Brock Faber contract extension: Did Wild overpay with $68M offer?
The Minnesota Wild announced a massive contract extension for Rookie of the Year runner-up Brock Faber. NHL.com reported an eight-year, $68 million deal for Faber. The agreement carries an $8.5 million AAV through the 2023-33 season.
The deal has been met with applause by Wild fans. However, there is reason to believe that signing Faber at this point in his career, considering the term and dollar value, is an overpay.
3 reasons why the Brock Faber extension is an overpay
#3: The Wild decided on a tiny sample size
The Wild wish to sign Faber to a massive extension now. It is to lock in a young blueliner at a “cheap” contract before he prices himself out of the Wild’s budget. However, the Wild based this decision on a minuscule sample size. In all, Faber has 84 total games of NHL experience. While the sample has been terrific, it’s not enough to commit such a tremendous amount.
Instead, the Wild should have signed Faber to a bridge deal until they gathered what Faber could do. But because they are concerned his value will rise, they will pay more to keep him in town. Overall, this deal could backfire due to Faber’s lack of experience. The Wild look like geniuses when this deal is done. Until then, the jury will be out on this contract.
#2: Young players are unpredictable
Young players don’t always follow a straight path. Some players peak in their first few seasons and hit a dead end. Others blossom later on in their career. However, the Wild don’t know which direction Brock Faber will take. On the one hand, he could take on an upward trajectory, leading him to be one of the best NHL defensemen of his time.
On the other hand, Faber could flame out at this point and not live up to the hype. In that case, the Wild are making a big gamble on the player. Again, the worst part is the Wild don’t know what to expect from Faber. That’s why the eight-year deal is so troubling. If things don’t work out, for whatever reason, the Wild could be stuck with another Ryan Suter-like contract.
#1: The Wild paid out of desperation
The Wild are trying hard to get back to the postseason. They missed the playoffs last season after a string of several postseason appearances.
While Minnesota has a solid core, it lacks a superstar on the blue line. Brock Faber offers the hope of blossoming into a top-tier rearguard. So, the Wild would rather pony up the cash now than sit back and lose a franchise defenseman in a couple of seasons.
The Wild are paying out of desperation, knowing that getting a true number-one defenseman won’t be cheap on the free agent or trade market. Teams often overpay when they fear letting a player slip through their fingers. Let's hope the Wild are making the right gamble with Faber.