Friedman: Colorado will likely sign Patrick Wiercioch

[AMDZen]

Wait a minute. Colorado isn't in Canada?

We're one step ahead of Canada. They talk about being progressive and we actually go out and legalize pot. They also try to be as bad as possible at the National sport, by hiring a bunch of idiots. Idiots that have shown they are terrible at the job already. We actually go out and hire idiots that have never proven a single thing other than that they used to play for us. So I guess we're just behind in some areas but ahead in others.

 

[Pual Statsny]

Holden > Wiercioch

I won't say AINEC, but it's not squeaker either.

Holden was pretty underrated, but he's done growing as a player. Hopefully Wiercioch can grow into a middle pairing or strong bottom pairing player.

 

[Avelanche]

Looks like the Avs are just throwing bodies at those open d spots hoping one sticks.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Unfortunately, the Avs are a speedy team that play off the rush...

oh....ya, he'll probably be bad

 

[Akonite]

We're one step ahead of Canada. They talk about being progressive and we actually go out and legalize pot. They also try to be as bad as possible at the National sport, by hiring a bunch of idiots. Idiots that have shown they are terrible at the job already. We actually go out and hire idiots that have never proven a single thing other than that they used to play for us. So I guess we're just behind in some areas but ahead in others.

Have to say it: Canada has the last two championships in its national sport seeing as it's lacrosse not hockey for some reason.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Looks like the Avs are just throwing bodies at those open d spots hoping one sticks.

Its the quantity over quality approach. Instead of paying 3 mill for 1 guarenteed bottom six guy, pay for 2-3 guys who are long shots and prey u get a return if 2 of them work out.

 

[BigRangy]

So I was looking up D-men who had put up big points in their draft+1's and to my surprise, I found Wiercioch. I never knew he was a great offensive guy when he was younger. He seems to have had at least one scary injury but I really wonder why he couldn't transition his college success into a top 4 spot in Ottawa. In fact, his offensive production slipped every season while he was there. A lot of people were saying he wasn't NHL caliber any more after last year.

Now he's in Colorado and he's got 8 points in 17 games and leads the team at +2. He seems to be turning a corner, but I haven't watched him at all. Can anybody who's seen this year him tell me how he's been doing?

 

[Foppberg]

So I was looking up D-men who had put up big points in their draft+1's and to my surprise, I found Wiercioch. I never knew he was a great offensive guy when he was younger. He seems to have had at least one scary injury but I really wonder why he couldn't transition his college success into a top 4 spot in Ottawa. In fact, his offensive production slipped every season while he was there. A lot of people were saying he wasn't NHL caliber any more after last year.

Now he's in Colorado and he's got 8 points in 17 games and leads the team at +2. He seems to be turning a corner, but I haven't watched him at all. Can anybody who's seen this year him tell me how he's been doing?

Surprisingly well, hopefully we re-sign him

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

He's been a bright spot for the Avs this year for sure.


Solid bottom pairing guy and a little potential left in him to be a #4 still IMO.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

As an Ottawa fan I'm glad, and not at all surprised, he's doing well.

Good guy, good attitude, and he played well in spurts. In fact, he was (by advanced stats anyways) often one of Ottawa's best defensemen.

Hopefully he can string a full season of top-4 play together. He flubbed every chance he was given in Ottawa. Injuries and poor competition gave him plenty of opportunity but he was never quite able to seize it, even under multiple coaches.

Defenseman can sometimes breakout late in their careers though. He doesn't have a big injury history (freak accident aside) and he's got 200+ NHL games, which isn't terrible for his age (26). He's got good size even if he doesn't use it.

 

[dahrougem2]

He's probably been the only player on the Avs this entire season to play up to his capabilities consistently from the start of the season until now. He's got a bomb of a shot but doesn't get to use it nearly enough. Not sure why the Avs don't make that a focus on their PP since it hasn't had a legit cannon from the point since Rob Blake.

However, in saying that I don't think he's a guy who can play over 20 minutes per night. Ideally, he's on your 3rd pairing and on your PP. I have concerns about his mobility but he seems to be getting by for now.

 

[Esq]

Why didn't Ottawa keep him?

 

[AslanRH]

Now he's in Colorado and he's got 8 points in 17 games and leads the team at +2. He seems to be turning a corner, but I haven't watched him at all. Can anybody who's seen this year him tell me how he's been doing?

He looks like a 3rd pairing guy who likely is a .25 - .33 p/gm player. He benefits from playing in a D Corps that has little to no reasonable depth or competition.

I think he'll be re-signed, even if it is just insurance that the Avs meet the expansion draft requirements

 

[Korpse]

Why didn't Ottawa keep him?

He played well at times but eventually there wasn't a spot on the team for him. It certainly wasn't for a lack of opportunity, for years Ottawa left that 2ndpair LD spot for Cowen or Wiercioch and neither were able to grab it. Ottawa traded for Phanuef to fill that hole and Chris Wideman outplayed Wiercioch for a spot on the third pairing.

 

[edguy]

Why didn't Ottawa keep him?

The qualifying offer was like 4X what Colorado paid for him.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Why didn't Ottawa keep him?

Most of the reasons have already been mentioned: He had a high qualifying offer, he was woefully inconsistent, and Ottawa has other options.

From my experience, the only time you really see fans pissed off about losing a good young player in these situations is when that player wasn't given sufficient opportunity. I haven't seen any such blow-back with Wiericioch on the Ottawa board.

There seems to be a strong consensus that he was given more than enough opportunity and it was time to move on. Wiericioch, in a small sample, is succeeding with a large pay-cut, a well-defined small role, and a new team with more patience. He wasn't going to get that in Ottawa.

Who knows what the future holds though, it was a fairly amicable split, and there was a reason teams weren't beating down Wiericioch's door.

 

[PetterssonSimp]

One of the few bargains bin grabs who has quietly been very good for his team.
All the bargain bin talk is about Gagner or Marchessualt (sp?).

 

[Constable]

I remember advocating for him back in June no surprise hes doing well