As we continue to inch our way towards Free Agency I find myself looking at the list of players and rationalizing their value more and more. The five names below are players I haven’t really brought up here before, but all have the potential to be very solid depth signings, but at least a couple of them I could also see thrown out on waivers if they look like a bust in October. To be perfectly clear on this, I don’t think I could justify $2,000,000 a season for any of these guys (a couple of them that goes without saying), but I do think they will all command at least $1 million a season. I’m not completely decided on any of these players, so please weigh in on what you think.
Chris Higgins. Higgins is arguably the star of this sampling of players, yet I’m not sure I fully understand why. I suspect that someone is still going to pay way too much for him, and I hope it’s not the Leafs. If I’m wrong, which I often am, and Higgins can be signed for $2,000,000 a season, what would Toronto have? A guy who at one time was on pace to become a 30 goal scorer, who fell back to earth, and will likely settle in a role as 15 goal a year, 3rd liner with a solid two way game. The twist is that he is rather close with Mike Komisarek. Would playing with his pal make him a better player, or can he Higgins not take the pressure of playing in a city that has no problem calling out players? I would think that Burke has some intention of pursuing him, and it’s been rumoured enough before. I’m not sure whether this is a signing to be excited about, disappointed about, or if it’s simply a give him a chance situation.
Rob Niedermayer. Not much to say here. Here is a guy that will go miles with fixing Toronto’s horrible penalty kill. He’s a solid shadow to the opposing teams top players, and he knows what Burke wants him to do. The downside is there will be very little in the way of offense out of him, and he’s old. Does any of that matter? A little leadership would be nice, and after hearing John Madden talk about being in the locker room with the young Hawks, a little age mixed with youth would be horrible. I can’t see Niedermayer being overly interested in joining a team that is as far away from the cup as Toronto, but I also wonder how many teams will still be pursuing him.
Jeff Halpern. I think I’ve done a number of posts scolding GMs that sign guys that will spend the year on the injured reserve, and Halpern is one of those guys. Much like Niedermayer, Halpern is not an offensive factor, and is significantly north of 30, but his intangibles of solid defensive zone play, and penalty killing could draw some interest to him. Is Halpern going to be high on the list of players Burke will look at? Probably not. Would his signing offend anyone, probably just the group of us will initially compare him to Mike Peca and his 27 games as a Leaf. I’m too cynical, does anyone out there think this guy is a good idea?
Arron Asham. I don’t like this guy, but I think that’s the point. Asham is one of Philly’s many annoying players, and perhaps could fill a void that’s been on the Leafs since Darcy Tucker left. Considering he’ll be performing primarily 4th line duties, with some 3rd line spot work here and there Asham is a low risk move. The fact that he was on a team that made it to the Finals will drive his price tag up significantly. I really don’t like him, but I see his value, I’d be interested in seeing if I still don’t like him when he’s on the Leafs (At least he’s not Ryan Hollweg.) At the age of 32, Asham isn’t a young option like Adam Burish would be, but Asham can play more minutes and can be relied on to chip in at least a few goals a season.
Mike Comrie. For all of those people out there shouting to trade Grabovski, how do you feel about his Albertan equivalent? Now, I’m not advocating Comrie as a long term solution, and he is not as good as Grabovski is, but he is fast, he did once have a respectable scoring touch, and he’ll be cheap. I went to 5 Oilers games this year, Comrie was in 3 of them, and he fought in 2 of them. His tiny truculence would fit with Toronto, and this guy is at the point where he has to prove he still belongs in the NHL. The biggest factor in where Comrie ends up may be based on where Duff would be willing to live, and that probably isn’t Edmonton. He is now two seasons removed from the last time he put up respectable offensive numbers, would you take a chance on him if he’s cheap?
So there you go, five more seemingly awful choices. Would you sign any of them?
Original Story:
http://yakovmironov.blogspot.com/2010...
Chris Higgins. Higgins is arguably the star of this sampling of players, yet I’m not sure I fully understand why. I suspect that someone is still going to pay way too much for him, and I hope it’s not the Leafs. If I’m wrong, which I often am, and Higgins can be signed for $2,000,000 a season, what would Toronto have? A guy who at one time was on pace to become a 30 goal scorer, who fell back to earth, and will likely settle in a role as 15 goal a year, 3rd liner with a solid two way game. The twist is that he is rather close with Mike Komisarek. Would playing with his pal make him a better player, or can he Higgins not take the pressure of playing in a city that has no problem calling out players? I would think that Burke has some intention of pursuing him, and it’s been rumoured enough before. I’m not sure whether this is a signing to be excited about, disappointed about, or if it’s simply a give him a chance situation.Rob Niedermayer. Not much to say here. Here is a guy that will go miles with fixing Toronto’s horrible penalty kill. He’s a solid shadow to the opposing teams top players, and he knows what Burke wants him to do. The downside is there will be very little in the way of offense out of him, and he’s old. Does any of that matter? A little leadership would be nice, and after hearing John Madden talk about being in the locker room with the young Hawks, a little age mixed with youth would be horrible. I can’t see Niedermayer being overly interested in joining a team that is as far away from the cup as Toronto, but I also wonder how many teams will still be pursuing him.
Jeff Halpern. I think I’ve done a number of posts scolding GMs that sign guys that will spend the year on the injured reserve, and Halpern is one of those guys. Much like Niedermayer, Halpern is not an offensive factor, and is significantly north of 30, but his intangibles of solid defensive zone play, and penalty killing could draw some interest to him. Is Halpern going to be high on the list of players Burke will look at? Probably not. Would his signing offend anyone, probably just the group of us will initially compare him to Mike Peca and his 27 games as a Leaf. I’m too cynical, does anyone out there think this guy is a good idea?
Arron Asham. I don’t like this guy, but I think that’s the point. Asham is one of Philly’s many annoying players, and perhaps could fill a void that’s been on the Leafs since Darcy Tucker left. Considering he’ll be performing primarily 4th line duties, with some 3rd line spot work here and there Asham is a low risk move. The fact that he was on a team that made it to the Finals will drive his price tag up significantly. I really don’t like him, but I see his value, I’d be interested in seeing if I still don’t like him when he’s on the Leafs (At least he’s not Ryan Hollweg.) At the age of 32, Asham isn’t a young option like Adam Burish would be, but Asham can play more minutes and can be relied on to chip in at least a few goals a season.
Mike Comrie. For all of those people out there shouting to trade Grabovski, how do you feel about his Albertan equivalent? Now, I’m not advocating Comrie as a long term solution, and he is not as good as Grabovski is, but he is fast, he did once have a respectable scoring touch, and he’ll be cheap. I went to 5 Oilers games this year, Comrie was in 3 of them, and he fought in 2 of them. His tiny truculence would fit with Toronto, and this guy is at the point where he has to prove he still belongs in the NHL. The biggest factor in where Comrie ends up may be based on where Duff would be willing to live, and that probably isn’t Edmonton. He is now two seasons removed from the last time he put up respectable offensive numbers, would you take a chance on him if he’s cheap?
So there you go, five more seemingly awful choices. Would you sign any of them?
Original Story:
http://yakovmironov.blogspot.com/2010...
