Alex Killorn: the Lightning have offered him an eight-year contract

Alex Killorn spent the last 11 years of his career with Tampa Bay.

In the process, he won two Stanley Cups with the Lightning, a remarkable feat. But, after all that time, it was time for him to move on.

The 466-point career veteran has agreed to a four-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. The deal will pay him a relatively hefty $6.25 million per season.

Tampa did everything in its power to keep him. Julien BriseBois knows what Killorn can bring to the team…

And that’s why he offered him an eight-year contract, valued at $2.5M per season. You read that right. We’re talking about an eight-year contract…

And he would have been 43 at the end of the agreement. This information was reported by Pierre LeBrun in a recent article :

Why the Predators bet big on character and other early takeaways from NHL free agency. My last piece of the season. Enjoy ⤵️

via @TheAthletic https://t.co/vZiqX4VYVP

– Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 2, 2023

Like you, I was startled to read this in LeBrun’s text. I wondered if Julien BriseBois had lost his mind…

But, taking a step back, it doesn’t seem that crazy. Yes, we’re talking about a long contract that would have tied Killorn to the team until his 43rd birthday, but at $2.5M per season, that’s not necessarily awful.

He would have been a bargain for the next two or three years… And his contract wouldn’t have hurt the payroll if you figure the cap could go up considerably.

Would I have done the same thing by offering him such a contract? I don’t think so, no. But it’s not as crazy as it sounds.

After all, Killorn is 33 and coming off his best season ever with 64 points (27 goals) in 82 games. He’s showing no signs of slowing down just yet…

And we know what a good veteran he is. He once wore a letter on his jersey in Tampa Bay, and even if he had slowed down two or three years after signing his eight-year contract, he would still have been a great presence in the dressing room to support the youngsters.

In the end, the player opted for exile in California with a shorter contract and one that will give him an extra five million at the end of his deal. Can Tampa Bay really blame him?

In gusto

– Good point.

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