Aaaaaand then there is Bieksa:Derek Grant is the best NHL scorer on this list [of remaining UFA centers], and his performance is backed up by strong AHL numbers the last two years. He’s still in the heart of his career and he’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, kills penalties, and has won 54 per cent of his 5-on-5 faceoffs the last three seasons.
The only other established NHL option is Kevin Bieksa, who somehow logged almost 1,000 5-on-5 minutes again last year. It’s maddening. After a very solid career in Vancouver – seriously, 2006-13 Bieksa was a fantastic player — he has spent the last five years getting out-shot and out-scored by increasingly lopsided margins every season. Surely this is the end. Cam Fowler was a 50 per cent Fenwick/57 per cent goal share player this year when he wasn’t forced to lug around a 37-year-old partner, while Bieksa was a 40 per cent Fenwick/33 per cent goal share player away from Fowler.
Curious if anyone has heard anything about Bieksa? Unless I missed it, I don’t think he has signed anywhere or even been offered a tryout?
I seem to recall him being all pissed that the Ducks said they were moving on from him. Maybe the rest of the league is moving on from him too?
Bieksa won’t get a contract. The league knows how bad he is. He’s such a great locker room presence that he managed to piss off the Ducks by whining and complaining. He will sign a PTO and then end up either retiring or playing overseas. Good riddance
They were great, though.The only good thing about KB this past year was his superman punches.
They were great, though.
1 year deal for Kerdiles with the Jets - 650/100k with 150k guaranteed. One of the last teams I'd want to be traded to as a player in his situation (so much forward depth) but I wish him all the best.
Well, that's cool of him to get that kind of guaranteed money for the year, but I'm pretty skeptical he's going to do much there1 year deal for Kerdiles with the Jets - 650/100k with 150k guaranteed. One of the last teams I'd want to be traded to as a player in his situation (so much forward depth) but I wish him all the best.
I might be alone in this, but I think Bieksa can keep up just fine.
My issue with him is that he still tries to play like he's the same player he was when he was younger. I actually think he could be a pretty solid 3rd pairing defenseman, if he was willing to simplify his game, play more conservatively, and just stop playing like an ******* in a pick up game. That's my real beef with him. It was the same issue I had with Sbisa before he was shipped out. Bieksa plays like he thinks he's the best player on the ice, and he can get away with it. He never really plays with urgency, and even when he ****s up he kind of casually glides back to where he needs to go.
Bieksa was twice the player someone like DiPenta was, but I'd rather have DiPenta on the ice because at least he understood his limitations and tried to play to the role that he neede to. If Bieksa did that, I think we would have had a pretty solid 3rd pairing guy. An overpaid one, sure, but that's on Murray.
It's all kind of irrelevant, because Bieksa wasn't willing to play within his limitations. That's on him.
It’s his brain that can’t keep up, not his legs or body. For this reason he will be playing in a different country overseasI might be alone in this, but I think Bieksa can keep up just fine.
My issue with him is that he still tries to play like he's the same player he was when he was younger. I actually think he could be a pretty solid 3rd pairing defenseman, if he was willing to simplify his game, play more conservatively, and just stop playing like an ******* in a pick up game. That's my real beef with him. It was the same issue I had with Sbisa before he was shipped out. Bieksa plays like he thinks he's the best player on the ice, and he can get away with it. He never really plays with urgency, and even when he ****s up he kind of casually glides back to where he needs to go.
Bieksa was twice the player someone like DiPenta was, but I'd rather have DiPenta on the ice because at least he understood his limitations and tried to play to the role that he neede to. If Bieksa did that, I think we would have had a pretty solid 3rd pairing guy. An overpaid one, sure, but that's on Murray.
It's all kind of irrelevant, because Bieksa wasn't willing to play within his limitations. That's on him.