What do we do with our RFAs?

Scheifele, Trouba, Lowry, Hutch, Armia, and Lipon are most likely to see time if re-signed.

I think everyone but the first 3 get moderate raises and 2-3 year contracts....not sure about Armia and how salary arbitration would work.

Lowry should get a 2 year deal around 1.75 per year.

Do we give Scheif and Trouba a 2 year bridge deal for 2 years and then lock them up long term or do we lock them up now?

Choice 1 If we bridge them for 7.75m over two years and then lock them up for 7m per for 8 years, it would cost 63.75m over 10 years.

Choice 2 If we lock them up for 8 year deals right now for 6m per year for 48m, it would leave 15.75m for the next 2 years for the 10 years above.

Both deals do not take into account the present and future value of money.

I'd be all over Choice 1. At the end of those contracts Scheif would be 33 and Trouba would be 32. At this age they wouldn't be looking for as big a contract as at the Choice 2 expiration date.

At the end of Choice 2, they will be 31 and 30. They'll want 6 year deals and be much in the same spot as Buff and Ladd.

Edited December 31, 201510 yr by Ducky

Long term for Scheif and trouba. Bridge for Lowry.  1 years maybe 2 at most for the rest 

Assume you go for max term with both Scheifele and Trouba, it would be nice to have them staggered by a year or two so you aren't looking at losing / re-signing them both at the same time x years down the road.  

Sign one for 8 years (probably Scheifele) , bridge the other.

Does the re-signing of Buff change the decisions on the RFAs?

I'd say a 2 year bridge for Scheif and Trouba for about 4m to 4.25m a year each.

Offer Lowry 1.5m a year for two years.

Hutch I would offer a 650k two-way for 2 years.

Armia I would offer 1.5m a year for two years.

Lipon would get a similar deal to the one he is on.

The Jets are about 22.7m away from the cap for 2016-2017 after re-singing Buff. The above salaries leave 10.8m under the cap but Ladd isn't accounted for.

I can't see a max deal for trouba unless he's willing to accept a sweet salary. If you bridge him it provides breathing room until Toby's deal expires. 

You'll know better how he should turn out in another two years too. If he looks like he is going to be a Norris candidate for years, give him the 8m a year....if not, give him what he is worth.

Long term is best. 

Sign Scheifele long term, for sure. No point in a bridge for him. Based on all we know... solid, ever-improving young player, excellent off the ice & high maturity AND I think he's another guy who genuinely likes it here.  Clearly looks to me like he's rounding into a 50-60 point #2 centre AT WORST.  

All that's worth $5M+/yr for me. Get 'er done. Lock up our post-Ladd-post-Wheeler captain until 2023.

I imagine Scheif will be easy to get done.  Seems like a fair, reasonable kid. 

Trouba will be interesting.  He could be super easy to deal with.  He could be tough to deal with.  If the "news" that his agent wants $7m per on a long term deal are any indication, he wont be that easy to deal with.

If the Jets give him $7m on a 7-8 year deal, then they have a lot of faith that he eventually becomes and surpasses a $7m D-man because he's not there yet.  If he will take under $6m then I'd say sure, lock him in.

But it makes more sense from a financial standpoint to 2-3 year bridge him at $4m-ish.  It gives you flexibility with Toby's contract and Morrissey's development.  That might even let them bring in Hamonic and not lose any of their existing top four D.  Plus, if he does become the player we all think he can be, then in 3 years you can max-term him and you buy more Free Agency time.

But financially, a trade of Trouba for Hamonic makes a lot of sense if we can secure another solid asset from the Isles.  Im all for keeping Trouba.  But if it was Trouba for Hamonic+, thats some solid D and solid cap certainty for several years with Buff, Myers, Ham all signed long term.

Good points. But as you say, it would have to be Hamonic + ___________ for Trouba. JT's upside is way higher. 

Would the Isles be willing to include a 1st too? Would be a late pick, but potential there for Chevy to use it to get into the top3 picks if we aren't there already. 

3 minutes ago, Jimmy Pop said:

Good points. But as you say, it would have to be Hamonic + ___________ for Trouba. JT's upside is way higher. 

Would the Isles be willing to include a 1st too? Would be a late pick, but potential there for Chevy to use it to get into the top3 picks if we aren't there already. 

Might be an option for Okposo as a UFA.  What about a blockbuster.  Ladd, Trouba for Okposo, Hamonic 1st?

Jets don't wanna pay Ladd 6.5 they won't give Okposo that 

2 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Jets don't wanna pay Ladd 6.5 they won't give Okposo that 

Well Okposo is a UFA who is younger but I imagine they'd have a tough time wanting to pay him that. 

Ladd & Trouba & (prospect, lower end player) vs Hamonic, Brock Nelson?

the rumor of Trouba wanting big bucks over long term came at the same time from the same source that said Buff wanted 8 years...

Ya. Don't think Campbell was very accurate. Think he just took what a guy like doughty got and used him as a comparable. Trouba is not and will never be Doughty 

Let's check back in 5 years before we do the "Trouba will never be this" conversation.

The dude is 21. Twenty-one.

Ya but Doughty was better at 21. I get people like Trouba but.... perhaps lowered expectations 

Jackets do Jets a huge favour and sign Murray to two year bridge deal - $2.8 per

Kind of a different situation but I agree. He went 2nd overall the same year Trouba went 9th.

Been saying all along, Trouba has done nothing to deserve the big contract yet.

1 hour ago, Ducky said:

Kind of a different situation but I agree. He went 2nd overall the same year Trouba went 9th.

Been saying all along, Trouba has done nothing to deserve the big contract yet.

Hows it a different situation?

because of injuries he only played 66 games his first year and 12 last year.

Trouba should probably get more than Murray but less than other RFA d men like Lindholm and Reilly. 

I'd say if they bridge him, 2 years 6 million. If they go long term, it's gonna be more 7 or 8 x 5.5 or 6 million a year. 

Trade Myers, Trade Enstrom.