in the range of 2.5 -3M, you could also argue that this is not money well spent for that position, and that it's better to develop one of your younger guys there who could be as productive and not cost you as much.

I say you put Luke Adam in that position next year rather than find a retread UFA center, and spend the real money trying to bring in a bonafide top 6 center.

Given what you see in terms of 3rd line centers throughout the league, I think 2.5 - 3M is money poorly spent on a guy like Goose for what you get in return.

I can imagine what will be said if we re-sign Goose for $2.5-$3 million, or $4.5 million for that matter.

Darcy: "He's a high-motor, high-character guy, and we see him as a valuable asset for the organization."

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

I love what he brings at the faceoff circle. But other than that, if he's seriously asking for that much...sorry Paul.

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

If your pay 3 mill for a guy who's never scored more than 12 goals or had more than 36 pts in any of his NHL season you do not deserve to be a NHL GM. It's plain and simple. We learned that with Leino. Never over price a guy. I'd go nothing higher than 2 mill and that's generous. All he's got is faceoffs on his side that's about it. Money could be used to lure in Parise or someone else of star caliber down the road instead of wasting it on the same ol' group of players that have been together for awhile now and haven't shown much since Briere and Drury left.

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"If you want to know what I've been doing lately, I've been driving around from Tim Horton's to Tim Horton's, rolling up the rim. Haven't won anything yet. Thanks." - Lindy Ruff

I agree, 3 million is too much for Gaustad. We can't afford to overpay guys like him.
I've read somewhere (can't remember) that the cap might go down, so paying your 3rd/4th line center 3 million would probably bite us in the ass. 2 million is enough.

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I think we are pretty much all in agreement. Your top players are hard to find; and you take care of them, provided they live up to expectation.

What burdens teams is to pay players like first or second liners/top four d-men, when they are third liner's at best.

A good GM is defined by his ability to slot his players responsibly, and sensibly.

Role players are easier to find via free agency. Simple supply and demand.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

They can also pick him up in the offseason if he doesn't sign an extension.

But from now on, Darcy has to find players who can take draws as without Gaustad taking as many draws as possible, our lack of success on the dot is going to cost us games.

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If your having goal problems, I feel bad for ya son....we got 99 problems but Vanek ain't one!

Is Goose's agent the same one as Tim Kennedy's?

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

Hey? Guess what?

This was completely false. Contract negotiations were never started.

I think no sane person believed that. He'll probably sign around 2.5 unless he'll do exceptionally well in the playoffs.

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