Pros of Cons of Trading Meszaros
With the recent acquisition of Mark Streit, the Flyers currently have seven defenseman making $3.5 million or more against the salary cap. That includes long-term injured reserve candidate Chris Pronger ($4.94 million cap hit). It seems clear that there will be at least one high-priced defenseman traded this summer as the team tries to upgrade and improve both up front and on the back end.
Seemingly, the most likely player to get traded is Andrej Meszaros. The 27-year-old, who carries a $4.0 million cap hit, is an unrestricted free agent next summer.
In 2010-11, Meszaros had an outstanding first season in Philadelphia after coming over in a trade from Tampa Bay. Partnered with veteran Sean O'Donnell on the Flyers' third pairing, Meszaros won the Bary Ashbee Trophy on the basis of a 32-point season (eight goals, 24 assists) and plus-30 rating.
That season, Meszaros was one of five Flyers defensemen to average over 21 minutes of ice time per game (16:32 even strength, 2:26 on the power play, 2:02 on the penalty kill). He also displayed an aggressive physical game, averaging 2.33 hits per game, and blocked 139 shots.
Meszaros benefited greatly that year from being put into favorable matchups, which played strongly into his productivity and plus-minus rating, According to the
quality of competition data compiled on BehindtheNet.ca, Meszaros had the second-lowest quality of offensive competition among all regular Flyers defenseman that season. Only usual defense partner O'Donnell was lower.
Note: this is NOT a criticism. Someone has to play those minutes and Meszaros excelled in those situations. It's like a baseball player who bats fifth or sixth in the lineup having excellent stats behind the top of the lineup -- someone has to bat there, and a player who puts up strong numbers in that role deserves praise.
Meszaros underwent wrist surgery in the summer of 2011 after playing through a fracture suffered either during the stretch run or the playoffs. He got off to a slow start in the 2011-12 season. After Chris Pronger went down, Meszaros was initially asked to take on tougher defensive assignments and had some problems. The departure of O'Donnell and the lingering effects of the wrist injury may have also contributed to a so-so first quarter of the season.
Meszaros posted two goals, six points, a plus-three rating and 18 penalty minutes over the first 23 games of the 2011-12 season. He settled in nicely in December and began to play at a similar level to his first season in Philly.
Looking a little deeper inside Meszaros' play in his
second Flyers year, it may not have been a coincidence that when his offensive-zone starts increased (52 percent, second among the team's regular defense starters) and difficulty of five-on-five defensive assignments decreased to the lowest among all regular defense starters, his productivity correspondingly increased.
Again, this is not a knock on Meszaros. It's simply a player being used in the right role. Put Meszaros out against other teams' top offensive players and he starts to have problems with getting out of position and/or turning over pucks. Give him a little less burden of trying to be a shutdown defenseman, and his offensive and hitting games pick up.
Over most of the months of December, January, February and early March of the 2011-12 season, Meszaros performed his role very well. He had five goals and 19 points over a 39-game span, while averaging 2.32 hits per game.
Unfortunately, a lower back injury that required surgery ended Meszaros' 2011-12 season prematurely. He missed the stretch run and every game of the playoffs except the final one (which he suited up for despite being far less than 100 percent healthy).
Ever since then, Meszaros has had miserable luck with injuries. While working out in his native Slovakia during the summer of 2012, Meszaros tore his Achilles tendon. Even if there had not been an NHL lockout, he would not have been able to play in the first half of the season. Initially, it was feared that Meszaros wouldn't be able to play at all.
To his credit, Meszaros worked very hard to rehab after the Achilles tendon surgery. He actually made it into the opening day lineup at the end of the lockout, and performed beyond expectations given the serious nature of his injury (which often takes players up to a full year to return at something close to full health).
The injury bug bit again in the fourth game of the 2013 season. Meszaros sustained a separated shoulder that kept him out of the lineup from June 24 to March 9. When he returned to the lineup, Meszaros did not look like the same player. He was extremely hesitant and indecisive with and without the puck. His physical game disappeared along with his offensive production.
Even though Meszaros faced the
easiest competition from a defensive standpoint of any Flyers defenseman to play 10 or more games this past season, he had atrocious adjusted Corsi numbers (-26.2, by far the worst among the team's defensemen) and produced just a pair of assists in 11 games.
Meszaros' miserable season came to an end on March 26 when he reinjured his shoulder. He was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and underwent season-ending surgery.
Again, it's important to look at Meszaros' 2013 season in context. He had three major new injuries and was coming off back surgery the previous spring. He was playing on a struggling team, which magnified his own troubles on the ice.
In terms of his career path, it is fair to be concerned whether Meszaros can remain healthy in the seasons to come. He was a durable player in the earlier part of his career but the injuries have started to mount. Meszaros' had four major surgeries in his career, including two on his shoulder.
With Meszaros due to become a UFA next summer, the Flyers would have some decisions to make even if he is able to make a healthy return to the lineup. Given the numbers crunch, both in bodies and salaries, it might be tough to bank on his healthy return to the club. Unfortunately, the team has become all-too-accustomed to Meszaros being out of the lineup. Trading him now wouldn't really further damage the club on the ice, because they haven't had him more than fleetingly for the past year.
The downside to trading Meszaros now are equally clear. His current trade value is greatly reduced, given his recent injury record and UFA status after next year. On the flip side, the Flyers (and other teams) could certainly use what Meszaros brought to the lineup -- offensive ability, size and a solid hitting game -- when he was healthy.
Meszaros is a good NHL defenseman who has had a run of bad luck with injuries just at the time when he should be hitting his prime (and facing a contract-drive season, which often brings out the best in players). It would be great for him and for the team if he got his career back on track as a member of the Flyers. If the blueline outlook overall was a little brighter, the Flyers might even be able to take the risk with Meszaros next season.
As things are now, however, I just don't see that happening. I could be proven wrong, but I think Meszaros has played his last game as a Flyer.
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