If GMBM gets Vrana at that price, he gets GM for Life.

Uh that’s realistically about what he’s gonna get.

Not for 8 years he's not. Dream on.

I think so. MAYBE it goes up to around $5.5M-$5.75M if Vrana gets even better over the next couple months.

The kid has 43 points...you think he is worth north of $6 mil? That would be a massive over-payment. Look at what Pasta got. Vrana isn't even close to him.

Any agent worth his salt is going to want to protect his clients value in an 8 year deal. My point is I don't think think Vrana even does an 8 year deal because he's sort of in limbo between young developing player and bonafide elite player.

If Vrana explodes for 70+ points in 2 years for example, 5.1 million is going to look like nothing. His agent did a huge disservice to his client. I think Vrana is probably closer to his ceiling than he is far from it, but he's only 23. Seems foolish for him to agree to a long deal for a moderate amount.

Vrana probably does a bridge deal. 4 years absolute max.

Vrana is about to go off next season, I'd bet at LEAST 30G 30A, would be smart for Caps to lock him up now. A bridge deal would let Vrana come out of it asking for so much. As DirtyDangles pointed out he has 43 points, will finished around 50 probably, no way he gets an insane raise. MacKinnon signed a 7 year deal for $6.3M and he's freakn Nathan MacKinnon. Vrana at $5.25 is a win for both sides. Vrana gets $40M+ AND gets to go out and get another contract after that.

You're using one of the best bargains in the entire league in McKinnon. It's not even close to applicable. But just for s***s and giggles, guess how many points McKinnon had the year before he signed that deal? 52 points. The year before was 38. Hmm. Sounds awfully familar...

I agree with you that it behooves GMBM to lock Vrana up longterm. I'm saying it's NOT smart for Vrana to sign an 8 year deal at 23 coming off a likely 50 point season, definitely not for $5 million. Why would he limit himself to $5 million (which is a pretty small amount for a scoring wing in an ever growing cap) for EIGHT YEARS if he thinks he can be elite. The guy is a great worker, doing that is absolutely not betting on yourself. A smart agent asks for 3 or 4. I think both sides could meet in the middle at 5, which would be great for Caps.

MacKinnon went 63 points, 38 (49 over a 82 game season), then 52 in 72 games. A bit different from Vrana went 6 in 21 games, then 27 in 73, and is on pace for 49 this season. So MacKinnon definitely proved more in his first 3 years than Vrana and he only signed $6.3. You know why? Guaranteed money. You're telling me coming out of your ELC you and your agent are going to turn down $40M+ with a chance to go get another big contract after that? No freakn way do they turn that down. If MacKinnon does it, a known elite talent, then Vrana definitely would. I'd be very very very surprised is Vrana isn't signed to a 7-8 year deal around $5-5.5M.

Again, a guy who works hard on his game as much as Vrana does, bets on himself. Taking 5-5.5 on a 5 year contract makes a TON more sense than taking it on 8 year. And I highly, highly doubt Caps stonewall him with a "take an extended deal or kick rocks".

I'm telling you, Vrana will only either do a bridge of 4.5-5 for 3/4 years, or 5-5.5 for 5/6 years. An 8 year deal WILL cost more than any of you think, would probably cripple the Caps in the short term. Hence why he's undoutabily going to get a bridge or "extended" bridge.