Rocksterh8 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 RYAN DIXON DECEMBER 13, 2016, 7:14 AM There’s a lot of stress attached to buying presents this time of year, but the good news is, if you miss the mark on a product, it’s kind of someone else’s problem once you wrap it up and give it away. NHL general managers aren’t so lucky, though. Their shopping season, of course, lands in early summer when unrestricted free agents hit the open market. The past couple off-seasons have actually gone a long way toward reversing the historical trend of drunken-sailor spending, as the men in charge of writing cheques seem to be finding previously untapped reserves of restraint. But there is still some bad business being conducted. With that in mind, we present the half-dozen biggest UFA busts of a season that can almost see its halfway point. Andrew Ladd, New York Islanders 7 years, $38.5 million, $5.5-million cap hit Not many people liked this deal when it was signed and it’s only gotten more grotesque since. Ladd didn’t score until his 13th game of the season and has found the net just three times this year, to go along with three assists. That’s a whopping nine-goal, 18-point pace for a man who hasn’t had less than 23 tallies in any of the past six non-lockout seasons. Things have to get better from here, right? Loui Eriksson, Vancouver Canucks 6 years, $36 million, $6-million cap hit Eriksson to the Canucks would have made all kinds of sense in the summer of 2010. But Eriksson joining a going-nowhere Vancouver club last summer so he could skate beside the Sedins was head-scratching development from the word go (with the understanding that agreeing to play hockey for heaps of money is always a defensible choice). Eriksson likely won’t hit the 20-goal plateau this year and his contract could become a real burden should the Canucks ever do the prudent thing and commit to a youth-driven rebuild. Mikkel Boedker, San Jose Sharks 4 years, $16 million, $4-million cap hit Unlike the first two marriages on this list, Boedker to the Sharks for a reasonable number seemed like a nice fit. The 26-year-old Dane has essentially played at a 50-point pace in each of the past four seasons, but has fallen of a cliff in California with just five points—five!—in 28 games this year under his old major junior coach, Pete DeBoer. No San Jose forward who’s played the entire season has been less productive than Boedker. James Reimer, Florida Panthers 5 years, $17 million, $3.4-million cap hit When healthy, Reimer has been an above-average goalie during his career. Last season, he posted a .922 save percentage overall and a .938 mark in eight outings after his trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs (a bad team) to the Sharks (a team that made the Cup final.) It seemed as though Reimer was an ideal candidate to start the 25-30 games a season required for No. 1 stopper Roberto Luongo to rest his weary bones. The league’s nicest guy, though, has had a rough time in FLA, posting an ugly .894 save percentage in nine outings. Joe Colborne, Colorado Avalanche 2 years, $5 million, $2.5-million cap hit For one shining moment, this seemed like the move of the off-season. Colborne buried a hat trick in his Avalanche debut, stoking hopes that a 19-goal breakout campaign with the Calgary Flames last year was a harbinger of things to come for the six-foot-five forward. Instead, it’s starting to look like he was just knocking out all of his scoring responsibilities for the entire year in one game. Colborne has not found the net since opening night and has about as many healthy scratches on his resume this year as goals. Carter Hutton, St. Louis Blues 2 years, $2.25 million, $1.125-million cap hit While high-stakes deals that blow up in your face are the toughest to swallow, it’s still a problem when the low-risk ones go sideways, too. For years, the Blues have depended on goalie tandems to handle the crease responsibilities. Based on a .910 save percentage the past three years, Hutton was supposed to be able to provide at least some support for Jake Allen in the latter’s first season handling a big-time workload. Instead, Hutton has struggled in St. Louis, registering a gruesome .888 mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerry35 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Yep, constant negative stuff from you. Must be nice to be perfect....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForsbergTheGreat Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I think Eriksson will hit 20 goals this year. He got off to a slow start but has 6 goals in his last 16 games. If he continues that pace and stays healthy, that gives him 20 goals in the remaining 53 games alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toews Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 27 minutes ago, Rocksterh8 said: Joe Colborne, Colorado Avalanche 2 years, $5 million, $2.5-million cap hit For one shining moment, this seemed like the move of the off-season. Colborne buried a hat trick in his Avalanche debut, stoking hopes that a 19-goal breakout campaign with the Calgary Flames last year was a harbinger of things to come for the six-foot-five forward. Instead, it’s starting to look like he was just knocking out all of his scoring responsibilities for the entire year in one game. Colborne has not found the net since opening night and has about as many healthy scratches on his resume this year as goals. This was the most hilarious portion of the article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type R Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I have a difficult time carving into Erikson when the whole team is in a slump. It looks like he has no confidence out there, yet he had gobs of it the last few years.. Makes you wonder whats going on off the ice, in the dressing room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsMillerTime Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Disagree with all of these except Ladd. Eriksson will be a key piece after the Sedins retire. Boedker will step up soon since he was use to being the go to guy in Arizona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stelar Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I expected more from Loui. Still early but he looks real slow to me. One of many disappointments on players I thought would take the next step this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
combover Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 cant disagree it was a bad move then and looks even worse now. However not all the blame goes to a guy playing with power house Chaput on the third or second line (not even the coach knows) as mentioned above the entire team is awful so hard to put all this on ericson. the system (if you call chasing the puck for 60 minutes a system) is terrible and it shows with point totals and projected total from all th best players on this team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckylager Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 2nd place. So fricken typical Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 30 minutes ago, ItsMillerTime said: Disagree with all of these except Ladd. Eriksson will be a key piece after the Sedins retire. Boedker will step up soon since he was use to being the go to guy in Arizona. Really? If he isn't now why would he be then? Aging does not not euqte to point production and he provides nothing else. "But he does good things without the puck".....so does Chaput for 600k not 6000000. Mentor....oh ya I forgot. kookiaid is delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocksterh8 Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 51 minutes ago, gerry35 said: Yep, constant negative stuff from you. Must be nice to be perfect....... Ryan Dixon wrote the article. Should we live in a bubble and pretend the Canucks can do no wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM_ Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 "could become a real burden should the Canucks ever do the prudent thing and commit to a youth-driven rebuild." Oh no!!!! you mean we're not Toronto???!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IbanezRG Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Mr. Lahey! What the hell happened?? Where's the roof of our caaar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM_ Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Watching Wilbrod give Loui the Vrbata treatment this year has been brutal to watch. The only coach in hockey that would split up one of the best Olympic and WCoH lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stawns Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 1 hour ago, ForsbergTheGreat said: I think Eriksson will hit 20 goals this year. He got off to a slow start but has 6 goals in his last 16 games. If he continues that pace and stays healthy, that gives him 20 goals in the remaining 53 games alone. he's an outstanding player away from the puck as well. People are going to have to look at Eriksson as a long term situation and not focus so much on now. I still have no issues with Eriksson, regardless of his caphit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stawns Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 36 minutes ago, riffraff said: Really? If he isn't now why would he be then? Aging does not not euqte to point production and he provides nothing else. "But he does good things without the puck".....so does Chaput for 600k not 6000000. Mentor....oh ya I forgot. kookiaid is delicious. you don't think there's a chance a player changing teams needs an adjustment period? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanless Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 It's not right to bank on a buyout but when eriksson contract becomes a burden, for lack of cap space, there will be two years left on it. so far there is Ollie, Brock and Jake coming to the club in the next three years, plus who ever we get this year entry level contracts last 3 years, 2 if the player is 22 when signed, this means the youth movement will be getting into their second contacts when eriksson is entering his 5th season. Eriksson last two seasons will pay out 4 million, not hard to swallow if he is not effective and taking up room having eriksson on the team will also be good for horvat. Having players with his pedigree will help further horvats development toward being a complete two way player. the eriksson contract is a bit big for what he's producing and for where the Canucks are at but it certainly not going to handcuff the team and could even allow young players to develop properly by not having an "open spot" waiting for them (virtanen) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kokanee king Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Lucic by far, there is no way Quasimodo will be able to keep up in 2-3 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocksterh8 Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 46 minutes ago, S'all Good Man said: "could become a real burden should the Canucks ever do the prudent thing and commit to a youth-driven rebuild." Oh no!!!! you mean we're not Toronto???!!! You Mad bro? because TO already has more talent than the Canucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM_ Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 4 minutes ago, Rocksterh8 said: You Mad bro? because TO already has more talent than the Canucks. Nah, just find it hilarious that whatever TO decides to do thats what the media claims Vancouver isn't doing and MUST be doing, otherwise we're idiots. A few years back we all had to be truculent. Maybe bigger. Oh wait, now tear it all down and put a team of young inexperienced kids together, thats gotta work right? Of course TO has more young raw offensive talent with 10+ years of crap hockey, but if you haven't checked they are not "better" yet and don't have near the talent on the back end that we do in G or D. Bo is making big strides playing with Burr. I think a guy like Loui can do the same with a kid like Boeser. Kids need to learn from veteran players, not fellow AHL'rs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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