Gillis is wasting little time looking towards 2010. Today he announced Steve Bernier is sticking around for two more years (dollar amount forthcoming).
Lots of folks weren't keen on Bernier this year, but I'm a fan (so maybe it's only a Mike thing?). Originally slated to be the third Sedin, he didn't do so well and quickly earned a reputation for having cement hands and unable to hit the broadside of a barn when the net was wide open.
However, he embraced his role as third line checker and a member of the PK. In total he played a career high 81 games, notched four game winners, lead the team in hits and had a career year in points.
There's hope yet he can round his game out to be a power forward the team desperately needs. But if not, he may fill the void left by pending UFA Taylor Pyatt. Below is a comparison of their stats from this year. In a pure numbers game with a similar type player, I prefer Bernier.
| Name | STEVE BERNIER |
TAYLOR PYATT |
|---|---|---|
| Position | R | L |
| Team | VAN | VAN |
| Age | 24 | 27 |
| 2008-2009 Salary | $2500000 | $1575000 |
| 2008-2009 Cap Hit | $2500000 | $1575000 |
| Contract Years Left | 0 | 0 |
| Games | 81 | 69 |
| Goals | 15 | 9 |
| Assists | 17 | 9 |
| Points | 32 | 18 |
| Points Per Game | 0.40 | 0.26 |
| Point Pace | 32 | 21 |
| Multi Point Games | 4 | 1 |
| Zero Point Games | 66.7% | 75.4% |
| 2008-2009 Salary/Pnt | $22368 | $65625 |
| 2008-2009 Caphit/Pnt | $31140 | $65625 |
| PP Goals | 2 | 0 |
| PP Points | 7 | 1 |
| PP TOI/G | 02:30 | 00:54 |
| % Team's PP Time/GP | 35.0% | 12.3% |
| Team PP% Hover for PPG/OPP |
19.0% | 19.7% |
| SH Goals | 0 | 0 |
| SH Points | 0 | 0 |
| SH TOI/G | 00:00 | 02:17 |
| % Team's SH Time/GP | 0.2% | 31.3% |
| TOI/G | 13:50 | 14:42 |
| % Team's Ice Time | 22.7% | 24.2% |
| Plus/Minus | 5 | 0 |
| Giveaways | 12 | 18 |
| Takeaways | 30 | 25 |
| Penalty Min | 27 | 43 |
| Hits | 146 | 86 |
| Shots | 137 | 99 |
| Shooting % | 10.95 | 9.09 |
| Hitting Net % | 77.4 | 75.6 |
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