This is going to be one that has much fantasy hockey debate but David Krejci just signed a six year, $43.5 million dollar extension with the Boston Bruins. Some tried to openly question the deal but truthfully this is dead on market value wise. The Czech pivot had 69 points (19 goals, 50 assists) last season but his playoff performance left a little to be desired.
Here is the salary breakdown*:
- 2015-16: $7.25 million
- 2016-17: $7.25 million
- 2017-18: $7.5 million
- 2018-19: $7.5 million
- 2019-20: $7 million
- 2020-21: $7.5 million
*Deal includes a no-movement clause through to the end of 2018-19 and a modified no-trade clause in 2019-20 and 2020-21
This works out to be a fairly nice and marketable deal. David Krejci is one of the few centers that can tally 50+ assists consistently or awfully close. Whether Loui Eriksson will be able to handle the top line is a legitimate concern but with Milan Lucic flanking him, Eriksson and Lucic should flourish provided they can find chemistry.
There is one question that has to be asked. What if Tyler Seguin was still wearing the B on his jersey? It is the one that irks Boston fans, media, and probably management alike. Peter Chiarelli will probably never live that trade down and to think he is the GM of a Stanley Cup winning team in 2011.
What if Seguin was still in Boston? He would probably be on the top line and still he might be stifled a bit by Claude Julien, whether it was fair or not. Would Seguin have produced an 84-point season in Boston last season? The answer is probably yes. He may have been even better. I can hear some loud groaning from the congregation but hear me out. A Lucic-Seguin-Iginla line could have been something incredible and yet that was never going to happen. The trade rumors were not a surprise and the sudden trade really was not either if you covered the 2013 NHL Draft at all.
From a fantasy hockey expert, here are three hypothetical reasons why Seguin staying in Boston was best for everyone.
1. A fast skater with two strong and physical scoring talents is ideal.
Think of the days of Nintendo Ice Hockey where you needed at least two “big” guys to succeed and one really fast guy. The last defender did not matter to be honest. Video game meets life here. If management had just put up with the growing pains of Seguin and there were quite a few understandably, maybe they would have won another Stanley Cup.
2. Spreading the wealth…
Seguin would have come cheaper and then he would have been paid down the road as the cap progressed upward. Maybe a little extra cap room could have been used this offseason to keep Jarome Iginla? Hey I am not a capologist but ridding a headache created several huge migraines that have not exactly gone away. Keeping the young talent would have allowed the forward pool to stay deep and spread well. A top six with Seguin in it is more formidable than Eriksson no matter which way you slice it. Sorry Boston fans.
3. A better power play would have been nice fantasy hockey fans
There is just something that screams a more dynamic power play with Tyler Seguin and his nearly 300 shots overall last year. Boston, at times, just did not shoot enough (especially on the man advantage). I am merely suggesting that it would have been fun to see what could have been. Sad but true!
