Thursday, July 12, 2007

Take Your Pick

Keeping in mind that hockey is played at both ends of the ice, which blueliner would you rather have for the coming season (stats are 2006-07 numbers - click on the Player tag to see who it is if you can't figure it out)?

Player A (31 years old): 81 games played, 26 goals, 38 assists, -28, 135 PIMs, 101 hits, 149 blocked shots, 85 giveaways, 62 takeaways.

Player B (30 years old): 78 games played, 6 goals, 38 assists, -1, 74 PIMs, 61 hits, 170 blocked shots, 58 giveaways, 50 takeaways.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, over the past five NHL seasons, Player B has out-pointed Player A by 18 points and has the better plus/minus rating by 38.

Reasonable minds certainly could differ as to who was more valuable to his team last year (though Player B's sqaud made the playoffs while Player A's team did not) and who will be more valuable going forward, but when you consider that Player B signed a 4-year deal for $14 million and Player A signed a 5-year deal for $27 million, can those reasonable minds really still differ?

18 comments:

Unknown said...

I think Kevin Lowe's issues with 'reason' have been well-established.

Anonymous said...

i just want to hibernate until october, i cant take it

Anonymous said...

I'll take Souray over Poti any day.

The Caps cheaped out.... again.

Unknown said...

Uh, why would you take SS over TP any day?

Anonymous said...

Goals, grit, & heart.

Anonymous said...

JP-do you think it's possible we would trade for Mara? I know GMGM said he might be involved with a trade and I think it's most likely going to be for another D-man. Rangers are trying to unload some salary-so do you think we would/should trade some prospects for him?

JP said...

JP-do you think it's possible we would trade for Mara?

I was thinking about that just yesterday, actually. I would think the answer right now would be no - there's a logjam on the blueline and it's time to see what they've got.

But contractually Mara is precisely the kind of guy that the Caps could go after come November or December if it's pretty apparent that they have holes to fill b/c he's a free agent at year's end. Point being, the Caps have tons of salary cap space to play with for this season, so if they need to rent a piece for the rest of the year, they can do so.

As to Mara's particular skill set, I do like the guy, but would rather see, for now at least, if other guys who cost a lot less can do the job that he ostensibly would be doing.

Unknown said...

I don't think of grit or heart when I think of Sheldon Souray. More like: Stick penalties.

JP said...

C'mon. Souray's tough - just ask his wife.

Anonymous said...

Wes: Trust me, there are other points of view re Souray and the Caps "cheapness". E.G. I've never seen grit and heart used in the same sentence with SS before, and if sensible cap management translates to cheapness in your view, then I say more power to Ted and George.

Anonymous said...

cant believe you were holding out this whole time for souray wes, someone should have told you 2 weeks ago it wasnt happening, could have saved yourself some time and energy

Unknown said...

If their salaries were not part of the equation then player A. He's got moxy!

Anonymous said...

Souray turns 31 today (7/13).

How old is that in pylon years?

JP said...

Sure, it may be pylon on (get it?!), but here's one of my favorite highlights from the past couple of years.

Anonymous said...

This hockey blog is hysterical. I nearly wet myself at my desk and the people around me think I going insane.

http://peklundthephoneyhockeyblogger.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

OK, I'm not a huge Souray fan by any stretch, but you'd rather have TOM POTI??? gimme a break... guy is softer than my belly after 3 ciders

JP said...

Wait, Souray has played 305 NHL games since the start of the 2000-01 season (as opposed to Poti's 445)and Poti's soft?!

Quit trollin', Jes. It's unbecoming.

Anonymous said...

thats coming from someone who thinks sidney crosby is 'tough as nails'