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Coyotes Free Agency Review |
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I’m a little late to the party with this, but there isn’t really much to write at the moment in the dead of summer. I was also waiting a little while to see what they re-signed Boedker to so I could judge the entirety of the Free Agent period for the Coyotes.
I feel that the Coyotes did an excellent job with their signings post FA period…not so much before with the whole Mike Smith contract…but that’s an aside. The Coyotes made a big splash and also quietly made excellent little deals to help fill out of the roster.
In
Mike Ribeiro
Thomas Greiss
Out
Jason LaBarbera
Boyd Gordon
Chad Johnson
Now before I look at each guy individually I want to discuss the two players leaving. Boyd Gordon established himself as an excellent defensive specialist in his two seasons with the Coyotes. He became one of the top face-off men in the NHL and played the premier role of top-line penalty killing. He’s going to be missed, though not as much as one might expect. Antoine Vermette will take over his role as the “3rd line” centre, tasked with being the top penalty killer and face-off man. This does bode well for the Coyotes, as Vermette surpassed Gordon in the dot last season, and has also shown that he is excellent defensively, while providing more of a spark in the offensive zone than Gordon. Would I have loved to keep Gordon as the fourth line centre and rolled out a formidable Ribeiro-Hanzal-Vermette-Gordon…sure, but economically it was not viable after Gordon was overpaid by Edmonton. I love him, but 3 mil a year over 3 years…too much. Now oddly enough Labs left for Edmonton too, and I have to say both moves were solid for the Oilers. They are both good players and well loved by their teammates, some veteran presence to help out some of the younger lads. LaBarbera was a consummate pro for the Coyotes and gave them the solid backup option, he can play a safe 15-20 games and give you a chance to win, and hell…whenever he plays against his childhood favourites in Vancouver he plays out of his mind. I think he can be replaced by newly signed Thomas Greiss, especially considering that new shiny contract that Smith signed is a sign that he will be playing 65+ games…or at least expected to. I do think that the team is a better team with Ribeiro in and only losing Gordon and LaBarbera…but they are both solid players and Edmonton will like them...unless they have insanely high expectations.
Mike Ribeiro – I’ve heard people say that he was overpaid, and that his contract is too long. Pierre Maguire was having a shit fit over the deal, bringing up issues from 10 years ago and parlaying them as though they happened yesterday. I don’t really understand it at all. 5.5 mil a year for 4 years…that is a bloody great contract for a 33 year old who has consistently put up 70+ points and had his best season to date in the half year going over a PPG. While people continue to justify giving Weiss (2 seasons over 60 points) and Filppula (one season over 41 points) a boatload of money, how can you scoff at giving money to a guy who has ACTUALLY done something? There are no ifs ands or buts with Ribeiro (5 seasons over 60 points and two on pace), he’s a 65+ point centre in the now. He was the highest scoring player on the Free Agent market and he’s proven that he can be highly effective on the PP, something the Coyotes desperately need. 4 years isn’t even that long in this age of million year deals and other bollocks. The top-line centres (The ones playing with Doan) for the Coyotes the past several seasons have been, Antoine Vermette (a solid 2nd line centre and an excellent 3rd option), Daymond Langkow (an old and done 4th liner), Eric Belanger (a 4th liner that can’t even play on a bottom feeding Oiler team), Matthew Lombardi (a formerly good 3rd liner who can’t even find a job in the NHL now), Olli Jokinen (a 2nd liner who has been on a massive decline since leaving Florida and the franchise traded him almost the second he got here), Stephen Reinprecht (a 4th liner who can’t find NHL employment) and Yanic Perrault (a decent 2nd liner in his day). Look at that list…it’s bloody pathetic. Ribeiro is easily the best centre this team has had in ages, and somebody who can hopefully help Doan and take the load of carrying his line kicking and screaming away. Love the signing, and the Coyotes centre position is looking stronger than ever. You have to know Tippett wanted him and Ribeiro has played for him before in Dallas, which was apparently where Ribeiro matured and stopped being the whiny pre-Madonna he was in Montreal. He might look like a cocaine dealer, but he’s bloody talented and will be good for 55+ points.
Thomas Greiss – Greiss was the less talked about addition to the team. Having been the backup for the San Jose Sharks for three seasons, he gets to back up Mike Smith, huzzah! The 27 year old German did fine as a backup, nothing particularly special, but whatever. His highest game total was 19, and I think he will be expected to play around the 15 game mark barring an injury. He’s signed to a modest 1 year deal at 750,000, so he’s fine bang for the buck. Is Labs better? Ya, I would think so, but the difference isn’t really noticeable.
Now on to the RFA’s who were retained…and one UFA.
Chris Summers – Maloney answered my wish and extended the 25 year old to a one year deal at 550,000, it’s a put up or shut up deal for the former 29th overall pick in 2006. He’s hardly more than a potential bottom pairing defensive defenseman at this stage, and I feel that on most any other team/system he would be in the NHL or even just be a 7th defender at least. He’s got the size, the skating and the physical game to be an 18 minute a night guy, but on this deep defense and with high-end prospects passing him, he is likely a trade candidate at this point. He’s bounced around between the NHL and AHL with only 12 minutes a night (oddly enough 2 of those on the PK), and he’s looked fine in the limited showing. I have a feeling that this season we see Klesla and Morris moved so that Stone and Summers can get more ice-time, as both are pending UFA’s.
Michael Stone – Speaking of Stone, the 23 year old RFA was re-upped on a 3 year deal worth 1.15 mil per year. Stone has progressed really well and has been consistently improving at every level. By the end of the season he was seeing 24 minutes a night playing with Yandle at times and twice with OEL. Really physical and with a booming shot, he has some strong potential as a top-4 guy as early as next season. He torched the AHL and was Portland’s best defenseman, and even one of the best overall defenders in the AHL before being called up. I really like him and 5 goals and 9 points in 40 games as a rookie is very promising, especially with rather limited ice-time…much like OEL and other rookie defensemen that play under Tippett he starts you out slow, and I think that just like OEL Stone will be getting more ice-time next season and be able to break into the top-4. He plays all situations…man I just really like him.
Lauri Korpikoski – I was kind of worried that Korpikoski would get overpaid, or maybe get a small deal that would take him to being an UFA faster, yet in the end he got a very fair deal in my mind. 2.5mil per for 4 years is pretty good value for a player with his versatility. Korpikoski had a bit of a down season offensive, but was still on pace for about 13 goals…not as high as his 19 and 17 years, but respectable for a 3rd liner like himself. He’s a big piece of that penalty kill, and with Gordon gone, it’s important to lock up the other half of that top PK unit. If he had the hands and skill to match his wheels he’d be a star…as such however, he’s a great guy to have on the 3rd line and he can move up in a pinch due to his defensive ability. I like that he took a reasonable deal and I hope he and Vermette will be as effective on the PK.
All in all they’ve done a good job. Maloney just needs to get Boedker signed…preferably to a 4 -5 year deal at around the 2.75-3.25 mil range.
Here’s how the team is shaping up for next season, I think they can contend for the playoffs. If I did have one wish though, it would be if they could sign Vinny Prospal to a short term contract to be the second line left winger, he’d be a great fit and still can play despite his old age.
Mikkel Boedker – Mike Ribeiro – Shane Doan
Lauri Korpikoski (Wish for Vinny Prospal in here and things would look much nicer) – Martin Hanzal – Radim Vrbata
Rob Klinkhammer – Antoine Vermette – David Moss
Paul Bissonnette (ugg) – Kyle Chipchura – Chris Brown (22 year old prospect, had 29 goals in his rookie AHL campaign which was good for first by rookies and 9th overall plus he loves to play physical)
OEL – Zbynek Michalek
Keith Yandle – Michael Stone/Derek Morris
Rostislav Klesla – Michael Stone/Derek Morris
David Schlemko
Mike Smith
Thomas Greiss
Thanks for reading.
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