Staals impact on Nash's cash

In case you missed it earlier it was announced that Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes signed a 7 year deal worth 57 million. That's a great deal for Staal that averages 8.1 mil per and will take him to age 31. The 'canes lock down their franchise center but whats more interesting to me is the impact this has on the Jackets and Rick Nash.

Staal is 23 and already has 5 pro seasons under his belt (1 of which was in the AHL due to the lockout). Over his 4 NHL seasons he's averaged 70 points including a 100 point season in 2005-2006. He was scheduled to be a restricted free agent following next season but obviously he and the 'canes chose to negotiate and sign a long term deal before his current deal expired.

Remember that players can only negotiate extensions during the final year of the current contracts.

Nash as we know has two years left on his deal. He's 24 and after next season will have 6 pro seasons under his belt (one of which was overseas due to the lockout). Over that span he's averaged 55 points as a franchise winger.

Its no secret that the Jackets would like to lock down their captain and face of the franchise to an extended long term deal. If your looking for a comparable I think we need to look no further than what Staal just inked in Carolina.


If you take it purely on a points per game basis Staal certainly has him beat. When you take in the entire picture including that fact that both are young franchise players, both are playing in non-traditional markets, both are vitally important as faces of their franchises, both have incredible offensive talent, both are young leaders and both are only going to keep improving I think this contract set the market for Nash next summer.

Do I think at this point Nash is worth 57 mil over 7 years? Not quite yet but if if he blows up next season now that he's got some half decent skill to lineup next to him he'll most certainly get something in that ballpark. Heck he may get that regardlesss as he's just to important to this market.

Howson won't screw around and nickle & dime Nash. Nash will get the biggest contract ever handed out by the Jackets and it will get done a few weeks after July 1st hits. You just don't let players like Nash get away as they don't come around often.

In other news have you seen that Preds star Alexander Radulov wants back into the NHL?

My, that was quick. What happened to all this "I'm tired of the NHL taking all the Russian players" diatribe he was spewing?

The questions are now will the NHL allow him back? Would the Preds even want him back? Now what for the KHL as Radulov was their big catch as they launched their new league?

This is quite a mess but the kid made this bed....

Interested in seeing how the KHL is being spun outside of North America? Look no further than this artcle on CNNSI.com:

"We see the league as a challenge to the NHL in the future," said Vsevolod Kukushkin, a dean of European ice hockey writing.

Although dismissed by the NHL, the Russian challenge has already begun. Players like Jaromir Jagr, Ray Emery, Jozef Stumpel, Alexander Radulov and Nikita Filatov defected from the NHL to settle in with Russian teams.

Hmmm.....Filatov is in Columbus... Radulov wants back in... this article makes North American journalist look like they do their homework.

TRAVERSE CITY HERE WE COME! ...and its finally here. Actually the only two teams scheduled to skate today are Detroit and St. Louis and its just practices as the Jackets will be traveling there today.

This thing kicks into high gear tomorrow when all 8 teams will be practicing in the morning and playing in the afternoon. For the Jackets its practice at 9:30 a.m. and then a game against Minnesota at 3:30 p.m.

The full schedule can be found here.

Fire away - do you think Nash will get "Staal-like" numbers in his next contract?

-LTL