Confirmed with Link: Evan Rodrigues signs 1 year, $2M contract

[brian_griffin]

Thanks for the laugh. Started my morning on a good note. We will see when he starts the year as the 13th forward.

I know it's hot sunny day at the end of July, but that's a lotta shade being thrown...

I think an avatar bet is in order between you and @sabremike for the first 2 weeks of the season:
If you lose, a picture of ERod.
He's a big mascot fan, yet Oswego State has no mascot. There's gotta be something possible there...
If he loses, his avatar is a picture of @sabremike with his arm around nothing? Or maybe the Laker logo?

 

[Buffaloed]

Hecht had 15 goals 7 times in his career. ERod has 21 career goals. ERod has a very very long way to go to be as good as Hecht ever was.

Hecht was also a big, strong guy who could play a heavy game. ERod's game doesn't have a physical dimension.

Evan Rodrigues 5' 10" 176
Jochen Hecht 6'1" 191

Look at the size of the guys we used as comparables:
Andrew Copp 6'1" 206
Zach Hyman 6'1" 209
Ryan Strome 6'1" 194
Radek Fakso 6' 3" 220
Connor Brown 6' 183
Andre Burakovsky 6'3" 201
Devin Shore 6'1" 205
Joel Armia 6'4" 210

I'm fine with the 1 year deal. I'm glad the Sabre didn't give him a multiyear deal, eg 4 years/$10M. There's a good possibility we'd be looking to dump him in 2 years. ERod is never going to be a force along the boards, and he doesn't possess a great shot. I'd like to see him become more of a rat, get under the opponent's skin, and perform a splenectomy or two with his stick.

 

[Aladyyn]

Hecht was also a big, strong guy who could play a heavy game. ERod's game doesn't have a physical dimension.

Evan Rodrigues 5' 10" 176
Jochen Hecht 6'1" 191

Look at the size of the guys we used as comparables:
Andrew Copp 6'1" 206
Zach Hyman 6'1" 209
Ryan Strome 6'1" 194
Radek Fakso 6' 3" 220
Connor Brown 6' 183
Andre Burakovsky 6'3" 201
Devin Shore 6'1" 205
Joel Armia 6'4" 210

I'm fine with the 1 year deal. I'm glad the Sabre didn't give him a multiyear deal, eg 4 years/$10M. There's a good possibility we'd be looking to dump him in 2 years. ERod is never going to be a force along the boards, and he doesn't possess a great shot. I'd like to see him become more of a rat, get under the opponent's skin, and perform a splenectomy or two with his stick.

Physicality is overrated. Wonder how these guys' penalty differential compares to Rodrigues'...

 

[Fezzy126]

Physicality is overrated. Wonder how these guys' penalty differential compares to Rodrigues'...

Physicality is simultaneously overrated by the old guard and underrated by the analytics community. A low-hockey-IQ guerrilla like Maroon was a matchup nightmare for Dallas' small puck moving defensemen in the playoffs because they had no idea how to handle him down low and along the boards.

Edit: One thing that seems to be overlooked by the extremists on each side is the balance required for proper roster building, the need for complimentary play styles.

 

[Zman5778]

True. Hecht was a better player.

That said, Rodrigues does some things and is treated in some ways similar to Hecht: seems to make the guys around him better, players a 2-way game, most visible asset is his skating, good positioning, etc...

He's a bit like a Leatherman utility tool: not the best tool for a specific job, but a tool you have when you need it to get you through.

Can also go up and down the lineup and not look completely out of place. Ideally, a guy like ERod is used on a 3rd or 4th line (which is different from Hecht in that Jochen was a legit top 6er for most of his career) but can hold his own for a shift or a game or two up in the top 6.

 

[Aladyyn]

Can also go up and down the lineup and not look completely out of place. Ideally, a guy like ERod is used on a 3rd or 4th line (which is different from Hecht in that Jochen was a legit top 6er for most of his career) but can hold his own for a shift or a game or two up in the top 6.

If Rodrigues is playing on your top line, you're probably winning 60 games.

 

[Buffaloed]

Physicality is simultaneously overrated by the old guard and underrated by the analytics community. A low-hockey-IQ guerrilla like Maroon was a matchup nightmare for Dallas' small puck moving defensemen in the playoffs because they had no idea how to handle him down low and along the boards.

Edit: One thing that seems to be overlooked by the extremists on each side is the balance required for proper roster building, the need for complimentary play styles.

Maroon isn't a bad player. I wanted to sign him last season, and I'd like to get him this season. He's scored 27, 17, and 10 goals his last 3 seasons. As a 25 year old he had the same point total as ERod on 11G, 18A. He has a nose for the net.

 

[Rastin]

Maroon is a bigger and slower version of what Pominville was for us the last 2 years. He can definitely put the puck in the net when he gets good chances and his size is nice but he can't keep up with the speed of the game today. No Thanks.

 

[Fezzy126]

Maroon is a bigger and slower version of what Pominville was for us the last 2 years. He can definitely put the puck in the net when he gets good chances and his size is nice but he can't keep up with the speed of the game today. No Thanks.

Perhaps he's a bit of a liability during the regular season, but in the playoffs the game changes, and guys like him can have a positive impact in the right situation. Again, he was extremely influential in the Dallas series.

I'm not advocating for him, my broader point is that you need to complement your finesse players with some physicality if you want to maximize their effectiveness.

 

[Rastin]

Perhaps he's a bit of a liability during the regular season, but in the playoffs the game changes, and guys like him can have a positive impact in the right situation. Again, he was extremely influential in the Dallas series.

I'm not advocating for him, my broader point is that you need to complement your finesse players with some physicality if you want to maximize their effectiveness.

I don't disagree with your point in principle but still don't want to see Maroon in a Sabres sweater. I certainly agree that size has value and balance along the roster is important but you still need to be able to keep up with your linemates... something Maroon struggles to be able to do. He was very effective against Dallas because the Blues were able to regularly apply sustained pressure in the O-zone allowing Maroon to go set up shop in the crease.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

 

[joshjull]

If Rodrigues is playing on your top line, you're probably winning 60 games.

I see the hyperbole Olympics are in full swing

 

[joshjull]

Physicality is overrated. Wonder how these guys' penalty differential compares to Rodrigues'...

The heavy game @Buffaloed is referring to was how strong Hecht’s game was down low, 1 on 1 and along the walls. He was a bear in those areas. That along with his smarts and skating made him a very good all around player. We’re not talking about a guy running around hitting people or fighting like Pat Maroon.

 

[Aladyyn]

I see the hyperbole Olympics are in full swing

Was supposed to say fourth line, can't believe nobody pointed that out until now