Demitra: Worth The Money?
by Sean Zandberg on May 20, 2009 12:16 AM PDT
in Rants
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PrintWhen Mike Gillis signed his former client Pavol Demitra to a 2-year $4 million contract last summer I was furious. Yeah sure he chose to play here over anywhere else, but that didn't win me over. It was no secret that Demitra was known not only for his skill and speed, but more that he was a soft injury-prone player. I didn't want another softy like Naslund on our top 6 forward ranks.
Now that one full season with Demitra has expired I find myself both partially and begrudingly backing off from my hateful stance. Emphasis the word "partially". Demitra did little to change my opinion of him, literally.
First the bad:
- Demitra wanted to play on a team that had a more offensive approach, unlike the Wild. The Canucks did play a more open style this season yet Demitra scored 5 more goals but 1 less point in one more game than his final year in Minnesota.
- 69 games played by Demo this year. I suppose that's about par for his fragile frame.
- His career playoff stats are not that impressive and have gotten worse in recent years. In 6 games this past post season he only scored 1 goal and registered 3 points. To put it into a more grand perspective, in Pavol's last 22 games played in the playoffs, he has 4 goals and 11 points.
- He missed the final 4 games of the Chicago series and is now undergoing shoulder surgery. What happened? He attempted to hit a Hawk defender and messed himself up. Did anyone not see this happening? Or, were we surpised that he lasted so long?
If you want to build a playoff team with guts, Demitra is not your guy. But we already knew that.
On to the good:
Hold on for a minute, I have to think about this...
- At $4 million we got a Markus Naslund-ish player who not only put up more points than Naslund in 13 less games played this season, but also at $2 million cheaper. Yeah, I know Markus signed for less on Broadway, but he wouldn't have done that here.
- When Demitra grumbled about Alain Vigneault's incessant line-juggling back in late January when the team was in hell, it didn't fall upon deaf ears. Soon Burrows joined the Sedins, Kesler played with Sundin and Demitra (when Demo came back from injury), the Unemployment Line was formed, and the crushing 4th line was left intact. The lines prospered and were hardly changed after that as the team went on a tear.
- Pavol signing in Vancouver (I suppose) gave Mike Gillis instant credit for being able to draw a higher-caliber free agent to Vancouver, something that does not happen all that often here.
So, good with the bad, bad with the good? Do we assume that Demitra and Kesler and whatever other linemate Gillis provides for them this summer are going to click again? Or would Gillis be better off letting this guy go? I hardly expect the latter to happen. But hey, Demitra is not protected by a no trade clause....
Bah, suck it up, Zanstorm (I say to myself).
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I’m okay with Demolition man as long as his salary doesn’t keep us from adding that second-line scorer we need. I wouldn’t be opposed to replacing him with Neil and using some of the money we save to get someone like Camellari or Kovelev.
Not sure if this is the right thread or not, but I’d just like to throw it out there that I think whoever we bring in as an FA can’t be our most talented player next year. It isn’t a viable formula for success in the salary cap era.
Instead of trying to hit a home run with a big name we should focus on getting a few rank and file guys; one of whom being somebody who can score goals on the second line. Maybe we could trade Demo to move up in the draft?
Bring me Stanley. Alive if possible, dead... just as good.
by King Luongshanks on May 20, 2009 10:01 AM PDT reply actions
Isn't it obvious?
Hodgson is the 2nd line centre, with Kesler and Demitra. I’m thinking the wheels on that line will be an upgrade, at no particular cost. The line just got $5 million cheaper.
I don’t think Hodgson is the obvious pick for that role. He just moved into the AHL and will probably be developed further at a slower rate is my guess.
Luongshanks: If we trade Demo for picks we still lack the 2nd line punch. How many guys does Gillis then need to require via free agency? Too much. I think if he added a Cammalleri to replace what Sundin was then we still have that 1-2 punch up front. It’s not like we need to rebuild.
by Sean Zandberg on May 20, 2009 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions
That makes sense. I’m curious to see what we do to shore up the defense, Ohlund may not be producing the way we’re accustomed to, but it’s going to hurt losing him. It seems like acquiring any good defenseman means getting into a bidding war with someone.
Bring me Stanley. Alive if possible, dead... just as good.
by King Luongshanks on May 20, 2009 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions
I think
you’ve gotta give Hodgson a shot at that spot though. Or move Kesler back to center and use Grabner in the NHL.
"Life is just a place where we spend time between games. Hockey is where we live, where we can best meet and overcome pain and wrong and death." - Fred Shero
by Karina on May 20, 2009 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions
No you don’t have to. At least not next year. I think he probably needs, or they want him to have half a year to a year in the AHL. The Moose are a good team, he could do a lot worse than work his way up that roster.
I think a year from now, that is his spot. This year, I doubt he’s quite ready for the toughness of opposition he’d face with Kes/Demo who are going to be seeing the opponents second line or first line every time they’re on the ice.
Yeah no kidding. And the D on the farm are not impressing me all that much either as far as replacing Ohlund goes. Bah, just put Ossi Vaananen in there!
I’ll ride the Ossi train straight until the fall.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on May 20, 2009 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Yea classic case of Salotosis. Killer shot, decent wheels, veteran player… but if you so much as sneeze in his direction and the man breaks.
You know, they have those ‘bear attack’ suits that would be perfect for Demitra and Salo. All they would need is an extra helmet upgrade for games against Anaheim (need more protection against Lord of the Elbows on the blue-line).
He was consistently our third best forward offensively all year. I like him. The fragility is an issue, but his play hasn’t been.
I think his contract is pretty much on the money, which means we need other players to outplay their contract… hopefully next year one of those is going to be Burrows (again).
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