TSN hasn't released the details, but it is RUMORED, I REPEAT RUMORED it is 3 yrs $9.3mio

I'm a little nervous if that is the actual deal and am hoping that isn't close to what they would give him. That, combined with Cammalleri at $6m per year, there is no way Kessel isn't going to want $4.5m/year.

Please tell me those aren't the details of Bitz's contract......

There have been many good points about Kessel, he's a good player and with the right people around him, he'll continue to develop. But looking forward at our cap versus his production, should we?

Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe analyzed Kessel's goals over the past several seasons. Overall theme was that :

1. he scored more goals per game in the 1st half of the season

2. scored majority of those goals against non-playoff teams

3. we all remember his performance in last year's playoffs, enough said.

However, another thing to consider is that Tukka Rask, Blake Wheeler, Milan Lucic all come up for RFA in 2010-2011, a year that many NHL people are saying the cap will actually decrease.

The regular season was promising, but we see what happened in the playoffs, so there are clearly holes to fill. It is easy to say sign Kessel at $4.25 per, or trade for a puck carrying defenseman, which might cost you around Kessel money too.

But I think it might be best for Chiarelli to sit back, wait out the market, and see where guys are getting signed. There could be some good guys out there at a discount, but that might patch a whole for a year or two. Would it be better to wait it out a year and make sure we sign the guys we need to - Rask/Lucic, maybe Wheeler next year?

I'm torn with the Kessel thing (much like his rotator cuff) - so give me some arguments that support keeping him or letting him go and grabbing some cap space and draft picks.

Billy Guerin resigned with the Penguins yesterday and avoided becoming a UFA. SI reports that Guerin took a big paycut to stay in Pittsburgh. Although he is a fellow Boston College Eagle, I really don't see why he would be valued at more than $2m per year. He's 38, scored 48pts last season, and only recorded points in the first 3 rounds of this year's playoffs.

He's a great player, but if someone could argue that is he worth the $4.5m he made last  year and his new contract came at a discount, I'd like to hear it.

I think the $2m is right on given his age, prodcution, comparable players, and stagnant salary cap.

Anyone see the quote from Glen Sather with respect to Nik Antropov's agent asking for $5m/yr LT contract? A nice bounce from the $2.05 he made this year.

Here's the quote from the NY POST

"Based on the first volley from [agent] Mark Gandler, there is a slim chance [of Antropov returning]," the general manager said following the fifth round of the Entry Draft. "There's a snowball's chance in hell that's going to happen. It's ridiculous. I hate to criticize an agent, but let's have a little bit of reality here."

Great stuff from Glen