Friday 27 June 2008

NHL UFA Season - 2008 - The List


This is my second look at the 2008 UFAs. My first post on the subject was here:

2008 UFA's - A First Look

There will be few 'preview' style posts for this UFA class (from myself that is) as I just don't see the value in the group this year. Only a handful of the players available are even worth investigating imo and so, to that end I will only list those players I deem:

a. available and/or
b. of interest to me and/or
c. just plain interesting as a signing

So no Sergei Federov listed, as I expect him to sign with Washington, and no Steve Kelly listed , as his numbers aren't good enough (in any sense) to make me think he is a player worth signing. Malone is now off my list because he is going to be far too expensive a signing and likewise for Hossa, Jagr, Campbell and Redden.

Numbers listed (in order) are: age, last contract, games played, counting numbers, overall TOI, powerplay TOI, shorthanded TOI and Desjardin numbers (EV rating, Quality of competition and quality of teammates).

Anyways, without further ado,


FORWARDS

Gelinas ..... 38 .. $ 2.85 .. 57gm ... 9g.11a (20) .. +5
________ 14.06 .. 0.38 .. 1.38 ... +0.36 .. +0.02 .. -0.14

Sundin ...... 37 .. $ 5.50 .. 74gm .. 32g.46a (78) .. +17
________ 20.04 .. 4.25 .. 1.08 ... +1.60 .. +0.08 .. +0.25

Holik ....... 37 .. $ 4.25 .. 82gm .. 15g.19a (34) .. -14
________ 15.58 .. 1.47 .. 1.15 ... +0.11 .. +0.03 .. +0.04

Conroy ...... 37 .. $ 2.85 .. 79gm .. 12g.22a (34) .. +6
________ 17.09 .. 1.54 .. 2.29 ... +0.62 .. +0.07 .. 0.37

Naslund ..... 35 .. $ 6.00 .. 82gm .. 25g.30a (55) .. -7
________ 17.23 .. 3.35 .. 0.03 ... +0.02 .. -0.03 .. +0.12

Stillman .... 35 .. $ 1.75 .. 79gm .. 24g.41a (65) .. -15
________ 18.58 .. 4.07 .. 1.05 ... -0.08 .. +0.05 .. -0.03

Brunette .... 35 .. $ 1.60 .. 82gm .. 19g.40a (59) .. +5
________ 15.32 .. 3.07 .. 0.01 ... +0.54 .. +0.01 .. +0.03

Demitra ..... 34 .. $ 4.50 .. 68gm .. 15g.39a (54) .. +9
________ 19.42 .. 3.29 .. 1.37 ... +0.89 .. -0.02 .. +0.25

Satan ....... 34 .. $ 4.23 .. 80gm .. 16g.25a (41) .. -11
________ 18.19 .. 3.54 .. 0.43 ... +0.82 .. -0.00 .. +0.02

Pandolpho ... 34 .. $ 0.84 .. 54gm .. 12g.12a (24) .. +10
________ 17.16 .. 0.27 .. 2.59 ... +0.85 .. +0.16 .. +0.12

Kapanen ..... 30 .. $ 0.85 .. 79gm .. 10g.18a (28) .. -1
________ 13.14 .. 2.17 .. 0.12 ... +0.26 .. -0.03 .. -0.00

Fedotenko ... 29 .. $ 2.90 .. 67gm .. 16g.17a (33) .. -9
________ 16.41 .. 2.13 .. 0.56 ... -0.11 .. +0.06 .. -0.10

Dupuis ...... 29 .. $ 0.88 .. 78gm .. 12g.15a (27) .. +0
________ 15.11 .. 0.18 .. 2.36 ... +0.16 .. +0.02 .. -0.00

Hagman ...... 29 .. $ 0.68 .. 82gm .. 27g.14a (41) .. +4
________ 15.35 .. 2.21 .. 2.11 ... -0.26 .. -0.00 .. -0.13

Tjarnqvist .. 29 .. $ 0.46 .. 78gm ... 4g..7a (11) .. -1
________ 13.38 .. 0.07 .. 3.05 ... +0.29 .. +0.03 .. -0.09

Ryder ...... 28 .. $ 2.95 .. 70gm .. 14g.17a (31) .. -4
________ 13.14 .. 2.07 .. 0.05 ... -0.36 .. +0.06 .. -0.16

Williams .... 28 .. $ 1.60 .. 43gm .. 13g.23a (36) .. -2
________ 16.34 .. 4.21 .. 0.22 ... +0.55 .. +0.04 .. +0.28

Vasicek ..... 28 .. $ 0.75 .. 81gm .. 16g.19a (35) .. +1
________ 15.51 .. 1.24 .. 1.24 ... +0.70 .. +0.03 .. +0.07

Glencross ... 26 .. $ 0.53 .. 62gm .. 15g.10a (25) .. +8
________ 11.21 .. 0.54 .. 2.41 ... +0.91 .. -0.05 .. -0.15


DEFENSEMEN

Modry ....... 37 .. $ 1.20 .. 42gm ... 1g..8a (9) ... -9
________ 19.03 .. 0.31 .. 2.43 ... +0.03 .. +0.01 .. -0.02

Smith ....... 35 .. $ 1.98 .. 77gm ... 1g..9a (10) .. -4
________ 17.56 .. 0.08 .. 2.54 ... -0.03 .. -0.03 .. +0.07

Malik ....... 33 .. $ 2.50 .. 42gm ... 2g..8a (10) .. +7
________ 19.14 .. 0.14 .. 2.39 ... +1.07 .. +0.06 .. -0.02

Salvador .... 32 .. $ 1.40 .. 64gm ... 1g.10a (11) .. +12
________ 19.47 .. 0.08 .. 3.23 ... +0.48 .. +0.09 .. -0.17

Roszival .... 30 .. $ 2.10 .. 80gm .. 13g.25a (38) .. +0
________ 24.33 .. 3.47 .. 2.58 ... -0.11 .. +0.05 .. +0.10

Mara ........ 29 .. $ 3.00 .. 61gm ... 1g.16a (17) .. +1
________ 17.53 .. 2.16 .. 1.42 ... +0.01 .. -0.00 .. -0.09

Commodore ... 29 .. $ 1.25 .. 67gm ... 3g.11a (14) .. -7
________ 18.12 .. 0.22 .. 3.00 ... +0.11 .. +0.01 .. -0.05

Finger ...... 29 .. $ 0.48 .. 72gm ... 8g.11a (19) .. +12
________ 19.57 .. 1.03 .. 2.18 ... +0.40 .. -0.06 .. -0.07

Vandermeer .. 28 .. $ 1.23 .. 75gm ... 3g.14a (17) .. +6
________ 19.38 .. 1.29 .. 2.25 ... +0.56 .. -0.05 .. +0.11

Hainsey ..... 27 .. $ 0.74 .. 78gm ... 8g.24a (32) .. -7
________ 22.33 .. 4.28 .. 1.30 ... -0.58 .. -0.00 .. +0.02

Sauer ....... 27 .. $ 0.72 .. 54gm ... 1g..5a (7) ... +17
________ 18.41 .. 0.05 .. 3.10 ... +1.29 .. +0.12 .. -0.02


HONORABLE MENTIONS

-- Randy Robitaille (underwhelming center who won't embarrass / very affordable and has some veteran savvy),
-- Andre Roy (4th line enforcer who won't cost much / can easily cover his minimal game time)
-- Ryan Johnson (slightly less skilled, slightly cheaper, version of Randy Robitaille)
-- Mike Weaver (cheap, veteran defender who is an obvious step up from standard AHL call-up fodder)


CLASS OF THE FIELD

Sundin is the man.

Where I can look at Campbell and say that anything more than 6 mill or so /yr is a probable overpay (likewise for the rest of the 'name' UFAs) I can look at Sundin and say he is worth every penny he will make, from whatever team signs him, almost regardless of amount.

The guy is amazing. By every measure he is a superior player. Every one. If an established team, like Montreal, secures his name on a contract then Montreal is my new Cup favorite come the 2008-09 season.

A phenomenal player. The only issue with Sundin? Having to carry sad sack rosters in Toronto all these years. That is it.


GREY POWER

The first thing that comes to mind, when I look at this list, is just how 'old' most of these players are. Commentators may wax poetic about the sinking UFA age but the majority of impact UFA signings will still involve players well over 30 years old.

If you look at my measures I tend to value counting numbers (a starting point), Desjardin numbers (for insight), and TOI numbers (for insight). After that it is all about context, strategy and tactics.

The players I have listed are the guys who, typically, show the good value characteristics - hence it is interesting that most of those are players nearer the end of their career rather than players 'in their primes'.

A team that really wants to have a solid shot at the Cup, but misses out on Hossa, et al would probably do well to see if they can sign some combination of Gelinas, Holik, Conroy, etc. Get three of the greys on this list for 5 million or so (combined) and you have a decent 3rd line that play above its weight when required.

Serious Cup contenders have solid depth throughout their line-up and if you don't have a whack of Spitfires coming up from the minors then maybe a set of old B-17's are the just the ticket to deal with what ails you.

(and yes, I know one is a british fighter plane and the other is an american bomber - just let it flow okay?)

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Have a great evening everyone.

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