The Official Roman Polak Saga - Offer Sheet Thread

[SIU LAW]

It appears that Polak will not be re-signed by the start of free agency. Therefore, Polak will be subject to offer sheets from around the league. How much interest will there be in Polak? It looks like we may find out.

The Blues, of course, can match any offer sheet given to Polak. He has already received a qualifying offer from the Blues for $522,500.

JR

[Jeffro]

Someone will sign him to an offer sheet. If the compensation is a second round pick or less, we'll match. If it's a first and a third, we'll let him go and sign someone else. I like Polak a lot, but I'm not concerned here.

[stlbluz]

Not liking this. Will be interesting to see what he's worth to other teams, especially with all of the defensemen being shuffled around this year.

[Bretzky7]

I hope the Blues and him come together and get this done but if he is the victim of an offer sheet and some team wants to vastly overpay him (see Dustin Penner) then I'm not too concerned, I want Polak back but at the right price.

[JWatt (formerly PMS)]

Crap. He wants a payday. He'll likely get it. The 2nd round pick compensation goes all the way up to $3.013MM, so watch some team give him an offersheet for $2.5MM/yr that we'll have to match. They are going to have to do something about RFA in the next collective bargaining agreement because players in their second and third years are getting huge contracts based on potential. With the 2nd round compensation limit so high, players worth less than $3MM/yr have no reason to sign before free agency. They can just wait and let teams bid up the price for them. This happened with Backes, it's happening with Polak, and I bet it happens with Perron, Johnson, Berglund, and Oshie. Watch all our cap space disintegrate right before our eyes. We're going to be screwed in a few years.

[philco_3]

F-CK. Pay this man, he's worth it. This is going to be like Backes last year.

[strocklen083]

This happened with Backes, it's happening with Polak, and I bet it happens with Perron, Johnson, Berglund, and Oshie. Watch all our cap space disintegrate right before our eyes. We're going to be screwed in a few years.

That's why they're being cautious about handing out any UFA contracts this year. With the cap potentially dropping again next season, who knows how much space it's gunna take to sign those guys. I mean you can't hold on to everyone. But there's a certain core that needs to remain intact and those 4 are def the core...

[SIU LAW]

JD is probably gun shy because of....Backman. Remember that contract?

I hope they lock Polak up, but that has to weigh on their mind.

[strocklen083]

JD is probably gun shy because of....Backman. Remember that contract?

I hope they lock Polak up, but that has to weigh on their mind.

Yeah. But Polak is probably 10 times more effect at this stage of his career than Backman could every hope to be. I'm talking on both offense and defense.

[JWatt (formerly PMS)]

JD is probably gun shy because of....Backman. Remember that contract?

I hope they lock Polak up, but that has to weigh on their mind.

Yeah, and I remember McKee, Brewer, and Jackman's contracts as well.

I also remember them giving $18MM to an old guy who needed two hip surgeries.

[SIU LAW]

I know Polak is better. My polnt is that Polak and his agent maybe asking for money assuming how good Polak will be/on track to be and that may make them gun shy.

****

This late-May comment is now more interesting:

Blues general manager Larry Pleau "is working the phones with Roman and his people," Davidson said. "We're looking at Roman and B.J. Crombeen and hoping to get both of them taken care of. It's important to know that the player wants to stay here."

[Chudman82]

I know Polak is better. My polnt is that Polak and his agent maybe asking for money assuming how good Polak will be/on track to be and that may make them gun shy.

****

This late-May comment is now more interesting:

Blues general manager Larry Pleau "is working the phones with Roman and his people," Davidson said. "We're looking at Roman and B.J. Crombeen and hoping to get both of them taken care of. It's important to know that the player wants to stay here."

Exactly. And if Polak wants to stay here, instead of signing the offer sheets that other teams throw at him, he'll work with the Blues to get a contract worked out. Obviously if he gets offered something ridiculous like $5 million per year, he better sign that so that he gets rich and the Blues get the picks.

[hugedeal]

While I'd hate to lose Roman, I like that the management is not handing out contracts solely on potential anymore. Being conservative now is what I'd like to see, I'm sure if it's a reasonable offer it will be matched.

[STL JA]

JD has been terrible in the area of defenseman contracts.

[SIU LAW]

The board will not let me post it (it crashes), but JR has a new Morning Skate up about this situation.

Link

[Mellanby_equals_grit]

Polak has played one season.. It is not his payday yet. He needs to take something reasonable.. 6-7 hundred k and prove himself next year.

[strocklen083]

Who does this guy think he is?! He's a god damned 6th round pick with barely a year of NHL experience. He's done enough to earn himself little better deal. But anything over 900K is unwarrented right now.

Don't understand this at all...

[big d note]

McClement is only just now making 1.5 million after improving and proving his worth for several seasons. Anything over 1 million for Polak at this point seems unreasonable.

[northwest dave]

McClement is only just now making 1.5 million after improving and proving his worth for several seasons. Anything over 1 million for Polak at this point seems unreasonable.

I like Polak, but 1 goal in 90+ games doesn't warrant a payday.

[philco_3]

McClement is only just now making 1.5 million after improving and proving his worth for several seasons. Anything over 1 million for Polak at this point seems unreasonable.

I like Polak, but 1 goal in 90+ games doesn't warrant a payday.

True but I feel his defensive part of his game at least should get him 800K - 1 million.