I just don't know why if as a player, especially a guy picked 1st overall, you would want to limit your earnings based on a teams arbitrary internal cap, rather than the teams salary cap.
Revenues determines contract ceilings, not individual players.
The cap is scheduled to increase in the coming years, why wouldn't a long term contract signed now (or in the next 6-12 months or so), not take that into consideration?
If the pie is bigger, shouldn't his slice (again from his point of view), also be bigger if the organization deems he's a player they want to build around for the long term?
Me personally, i'm always for players maximizing their earnings...it's not their jobs to manage the team's salary's cap.
Not your prototypical 1st OA pick. More like a top 5 pick narrative in a weak draft.
What you are talking about is greed. Absolute max earnings with no thinking about the team and the player you are playing with to help you get to this point today. Yes, there are players/agents like this out there. But that's not how you build a contender in a salary cap and usually selfish players demand this kind of attention. I don't believe that is Slaf's type of personality and he doesn't have the same pedigree as MacKinnon to bank on himself in the way you are describing. I think our fan base is a bit guilty of pumping up his good 2nd half too much. It warrants good attention and compliments but not in big way like demanding more than Suzuki and Caufield at this stage. I get what you are saying but he just has not earned that type of hype or even confidence to bank on himself that way. It's been a long 2 years for him so far and he knows the challenges ahead of him.
Asking for more than $8M x8 after this season would be greed to me. If not greed, overly confident but let me ask you this? Is he leading the charge and line by himself, or is he sliding into the mix and starting to show signs of producing? With me, it's the later. Of course he has potential but Suzuki and MSL brought it out faster and compliments his growth. I think Slaf and his agent knows this more than anybody else
If Slaf and his agent think he is a 80+ forward regardless of who he plays with, they are too cocky. Don't worry, Hughes will manage this well. Some thought Caufield would ask for $9M AAV... I remember it.
I see it as the Habs taking a bigger leap of faith than Slaf wanting to bank on himself as a 80+ forward. If the Habs approached him with the $7.25M - $7.75M x8 extension and he started to ask for more, I let him finish the 3 year ELC, take him off the Suzuki line and see if he can do the same with Dach next year. I just don't see him burning us where he all of a sudden is a 80+ forward regardless of the usage and who he plays with.
