Martin Erat

[KaraLupin]

Scouting Report

Assets: Has offensive creativity and excellent playmaking skills. Has a low center of gravity, tremendous quickness, shiftiness and a flair for spectacular goals. Great in open ice, he can play either wing position.

Flaws: Must do a better job of playing without the puck and not get caught out of defensive position. Could still add more strength in order to better fight off checks and visit the dirty areas on a more consistent basis.

Career Potential: Skilled scoring winger.

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[aonb]

Including last season, 43 GP without goal
Erat for Zenon Konopka or Dany Heatley?

 

[KevinM]

He's asked for a trade and isn't happy with his role on the team as he shouldn't be given his career thus far. I think we should trade him or go back in time and give him Brouwer's spot as 2RW to start the season.

 

[Carlzner]

Welcome to Vancouver...??

He's obviously very talented and works his tail off, just not translating to the scoresheet... which is a problem for almost everyone on our team. (Well at least the scoresheet part...)

The situation sucks and it especially sucks that he doesn't really ever have good linemates and doesn't seem to fit the "system" very well. On any other Caps team he would be an outstanding addition but this team is a ****ing mess right now.

 

[kmdoom]

Torn on this...

I voted for him to stay in his spot at 3C with Chimera and Ward as linemates. Those two seem to do well with guys who can create plays and Erat is that player. Over these past 2-3 games he's played on that line and it's become apparent how good he is on the forecheck; he's so speedy and really has a nose for the puck.

At the same time, if he still isn't happy even after getting increased ice time since asking for a trade, you have to respect a veteran like him and honor his request. Sucks though because when a player publicly demands a trade, other GM's have a leg up on you and considering he hasn't actually played that bad this year, Washington would end up getting fleeced.

 

[artilector]

McPhee and Oates made their bed on this one, no question..

Even so, his complete lack of goals is puzzling. However, somehow it's hard to imagine that there isn't a line/team on which he could be quite effective.

 

[leova]

failed trade, failed player....move him, trade him, waive him, dump him, but end this "Saga of Stupid"

 

[Bananas]

Zero in fiddy.

Bank on it.

 

[NeilYoung]

Definitely a bad trade

I don't think he's that bad of player though. He's a crafty forechecker and really solid on his edges. I think he's shown a bit more offensively of late and probably with some confidence has even more to show.

Not really sure what the next move with him is or should be though

 

[Capitlols]

How George didn't get fired for this is beyond me.

 

[InfernalDark*]

still would like to see him in top 6

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Which of these players has the fewest goals in his last 40 games?

A. Jared Boll
B. Jay Rosehill
C. Sheldon Brookbank
D. Martin Erat

If you answered "Nylander mark II", you're correct!

He's at 5 goals over his last 79 games now. Let that sink in. A supposed top-6 forward with 5 goals over virtually a full season's worth of games, without major injury.

Well done George.

 

[SashaSemin28]

Including last season, 43 GP without goal
Erat for Zenon Konopka or Dany Heatley?

I'd rather have Heatley than Erat tbf

 

[amjay13]

I like Latta, don't think Forsberg is a sure fire stud and was OK with the deal at the time but yeah, it is getting worse everyday.

 

[Hivemind]

We could do far worse for depth players, but the cap space he occupies (and hopefully whatever assets he'd return) beg for him to be traded. Would rather have Brooks Laich at $4.5M than Erat, given Laich's prowess on the PK and the roster flexibility he provides.

Erat isn't producing like a top six player, and he didn't last year in Nashville or Washington either. He's been given plenty of a shot, and even now he's playing with linemates that can be productive with a number of centers. But at this point he looks like Marco Sturm when we had him. Still pretty quick, but the top end speed that made both players productive and dangerous isn't there. Drives play forward, but can't do much of anything in terms of producing quality scoring chances on a regular basis. In order to get top six minutes, you need to be productive (unless you're Troy Brouwer, apparently).

 

[romao]

We could do far worse for depth players, but the cap space he occupies (and hopefully whatever assets he'd return) beg for him to be traded. Would rather have Brooks Laich at $4.5M than Erat, given Laich's prowess on the PK and the roster flexibility he provides.

Erat isn't producing like a top six player, and he didn't last year in Nashville or Washington either. He's been given plenty of a shot, and even now he's playing with linemates that can be productive with a number of centers. But at this point he looks like Marco Sturm when we had him. Still pretty quick, but the top end speed that made both players productive and dangerous isn't there. Drives play forward, but can't do much of anything in terms of producing quality scoring chances on a regular basis. In order to get top six minutes, you need to be productive (unless you're Troy Brouwer, apparently).

To be fair, he's not more terrible than our top offensive trio.
According to extraskater.com this year at ES Erat produces 1.65 points per 60 min, which is better than 2/3 of our first line (Backstrom 1.60, Johansson 1.23) and is on par with the likes of Wheeler (1.68), Pavelski (1.66), Lucic(1.64), Kadri(1.62), Pominville(1.59) etc. By the numbers it looks like it's lack of PP production and less playing time that make the difference between Erat and real top-6 forward.
The queston for me is would he score much more when consistently given better TOI with quality partners? I'm not sure.

 

[artilector]

To be fair, he's not more terrible than our top offensive trio.
According to extraskater.com this year at ES Erat produces 1.65 points per 60 min, which is better than 2/3 of our first line (Backstrom 1.60, Johansson 1.23) and is on par with the likes of Wheeler (1.68), Pavelski (1.66), Lucic(1.64), Kadri(1.62), Pominville(1.59) etc. By the numbers it looks like it's lack of PP production and less playing time that make the difference between Erat and real top-6 forward.
The queston for me is would he score much more when consistently given better TOI with quality partners? I'm not sure.

Hah, interesting. And all this while with lesser-quality teammates, strange position, and probably no confidence. Maybe it doesn't quite excuse 0 goals, but still..

 

[txpd]

I like Latta, don't think Forsberg is a sure fire stud and was OK with the deal at the time but yeah, it is getting worse everyday.

yup. latta will be good. Forsberg, imo, wont be a big deal which is why they traded him. it wasn't a secret in the league. Erat....maybe that wasn't a secret either. I am going to guess that the only player with solid expectations was Latta and the other two were crap shoots.

that might explain the odd use of erat, but still. I don't get the complete lack of goal scoring. give him chimera's number along with his 13 assists and he looks pretty good.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

yup. latta will be good. Forsberg, imo, wont be a big deal which is why they traded him. it wasn't a secret in the league. Erat....maybe that wasn't a secret either. I am going to guess that the only player with solid expectations was Latta and the other two were crap shoots.

This is some intense revisionism. It was reported that teams did not know that Forsberg was available and that they would have offered more than Nashville did. Erat was the target. If the Caps wanted Latta, they probably should have traded a third rounder for him this past June.

I'm looking forward to see how Forsberg acquits himself among his peers at the WJC.

 

[trick9]

This is some intense revisionism. It was reported that teams did not know that Forsberg was available and that they would have offered more than Nashville did. Erat was the target. If the Caps wanted Latta, they probably should have traded a third rounder for him this past June.

I'm looking forward to see how Forsberg acquits himself among his peers at the WJC.

That would have almost certainly not been enough for Predators. When Latta was traded he was Admirals top scorer and Preds desperately need forwards.

 

[strungout]

This is some intense revisionism. It was reported that teams did not know that Forsberg was available and that they would have offered more than Nashville did. Erat was the target. If the Caps wanted Latta, they probably should have traded a third rounder for him this past June.

I'm looking forward to see how Forsberg acquits himself among his peers at the WJC.

Ummm...wasn't it reported that he was available the entire season?

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/04/06/four-nhl-general-managers-in-desperation-mode

George McPhee, Washington: Trying to save his butt, he dealt Filip Forsberg to the Predators for Martin Erat. The Caps might squeeze into a playoff spot, but Forsberg and Russian prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov have been available all season.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Ummm...wasn't it reported that he was available the entire season?

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/04/06/four-nhl-general-managers-in-desperation-mode

I believe it was Dreger who talked about it on the tsn trade deadline show. Pick your poison: Dreger or Garrioch.

 

[Liberati0n*]

Trying to recast Latta as the centerpiece of the deal...just...wow.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Turn back the clock, do you think a Marcus Johansson, Forsberg, Kuznetsov, Orlov and 2013 first round pick could have gotten Bobby Ryan and Fowler from Annaheim.

 

[trick9]

Turn back the clock, do you think a Marcus Johansson, Forsberg, Kuznetsov, Orlov and 2013 first round pick could have gotten Bobby Ryan and Fowler from Annaheim.

For sure, but that's terrible for Capitals.