(Discussion/Article) Max Comtois PTO?

[RWJC]

The article mentions Comtois may be a fit for us with Dakota Johnson being a potential casualty if so. I don’t think that’s the case, but Comtois could be worth a shot and eventually a Suter or Blueger replacement in a couple years if he can find his game (and isn’t implicated in the WJC scandal). 
 

Free Agent Profile: Max Comtois

August 21st, 2023 at 7:43pm CST • By Josh Cybulski

 

 

 

Two years ago, it seemed unfathomable that Max Comtois would be an unsigned free agent in late August. But it is 2023 and that’s where the former second-round pick finds himself after being non-tendered a qualifying offer by the Anaheim Ducks. Comtois had a terrific pandemic shortened 2020-21 in which he posted 16 goals and 17 assists in 55 games. At the time he appeared to be on the verge of becoming a complete winger who could be counted on to provide solid secondary scoring and strong play in all three zones. The Ducks promptly signed Comtois to a two-year deal that carried an annual cap hit just north of $2MM.

 

After signing his bridge deal things quickly began to go south for the Longueuil, Quebec native. In 2021-22, the 24-year-old began the season with just a single assist in his first 13 games and then missed 16 games with a hand injury that required him to have surgery. Upon his return, he played better but couldn’t recapture his scoring touch as he put up just six goals and nine assists in his final 39 games.
 

With the Ducks firmly in a rebuild, Comtois continued to struggle offensively this past season and missed significant time with several upper and lower body ailments. Comtois was out for 14 games due to injuries and when he was in the lineup he produced just nine goals and 10 assists in 64 games.

While he has battled injuries and inconsistency over the past few years, it is still surprising to see a young forward with a recent track record of success remain unsigned. It truly speaks to the flat-cap environment that teams find themselves in. Despite the disappointment of possibly being forced to sign a professional tryout, I do think that Comtois will sign an NHL contract for next season. He may just need to prove himself first to do so.

Stats

2022-23: 64 GP, 9-10-19, -20 rating, 76 PIMS, 89 shots, 52.3% faceoffs, 42.2% CF, 13:49 ATOI
Career: 210 GP, 38-48-86, -35 rating, 193 PIMS, 296 shots, 41.7% faceoffs, 45.4% CF, 14:23 ATOI
 

Potential Suitors

Comtois is unlikely to be picky at this point in the summer, he is just looking to remain in the league and show what he can do. He is from the Quebec area but given that the Montreal Canadiens have been trying to move out forwards, they are unlikely to be interested in Comtois, even if his youth does fit the timeline of their future competitive window.

 

Let’s start in the East. The Pittsburgh Penguins have been rumored to have interest in Tomas Tatar as they look to add some depth scoring to their bottom six. The Penguins would like to bring Tatar in on a PTO to see if he fits. However, if the former Devils forward can lock on to a team with guaranteed money that could open the door for Pittsburgh to look elsewhere. Possibly to Comtois. It’s no secret that general manager Kyle Dubas loves to have a lot of depth forwards to provide for call-ups and to keep the club’s AHL affiliate competitive. Should he sign with Pittsburgh, Comtois would be in a serious battle for a spot on the Penguins bottom two lines, but he would certainly be in the mix. He could also fill in for Jake Guentzelduring his early season absence on the Penguins top line next to Sidney Crosby.

 

Staying in the East, the Ottawa Senators could really use some help in their bottom six forward group. Outside of Pittsburgh, it’s hard to find a team who leaned more heavily on their top six forwards last year. And given the look of the Senators current bottom six, it could be more of the same this year. The Senators are entering the season with playoff aspirations but are looking at having several rookies on their third and fourth lines which could lead to a lot of growing pains early in the season. Comtois has had his struggles, but if they were to acquire him, they would have another known entity to insert onto their third or fourth line.

 

Out West, it was rumored earlier in the summer that the Vancouver Canucks had interest in Comtois, but a deal never came to fruition. Vancouver has a bit of a logjam right now, both up against the cap and with the number of bodies they currently have in the forward group who are going to require NHL minutes. However, a forward like Dakota Joshua could become a casualty should Vancouver opt to sign Comtois. The other option for the Canucks would be to try a jettison a higher-priced forward to become cap compliant, and then sign Comtois as their replacement. Comtois could bring a lot to the Canucks as he does play with an edge and can play in all three zones and provide depth scoring. The worst-case scenario for Vancouver would be to bury Comtois and his cap hit in the minors if he didn’t work out with the NHL group.

Projected Contract

Barring a dramatic turn of events, Comtois is likely going to have to take a rather large pay cut for the upcoming season from the $2.5MM he made last year. It is still possible he could hit a seven-figure salary but given how little cap space is available around the NHL he is unlikely to exceed more than $1MM on a one-year deal. There are several talented forwards who remain unsigned which has led to Comtois becoming a bit of an afterthought. But given his youth there will likely be a team out there willing to roll the dice on a player who has shown promise recently. However, I think teams will want to have a look at Comtois before offering a guaranteed contract just to make sure he is a fit in their bottom six, and to allow for maximum flexibility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by RWJC

[Elias Pettersson]

Dakota Joshua is one of Tocchet's favourites.  I doubt he is going anywhere.  I'd like to grab Comtois on a one year $1 million deal and see what he can do.  Would add size to our bottom 6, but we have too many wingers.  If we could get rid of Beauvillier then we could make room.  At $1 million there is zero risk though as we could just waive him if it doesn't work out.  I am sure he will get a contract unless teams know he is going to get suspended, which may be the case here...

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

 

Honestly, I'm also a little surprised nobody has offered him a 1 year minimum deal, but I guess all his hype has burned out.  He's big and he occasionally hits, but he's a reckless player who will give up the puck.  He can finish his chances occasionally but he doesn't drive play at all.  That's not a good thing for someone who's made for top six play but can't live up to those expectations.  Add a long list of injuries and it just doesn't look very good.  I don't think adding him will make our squad any better or worse, so I see no point in trying to get him.

 

@RWJC Dakota Joshua a casualty?  I highly doubt it.  He is a very effective bottom six player.  Obviously it drives us nuts watching him struggle on the 2nd line, but as long as Tocchet doesn't overextend him, Joshua should be a great contributor for the team going forward.

[RWJC]

2 hours ago, Bob.Loblaw said:

 

Honestly, I'm also a little surprised nobody has offered him a 1 year minimum deal, but I guess all his hype has burned out.  He's big and he occasionally hits, but he's a reckless player who will give up the puck.  He can finish his chances occasionally but he doesn't drive play at all.  That's not a good thing for someone who's made for top six play but can't live up to those expectations.  Add a long list of injuries and it just doesn't look very good.  I don't think adding him will make our squad any better or worse, so I see no point in trying to get him.

 

@RWJC Dakota Joshua a casualty?  I highly doubt it.  He is a very effective bottom six player.  Obviously it drives us nuts watching him struggle on the 2nd line, but as long as Tocchet doesn't overextend him, Joshua should be a great contributor for the team going forward.

Agreed. Would rather have Joshua who can play a regular bottom 6 shift than Comtois anyhow. The author of the article is wrong in that respect., imho 

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

1 hour ago, RWJC said:

Agreed. Would rather have Joshua who can play a regular bottom 6 shift than Comtois anyhow. The author of the article is wrong in that respect., imho 

You would have to consistently watch Canucks games to realize Joshua gets moved up and down the lineup.  But the author didn't do his homework - no excuses.

 

It doesn't matter if Comtois is $5M or $3M or under $1M.  Any price is too high for adding another underperforming middle six winger onto our roster.

[Alflives]

8 minutes ago, Bob.Loblaw said:

You would have to consistently watch Canucks games to realize Joshua gets moved up and down the lineup.  But the author didn't do his homework - no excuses.

 

It doesn't matter if Comtois is $5M or $3M or under $1M.  Any price is too high for adding another underperforming middle six winger onto our roster.

Yup. Already have Garland to be overpaid and provide “little”. 

[DrJockitch]

Need size and attitude in our forward lineup, especially the bottom six. 

This off-season we have somehow found a way to get smaller upfront on a lineup that already looked like a Smurf villages. 
Suter is nice add but small, even though Blueger plays a more physical game he is barely averages sized. Aman looks to be on the outside looking in and he was one of the few players with size,  Hogz no longer waiver eligible so will be most likely be on team.  We went from small to tiny upfront on a lineup that wants to stress boring dump and chase hockey. Joshua is not coming out of the lineup. 

He may be a nice add but we need subtractions more than we need additions and that is where this management has struggled, removing players and contracts. 
 

[Ghostsof1915]

The team isn't signing anyone else until we start shedding salary.

[kloubek]

I actually like him as a target, and wouldn't at all mind him on the 4th line WITH Joshua. I believe there'd be room and a relative need for both to help offset our smallish team. Of course, it would require a better forward being moved out, but that has been the running expectation anyway. As I understand it, if Pearson comes back and Poolman remains on LTIR, we're still 1M over the cap. If that's true and we were to move Garland (5) or Beauvillier (4), and bring in Comtois, that would put us 2-3 million in cap space available which could be used to either combine with another player moving out to bring in a true impact guy, or simply wait until TDL to pick up some depth.

[Bure_Pavel]

4 hours ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

The team isn't signing anyone else until we start shedding salary.

We can still sign guys close to league min as they can be subbed in for other players of similar salary with no real cap implications. 

[ABNuck]

No room for him. It was suggested to move out a more expensive contract to make room for him. We are chock full of bottom 6 players, we don't need anymore. And it would be a huge step backwards if we move out a top 6 forward (Garland or Beau-v) to make room for another bottom 6 forward...so...no.

[Citizen Erased]

On 8/23/2023 at 7:40 PM, ABNuck said:

No room for him. It was suggested to move out a more expensive contract to make room for him. We are chock full of bottom 6 players, we don't need anymore. And it would be a huge step backwards if we move out a top 6 forward (Garland or Beau-v) to make room for another bottom 6 forward...so...no.

I don’t agree with that. Garland and Beau aren’t top 6 forwards on this team. 

[IBatch]

Until the case around the juniors that were actually present at the event, wouldn't come near those guys with a ten foot pole.    

[spook007]

On 8/24/2023 at 3:40 AM, ABNuck said:

No room for him. It was suggested to move out a more expensive contract to make room for him. We are chock full of bottom 6 players, we don't need anymore. And it would be a huge step backwards if we move out a top 6 forward (Garland or Beau-v) to make room for another bottom 6 forward...so...no.

We could let go of Garland or Beau regardless of Comtois... and still not be short of a top 6 winger. Would definitely help the cap squeeze. 

[DrJockitch]

On 8/23/2023 at 10:40 PM, ABNuck said:

No room for him. It was suggested to move out a more expensive contract to make room for him. We are chock full of bottom 6 players, we don't need anymore. And it would be a huge step backwards if we move out a top 6 forward (Garland or Beau-v) to make room for another bottom 6 forward...so...no.

Clearing out 4-5M in cap space for a small middle six forward when we have too many small middle six forwards would be a coup for Alvin.

Hoglander is waiting for one of those spots and is a likely waiver wire casualty otherwise. 
We would gain cap flexibility and a chance to find another right side D or a right handed C since we seem to have exactly none.   
Trading either of those guys just for the cap space would be great for this years team. 

[Alflives]

1 hour ago, DrJockitch said:

Clearing out 4-5M in cap space for a small middle six forward when we have too many small middle six forwards would be a coup for Alvin.

Hoglander is waiting for one of those spots and is a likely waiver wire casualty otherwise. 
We would gain cap flexibility and a chance to find another right side D or a right handed C since we seem to have exactly none.   
Trading either of those guys just for the cap space would be great for this years team. 

Garland would cost sugar to move. New (and better) Beau will be covered and have good value nearer the TDL 

[RWJC]

24 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Garland would cost sugar to move. New (and better) Beau will be covered and have good value nearer the TDL 

There in life the rub though Alf.

If we’re in playoff contention, does a guy like Beauvy end up traded or kept for line options/depth for the war that is the playoffs?

 

I was fussy about this in another thread because of the Demko/Marky conundrum regarding the expansion draft (which obviously was a little different situation) and the gamble we took and eventually lost. 
 

I think if we’re going to move these guys we hopefully do it early into the season so we know what we have to count on for a roster. We have too many options up front right now anyway and it’s going to create discord.

[IBatch]

27 minutes ago, RWJC said:

There in life the rub though Alf.

If we’re in playoff contention, does a guy like Beauvy end up traded or kept for line options/depth for the war that is the playoffs?

 

I was fussy about this in another thread because of the Demko/Marky conundrum regarding the expansion draft (which obviously was a little different situation) and the gamble we took and eventually lost. 
 

I think if we’re going to move these guys we hopefully do it early into the season so we know what we have to count on for a roster. We have too many options up front right now anyway and it’s going to create discord.

How did we "lose" though?  Demko got playoff games.   And his stock rose.  Markstrom has had one good season since, costs more etc.   Demko for sure would have been selected.    Don't view it as a loss unless he ends up not doing what we know he can.   Markstrom

reverted into letting easy goals in again.  Something we all got used to for the majority of his time with us.   

 

As for Beau.   I doubt he will be traded.   Expect if we make the playoffs, or we don't, it wont matter much.   Was the cap NYI needed to dump in the Horvat trade.   Not sure where he will end up in the lineup.   And just don't see him as a "target", come the trade deadline either way.  With 50% retention.   The contenders usually go with the warriors then.   That's not his game. 

Edited August 30, 2023 by IBatch

[Alflives]

21 minutes ago, IBatch said:

How did we "lose" though?  Demko got playoff games.   And his stock rose.  Markstrom has had one good season since, costs more etc.   Demko for sure would have been selected.    Don't view it as a loss unless he ends up not doing what we know he can.   Markstrom

reverted into letting easy goals in again.  Something we all got used to for the majority of his time with us.   

 

As for Beau.   I doubt he will be traded.   Expect if we make the playoffs, or we don't, it wont matter much.   Was the cap NYI needed to dump in the Horvat trade.   Not sure where he will end up in the lineup.   And just don't see him as a "target", come the trade deadline either way.  With 50% retention.   The contenders usually go with the warriors then.   That's not his game. 

New Beau proved he’s better for us than old Horfat Wallet Bo. He wasn’t a cap dump. We were the ones who dumperooed the elephant from our room. New Beau will be coveted at the 2024 TDL. Likely return is a late first. We might keep him though. He’s such a good, young player. 

[RWJC]

50 minutes ago, IBatch said:

How did we "lose" though?  Demko got playoff games.   And his stock rose.  Markstrom has had one good season since, costs more etc.   Demko for sure would have been selected.    Don't view it as a loss unless he ends up not doing what we know he can.   Markstrom

reverted into letting easy goals in again.  Something we all got used to for the majority of his time with us.   

 

As for Beau.   I doubt he will be traded.   Expect if we make the playoffs, or we don't, it wont matter much.   Was the cap NYI needed to dump in the Horvat trade.   Not sure where he will end up in the lineup.   And just don't see him as a "target", come the trade deadline either way.  With 50% retention.   The contenders usually go with the warriors then.   That's not his game. 

We lost in that we could have defined our goaltending ahead of time (especially if your perspective was considered the unanimous voice) and traded Marky out for a nice return including a G that could be exposed to the ED, and elevated Demko at that time.  We didn’t. We simply hung on to playoff hopes that were marginal at best and let walk two core team members in the post. I realize the playoff $ value and prestige to ownership and of course what it represents to the players, but sometimes you have to make the smart move. We didn’t see very much of that. 
 

I just don’t want us to repeat it. 
 

And in terms of Beauvillier, he’s a capable top 9 player. He has value to most playoff clubs if the price is right, especially on an expiring contract. Depending on his season I’d say a late 2nd or early 3rd round pick is a very safe return expectation.