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Bargains And The Anti-Digger
by IwoCPO on 05/09/07 at 11:57 AM ET
Comments (7)
Mike Brophy at The Hockey News has a story up referring to our boy Homer’s status as a big-time bargain.
So when the veteran GM of the Detroit Red Wings had the opportunity to lock up gritty right winger Tomas Holmstrom for three years at $6.75 million, he jumped at it.
And why not? The 10-year veteran appears to be getting better with age. While some 30-goal scorers command significantly more money, Holmstrom is one of the NHL’s biggest bargains at an average of $2.25 million a season.
In his past two seasons, the 34-year-old from Pieta, Sweden has enjoyed career-high years of 29 and then 30 goals, making it hard to believe he didn’t test the free agent waters.
There can be no doubt, especially considering the impact he had on the San Jose series, that Homer is indeed underpaid. Knowing the Wings, I wouldn’t be surprised if Holland wasn’t working a re-structuring…because that’s how team operates; which answers Brophy’s question as to why Holmstrom hasn’t tested the free-agent market.
Throw in the fact that he’s surrounded by his fellow Swedes and other teammates he’s essentially grown up with, and you have an idea why he isn’t prone to even float the idea as a bargaining ploy (other than the mis-reported threat of going home).
Brophy also lists a handful of other players (Kunitz, Pominville, Nylander) who fall into the bargain category, but the most obvious of all is glaringly absent.
Hank Zetterberg at 2.65 for the next two seasons is an absolute, outright steal. It’s insane.
Anti-digger Bruce MacLeod is at it again. He’s using complex gimmicks like statistics and analysis, breaking multiple Michigan Sportwriters Union rules, and then—watch out—offering opinion based on his research. It’s earth shattering and shocking, but you can handle it.
Is there any reason not to play Hudler? Calder hasn’t been nearly as effective and didn’t even get five minutes of ice time in Game 6 against San Jose. And if it’s home-road matchups and fear of Hudler’s size, it’s not like Calder is big or a shut-down defender. ... Lang has had a very good post-season, especially when you consider that he’s produced in road games when Datsyuk and Zetterberg have been silent (one combined point in six road games). ...
Whoa…wait a second. Could we be misinterpreting Bob’s effecitveness?
Nah.
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Comments
Great post from Irreverent Oiler Fans:
http://vhockey.blogspot.com/
Posted by w2j2 on 05/09/07 at 12:41 PM ET
I responed to Bruce’s post. He always brings excellent stuff, but I think his analysis of these numbers is too heavy.
I do agree that Hudler should be in the lineup, but the vast majority of these statistics are clearly skewed as a result of ice time.
For example, if Hudler played 20+ minutes per night like Hank does, he would likely have a poor GA/60 rating, as the eyeball test tells us he isn’t half the defender and skater than Z is.
These stats don’t take into account the timeliness of certain players. Filpulla may only have those two early goals, but he was on the ice both to set Lang up for the huge tying goal in game 4 against the Sharks, and he was again called upon to shut down the Sharks with under two minutes left in the clinching game.
In the case of Lang, while he has no doubt scored the two biggest goals of the postseason, only the eyeball test tells us just how awful he has been in about half of the games played to date in the postseason. The confusing part is that his good performances show that he still has some of the tools that put him near the top of the league in scoring when the Wings traded for him, and yet his effort seems to be somewhere else (perhaps on his hair, I don’t know).
Posted by Nathan on 05/09/07 at 12:57 PM ET
So let me get this right, after four months of waiting for Bob, uh-ummm, Mr. Lang, to “find” his game the Wings are in the playoffs. Moving forward, after an utterly Langadaisical start, we find Bob skating up ice and scoring a goal after which the collective fan base fell off of their barstools. In yet another Languid outing, the puck again finds the net. Thus, we have 12 games played and four points for the Enigma. Now, he’s an asset? Well, blow me down! (as that other famous sailor used to say.)
Posted by Rumbear from Sandy Eggo on 05/09/07 at 03:23 PM ET
Rumbear: not only did that comment from MacLeod mystify me, but it frightened me as well. I’m with you.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 05/09/07 at 03:27 PM ET
Yes, only someone who is looking at stats and not watching the games could say that Lang has been an asset. He has shown his moments of brilliance, but maybe if a player was in his place who puts out a better 60-minute effort every game, we wouldn’t have needed his two timely goals.
Posted by Paul from Miami Beach on 05/10/07 at 10:24 AM ET
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Posted by Heaton on 05/09/07 at 12:16 PM ET