Confirmed with Link: Chris Stewart

[KaseMeOutside]

I don't see Stewart replacing Beleskey at all. He doesn't have remotely the same type of shot, and doesn't provide remotely the level of physicality and hitting that Beleskey did. I also don't think that a 15 goal guy replaces a 22 goal guy, unless you're also willing to say that an 8 goal guy rep,aces a 15 goal guy. (It's irrelevant what people think Beleskey will do this year, that's what he DID last year). I really think people are understating Beleskey's physical impact and grossly overestimating what Stratton brings in that department on a game to game basis.

The whole "he out scores Beleskey" thing is also misleading (assuming he's the third line guy), unless you're convinced he will be racking up assists on the PP or convinced that Rakell and/or Sekac will develop shots. You can't give out three assists and score, someone has to be able to actually get it past the goalie to get an assist.

He's not a bad pickup, but he's hardly the missing piece.

stewart has consistently outproduced beleskey his entire career.

 

[Ducks DVM]

And the Colorado team he scored 13 in 36 for was 18th in goals per game.

Where was it at the time he was traded, because that's the only really relevant part of this discussion. Either way, your implication that those Colorado teams were offensivel bad was inaccurate. One was very good, one was mediocre, and we don't know to what degree that mediocre was due to the loss of Stewart.

Stewart is actually pretty good at playing 70 games, certainly better than Beleskey. And yes, you're definitely willfully ignoring a few things. One is that Stewart never received top line minutes, but mainly about Beleskey. You argue that Chris Stewart's shooting percentages are ridiculous and Beleskey's one year is normal, not really consistent. You say it's reasonable Beleskey shoot 12% despite a career average lower yet Stewart won't do the same despite a career average above that mark. You argue it's a fact that Stewart hasn't hit 20 goals in sometime yet Beleskey hit it once in his career. I mean, you're not even really off the mark, but all these arguments go both ways.

Personally, I don't think either will hit 20 next year, or at least I don't think Beleskey would have if he stayed. But, given his track record, yes, I do think Stewart would have the better chance at it. I do think Beleskey got a bit lucky last year, and he is a much bigger injury concern than Stewart.

EDIT-The bolded is also an especially incredible argument. Stewart is all of 7 months older than Beleskey. You're really saying that one has hit his peak and is on the decline while the other has just now broken out?

Stewart has played >70 3 times, < 70 3 times, and all of a 48 game lockout season we won't count. 50% is not very good at playing >70. Beleskey is worse at it though. Agreed he's going to injure himself more.

I think Beleskey stabilizing to a 12% when he's done better than that two of the last three years is much more likely than Stewart going back up to 18%. Yes.

I'm saying that Stewart is unlikely to go back to being a 28 goal scorer, especially when he's been <20 ever since. You're the one putting weight on those early years being more typical for him. Most players who start strong then decline keep declining. I don't think Beleskey is a 28 goal scorer, but i don't think he's going back to the 9 goal guy either. Late bloomers don't tend to follow that same curve. I think Beleskey will get better opportunities in Boston than Stewart will get here, but who knows.

 

[Ducks DVM]

stewart has consistently outproduced beleskey his entire career.

Goals. I'm talking goals. And punishing hits. Stewart is undeniably worse at one, and was worse at the other last year.

Beleskey was also a far better playoff performer this year than the entirety of Stewart's career.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Belesky won't be nearly the player on boston without playing with perry and Getzlaf. His stats won't nearly be the same and once again next season Chris stewart will out produce him.

I'm still shocked ducks got him for so cheap.

And it's funny how stewart still out produced belesky offensively on the horrendous buffalo sabres while belesky was playing alot of first line mins on one of the best teams in the NHL ...yet some people seem to overlook that. I'd take stewart any day over belesky for 1.7 mill

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

Where was it at the time he was traded, because that's the only really relevant part of this discussion. Either way, your implication that those Colorado teams were offensivel bad was inaccurate. One was very good, one was mediocre, and we don't know to what degree that mediocre was due to the loss of Stewart.

Still mediocre, but they plummeted after he was traded. My main point was, this wasn't some all-offense team that he benefited from, they were fairly up and down and he was a big reason for their success.

Stewart has played >70 3 times, < 70 3 times, and all of a 48 game lockout season we won't count. 50% is not very good at playing >70. Beleskey is worse at it though. Agreed he's going to injure himself more.

I think Beleskey stabilizing to a 12% when he's done better than that two of the last three years is much more likely than Stewart going back up to 18%. Yes.

I'm saying that Stewart is unlikely to go back to being a 28 goal scorer, especially when he's been <20 ever since. You're the one putting weight on those early years being more typical for him. Most players who start strong then decline keep declining. I don't think Beleskey is a 28 goal scorer, but i don't think he's going back to the 9 goal guy either. Late bloomers don't tend to follow that same curve. I think Beleskey will get better opportunities in Boston than Stewart will get here, but who knows.

Pretty good was the wrong word, but of his 4 seasons of not playing 70 NHL games, one was the lockout year where he played them all and another was his rookie year where he did play 70 pro games. He's had two seperate, pretty unlucky injuries, so I don't think it's a concern, is what I meant.

And I definitely don't think he'll hit 28 again, even if he found chemistry with Getzlaf and Perry. I'm not saying he'd shoot 18% again, if he did, he would score 28+ goals, not merely 20. I'm saying I think, in Anaheim, he'd have a better shot at 20 than Beleskey. That's mainly because I don't think Beleskey, had he stayed, would have had the same kind of year, and if I had to choose, I'd go with Stewart's better track record. Of course, that's mainly as an either/or situation. If they were both here, I think Beleskey would probably be the safer bet, given I think he'd get the nod over Stewart for PP time.

Boston, on the other hand, is a bit different, and sorry if I didn't clarify. Chances are he'll be taking Lucic's old spot and riding shotgun with Krejci, that's a much bigger role than he ever had here.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

Belesky won't be nearly the player on boston without playing with perry and Getzlaf. His stats won't nearly be the same and once again next season Chris stewart will out produce him.

I'm still shocked ducks got him for so cheap.

And it's funny how stewart still out produced belesky offensively on the horrendous buffalo sabres while belesky was playing alot of first line mins on one of the best teams in the NHL ...yet some people seem to overlook that. I'd take stewart any day over belesky for 1.7 mill

He's going to be playing with Krejci and possibly Loui Eriksson, that's not exactly an awful spot to be in. I think he'll have some pretty good numbers there. Production-wise, you really can't blame him at all for making that switch.

 

[Static]

Goals. I'm talking goals. And punishing hits. Stewart is undeniably worse at one, and was worse at the other last year.

Beleskey was also a far better playoff performer this year than the entirety of Stewart's career.

The whole last year thing is kind of a cherry picking argument. I mean, Beleskey scored more goals than Henrik Zetterberg last year, but if we were to acquire him I don't think your be calling beleskey a better goal scorer.

The concerns are warranted, and expectations should be kept low. However, even despite the disappointment Stewart has produced at a higher clip than beleskey his entire career, one year less goals notwithstanding.

 

[Static]

Beleskey's style of play also led to a lot of injuries, so just having a guy provide more stabability there is somewhat valuable as well.

 

[TheJoeMan]

Goals. I'm talking goals. And punishing hits. Stewart is undeniably worse at one, and was worse at the other last year.

Beleskey was also a far better playoff performer this year than the entirety of Stewart's career.

Wait, what? Stewart has averaged 22.8 goals per 82 games to Beleskey's 14.2. Beleskey's 22 goals were twice his previous career-high and constituted almost 40% of all the goals he's scored in over 300 NHL games. What he did last season was absolutely an anomaly in terms of goal-scoring. Until he does it again there's really no reason to expect this is the new normal for him. Cogliano scored 22 goals a goal of seasons ago. I was convinced that was the new normal for him and he fell back to 15 which is probably more the norm for him. Stewart has produced much more consistently over his career. The fact he was able to pot 11 goals on a historically abysmal offensive team is very telling to me. Your obsession with what a player did last season as being the only measure for which to judge a players performance is astounding. Should Colorado expect 11 goals out of Beauchemin next year? 20 is as good as Kesler can possibly do? Is there a chance Maroon can eclipse nine despite scoring seven in the playoffs?

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Goals. I'm talking goals. And punishing hits. Stewart is undeniably worse at one, and was worse at the other last year.

Beleskey was also a far better playoff performer this year than the entirety of Stewart's career.

beleskey has had 1 good year scoring goals, again stewart consistenty outperforms him
stewart also had 110 hits last year. if beleskey is better, it's marginally, and for half the price stewart is preferable

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

Wait, what? Stewart has averaged 22.8 goals per 82 games to Beleskey's 14.2. Beleskey's 22 goals were twice his previous career-high and constituted almost 40% of all the goals he's scored in over 300 NHL games. What he did last season was absolutely an anomaly in terms of goal-scoring. Until he does it again there's really no reason to expect this is the new normal for him. Cogliano scored 22 goals a goal of seasons ago. I was convinced that was the new normal for him and he fell back to 15 which is probably more the norm for him. Stewart has produced much more consistently over his career. The fact he was able to pot 11 goals on a historically abysmal offensive team is very telling to me. Your obsession with what a player did last season as being the only measure for which to judge a players performance is astounding. Should Colorado expect 11 goals out of Beauchemin next year? 20 is as good as Kesler can possibly do? Is there a chance Maroon can eclipse nine despite scoring seven in the playoffs?

I think he's saying Beleskey was a better goal scorer last year, which is 100% true. Now, we don't know if that'll be the case going forward, but for last year, Beleskey was definitely better.

 

[TheJoeMan]

I think he's saying Beleskey was a better goal scorer last year, which is 100% true. Now, we don't know if that'll be the case going forward, but for last year, Beleskey was definitely better.

I understood that where he was going with that. But isolating this one season and ignoring what each of these players had done previously is just wrong at the very least presumptuous.

 

[Italian President]

Stewart would have had more goals than Belesky if they switched circumstances this past year.

 

[Ducks DVM]

beleskey has had 1 good year scoring goals, again stewart consistenty outperforms him
stewart also had 110 hits last year. if beleskey is better, it's marginally, and for half the price stewart is preferable

Beleskey hurts people. Including himself, but his hits aren't just a statistic, they're hits. He's had 159 in 65G 3rd for forwards), 132 in 55G (1st), and 103 in 42G (1st) the last three years. Stewart has had 110 in 81 (6th in Buffalo), 81 in 62 (8th while in St. Louis), and 41 in 48 (7th with St. Louis). He's a considerable drop off in the physicality department.

I'm not saying he's not physical. I'm saying he doesn't bring nearly the same type of physical as Beleskey.

I think he's saying Beleskey was a better goal scorer last year, which is 100% true. Now, we don't know if that'll be the case going forward, but for last year, Beleskey was definitely better.

That's what I'm saying. Really the discussion will be decided on who stays healthier and who stays interested in playing that power forward game vs easing off from what works for them and becoming a floater. Which is pretty much impossible to predict. If they hold true to form Stewart should win in the health department and lose in the motivation department.

Stewart would have had more goals than Belesky if they switched circumstances this past year.

There's a reason that this is his 5th team in 5 years, on a 1.7M contract. People were saying that at the previous 3 stops in the preseason as well. Hopefully for both him and the Ducks, this is the year that's correct.

 

[snarktacular]

We should have a poll. More goals next year: Stewart vs Beleskey. I actually think it will be Stewart, but that we'll miss Beleskey's defense and physicality. And Beleskey seems like more of a playoff player.

 

[themilosh]

We should have a poll. More goals next year: Stewart vs Beleskey. I actually think it will be Stewart, but that we'll miss Beleskey's defense and physicality. And Beleskey seems like more of a playoff player.

good grief. You ducks fans font know how good you have it!. Maybe too much sun.
Belesky is a Clarkson 2.0 and i couldnt be happier with boston wasting money on him (as a habs fan). You get Stewart for half price on a 1 year contract and hes twice the player.
If he is not performing well you can trade him for any number of players or draft picks at the deadline.
0 risk.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

There's a reason that this is his 5th team in 5 years, on a 1.7M contract. People were saying that at the previous 3 stops in the preseason as well. Hopefully for both him and the Ducks, this is the year that's correct.

I've seen many point out the 5 teams thing, but I don't think that's a huge deal. He was rumored to be on the move the minute he became Sabres property, and he went to the Wild as a rental player. It's not as if he's been run out of town everywhere he's went, the only team that seemed to want to get rid of him was St.Louis.

I'd also dispute fans were saying this about him the last 3 stops in the preseason. Obviously Minnesota never saw him for a preseason, and his entire tenure in Buffalo was spent waiting for when they'd move him. I've seen a lot of Minny fans who would've liked him brought back, and Sabres fans never had a lot of bad to say, despite him not doing a whole lot there(then again, who did?). Although it makes perfect sense given his production, Avs fans seemed to like him enough as well. Really it's just Blues fans you here from, which also makes sense given his talent level vs. his production.

 

[Ducks DVM]

We should have a poll. More goals next year: Stewart vs Beleskey. I actually think it will be Stewart, but that we'll miss Beleskey's defense and physicality. And Beleskey seems like more of a playoff player.

Post it on the main boards if you want a better read. Too much shiny toy/spurned lover syndrome going on here.

I've seen many point out the 5 teams thing, but I don't think that's a huge deal. He was rumored to be on the move the minute he became Sabres property, and he went to the Wild as a rental player. It's not as if he's been run out of town everywhere he's went, the only team that seemed to want to get rid of him was St.Louis.

I'd also dispute fans were saying this about him the last 3 stops in the preseason. Obviously Minnesota never saw him for a preseason, and his entire tenure in Buffalo was spent waiting for when they'd move him. I've seen a lot of Minny fans who would've liked him brought back, and Sabres fans never had a lot of bad to say, despite him not doing a whole lot there(then again, who did?). Although it makes perfect sense given his production, Avs fans seemed to like him enough as well. Really it's just Blues fans you here from, which also makes sense given his talent level vs. his production.

I've seen fans from a number of teams call him a lazy floater. His buffalo discussion thread also started positive and then went downhill pretty hard as the season progressed. Low hockey IQ, turnover machine, etc. Needing an inconsistent winger to pay 4-5M to get to the cap floor was also in one of their threads somewhere.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1641385&highlight=chris+stewart&page=3

Colorado fans don't want him back 63-44

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=94749

Minnesota player discussion thread - they don't want him back.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1846611&page=22&highlight=chris+stewart

The 1.7M for 1 year if NHL says no GM's suspect he's a 20+ goals scoring 40-50 point player though IMO. That's harder to explain away.

I'd love to be proven wrong. Maybe he will will get his head straight and thrive here. I'm not rooting against him, and he could be great for the 3rd/4th line scoring line we appear to be running. But St. Louis and Buffalo fans weren't singing his praises when he left.

 

[Vipers31]

The 1.7M for 1 year if NHL says no GM's suspect he's a 20+ goals scoring 40-50 point player though IMO. That's harder to explain away.

Not that hard, honestly. This being the offer he took doesn't mean that this is the best offer he had. He is still only 27, it makes sense for him to look at the potentially best situation for him over a somewhat better deal. He and his agent saw how a guy like Beleskey could turn one good year in this situation into a large and long contract. No need for him to look for more term based on his more disappointing last years. This is a situation where he feels like he can reestablish himself. Maybe no GM suspects he's a 40 point guy, maybe a handfull do, but he felt this was a place where he could show others he's even more and get paid accordingly next year, be that right or wrong on his part.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

Post it on the main boards if you want a better read. Too much shiny toy/spurned lover syndrome going on here.




I've seen fans from a number of teams call him a lazy floater. His buffalo discussion thread also started positive and then went downhill pretty hard as the season progressed. Low hockey IQ, turnover machine, etc. Needing an inconsistent winger to pay 4-5M to get to the cap floor was also in one of their threads somewhere.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1641385&highlight=chris+stewart&page=3

Colorado fans don't want him back 63-44

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=94749

Minnesota player discussion thread - they don't want him back.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1846611&page=22&highlight=chris+stewart

The 1.7M for 1 year if NHL says no GM's suspect he's a 20+ goals scoring 40-50 point player though IMO. That's harder to explain away.

I'd love to be proven wrong. Maybe he will will get his head straight and thrive here. I'm not rooting against him, and he could be great for the 3rd/4th line scoring line we appear to be running. But St. Louis and Buffalo fans weren't singing his praises when he left.

Neither the Buffalo thread nor the Minnesota one is particularly bad, and with the Wild one, more than anything they didn't think it was affordable. Obviously no high praise, but hardly run out of town. As for Colorado, you should've linked the thread itself, where it seems his exit is a major reason they wouldn't want him back. They certainly weren't happy to see him go when he was traded(although obviously were happy to get Johnson back) http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=879961

I'm not saying he's highly valued, just saying that bringing up how much he's moved can be misleading. Only one team really seemed to want to get rid of him. Fletcher apparently said he wanted to bring him back, but given their lack of cap space and a the makeup of their team, that was never likely, even at $1.7 million. The price can be misleading, too. There aren't many good teams with room, and it's looking like some good players might not sign anywhere. In his last 30 thoughts column Friedman quoted a GM saying he thought there would be good players accepting training camp tryouts. When you consider that, seeing a good player take a 1 year deal with a good team doesn't seem out of place.

 

[TheJoeMan]

1.7 mil for one year of a player who at his worst is at least good for around 15 goals is a great deal. The only thing that's really up for debate is whether he can exceed that and if he does that pure bonus. The way I see it he's here to be our third right winger after Perry and Silfverberg now that Palmieri's gone. 15 goals and around 30 points is perfect.

 

[TheJoeMan]

The 1.7M for 1 year if NHL says no GM's suspect he's a 20+ goals scoring 40-50 point player though IMO. That's harder to explain away.

Or it says this player really wanted to play here and 1.7 mil is all Murray could offer. If Beleskey could get the contract he got there's no reason Stewart couldn't have gotten something similar. I'm still shocked he signed for one year at more than half his previous price.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

good grief. You ducks fans font know how good you have it!. Maybe too much sun.
Belesky is a Clarkson 2.0 and i couldnt be happier with boston wasting money on him (as a habs fan). You get Stewart for half price on a 1 year contract and hes twice the player.
If he is not performing well you can trade him for any number of players or draft picks at the deadline.
0 risk.

Teams are always happy to give up any number of players and draft picks for a player who is not performing well at the deadline. That makes a lot of sense when you say it like that.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

UFA prices have been way less than anybody expected this summer. Stewart didn't take any big pay cut just to play in Anaheim.

 

[getzforfighting*]

This is a great deal for both parties. Stewart will get a chance to play with a strong offensive team, the Ducks get a buy low guy who has had success and is still young. Win-Win.