but when you're mad that Kenny signed, for example, Frans Neilsen (who is much better than anyone we currently have in the system), then that is advocating tanking..
Nielsen vs 2 26-year-old centers we drafted.
Evens strength points -- Faceoff percentage -- Defensive Zone Faceoffs - vs cap hit
Nielsen 6-4-10 -- 47.2 -- 57.9 -- $5.25M (through 2022)
Sheahan 4-9-13 - 57.2 -- 67.2 -- $2.075M (through 17-18)
Jarnkrok 7-9-16 - 52.2 - 59.9 -- $2.00 (through 2022)
Nielsen might be better than any centers in GR right now (not saying much).
But who cares?
1) If we never traded for Legwand, we wouldn't have needed him because we'd have Jarnkrok.
2) Sheahan and Jarnkrok are both younger, far cheaper, better on faceoffs, and more productive despite more defensive zone deployment.
Nielsen's contract was just Ken Holland going through the f***ing motions.
Another stupid decision.
And this one cost us Sheahan.
Not a huge loss.
But still. Sheahan is playing in essentially the same role in Pittsburgh. He's cheaper. Younger. Bigger. More productive. Better on Faceoffs. Better Corsi. Better Plus minus.
Ken Holland went out and traded down in the draft to move Datsyuk's contract.
Presumably to compete for Stamkos.
I supported that. Because I think Stamkos, however unlikely it was he was leaving Tampa, could have been a huge difference maker in Detroit.
Add Stamkos to our team this year and we're probably competing with Toronto.
It's kind of a cheap and quick fix. But I get it. I can get behind that.
And we still got Cholowski and Hronek (I think there were better options at Cholo's pick, but whatever).
But when Stamkos wouldn't return Holland's calls, Ken Holland needed to show some restraint.
Going out and overpaying Nielsen was the wrong move.
Last year Nielsen turned in a 17-24-41 -19
This year he's on pace for about 19-10-29 -14
Who's he better than exactly?
If Nielsen were a UFA after this season, what kind of contract do you think he'd fetch.
I think we'd see like we saw with KFQ.
After two $4M/Y contracts with Generous Kenny, Quincey hit the market and signed for about $1.2M - the actual market value for a slowish veteran third-pairing defenseman.