OT: The gamut of emotions with players

[Mlotek]

Ericsson was actually an acceptable pairing for Kronwall. He was optimally a top 4D at the time he signed the 6x4.25, which is right in that ballpark. He wasn't a great top pairing D by any far cry... but Kronwall-Ericsson was actually not a bad top pairing. Probably because Kronwall was a far better D than he is usually given credit for though. Jonathan Ericsson should not have gotten 6x4.25 when he did. But I could see the gamble that they took and why they did. When Kronner-Ericsson was the top pairing, Ericsson wasn't worth much less than 4.25 if you don't want to admit that he was worth that much. He was a top 4 defensive D.

At that time offensive D-man were getting 5-6 million a year (30-40 point range).
Ericsson was never an offensive d-man unless we are count deflecting pucks into his own net as offense.


E signed extension in fall of 2013, during the 12-13 season he was averaging 21:19 which put him 2nd behind only Kronwall. So in terms of negotiations he was a 'top pairing' D in terms of his usage.




Some of the D FAs that signed that summer (2013):
Ference 3.25M by 4 years
Scuderi 3.375 by 4 (21:47)
Hainsey 2x1 (22:52)

A very weak class, unless I am missing some major D UFA that summer.

A couple extensions that happened around time E signed extension.

Seidenberg 4x4 (23:48)
Hjalmarsson 4.1x5 (20:54)
Emelin 4.1x4 (19:40)
Robin Regehr 3x2 (19:25) *Right acquired and extended before free agency
Bouwmeester 5.4x5 (24:38)




If you look at some of the D that were signing at that time, whether that deal is worth it depends how you value Ericsson at that time.

Was he as good as Seidenburg, Hjalmarsson, Regehr, Hainsey, Ference, Scuderi at that time? In my mind no.
If you evaluated him at or near those players than the deal was 'okay' at that time.
If you evaluated him above those players than you might even consider it a 'steal' (not sure who'd admit to that). But keep in mind he was getting TOP minutes in Detroit at that time.

If you legit projected Ericsson to be a TOP D for years to come, you might even consider that contract on the cheap side.



Ignoring E playing top minutes, in my mind he woulda been worth around 3-3.5 million on FA market. Taking into account the minutes he was playing, its easy to see why that cap hit would have been up to the 4.25 when signed.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Defend: Off the top of my head. All I can think of, even though they were short lived, I didn't mind Tootoo or Colaiacovo. They weren't terrible and given that their contracts were short I thought using the compliance buyouts on them were dumb.

Despise: No one on the Wings was irrationally. Guys like Jason Williams 2.0, Samuelsson 2.0, Ericsson, the past his expiration date Cleary, current Gator, etc.
Players around the league I've always hated: Pronger, Perry, Getzlaf, Marchand, Lucic.

Man Crush: Hard not to say Lidstrom or Datsyuk here. But I absolutely Helm in his early days. Him flying around the ice in the 08 and 09 playoffs were a site to see.

 

[wingerdinger]

Defend: sergei not that he needs protecting put he was my favourite player growing up, even followed him to Anaheim when he left. He deserves to have his number retired. I always say that their is no way that Pittsburgh won't retire Malkin's # and their should be no sporting reason why Fedorov's number isnt retired.

Despise: Kessel, Phaneuf and Chris Neil. Kessel because despite the hilarity, how he conducting himself in Toronto was disguisting. Phaneuf becuase i have a cousin who ran in the same friend group as Dion growing and he (my cousin) told me everybody thought Dion was a colossal twat. Chris Neil because immediately after Franzen returned after one of his concussions Johan scored 4 goals against Ottawa and in garbage time Neil the petulant goonish serial manchild that he is, slammed Johan's head forehead first into the glass. What an utter and a blatant act of disregard for the health of a fellow professional and human being.

Man Crush: Tomas Holmstrom, couldnt skate, couldnt shoot their was no reason why this guy wound up with the awesome carrer he had. Other than his willingness to sacrifise his body for the team, make the most of his ability and not pretend to be more than what he was.