What are your thoughts?

According to Pierre LeBrun, Pastrnak's first asking price was at least 8 million. So considering that Sweeney got him to bypass the 7 million range altogether and got him to sign for 6.667, this is a fantastic deal. He probably would've liked to ink him for 8 years rather than 6, but it looks like he sacrificed term for the lower AAV.

Agreed, that must have been the negotiating tactic - Term.

I heard the $8 too but I wonder if that was just media buzz. I never heard anything concrete saying they were looking for $8. I originally heard $7, and Bruins offered $6 so this ends up being down the middle.

Great deal any way you slice it!! Bruin fans are dancing today!!!

That's typically how negotiations with players with limited leverage goes. You shoot extremely high, such as 8,000,000 AAV when you are comfortable with around 6,500,000 AAV. This can be applied in any sort of negations.

In terms of advanced analytics, Pastrnak is similar to Vladimir Tarasenko. However, Tarasenko got paid more and had a longer length, and is widely viewed as a top-5 winger in the NHL.

In terms of the market, two parties entered and feel that they are better off from when they entered the negotiations. WE can speculate whether or not the deal is a steal, but both parties, David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins feel better off.

I personally feel that the deal is in favor of David Pastrnak, specifically the long term. He will be able to command around a 8+ per term, and that will increase if the CBA is re-negotatied and he can command as much as the market is worth, and there are a hell of a lot of teams that want a 65+ point guy who can snipe and be relied on at will.

All good points but....

Usually when one side shoots so high it's very difficult to get them below halfway, which is what Sweeney did here, if you believe the media hype that they were actually looking for $8 to begin with.

Agreed, Pasta is on a very similar development track as Tarasenko who signed for $7.5. So they save $1M for 6 years, and then give it back on the first 2 years of the next deal...LOL!!!! Still a great deal.

I think when a lot of the talk surrounded trying to compare Pasta to Draisaitl, the worry was Bruins would have to go north of 7 and approach 8. They didn't have to and that's a win!!!

By the time his next contract will come around the team will be SIGNIFICANTLY different with Krejci, Backes likely off the books and maybe even Bergy and Marchy and Rask all in their late 30's......and likely a new CBA as well...Pasta becomes one of the new Leaders of the team and, sure, will command that money, but that's then, this is now! And Bruins win this now!

Great deal by Pasta. Considering his asking price and what he has produced its worth it. Now he just needs to show that he is worth that much

oh he will....and the Leaf fans will hate it!!!!!

Why?

Oh I don't know......maybe because everyone hates the Bruins??????

Careful, your persecution complex is showing.

Oh my those are big words. What does it mean?

I don't understand some of you folks. You think because Pasta was asking for 8m and settled for 6.7 that is was good deal for Bruins and him. Maybe he should have asked for 12m and when he settled for 9m, the same folks would have thought, the Bruins and Pasta had made a fair compromise.

If he had signed for 9 million, no one would be defending that deal. The market got skewed due to the McDavid and Draisaitl signings, so it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that he would sign for something close to 7.5-8 million. And because he said he wasn't leaving Europe until he got a new contract, it made it seem more likely that Sweeney would cave and give him the higher number. But the fact that he didn't give in on AAV and was able to sign Pastrnak for a pre-Draisaitl, market-value of 6.667 million, even with Pastrnak threatening to play overseas makes it a very good deal.

You have to look at more than the $ amount when determining value. There were other factors at play here, such as the threat to play overseas and the skewed market created by the Oilers.

Are you suggesting that it isn't a good deal for the Bruins? He had over 70 points and is only going to grow to likely being over a point per game. Getting him at 6.7 is the best Boston fans could reasonably dream of, and it happened.

Krakowitz and Doctor.: No, I was just thinking how some folks on this site what is good deal. Somehow some think "meeting in the middle" seems to the fair. I'm saying it isn't. Just fair is fair, it really doesn't matter what the opening positions are.
I'm not saying it isn't a fair deal for both sides. Except for players that may want to play in Russian, the money is much better in the NHL even a lower bridge deal than playing in Europe, so rarely is that real leverage for the player.