Mark Arcobello signed a 1 year contract extension with the Oilers today despite the fact that he has been exiled to the AHL for months now. In terms of possession he has posted strong numbers, the best on the team, actually. In his traditional boxcars he provided a decent amount of offense but nothing to write home about. Arco grew on me in his time here. I still don’t like his shot, I’m not sure he gets it off fast enough to be considered NHL caliber, but his passing game and vision are above average.
He was going to become a free agent (sans restrictions) because of his age and games played so why sign a deal with a team that sent him down to the minors despite the fact that he was playing well enough to stay in the NHL?
I’ll tell you why and it’s really just because of a few numbers we can bring up for Arco: Five Foot Eight Inches, One Hundred and Sixty Six Pounds.
That’s it. When you are short and extremely light, as a hockey player, there are no certainties. He hasn’t established himself as an NHL player and he may never. The Oilers just offered him a guaranteed contract for next year and there’s every chance that he gets to play for the team again and maybe really does establish himself in the League.
If Marcobello was 6 inches taller and 40 pounds heavier he would already be an NHL player and he could leave the Oilers organization with a solid chance at landing somewhere else. Nobody is looking for tiny players who *might* be good. Every other team has their own Mark Arcobello already. This is a good move by Arco, whom, I reiterate, I like.
He doesn’t have to break down the barrier of prejudice about his size with a new Coach or General Manager. He knows what he needs to do to get a fair shot at playing in the NHL. And, if he’s seeing things the same way I am, he can plainly see that there might be an opening or two down the middle next year with the Oilers.
When you are the size of a highschool cheerleader you take the money and the fact that you’re a known commodity and run with it. That’s why Mark Arcobello signed that extension.
Follow me on Twitter @Archaeologuy