The Bruins big RFAs, Phil Kessel and David KrejciCurrently, the Bruins are going into the offseason with four restricted free agents (RFA) on their roster. The two biggest names on that list are Phil Kessel and David Krejci, but also are the names of crucial role players Matt Hunwick and Byron Bitz.
The biggest concern amongst the Bruins faithful is trying to re-sign both Kessel and Krejci to a deal that will not only keep them in a black and gold sweater for the long term, but also be cap friendly enough to sign some Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA). Is that possible? I have no idea. I am not sure the type of deal either Kessel or Krejci wants, however I can see Kessel trying to make a run at a high level contract.
What I am about to say may piss some people off, but I don’t think Kessel is worth a large contract. Sure, he scored 30+ goals, which was the highest for the Bruins since Patrice Bergeron’s sophomore year, but does that mean he should be given the king’s ransom?
| The current RFA compensation table for 2008-2009 is: | |
| | |
| Amount: | Compensation Due: |
| $863,156 of less | NONE |
| $863,156 - $1,307,811 | Third Round Pick |
| $1,307,811 - $2,615,623 | Second Round Pick |
| $2,615,623 - $3,923,434 | First and Third Round Pick |
| $3,923,434 - $5,231,246 | First, Second and Third Round Pick |
| $5,231,246 - $6,539,061 | Two 1st's, one 2nd, one 3rd round pick |
Courtesy of NHLSCAP.com
So what happens if/when another team signs Kessel ($850K) or Krejci ($825K)? Well in terms of compensation, nothing. In fact, the Bruins wouldn’t be compensated if any of their RFAs (Hunkwick and Bitz included) decide to play for another team.
Can it be done? Sure. Will it be done? I guess we will find out after June 30.
Coming up later will be a look at the Bruins current UFAs and also potential UFAs on the market.
All contract information was supplied by NHLNumbers.com
