Player Discussion Tyler Motte

[FoxyClean]

This guy is still unsigned. Why aren't we signing him for cheap, if available? He played very well for us.

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[egelband]

This guy is still unsigned. Why aren't we signing him for cheap, if available? He played very well for us.

Something has to be going on. He either has something lined up - maybe with the rangers, even - or he’s going to play overseas.
But it’s pretty weird he hasn’t signed anywhere. He’s a solid player.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Priced himself out. He's a 4th line plug that nobody wants to pay for. You can get what he does for league minimum.

 

[Fitzy]

My guess is that he is continuing to hold out for term, so that he can have financial security against potential career altering injuries.

If he isn't able to get anyone to bite, it's certainly possible he signs somewhere short term with the hope of revisiting a 4 year contract next offseason.

 

[Crease]

Maybe he’s banking someone around the league will get hurt before opening night, and he’ll get the contract he’s looking for.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Didnt someone share a recent picture of him on the ice wearing a Rangers practice jersey?

I dont think the issue is the Rangers not wanting him, its all about the cap and Mottes demand. He wants a pay bump. Either that or there is something in the works that has to do with freeing cap space over time or waiting to see if an injury occurs. But it would be silly for Mottes camp to sit out a camp just for that to happen.

 

[Unusual Suspect]

Maybe the Vesey PTO was intended to throw a scare into Motte to get him to cave on money or term.

Or not.

 

[Fitzy]

Didnt someone share a recent picture of him on the ice wearing a Rangers practice jersey?

I dont think the issue is the Rangers not wanting him, its all about the cap and Mottes demand. He wants a pay bump. Either that or there is something in the works that has to do with freeing cap space over time or waiting to see if an injury occurs. But it would be silly for Mottes camp to sit out a camp just for that to happen.

Best case scenario for us would be Motte settling for a one year deal at close to league minimum (Or whatever we can pay him if we completely ditch the idea of rentals at the deadline) and trying his hand at the market again next offseason.

It's been long enough that I'm gaining optimism about the chances that happens.

 

[Machinehead]

I feel like Motte is in a weird place where he's worth what he's asking for but he's also not.

 

[ElLeetch]

I feel like Motte is in a weird place where he's worth what he's asking for but he's also not.

The Motte type of player is who the CAP hurts the most. The big names will always get paid. but the 3rd and 4th liners, you can't pay them what they are worth. you have to hope to sign someone for lower (or bring up an ELC rookie) and hope they play better than they are worth. it squeezes the Mottes of the world out of the NHL.

 

[Crease]

I feel like Motte is in a weird place where he's worth what he's asking for but he's also not.

He’s worth what he’s asking for, if not for the covid cap. When the players pay off their debt and the cap returns to normal, guys like him will get $2-3m per season. Bad luck for him.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Kinda shocked he hasnt been signed elsewhere unless he really wants to stay in NY. Although I didnt get that vibe from him after the playoffs ended. He also seemed like an afterthought when Drury was asked if they are keeping him.

He's very good at what he does and is valuable for team that needs a good PK man and expecting to reach the playoffs. He's not necessarily a dime a dozen player but I could see also how he is viewed that way because he is limited offensively.

 

[GAGLine]

I feel like Motte is in a weird place where he's worth what he's asking for but he's also not.

Schrodinger's Motte?

 

[Thordic]

He’s worth what he’s asking for, if not for the covid cap. When the players pay off their debt and the cap returns to normal, guys like him will get $2-3m per season. Bad luck for him.

This. It's a shitty situation for him. Guys like him are getting screwed by the current cap structure. Also a big gamble on his part - take short term deals and hope for a bigger deal when the gap goes up and risk injury, or take a longer term deal at a lower cap and take the guaranteed money?

 

[Savant]

He’s waiting out for more money that isn’t coming. That Rodrigues deal is horrible news for him and his agent though.

 

[RangersFan1994]

I bet injuries he had recently that teams are being more cautious. He is not a superstar you take a chance on with his injury history (Concussion history)

 

[Chaels Arms]

He's probably waiting for injuries or just poor camp showings to get the best offer he can.

 

[RGY]

I said it all offseason, Motte should be signing a 1-2 year deal at a lesser AAV than he maybe wants but it can take him to free agency again when the cap will go back up and he can get a better payday for his services. He overplayed his hand. Now there is even less money out there than when free agency started. Drury probably held firm on a number and is now looking very good here.

 

[Machinehead]

Schrodinger's Motte?

Yes!

What I mean is that the market certainly dictates that he can get (probably) what he's asking for as similar players have gotten it. At the same time, covid threw a wrench and what teams are willing to give has changed. And it's not just willing - most of the teams are literally out of cap space. His peers have gotten X and teams can afford Y.

 

[Vitto79]

he's likely getting the Rodrigues contract from someone. NYR has no space so while it sucks I doubt he's coming back.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Best case scenario for us would be Motte settling for a one year deal at close to league minimum (Or whatever we can pay him if we completely ditch the idea of rentals at the deadline) and trying his hand at the market again next offseason.

It's been long enough that I'm gaining optimism about the chances that happens.

I like Motte a lot. A line of Motte, gooddrow, and Blais would be hard to play against. If he does take a minimum deal he has value at the trade deadline for us too.

 

[will1066]

Motte was invaluable to the team when he was able to play. I am a bit surprised by the dime-a-dozen label thrown at him after we were unable to re-sign him. The way he was able to get to the point man and pressure him when opponents tried to set up in our zone 5v5 prevented them from achieving extended zone time. This might have been less apparent than his PK prowess. It wasn't just him using his speed to do it; he had a knack for timing that pressure on the point man so that it effectively broke up opponents' low-high passes that set up scoring chances from the point. Not everyone can do it.

 

[JimmyG89]

Motte is stuck in the good 4th liner, not ideal 3rd liner spot. Teams will want to fill his role cheap and would rather look at a 22-23 year old prospect they've been molding for that role before signing him.

If I had to guess, Nashville would be a team on his radar. Style of play fits. Also would be boosted by no state tax, so his ~1M salary would go less to Uncle Sam. Kings fit too, but they've got the younger players that they want to see in that role.

 

[Raspewtin]

Motte was invaluable to the team when he was able to play. I am a bit surprised by the dime-a-dozen label thrown at him after we were unable to re-sign him. The way he was able to get to the point man and pressure him when opponents tried to set up in our zone 5v5 prevented them from achieving extended zone time. This might have been less apparent than his PK prowess. It wasn't just him using his speed to do it; he had a knack for timing that pressure on the point man so that it effectively broke up opponents' low-high passes that set up scoring chances from the point. Not everyone can do it.

It's a weird conundrum with Motte. I don't think he's a dime-a-dozen player at all. I think he has a very unique toolkit actually that really helped us short handed and defensively, like you said.

With that in mind I am absolutely not willing to pay Motte more than what I'd pay a dime-a-dozen player. The quickest way to cap hell is overpaying bottom 6 players. For all the good Motte does, he is absolutely useless with the puck on his stick and has a career high of 16 points. The problem with all the good he brings is, it's done in like 7 ES minutes a game. He literally can't bring enough value in that spot to justify what he wanted on his next deal. It's Derek Dorsett 2.0. He was awesome and it hurt to lose him but he made way too much money to be a 4th line forechecking specialist.

 

[IDvsEGO]

It's a weird conundrum with Motte. I don't think he's a dime-a-dozen player at all. I think he has a very unique toolkit actually that really helped us short handed and defensively, like you said.

With that in mind I am absolutely not willing to pay Motte more than what I'd pay a dime-a-dozen player. The quickest way to cap hell is overpaying bottom 6 players. For all the good Motte does, he is absolutely useless with the puck on his stick and has a career high of 16 points. The problem with all the good he brings is, it's done in like 7 ES minutes a game. He literally can't bring enough value in that spot to justify what he wanted on his next deal. It's Derek Dorsett 2.0. He was awesome and it hurt to lose him but he made way too much money to be a 4th line forechecking specialist.

I mean his skill set isn't unique But he's also screwed right now. He's a 4th line guy, and right now those guys are making league min to 1m.
In a normal cap situation hes probably worth 2.2 or so.
He might have turned down an offer early, and lost it.