Confirmed with Link: Athanasiou re-signs, 2 years 3m/yr

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Unreasonably maligned? He's one of the most unreasonably hyped by some. On average he's a third line winger who now is overpaid for what he has shown to this point. I am hoping this is the first half of a sign and trade.

When's the last time Holland has done a sign and trade? If ever?

Seriously asking.

 

[Dotter]

meh, slightly overpaid... but would be happy if KH can flip him at deadline.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Any time you over pay a player, the trade value diminishes. That is the only value AA has right now.

He is over paid.

Don’t see how it’s overpayment really. Right off the top of my head Andre Burakovsky is a decent comparable at 3mil. Bura did have slightly better numbers but wasn’t eligible for arbitration which lowers price a bit (similar to how AA would have been cheaper had he accepted more than 1 year last summer).

 

[Bench]

I'm pretty whelmed here.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Don't think this is a, "Two years to prove himself" deal at all.

... Think Holland signed him to let him hopefully be pushing 40 points at the deadline and flip him somewhere for a 1st+.

I agree, I think it's more of a show of faith on management's part - something they have seemed reluctant to do in the past, and understandably so. I'm not sure what's changed in that dynamic or within AA himself, but if the Wings are willing to commit to him like this I am hoping that he will respond in kind.
Maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I am really hoping that the deal getting done so quickly and AA getting a little bit more than expected might be a sign that the two sides are turning a corner and their relationship will not be so adversarial going forward. I truly thought he had no real future with the wings and he would jump ship the first chance he got. This deal, if nothing else gives me a little hope that the team is buying into AA and that AA is buying into the team.

Or it's one of those sign and trades as some of you have suggested.

 

[dragonballgtz]

If he actually grows a competitive spirit, it's a fine contract, even an underpayment.

If he meanders through it like he's done the last couple years, this is an overpayment. Wings came to the table with a good deal for AA. He needs to put his ass in gear now. No more excuses about playing time or bull**** about P/60 and oh, he's so much better than X.

So, it's all on the table for him now.

But... but he is only making $3M a season so what do you expect from him?


Personally I would have rather trade him. Holland talks about culture, good character, and all that jazz but AA comes off as someone who is different in that sense.

 

[Winger98]

But... but he is only making $3M a season so what do you expect from him?


Personally I would have rather trade him. Holland talks about culture, good character, and all that jazz but AA comes off as someone who is different in that sense.

I think the problem with dealing AA is that his upside is so obviously there, and he's not a total slug the way someone like Cleary was before he got his head on straight. But there's still a very good chance he never reaches that and stays exactly he is, and other teams are only going to offer something in line with that because they don't want to end up holding the bag on a lazy, tempermental 3rd liner with entitlement issues.

Playing out the string with the guy is really our only option barring some team willing to pay for that upside.

 

[PelagicJoe]

Good deal.

 

[Goalie guy]

Omg god you guy's cry enough! You all all ready knew that Rass or little Z was not playing on this team this year if you thought other wise I feel sorry for you. Baring Hank no longer playing this is our team guy's. I'm fine with it.

 

[Frk It]

I'm pretty whelmed here.

 

[TatarTangle]

I haven't been able to follow the Wings as closely as I'd have wanted to in the last couple of seasons, so I hope someone could chime in here.

How has his (especially defensive) game panned out? I remember thinking in his rookie season that he could be a Helm with a bit more hands. Though to Helm's credit, he's been no slouch defensively, nor as a forechecker/chase car. Is AA comparable to a young Helm, or is there promise for more?

AA doesn't compare to anyone because he only plays 2-3 games a month. We also don't know his defensive side of the game because he really doesn't make it back enough to get a decent consensus on it. When he's skating hard he gets the job done in passing lanes, I guess. But he's more of skate around, watch the puck, and wait for a breakaway kind of guy. Dangle, snipe and celly 4life.

He has elite NHL tools but a D beer leaguer mentality and work ethic. We'll see if Vanek can talk some sense into AA. But if X player's success is contigent on Y player, is player X really all that good?

At best he won't be a liability defensively and in good enough position to take away chances. You hope for 40-50 points. If he gets his poop together, I could see 60 points for a season or three.

All that being said, $3 million isn't the end of the world.

 

[chances14]

somewhere, redder winger is celebrating while completing the finishing touches on his Athanasiou shrine

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

somewhere, redder winger is celebrating while completing the finishing touches on his Athanasiou shrine

This is where the news broke for him...

Within site rules since he isn't a member...

 

[SimplySolace]

This is where the news broke for him...

Within site rules since he isn't a member...

I guess that explains why he returned to another site...

 

[Mlotek]

That's crap. RFA's can't have signing bonuses. ELC and UFA's are only.

Since when did that come into effect?

Cause the Shea Weber offersheet was front loaded with ridiculous signing bonuses in an effort to prevent Nashville from matching.

Shea Weber - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Look at that juicy signing bonus.

Hertl (RFA) is also reported to have a signing bonus per capfriendly.

Tomas Hertl - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Same as Baetschi.

Sven Baertschi - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Nichushkin as well....

Valeri Nichushkin - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps


Either capfriendly got all these wrong, or RFAs can have signing bonuses.

 

[Mlotek]

AA doesn't compare to anyone because he only plays 2-3 games a month. We also don't know his defensive side of the game because he really doesn't make it back enough to get a decent consensus on it. When he's skating hard he gets the job done in passing lanes, I guess. But he's more of skate around, watch the puck, and wait for a breakaway kind of guy. Dangle, snipe and celly 4life.

He has elite NHL tools but a D beer leaguer mentality and work ethic. We'll see if Vanek can talk some sense into AA. But if X player's success is contigent on Y player, is player X really all that good?

At best he won't be a liability defensively and in good enough position to take away chances. You hope for 40-50 points. If he gets his poop together, I could see 60 points for a season or three.

All that being said, $3 million isn't the end of the world.

Are you seriously expecting one of the league's worst defensive players to tutor AA into getting better defensively?

Seriously, Vanek is pretty much the MOST sheltered NHL player since the modern era (2004-5). Why? Because he can't play defence. Maybe Ribeiro was worse.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Meeeeeeehhhhhh

 

[TatarTangle]

Are you seriously expecting one of the league's worst defensive players to tutor AA into getting better defensively?

Seriously, Vanek is pretty much the MOST sheltered NHL player since the modern era (2004-5). Why? Because he can't play defence. Maybe Ribeiro was worse.

No, I'm not. I'm hoping Vanek can instill a better work ethic into AA.

To be frank, I don't care how AA is defensively, he will never be that kind of player. But if skates hard every shift there shouldn't be a reason he can help dictate play in the two other zones.

 

[Henkka]

Since when did that come into effect?


Either capfriendly got all these wrong, or RFAs can have signing bonuses.

Yeah. There was talk about performance bonuses. I meant that.

 

[PullHard]

I'm really surprised by how early and bountiful this is

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

AA is 23 years old, has blazing speed, put up 33 points in 71 games while playing 15 minutes a game (Only 3 of those points were on the PP). The season before he put up 29 points in 64 games playing 13 and a half minutes a game. And that's all with the screwy way he's been utilized by Blashill.

Why move on already from the potential AA has? In two years he could become a 20/20 player who's ok defensively. If he doesn't, you get what you can for him and move on.

Yes he has defensive issues and maybe attitude problems, but people seem to have a bigger problem with Holland spending $3 million/year on AA than they do Vanek. What am I missing?

 

[Ezekial]

AA is 23 years old, has blazing speed, put up 33 points in 71 games while playing 15 minutes a game (Only 3 of those points were on the PP). The season before he put up 29 points in 64 games playing 13 and a half minutes a game. And that's all with the screwy way he's been utilized by Blashill.

Why move on already from the potential AA has? In two years he could become a 20/20 player who's ok defensively. If he doesn't, you get what you can for him and move on.

Yes he has defensive issues and maybe attitude problems, but people seem to have a bigger problem with Holland spending $3 million/year on AA than they do Vanek. What am I missing?

As far as payment in a vacuum, it's easy to see why a 34 yo UFA that put up 56 in 80 last season playing 14 minutes a game would make 3 million. He did put up 15 PPP and only played 12 ES minutes a game.
But AA is an RFA and played 15 ES mins a game and didn't even come close to Vanek's ES production.

You can not like signing a player and still understand relative value.

 

[Frk It]

What am I missing?

Look at the forwards on the roster... now look at the defenseman on the roster.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

As far as payment in a vacuum, it's easy to see why a 34 yo UFA that put up 56 in 80 last season playing 14 minutes a game would make 3 million. He did put up 15 PPP and only played 12 ES minutes a game.
But AA is an RFA and played 15 ES mins a game and didn't even come close to Vanek's ES production.

You can not like signing a player and still understand relative value.

Right, but it's not in a vacuum. AA had 30 ES points and played 13 ES mins a game, not 15. Vanek had 41 while playing on Vancouver and Columbus. I wouldn't describe that as "not even close" especially when you factor in that on the Canucks he spent most of his time playing with the Sedin twins.

It's also ignoring that Vanek has zero future with the Wings. His only potential is the potential to decline. Vanek honestly has little value and based on last season will probably fetch little at the deadline, especially with his NTC. He'll play sheltered minutes and put up points on a losing season. But the attitude there seemed more like "what does it hurt?"

Look at the forwards on the roster... now look at the defenseman on the roster.

To call the defense a dumpster fire would be an insult to dumpsters. I get that. But that's a larger problem than AA. With AA I feel like it's a bird in hand situation. And honestly using that reasoning it makes even less sense to sign Vanek. AA is a young prospect and an RFA with potential upside.

I'm just a little surprised at how many people are ready to cut bait with AA already.

 

[Ezekial]

Right, but it's not in a vacuum. AA had 30 ES points and played 13 ES mins a game, not 15. Vanek had 41 while playing on Vancouver and Columbus. I wouldn't describe that as "not even close" especially when you factor in that on the Canucks he spent most of his time playing with the Sedin twins.

It's also ignoring that Vanek has zero future with the Wings. His only potential is the potential to decline. Vanek honestly has little value and based on last season will probably fetch little at the deadline, especially with his NTC. He'll play sheltered minutes and put up points on a losing season. But the attitude there seemed more like "what does it hurt?"

My bad on the TOI clicking back and forth on tabs got me jumbled a bit.

I was just talking about raw numbers and why Vanek at 3 and AA at 3 have entirely different factors in their contract numbers. With Strome coming in at 3.1, AA's deal seems even more fine.