Confirmed Signing with Link: [CAR] Derek Stepan signs with the Hurricanes (1 year, $1.35M)

[Cardiac Jerks]

I would have preferred they signed Eric Staal instead for nostalgia reasons. Both players are pretty equivalent at this point, no?

None of us would have preferred that.

 

[Lempo]

As a Panther fan, I approve of everything Carolina has done or not done in the off-season. You had our number last year.

You're just saying because you want Carolina be rather Rangers than Panthers.

 

[RustyCat]

I should say, though, that it doesn't mean he'll be terrible in Carolina. In fact, he may end up being pretty good.

This is an extremely detail-oriented player on the ice. He's positionally perfect defensively and just does not make mistakes. He's small, slow, and weak but always has his body and stick in the right position defensively. He does not have to rely on skating or strength at all, which is good because he has neither. He will likely be a head coach at some level some day. He sees the game so well and has such solid fundamentals on the ice. He's had to because he has so little actual talent, relative to other players with similar resumes.

Having said all of that, most Coyotes fans I know that actually follow the team closely could not wait to be rid of him. I think he's a fine player on a good team with an established leadership group and effective coaching. Carolina is a good spot for him, in this regard. The Coyotes, however, had a crisis of accountability. There was none. They had a country club head coach who just wanted to let all of his beer buddies off the hook.

The Kessels, and Stepans, Demers, and Goligoskis. Stepan was on Spittin' Chiclets talking about drinking a six pack of Bud Lights every night, even during the season. Alex Goligoski, who's play NOSE DIVED after they acquired Stepan and then SKY ROCKETED after Stepan was shipped out, talked on Spittin' Chiclets about how Stepan helped him stop taking things so seriously and how to just relax and have fun.

The veterans the Coyotes had in their "leadership" group were all class-clown, goofball, former party boys. They very obviously could not care less and it was an absolute Country Club environment. Derek Stepan was the worst offender.

Fascinating take. I really feel that that many hockey fans get tied up in analytics and moneypucking the way to winning hockey games, but it is these kind of influences that can have a far more profound impact on the game. You cannot measure what you are saying; the Goligoski situation is a great example because no graph will show it, but it absolutely matters and has a tangible impact. Interestingly, I was just perusing the Canes thread on Foegele and it appears the culture has its own issues. So Stepan is an interesting acquisition and you have to wonder how that will also impact on-ice affairs.

Post like yours are so under-appreciated in terms of how personalities impact winning.

 

[Kraken Jokes]

I should say, though, that it doesn't mean he'll be terrible in Carolina. In fact, he may end up being pretty good.

This is an extremely detail-oriented player on the ice. He's positionally perfect defensively and just does not make mistakes. He's small, slow, and weak but always has his body and stick in the right position defensively. He does not have to rely on skating or strength at all, which is good because he has neither. He will likely be a head coach at some level some day. He sees the game so well and has such solid fundamentals on the ice. He's had to because he has so little actual talent, relative to other players with similar resumes.

Having said all of that, most Coyotes fans I know that actually follow the team closely could not wait to be rid of him. I think he's a fine player on a good team with an established leadership group and effective coaching. Carolina is a good spot for him, in this regard. The Coyotes, however, had a crisis of accountability. There was none. They had a country club head coach who just wanted to let all of his beer buddies off the hook.

The Kessels, and Stepans, Demers, and Goligoskis. Stepan was on Spittin' Chiclets talking about drinking a six pack of Bud Lights every night, even during the season. Alex Goligoski, who's play NOSE DIVED after they acquired Stepan and then SKY ROCKETED after Stepan was shipped out, talked on Spittin' Chiclets about how Stepan helped him stop taking things so seriously and how to just relax and have fun.

The veterans the Coyotes had in their "leadership" group were all class-clown, goofball, former party boys. They very obviously could not care less and it was an absolute Country Club environment. Derek Stepan was the worst offender.

This is the type of posts that I wish there were much more of on the main boards. Fans of other teams don't get this perspective and it's good to know this stuff when talking about players.

 

[Negan4Coach]

You need these guys to win cups. I’ll never forget how valuable Matt Cullen was to the Penguins in their cup runs.

Those veteran, defensively oriented centers can make a huge impact on a team.

And we'll also never forget how JR got rid of Cullen for nothing so that he could later sign him with the Pens, that dirty bastard.

 

[NyQuil]

Ooof, did not have a good stretch of play in Ottawa.

Slow and passive.

Our team played markedly better once he was out of the line-up for good.

I assume this is just a depth move and that he won't see ice regularly.

Both he and Paquette were massive disappointments.

 

[TGWL]

Forgot he was a free agent. Carolina going down the Tampa route. Aquire some NYR/former NYR players, trade them away in about another year and win the cup.

Stepan has the personality you can't help but to be drawn to. Off the rink, he looks un-athlete and if you heard him talking about hockey you would probably think beer league player. Still, carved a nice career by being a smart player who a lot of his teammates loved. I don't know if this is the right system for him to be an NHL regular all season, but the cap hit for Stepan is hardly a concern.

 

[Ole Gil]

He's not going to be asked to do much. Light bottom 6 work, and kill penalties.

 

[Kravtsov420]

He was a great player for the Rangers. But anyone will tell you, he was slow even then. His body could not keep up to what his mind wanted to do. His legs were going then, so I can’t imagine them now.

and as far as the leadership role goes, that surprises me because I would say he was part of the leadership group in New York and was well respected. I mean no offense to the coyotes, but it’s hard to have leadership in an organization like that. It’s like o’Reilly in Buffalo.

 

[De Montreal]

Pushing Drury down the lineup for no reason

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Ooof, did not have a good stretch of play in Ottawa.

Slow and passive.

Our team played markedly better once he was out of the line-up for good.

I assume this is just a depth move and that he won't see ice regularly.

Both he and Paquette were massive disappointments.

Likely top 6
Svech-Aho-TT
Nino-Trocheck-Necas

6 bottom spots: Staal, Fast, Martinook, Lorentz, Leivo, Stepan.

assuming the Canes don’t acquire anyone else and no rookies make the team, he’ll get bottom 6 light duty work. That said, at least 1 rookie has made the team every season under Brind’amour. I wouldn’t rule out another acquisition either.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Pushing Drury down the lineup for no reason

No reason other than Drury hasn’t made the team yet.

 

[Roboturner913]

lots of people assuming things about Drury but Jarvis tore shit up in his brief time with the Wolves. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes in and makes himself uncuttable

 

[spockBokk]

Pushing Drury down the lineup for no reason

And how many NHL games has Drury played? Awful take.

Drury could be NHL ready, Stepan is a bonafide NHL C. Nothing wrong with letting Drury earn it and/or develop further in Chicago. If he’s ready to play in the NHL, there will be a spot for him.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

1 year cheap deal. Maybe he’s terrible but I imagine this deal turns out OK

 

[Ole Gil]

Pushing Drury down the lineup for no reason

It's a competition. And if he can't beat out Stepan, then he belongs there.

 

[ElLeetch]

Man the Canes have a raging hard on for ex-rangers.

it worked for tampa

 

[Adele Dazeem]

I’m not sure I’ve ever disliked a Coyote more than Derek Stepan. He was the epitome of everything that was wrong with the team during the Chayka/Tocchet era. Which was the darkest period in Coyotes history, in my opinion. I’ve been a die-hard since 1996.

It's like he sucks the life out of the game.

 

[ScoopsAHO]

We re about one Vladimir Tarasenko away from being feared by the 31 other teams. Gardiner, 1st 2022 and Bokk for him.

 

[Seanaconda]

On the Canes board we have discussed this hypothetical, down to what brand of hot dogs he wants, FWIW

Kessel just looks big because of cancer. The guy can still outstkate most nhl players .

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Carolina following the Tampa blueprint of acquiring ex-Rangers.

Skjei, Fast, Stepan, Smith, DeAngelo and Raanta.

 

[Lolonegoal]

Dude's hella washed

Seems like this happens to most players after a multiple years in Arizona.