Jeff Finger has become a pariah in Toronto, as Brian Burke continues to sign defensemen on to the club while not trading any away. He takes a lot of heat for the fact that he has a bloated contract while being a completely serviceable defender, and a consummate professional while spending much of the season in the press-box due to an overcrowded blue line. The situation is clearly untenable, with 8 NHL-capable defensemen on the roster and a gargantuan $27.775 million in cap space tied up amongst them.
The leading call, almost an assumption at this point, by bloggers and mitten-stringers alike, is that the 30-year-old Finger be waived and placed on the Marlies, to toil in the minors, effectively ending the chance of him ever playing in the NHL again. If this was necessary because of his play, Burke would be expected to do this, and has stated clearly that he is willing to. Finger has done nothing to deserve this fate though, short of pulling the wool over old man Fletcher’s eyes.
Taking a look around the league, Finger would be a 3rd pairing defender on most teams, and would even crack the 2nd pairing on a select few teams. There are clearly places in the league that could use a player of his skill, if not his price. Perhaps by taking on an overpaid forward from another team, we can convince them to take our overpaid defenseman.
I’ve done some research as to which teams might need a player like Jeff Finger, and who they’d try to jettison in the exchange. My list folllows, but first a few disclaimers;
1) I’m not a GM. None of these are intended to be viewed as actual trades, merely starting points for discussions. I’ll let the actual GM’s sort out the actual values of any deal that materializes. Please don’t rag on me that any of these don’t make sense. It’s not my job to make sense of them, nor do I care to attempt making them into balanced trade proposals. That said, feel free to speculate and share your own proposals.
2) These aren’t trade rumors. Go see you-know-who at you-know-where for those. Or HFBoards. Or ask @Jeffler (j/k. Downsview represent!)
3) The viewpoint being explored here is moving a bad contract for a bad contract, but to have that contract attached to a forward instead of a defenseman. Some contracts won’t be as bad as Finger’s, some will be worse. The value of the player to either club in any potential situation is part and parcel to the discussion with the value of the contract. Please don’t ask me “Why would we take on an even worse contract!” The answer will always be “to turn Finger into a forward.”
4) Thanks to capgeek.com, hockeyDB.com and the SBNation blogs for all 30 NHL teams for all stats and info.
5) All “Finger” puns are intentional, in poor taste, and extremely dry. If you don’t like them, you can get the… that’s right.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s get on with the show. I present to you, the 10 largely improbable but likely plausible destinations (other than the AHL) for Jeff Finger.
Carolina Hurricanes – Finger likely slots in the 2nd defensive pairing for this team. In return, we could take 27-year-old left-handed LW Tuomo Ruutu. This move would save the ‘Canes $300k towards cap ($3.8 million/2 years), but more in actual salary ($4 million & $4.4 million, respectively). Carolina is a thrifty team, being in a southern market, and tries to operate on a smaller internal salary cap. Ruutu is overpaid for a winger who produced a meager 35 pts last year, but is an agitator and fan favorite. We may need to take on Erik Cole or Sergei Samsonov in addition, and give up a cheap offensive prospect to balance. Ruutu is a Burke-type player and is capable of scoring, though his 6’0 205lb frame has been injury prone, and he can be reckless at times.
Columbus Blue Jackets – Finger would be a 4th or 5th defenseman on this team. In return, Columbus might consider sending us R.J. Umberger, Derick Brassard, or Kristian Huselius. Umberger, a 28-year-old, 6’2 215lb left-handed center/winger, has 2 years left at $3.75 million, but will be making $250k & $750k over the cap hit in the next 2 seasons respectively. He’s a bit overpaid, but he produced 55 points last year, a career high. Brassard is 22 years old, 6’1, 190lbs. A left-handed center on a new 4-year contract for a $3.2 million cap hit for a player who put up 9g 27a last year in 79gp after 10g 15a in 31gp the year before. Obviously Scott Howson negotiated the contract, but may want a mulligan here. Huselius, a 31-yr-old left-handed LW, is under contract for $4.75 million for 2 years. He has some inconsistencies in his game, and is a sleight 179lbs for his 6’1 frame, but has averaged 65.5pts a year over last 4 yrs.
Dallas Stars – This team is in dire need of defensemen. Finger would be on the 2nd pairing here easily. Mike Ribeiro, Brenden Morrow or Brad Richards might be in play. Richards, a 30-yr-old left-handed center is pricey at $ 7.8 million, perhaps too pricey for the cash-strapped franchise. With 1 year of his deal remaining, the Stars would save 800k in salary, but space it out over 2 years, and save $4.3 million in cap space instantly. He is the team’s best player though, and would likely draw better offers. Morrow, the 31-yr-old left-handed left winger is a prototypical power forward and the team’s captain. Still, his production is in decline, he’s aging, he’s costly at $4.1 million for the next 3 years, and it may be time for Dallas to turn the page. Ribeiro, 30-yr-old left-handed center, is small and underwhelming, and will earn $5 million per for the next 3 years. He’s considered an elite play-maker though, and may be worth the risks in the right package.
Los Angeles Kings – Finger would be an upgrade to the bottom pairing for this team, and add depth, especially given Jack Johnson’s shaky tenure. They may be tempted to move the contracts of Michal Handzus or Jarrett Stoll, although they do have cap space, and aren’t in any need to ditch any contracts, Kovalchuk-dependant. Handzus is 6’4, 217 lbs of big, Burke-type center, and a lefty. He’s a bit overpaid at $4 million for one year, a player who peaked at 58 points in 03-04, but is still an upgrade to Toronto over Finger. Stoll, 28, has cap hit of $3.6 million for the next 2 years, is not very consistent and is a bit overpaid, but can man the pp point and is a reliable 2-way center. The Kings are not likely to move for Finger unless they end up with Kovy, but they were worth a look.
Florida Panthers – This team is in total rebuild mode, and have started the process under Dale Tallon by hoarding draft picks in the first 2 rounds of the 2010 draft, and by shipping Nathan Horton to Boston. Nobody is safe on the Panthers, apparently. Finger would likely crack the 2nd defensive pairing here. David Booth, Rostislav Olesz, Stephen Weiss may be made available here. David Booth is a 25-yr-old LW who has scoring potential and is aggressive on the forecheck, but has concussion issues, and 4 more years at $4.25 million cap hit. Dicey, but this sunbelt franchise can save some money here, and if Booth stays injured, he won’t affect our cap on LTIR. Tallon would likely love to move Rostislav Olesz, 25-yr-old LW who has 4 years left on his contract, and a $3.125 million cap hit that is kinder than the $4 million and $4.25 million he’ll earn in salary in the last 2 years. Maybe playing in Florida is limiting his potential. They’d probably take Finger for him, and Burke wouldn’t hesitate to put this kid on the Marlies if he had to. It would be easier than doing it to Finger, and it may give us leverage at getting Stephen Weiss. Weiss is 27-year-old lefty center who has put up back to back 60-point seasons. While not a Burke-type player, he is a proven scorer. He has a $3.1 million cap hit, but makes $3.2, $4 million & $4.1 millions over the next 3 years, respectively.
Nashville Predators – Last I heard, Nashville was in financial distress, is limited by a smaller internal cap and has revenue problems. They could probably use another NHL-caliber defenseman, as Finger would likely be a 2nd pairing guy there, barring a breakout campaign by Ryan Ellis. Enter Martin Erat, David Legwand or J.P. Dumont. Erat is a 28-yr-old lefty who can play either wing. He has 5 years left on his contract with a $4.5 million cap hit, but next 3 years are all for over 5 mil. He’s capable of potting 20+ goals, but has never surpassed 57 points in a season. 30-yr-old Legwand is a big left-handed center, though he doesn’t use his size well enough. He can play on the top 3 lines, and is good 2-way player. Has put up 63 points in best campaign, but his stats are declining and he averages about 45 points a year. His cap hit of $4.5 million over the next 4 years may be hard to justify, but his diminishing salary in last 2 years may make the thrifty Preds keep him. 32-yr-old Dumont has 2 years left at $4 million per on his contract, is a big LW who plays the net and is known for precision passes. He is also prone to streakiness and droughts, and has seen his production decline from ~70 point seasons from 2006 to 2009, to a 45-point season last year. Something like this may make sense for Nashville, if even just to parlay a so-so forward for a so-so defenseman, and give time for their kids to develop while staying competitive.
Ottawa Senators – Ottawa has $600k left in cap space. They aren’t exactly hurting for D, as Finger would be a bottom-pairing or 7th defenseman here, but 25-year-old Milan Michalek makes $4.33 million over the next four years against the cap, and earns more in salary than in cap hit each of last 3 years. He’s overpaid for a 60-point left-handed LW. Mike Fisher is a right-handed Center, 30 years old, and has 3 yrs left at $4.2 million cap hit, but salary diminishes, $4, $4 and $3 million per next 3 years respectively. He represents better actual dollar savings to Ottawa, if that’s important, but is also older than Michalak. A 20-25 goal scorer, Fisher has only scored a 50-point season once in his career, last year.
San Jose Sharks – I know, I know – bizarro-world here – but humor me. Finger would be a 3rd pairing defender on this team, but they could honestly use some defensive depth. They have some cap room left, but need to re-sign a few players next year, including Jumbo Joe and Devin Setoguchi, who will get a considerable raise. Something will have to give for SJ to maneuver appropriately here, so I postulate that Joe Thornton, Ryane Clowe and Devin Setoguchi may be considered. I feel Clowe is the most moveable player here at $3.625 million for the next 3 years, he’s a known commodity, fits Burke mold, and is a 60-point 27-year-old left-handed LW power forward. Thornton is 31, a lefty Center, and a true superstar on this team, but having 3 guys on $7 million contracts is tough on a cap. He’s in the last year of his deal as well. Re-signing Thornton puts a little pressure on Doug Wilson to move someone like Clowe or Setoguchi to maintain cap flexibility. Setoguchi is 23-year-old RW, makes $1.8 million for 1 year, and will be an RFA at the end of the season. He’ll want a big raise, and that would absorb all the cap room they currently have left. This is why the Sharks will have to move someone. He also saw his production decline last year, but he also wasn’t a top-line player anymore since the arrival of Dany Heatley. There’s a move to be made here, I just don’t really believe Finger will be a part of it. Nevertheless, he would be a beneficial addition to San Jose’s blue line.
St. Louis Blues – Finger would be a bottom pairing defenseman in St. Louis, but depth couldn’t hurt this defense-deficient team, especially with ‘Splodey-bones Colaiacovo on their roster. 28-year-old right-handed Center Brad Boyes saw his production slip dramatically this past season, scoring only 14 goals after seasons of 43 and 33, and he dropped 30 points of output last season from the year before. Some of this drop can be attributed to his shift to the wing, but a season like that is cause for alarm. $4 million per for the next 2 years is worth the player he used to be, but not the player seen last year. 26-year-old righty C/RW David Backes also saw a slip in performance from the year before, tallying only 17 goals last year after 31 the season before. He acquitted himself somewhat by increasing his assist total by 8, but the verdict is not yet in as to which version of Backes, the 31-goal scorer or the 17-goal scorer, is the aberration. In the last year of a contract at a reasonable $2.5 million, Backes will want a raise next year, but will need to show consistency to get it. With a glut of young offensive talent in the Blues system, Backes might prefer a change of scenery to guarantee his ice time and give him the opportunity to earn a raise, but Doug Armstrong ultimately controls his fate. Left-handed LW/C Andy McDonald has 3 years left at a $4.7 million cap hit, though after this coming year, his salary represents savings versus his cap hit. McDonald has never found in with the Blues the scoring touch he had in Anaheim, though he was on pace in 08-09 and missed half the season to injury. Still, $4.7 million for a 57-point, 5’10 190 lb 32-year-old can’t be sitting well with many in St. Lou.
Tampa Bay Lightning – The bean-counters in Tampa have clearly seen the light and know they need to make a move, with Steven Stamkos on the final year of his contract, and Victor Hedman due for a new contract the year after. This is also a team paying Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St.Louis the big bucks, not to mention the newly acquired Simon Gagne at $5.25 million, and Kubina and Ohlund making just under $4 million each per year. All of this while operating under a self-imposed shortened cap limit due to financial issues. Ryan Malone is clearly the odd man out here, because $4.5 million per year over 5 years is clearly far too much to be paying in cap hit for a 47-point winger. However, a 30-year-old, 6’4 224 lb left-handed LW with 25-goal potential finishing skills may be exactly what Burke is looking for. I can easily agree that Malone for Kaberle is not worth the trade, but maybe he would be worthwhile in a deal including Finger. Tampa saves on cash and term, and gets a defenseman who’d fit in as a 4th or 5th in their system. Toronto can take on the term and hope that increased ice time helps Malone improve his totals. His diminishing salary over next 5 years makes demoting him to Marlies more palatable if the bottom of the bucket does indeed fall out. Malone playing for the US Olympic team shows that Burke and Wilson know what to expect from Malone, and what he’s capable of. Still, giving up a 2-year albatross for a 5-year albatross, he had better bring considerable upside to make this deal worthwhile.
Personally, I’d move him for a late-round draft pick if I could, but for a salary that size, you’d have to take some money back in any deal.
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Original Story:
http://maplestirup.com/2010/08/could-...
