Friedman: Spooner & Bruins almost $2 Million apart

[Dellstrom]

I'd give him ~2.75m for 1 or 2 years. He doesn't have a future here, but if he could put up some good numbers this season it'd bump his trade value and give him a better contract next year.

 

[nmbr_24]

“Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.†- Wayne Gretzky

In the defensive zone, Spooner has his own quote: “Skate to where the puck hasn't been, and won't be.â€

It seems like he was honestly trying in the defensive zone and then his offense went away, at least at the end of the season anyway.

 

[wintersej]

Bang on. We were playing AHL guys that may never see another game in the NHL again over him in the playoffs. Has no will to compete and shies away pathetically from contact. Sweeney called him out big time after we got bounced and I would have been totally fine with DS not extending a QO to him. But he did and now we get to basically expect a goal against every time his line ices the puck. You know he isn't winning the draw.

He scored 11 points in the first 16 games under Cassidy (56 point pace) and then scored 3 in the next 12 games (including playoffs). In the middle of all that he got a concussion and he had one of those "he can play through it, but is not 100%" undefined injuries during the playoffs that contributed to the scratches.

He is a frustrating player. Defensively he tries but is lost. If he took it to the net instead of pulling up to pass even 1 out of 10 times he would be a better player. But, I think us Boston fans are laying the hammer on him harder than he deserved because of how he finished the season. He is very very good on the power play and in 15-16 was top 20 amongst forwards in EVEN STRENGTH helpers. And top 10 in primary assists. He has a lot of offensive talent and he has spent most of his career playing with slugs. Hopefully, with the Bruins injection of young forwards, he will have a chance to play with some more talent. Him hitting 50+ in that environment would not be shocking in the least.

edit: but, I agree, just a soft soft player.

 

[SensNation613]

I'd call Palat and Johnson 1st liners and they got reasonable deals

Anyway, Spooner deserves about 3 mil in arb. 3.5-4 on a longer term deal.

Here's a piece of advice, stop always bringing up Tampa Bay players in every single thread. Palat and Johnson are completely irrelevant to the Spooner negotiation in Boston.

 

[ickie*]

he makes the bruins pp go. pay him

 

[BadBruins]

I am of the opinion that he is not an NHL center. At least not full time. Maybe if you could surround him with a couple of talented defensive wingers who can also skate and score. Those guys typically play in the top-6 though. He can't carry a 3rd line with typical 3rd line wingers (rookies/depth scorers/grinders). He should be playing with skill and talent just like he does on the PP.

He spent nearly half of last season as a winger. I think that's where his future is. Full time W/Part time C. Skilled middle-6 forward. I say $2.5-3M is a good number. I'd guess that is where it is settled. My "high" would be about $3.25M on a 1 year deal.

 

[Pay Carl]

Here's a piece of advice, stop always bringing up Tampa Bay players in every single thread. Palat and Johnson are completely irrelevant to the Spooner negotiation in Boston.

Pretty sure that user is just a bot with some sort of algorithm to post in every thread and mention the Bolts

 

[LeapOnOver]

Don't think it matters how far apart they are. Look how far apart Pitt and Dumolin were and see what happened....

 

[VoluntaryDom]

It seems like he was honestly trying in the defensive zone and then his offense went away, at least at the end of the season anyway.

So he's basically Eberle?

 

[ickie*]

this guys a really good hockey player

 

[SlapshotTheMovie]

He is a below average 3rd C and an above average 4c. I like him but 3.8 is his over ask. He doesnt even expect to get that. He wants to meet closer to 3. 3m for 1 or 2 years is about fair. However if the bruins want to do that is a different story.

 

[NDiesel]

He is a below average 3rd C and an above average 4c. I like him but 3.8 is his over ask. He doesnt even expect to get that. He wants to meet closer to 3. 3m for 1 or 2 years is about fair. However if the bruins want to do that is a different story.

To me this shows what everyone already knows - offensively he's above average 3rd line C, defensively he's well below average.

Also an extremely limited chart. Should probably take into consideration he played with Jimmy Hayes and other offensive black holes last few years.

 

[Number8]

Gonna be some tense times in Boston. Spooner strikes me as a bit of an odd cat. Spoke out about Julien leaving when it would have been better to shut his mouth and be glad at another chance.

My predicition?

Bruins aggressively point out obvious flaws in his game to avoid a big award -- which are mainly heart, compete, and willingness to be a complete hockey player.

That will hurt Spooner's ego.

Arbitrator will pick a number that neither Boston nor Spooner are happy with.

No joy in Mudville.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

I'm predicting thst the right payment is about 3 million dollars. He produces 30 to 40 points per season, and I would have him as a 3C. His asking price of $3.85M reminds me of Brandon Sutter's expensive conrract of $4.25M and how that is expensive for his caliber.

 

[BruinLVGA]

I'm predicting thst the right payment is about 3 million dollars. He produces 30 to 40 points per season, and I would have him as a 3C. His asking price of $3.85M reminds me of Brandon Sutter's expensive conrract of $4.25M and how that is expensive for his caliber.

I think he comes in at 2.8. But saying 30-40 points is not correct: he had 49 and 39 points last two seasons. So it's much more 40-50.

PS: he endured playing with Beleskey and Hayes for a good chunk of the season. They combined for 13 points...

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

I think he comes in at 2.8. But saying 30-40 points is not correct: he had 49 and 39 points last two seasons. So it's much more 40-50.

My apologies.

 

[BruinLVGA]

My apologies.

No problem

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

3 million for a 45 point 3rd line player seems fair... If the Bruins don't like how he plays they should trade him

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

You see all of these mid-twenties forwards all getting in the 5mil range, am I wrong in thinking Spooner's ask seems very reasonable? Spooner had a 50 point season then a 40 point season, essentially. 3.85mil seems like it'd be in the ball park.

i made a list of 24-25 year old center/wingers with less points than spooner... i had no problem finding more than 10 examples between 3 and 4 million per year

his agent has correctly pegged the market

sadly all it proves is there are alot of overpaid 3rd liners. its unfortunate an arbitrator will punish boston for mistakes other teams made

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

If Mika Z just got 5.3, Spooner's gonna have a decent case for his 4m.

 

[wintersej]

To me this shows what everyone already knows - offensively he's above average 3rd line C, defensively he's well below average.

Also an extremely limited chart. Should probably take into consideration he played with Jimmy Hayes and other offensive black holes last few years.

Yeah HERO charts and real world deployments don't get along.

Spooner is a playmaker who hasn't had a whole lot of people to pass to at even strength in his career. He doesn't drive possession and is bad in his own end. He can be very useful with the right parts around him. On the PP, the Bruins have those parts. At 5 on 5 their crap depth up front the last few years have not given him the right parts. The question is how much you work you want to put into providing a middle 6 guy with "the right parts".

 

[Riptide]

He scored 11 points in the first 16 games under Cassidy (56 point pace) and then scored 3 in the next 12 games (including playoffs). In the middle of all that he got a concussion and he had one of those "he can play through it, but is not 100%" undefined injuries during the playoffs that contributed to the scratches.

He is a frustrating player. Defensively he tries but is lost. If he took it to the net instead of pulling up to pass even 1 out of 10 times he would be a better player. But, I think us Boston fans are laying the hammer on him harder than he deserved because of how he finished the season. He is very very good on the power play and in 15-16 was top 20 amongst forwards in EVEN STRENGTH helpers. And top 10 in primary assists. He has a lot of offensive talent and he has spent most of his career playing with slugs. Hopefully, with the Bruins injection of young forwards, he will have a chance to play with some more talent. Him hitting 50+ in that environment would not be shocking in the least.

edit: but, I agree, just a soft soft player.

Pittsburgh just won back to back cups with two of the softest teams to enter the playoffs. Being soft isn't the end of the world if you can produce.

 

[Riptide]

i made a list of 24-25 year old center/wingers with less points than spooner... i had no problem finding more than 10 examples between 3 and 4 million per year

his agent has correctly pegged the market

sadly all it proves is there are alot of overpaid 3rd liners. its unfortunate an arbitrator will punish boston for mistakes other teams made

Are they "mistakes" or is that just "the market". If you had no problem finding more than 10 examples, I'd be more inclined to think that this is just where the new market is.

 

[BHD]

Re-signed...

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2373911