Flyers

Consensus Seems to Suggest the Flyers Overpaid for Kevin Hayes

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Jun 19th, 2019 · 10:56 AM EDT

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Chuck Fletcher is wheeling and dealing, though I’m not sure if his moves are any good. Radko Gudas for Matt Niskanen? Seven million dollars a year for seven years of Kevin Hayes?

Anthony and Russ discussed all of that on this morning’s Snow the Goalie podcast.

Here’s some of the national reaction to what the Flyers are doing:

In which Kevin Hayes, a 27 year old who has broken 20 goals once and 50 points once, now has the 18th highest AAV for a center in the NHL.

Unrestricted Free Agency. Catch the FEVER, BABY! https://t.co/o6XTxRlHTB

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) June 19, 2019

A handful of the guys in the same range as Hayes:

• Ryan O’Reilly – $7,500,000 AAV
• Evgeny Kuznetsov – $7,800,00 AAV
• Ryan Kesler – $6,875,000 AAV
• Patrice Bergeron – $6,875,000 AAV

All four of those dudes have posted multiple 50-point seasons. Bergeron is 33 and Kesler is 34, but O’Reilly is 28 and Kuznetsov is 27, so they’re more comparable in age to Hayes.

More after the jump:

SIGNING
Flyers: Kevin Hayes $7.14M x 7 years

A nice player who can fit well with Flyers' winger depth. Should be a decent top six centre for much of his contract, but term looks lengthy and the team didn't get a discount for it. pic.twitter.com/jJSoMuocPc

— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) June 19, 2019

Key words that jump out to me here:

“…term looks lengthy and the team didn’t get a discount for it.”

The Flyers just used up $14.34M in next year’s cap space on Kevin Hayes, Justin Braun and turning Radko Gudas into Matt Niskanen and we’re still two weeks away from free agency. These are the Philadelphia Flyers we know and love.

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) June 19, 2019

Sounds pretty bad when you lump it all together and present it in this fashion.

Kevin Hayes is 26 with zero career 60+ point seasons: Gets paid 7.14M x 7 years
William Nylander is 23 with two career 60+ point seasons: Gets paid 6.92 x 6 years https://t.co/9YLoyLpu4Q

— Nick DeSouza (@NickDeSouza_) June 19, 2019

Puts things in perspective for Toronto fans, or maybe it just makes them feel slightly better. Nylander had 61 point seasons at age 20 and 21, though he played only 54 games this season following a lengthy contract dispute and slow start once he did return. He’s the third highest paid player on the Leafs roster and Hayes is now #3 on the Flyers, just ahead of JVR.

If you're keeping score at home..

SJS Erik Karlsson – 8 years, $11M+
BUF Jeff Skinner – 8 years, $9M
PHI Kevin Hayes – 7 years, $7M+

— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) June 19, 2019

Those are some monster contracts. What an offseason to be an unrestricted free agent in the National Hockey League.

Ant and Russ takes here