Going for depth over breadth today.
Ryan Getzlaf’s contract extension is outrageously high and it will screw over a number of teams, including the Blackhawks
Have the Ducks cross-referenced Getzlaf’s numbers from last year (57 points) with the decreased cap next season? Don’t get me wrong, Getzlaf is a great player. But Crosby/Stamkos great? Not a chance. And he doesn’t deserve to get paid like them. This is just a case of a player having a great season in a contract year, the organization literally throwing a lucrative contract at him and the player signing it without hesitation. And in the process they have screwed over teams such as the Blackhawks, that have two stars, arguably worth more than Getzlaf, due for extensions in a few years, by setting the bar so high. Now I know contracts aren’t exactly precise in terms of measuring player value from team to team, but agents do use comparisons in negotiations. You can bet Pat Brisson was pretty happy when this contract was signed. Not as happy as Corey Perry’s agent though. Congratulations Ducks, you pretty much priced yourselves out of the market for your own Hart trophy winning player.
Dave Bolland is not a second line center
Let me rephrase that: Bolland isn’t a good second line center. I’m sorry guys, he’s not. He can get the job done, sure. But I reject the idea that he’s an above average, or even average, second line center. His numbers are more or less around his career pace (around 0.5 points per game) which is below average for the second pivot among the better teams of the league. His Corsi numbers are an abomination. He can’t win a faceoff. What I’m trying to say is this: as a third line center, you can more than live with 40-45 points and maybe some bad Corsi numbers or losing draws. That kind of stuff gets mitigated in the aggregate when you have two really good centers ahead of him on the depth chart. But when it comes to Bolland as the second line center, you have to ask yourself: where is the payoff? Its not on the scoresheet and if it weren’t for Kane, Bolland might not have points at all. Sure he’s playing well, but this is a results-based business. And while I agree that the “little things” matter, as a top six player, you can’t just provide the “little things”. Point is, Bolland on the second line doesn’t speak very highly of the Blackhawks strength down the middle and what the Blackhawks have with Bolland, Kruger and Shaw is really three third line centers and I don’t know how that will hold up long term.
The Blackhawks should throw down a substantial offer for Jarome Iginla
There was a report out of Calgary yesterday (but I can’t for the life of me find the link) that said Iginla would be open to moving if Calgary could get a deal in place. The Hawks should jump all over this and go big. I’m talking 1st round pick, prospect and roster player big. Is Iginla still worth it? Some people would argue no. I would argue yes. Just think about the numbers Iginla has been able to put up in Calgary the last few years with the crap he’s been surrounded with. Remember how good he was in the Olympics, when he actually got to play with good players? Well, imagine Kane feeding him pucks or having Toews and Hossa to helping him win battles. Magnificent. There are some problems. One he’s a right winger and Hawks already have two pretty good right wingers, but let’s hope to god we can get to that bridge so we can figure out the ways to cross it later.
The San Jose Sharks should blow it up
You should all know the definition of insanity by now, so I won’t repeat it. But what’s depressing about the Sharks’ insanity is that not only are they doing the same thing over and over, they’re getting progressively worse at doing it. They traded the only good prospect they had to Minnesota in exchange for defenseman (or forward?…) Brent Burnsand another good young player, Jamie McGinn, to Colorado for practically nothing. They have zero depth up front or on the blueline. And after looking like the offspring of Superman to start the season, can’t seem to buy a goal, let alone a win. I think its time to drop the dynamite into the locker room. There’s some talented young players to build around already in place: Couture, Pavelski, Vlasic, Demers and Niemi, however, the no trade clauses in Thornton’s, Marleau’s and Boyle’s contracts make rebuilding a difficult task. I think the demand is out there if they agree to move and I think they could get decent value. Hopefully they realize that sooner rather than later.
As always I’m eager to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for reading.