2008-09 Rink Wrap: Shaone Morrisonn
by David M. Getz on Jun 9, 2009 7:00 AM EDT
in Rink Wraps
67 comments
From Alzner to Varlamov, we're taking a look at and grading the 2008-09 season for every player who laced 'em up for the Caps for a significant number of games during the campaign, with an eye towards 2009-10. Next up, Shaone Morrisonn.
Shaone Morrisonn
#26 / Defenseman / Washington Capitals
6-4
210
Dec 23, 1982
6
Arbitration eligible RFA; qualifying offer of $1,975,000 needed to retain rights. Contract of $1,975,000 in '08-'09.
7.21
Key Stat: Morrisonn's value last season was largely based on his role as the second half of the defensive pairing that sported Mike Green, the logic being that it was Mo's defensive steady presence that allowed Green to freewheel and create havoc in the offensive zone. Yet in the 2008-09 season the Capitals both scored more and were scored upon less when Green was paired with defensemen other than Morrisonn.
Interesting Stat: Green and Morrisonn skated 2,387 even strength shifts together in '08-'09, nearly 1,400 fewer than in '07-'08 (though part of this is undoubtedly due to each playing fewer games than they did last season).
The Good: In a very simple sense the good part of Morrisonn's season was the final third. After being ejected for checking from behind in the Capitals 3-1 February 7th win over the Florida Panthers Morissonn registered seven points (two goals) and a plus-eight rating in 28 games, after registering six points (zero goals) and a minus-four rating in 44 games to that point in the season.
On the season as a whole, Morrisonn was a basically unspectacular (yet solid) defenseman: he was fourth among Capitals defensemen in regulart season five-on-five GAON/60, third in plus-minus, and fourth in regular season 4-on-5 GAON/60. These trends carried over into the playoffs, where Morrisonn was fourth in five-on-five GAON/60 and third in four-on-five GAON/60.
Morrisonn did excel in some areas, ones that often go unnoticed or under-appreciated: he gave the puck away less than any other defenseman on the Capitals and was second among team defensemen in blocked shots.
The Bad: For most of the season Morrisonn looked at worst like a bottom pairing defenseman and at best inconsistent, making bad decision, taking bad penalties, and getting beaten in his own zone too often. Mo eventually came out of his funk, but even then he didn't appear much, if any, better than he was last season, and as his price continues to rise going forward, that's simply not going to be good enough for a Capitals team that has solid defensive prospects and less money to spend that they would in an ideal situation. Worst of all (for Morrisonn) it was shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mike Green alone was the primary reason for Mike Green success, rather than the chemistry created by the Mo-Green pairing.
The Vote: Rate Morrisonn below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.
The Discussion: How much of Morrisonn's value to the organization was tied to his being the second half of the defense pairing that feature Mike Green? Given Morrisonn's peformance in '08-'09, at what price, if any, should the Capitals be willing to bring Mo back?
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Yeah, but it’s what Mo does outside of his time with Green, combined with his Tallinder-like salary, which is the bone of contention. Gave him a 5, hope he’s an attractive trade that someone will overpay on.
by Bald Pollack on Jun 9, 2009 7:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Given Morrisonn's peformance in '08-'09, at what price, if any, should the Capitals be willing to bring Mo back?
Too bad I can’t wait until after camp to answer this. (Mo’s a RFA this summer, right? Or was that last summer?) Right off the bat, since I’m an optimist (I like the looks of our D kiddies very much), I’d say the answer is zero. Let him walk. Or package him up with something of value for a trade.
by Uncle C on Jun 9, 2009 7:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Mo’s a RFA this summer, right? Or was that last summer?
Both (and psst… that info is in the box with his picture).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jun 9, 2009 8:00 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Admittedly, I’d bring him back if he accepted a $500k pay-cut. But he won’t.
Sad to see you go, Mo, but we have others to fill your ho’e, now go away and don’t come back around here much anymo’e.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The bad section kind of summed up Morrisonn’s season for me. He started off poorly, so poorly he wasn’t even matched with Green at the start of the season. He looked just horrible.
Even when he began to play better, and was matched up again with Green, he did nothing to stand out to take away the initial impressions of the bad start. He had probably been moved back to that pairing for a month before I even noticed; he was just so non-noticeable out there that it didn’t register.
Kind of noticeable that he got about 10 minutes less of icetime per game than the guy he was paired with. That kind of screams that there is a problem, and it isn’t with the guy getting the larger amount of icetime.
For that, he got a 3. He went backwards from last year.
Unless there is a trade in the works, I’m not even sure that the Caps tender the qualifying offer. With what we have in the wings, I’m just not sure that we have a place for his salary, even with no increase from last year, much less what he wants or will get from arbitration.
There are probably two ways he could get 10 for next season. The first, sign the minimum qualifying offer, be an impact #1 pairing d-man. The more likely way is to be packaged in a trade (with whatever involved in the trade that it takes) to get one of our weaknesses taken care of.
1. Top pairing D-man.
2. 2nd Line center.
3. 1st or 2nd line right wing.
by HateOffSeason on Jun 9, 2009 8:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think he gets the QO, HOS (can I call you Hoss? XD) With Alzner and Carlson waiting in the wings and with the need for a tough, gritty blueliner, I don’t think there’s room on the blueline for somebody who can’t be an impact player in a Cup run (and make no mistake, GMGM and BB are probably thinking Cup run this coming year). With ShaMo being RFA, I think the guess that he’s going to be part of a draft-day deal is probably accurate.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Jun 9, 2009 8:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can probably get away with calling me anything but well informed or skinny.
by HateOffSeason on Jun 9, 2009 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, God, I hope so. Ideally, I’d like to see Mo and Flash go for a 1st and a 2nd. I don’t really even care from where. I know it’ll be close to impossible to draft top-10, but I wouldn’t mind a 13-20, to go with our 24.
We don’t have any other 1st rounders this year, do we?
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t know. If we package a solid player or two who can jump into a lineup NOW and have an impact, there are probably some clubs who are low enough to go for that.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Jun 9, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But who would be low enough and actually willing to give up a top 10? Actually, as I wrote that, MN popped to mind, but they’re drafting 12th. I wonder if the Stars would be interested in Mo, they’re drafting 8th.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The one that pops to mind for me is Edmonton, actually. Consider their cap picture this season – I don’t see too many names there in their forwards list that excite me. They’ve got a HORRIBLE amount of money tied up in their D, though, and I don’t know if they’ll want ShaMo. They might just take an interest in Flash or Fehr, though.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Jun 9, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My thoughts on Fehr are that I’d like to see a full, healthy season out of him before he gets traded, and if he can’t give us a full, healthy season, he needs to be traded. So I don’t want to see him traded this summer, but, depending on next year, see him dangled next.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can we afford to trade anyone who can play the right side? Calling us thin on the right side kinda doesn’t even begin to cover the reality.
by HateOffSeason on Jun 9, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What if you trade for someone who can play RW? shrug Just a thought.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Jun 9, 2009 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mo gets a 4 from me – below expectations. He didn’t progress at all, imo, and the fact that he was 5th among the 7 regular Ds (including Alzner, not including Pothier) in Quality of Competition faced at 5-on-5 says a lot.
He’s a serviceable NHL defenseman, to be sure, but he’s not worth $3m (at least to this team).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jun 9, 2009 8:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This is about how my thinking was going. He wasn’t atrocious, but he didn’t perform worth what he got from arbitration, let alone what he wants. I gave him a 4 as well.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Jun 9, 2009 8:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can’t imagine how he’s still affiliated with the organization after June 27.
by TylerG on Jun 9, 2009 8:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed.
If he’s not moved, I’m guessing they’ll QO him for the sake of compensation, or waive him for reassignment (if they can) a la McLaren.
by Bald Pollack on Jun 9, 2009 8:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, I don’t think so. He’s an asset. You have to realize something for an asset.
by TylerG on Jun 9, 2009 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed again, I just hope that there isn’t a misread of the market for him, otherwise they’re taking a 3 or 4 when they could make the case for a 1 or 2.
by Bald Pollack on Jun 9, 2009 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Besides, let’s say for the sake of arguments the club wins an arb hearing and he gets, say $2.4ish. I don’t see that burden taken on in a climate where teams appear to be paring salary back for the ’10 year, thus Mo becomes a sell low proposition.
/that’s what NHL ’09 tells me
by Bald Pollack on Jun 9, 2009 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you think it’s actually possible for Mo to win another arbitration hearing? After this season? If he takes the Caps to arbitration again, they’ll tear him to shreds, and then maybe even let him walk if they win.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, both sides thought he was Komisarek last year, and he made Komisarek money. Moreover, the team said he got loads of PT because the team was weak in last year’s hearing. This year he played the second most games among blueliners on a strong team. So since none of us are in the room, yeah, I think anything’s possible.
by Bald Pollack on Jun 9, 2009 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can see that. Unfortunately for Mo, though, I’d say that Caps management has a lot more ammunition this time around.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This situation sort of reminds me of what happened to Ryan Whitney in Pittsburgh this year. He didn’t really live up to the expectations, he hurt the team more than he helped, and the fans certainly didn’t place him at the top of their lists. Then they got Kunitz in a package deal so maybe we can do something similar.
by bigmac1124 on Jun 9, 2009 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whitney had long-term cost certainty and he is a puck-mover. Not comparable.
by TylerG on Jun 9, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I said it reminds me of the situation, not mirror images of one another.
by bigmac1124 on Jun 9, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Tyler was taking umbrage with “they got Kunitz in a package deal so maybe we can do something similar” rather than how the situation felt to you.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jun 9, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whitney was the #5 overall pick a half-dozen drafts before he was traded and had scored 99 points in the previous two seasons. There really is no comparison here.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jun 9, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do think that Mo would be one player that would really benefit from the D coaching change. Many times we throw out the “he could use a change of scenery” line, but I would like to see what a fresh coaching perspective can do for the blueline group as a whole.
Sentamentality aside, with as contentious as Mo’s arbitration hearings have reportedly been, the progressively better play of Erskine and Jurcina, and finally projecting both Pothier and Alzner playing a full NHL slate, Mo is likely facing the business end of a trade for the second time in his career.
by ThreePingPost on Jun 9, 2009 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do think that Mo would be one player that would really benefit from the D coaching change.
This is more of a “looking for information” type question… not questioning TPP’s post (just using the quote as basis for my question) : but can a D coach make all that much difference against the “overall scheme” BB employs??
by Scofield on Jun 9, 2009 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A D coach who understands the system should be able to figure out how best to use the given pieces. I personally don’t think that Mike Green had a whole lot of direction from Jay Leach, for example. Leach was Cassidy’s guy (right? isn’t he from that team?) and we all know how offensive that system was…
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m concerned about his QO. 1.9 is way too much to pay for someone who didn’t show any improvement, if maybe even a step back from the previous season. If we qualify him, and no other teams are willing to poach, we’re stuck with an over paid defenseman, something this team doesn’t need.
The plus side, though, is we are going to have a lot of defensive turnover this year IF we don’t resign a lot of our players.
I gave him a 5 though. Guys like him will never stand out, but for him to get a 10, he’d have to show the kind of improvement Erskine showed in the last half, but throughout the whole season. EC Finals… yadda.
by FFSEnough on Jun 9, 2009 8:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Uh, people...
Going into the year I remember frequenters to this site talking about how good Mo was, how important he was to 52, how solid a D he was. So if he was the player you thought he was, you rate him a 5-6.
I can’t imagine anyone thinking Mo was all that this year, yet he’s getting all those fives? Interesting.
by TylerG on Jun 9, 2009 9:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
agreed. the comments on his 07-08 rink wrap should tell the story. there was some contention (i believe JP still wasn’t sold), but the assessment overall was definitely top-4 defenseman, not top-6 defenseman. a disappointing season, especially at the salary he won in arbitration. (which i’m choosing to factor into my 3, since he was effectively calling himself a top-4 defenseman.)
by Natty Bumppo on Jun 9, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can see the comments on last year’s Wrap here.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jun 9, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And FWIW he’s getting fewer fives than he was earlier this AM.
by TylerG on Jun 9, 2009 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think we can attribute that to wiping the sleepies out of one’s eyes :-). Once you think about his season, the more clearly disappointing it becomes. He hasn’t earned a 5. He had a decent year as Green’s other half last year, and was expected to come in and do better, or at least the same, and did worse. I think a 4 might even be generous, considering times this season.
Though if the only game he played this season was the Dec. 23rd game, I’d have given him a 7 :-).
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think 5 is a bad grade for him – it’s the lower end of what you expected, and if you didn’t care for him much last year, you probably expected something similar to what he delivered this year.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jun 9, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Goodbye Morrison
I didn’t want him back last year. We need to make room for some youngsters and Mo has to go.
We already have a crowded blueline.
Green, Poti, Pothier, Erskine, Jurcina, Schultz, Alzner and Carlson. Maybe Kronwall and Sloan.
I expect that Jurcina and Schultz will be resigned.
I’d like to see Poti shipped out, he’s was brought here to add scoring punch from the blueline and has failed both years to do so. As THE veteran on the blueline he has made some of the more colossal mistakes of the bunch.
by JSchon on Jun 9, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Poti’s still a more solid D than most of our current corps, and that’s something we can’t afford to give up. I’ll, as will everyone, be surprised if Mo stays, even without a significant pay-cut.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gave him a 2
Based largely on my high expectations for him coming into the year. I firmly expected Mo to take a nice, meaty step forward this year, and be the lockdown end of a dominant first pairing with Mike Green. Even if he had stayed at his 07-08 level, I probably would have given him a 5.
But his regression was completely unexpected and highly disappointing.
Given the tightness of cap space (sounds vaguely indecent, doesn’t it?) and the needs of the team (well hashed out here so I will not plow that furrow again (more vague indecency)) I see him putting on his traveling boots.
by fat_daddyo on Jun 9, 2009 9:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If Mo was making $1 million, he’d probably be valuable as 5/6 defenseman. At $2 million, he’s a liability. As the late Roger Crozier liked to say, you can’t trade a dinghy for a yacht. If the Caps retain his rights, they’d probably be lucky to get a third or fourth round draft choice for him. A second would be a steal, but given his cap hit, I have a hard time seeing another team making that deal. However, he could be packaged with another player and picks for a big defenseman.
by b.orr4 on Jun 9, 2009 9:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think the package deal is what we’re all hoping for — I just don’t know if it’ll be a package worth anything coming back. But GMGM has a talent for getting his money’s worth, so we’ll see.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Regarding the potential return for ShaMo
As Tyler alluded to above, Mo does not have “cost certainty” going forward. I.e., we don’t know what kind of money he’s going to be pulling down. Arb is a crapshoot. It’s intimated that he is unwilling to take a pay cut by signing at lower than $2M.
We also don’t have a firm handle on what his level of play might be. Was ‘07-’08 a career year? Was ‘08-’09 a career-worst year, or his true talent level? In the former, he looked like a first-pairing guy on the rise. In the latter, he looked like a garden-variety third-pairing guy. Does he split the difference for the rest of his career as a legit top-4 defender?
Those are the key factors in any analysis of his future value to another team.
I don’t mind admitting that I have zero basis for making any kind of informed exploration of these issues. I just don’t know.
If McPhee can convince some team that he’s a top-4 defender, and he’s going to be retainable for around 1.5 million, then he’s worth a good little bit. On the other hand…
by fat_daddyo on Jun 9, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think these are the right questions, though I can safely say that there’s no chance Mo signs anywhere for a 25 percent pay cut.
But I think that those questions add up to one likely answer: Draft pick. I think Mo is more likely to bring back a second-rounder than he is to bring back a player. Especially the kind of player the Caps need: a top six RW or C. (The Caps are plenty OK on the other two lines.)
by TylerG on Jun 9, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Would it make sense to go ahead and take a draft pick or 2 from someone for Mo and then parlay that pick(s) and perhaps others into a position of need for us? Are there teams out there that are starved for picks this year that we could raid? I don’t follow NHL personnel well enough to even speculate on this answer. It’d be especially nice if we could dump picks for next year, I think I read somewhere on here that the draft talent for that year is somewhat lacking from the experts’ opinions?
It just seems that our farm system might be a little backlogged and the Caps should consider using those assets differently than before?
“Discuss amongst yourselves…”
by war_capitals on Jun 9, 2009 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can’t turn a second-rounder into a top-six forward unless that player has a bad or big contract. Speaking of which, here’s lookin’ at you Patrick Marleau.
I think the cap (combined with the financial difficulties of several of Gary’s Favorites) has made picks — especially 1s and 2s — more valuable than they were 5-10 years ago.
The Cap’ farm system is not backlogged at forward.
by TylerG on Jun 9, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Feds/Kozlov/(and for the love of God) Nylander actually go away this summer, does anyone think we take the plunge and make an aggressive attempt at Marleau? Hell, if all 3 disappear, we could make an attempt at Hossa, even.
Eh?
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No on Hossa. He’ll have his Cup (?) and will be in multi-year mode.
As DMG has pointed out, Marleau is attractive because he’s only got a year left. (And SJ might be interested because that team, as currently constituted, is a demonstrated postseason dud.)
by TylerG on Jun 9, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hossa is trying to resign with Detroit right now and left to sign with them on a 1 year turning down a big$ multi year contract with Pittsburgh.
Even if we wanted him we couldn’t get him.
by zephyr on Jun 9, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dunno. You can never predict who’s going to do what. If we go after him, one can only wish that AO makes personal calls to him saying “yo, dawg, we all go’n TAKE THAT CUP!” or something.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I predicted last year that he wouldn’t stay with Pittsburgh and he didn’t. I’d be willing to bet a million US dollars that the Caps couldn’t get him even if they tried.
There are rumors floating around that Hossa has already negotiated his future contract with Detroit and will resign as soon as the post season is over.
I just don’t see why he would want to come to the Caps after ditching the Pens for Detroit.
by zephyr on Jun 9, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe he just hates Pittsburgh – he’d fit right in!
On another note, i hope we at least try. Even though we didn’t want to afford Pronger, I at least felt happy that we were interested. I’ll be upset if we don’t at least offer.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hehe, maybe so.
I would hope the team tries to get him if they actually want him.
I’m really not worried about our wingers though. I think we have a lot of guys that can step in and be solid roll players. Laich\Flash\Fehr hopefully one of them pans out. Semin\Ovi are the talented wings we need on each line.
I’d be happier getting a solid 2nd line center.
by zephyr on Jun 9, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A 6...
He had a good year and was solid and unspectacular, which is what you expect. Bonus points for scoring an OT winner at MSG just before Xmas. (How can the box say his GWG is 0 for the season??)
Weird stat: Mo has 4 goals in the last 2 seasons, and 2 of them are Game Winners.
Now comes the weird part with him, which is this coming offseason. I have no doubt that George will give him a qualifying offer, because to get nothing for him doesn’t make sense. Mo, considering what happened last year with Mr. Arbitrator, will probably not accept it, although he probably should.
If Mo doesn’t accept it, it wouldn’t surprise me to see George pull it off the table and offer him less (once a QO is made and refused, it can be withdrawn).
The thing is, if Mo accepts the QO, then the logjam on the backline continues, as we know that Mo’s skill set can be replaced (Alzner, Collins, etc.). This is the one offseason contract situation to keep an eye on.
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Caps on Jun 9, 2009 10:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
(How can the box say his GWG is 0 for the season??)
Typo – thanks for pointing it out.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Jun 9, 2009 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Mo accepts, whichever team GMGM can trade him to will have a nice, cheap D for the year. I think him accepting the QO is probably the best possible scenario for us.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
wasn’t great this year for much of it. definitely a step back.
However, he’s being asked to play on a top pair with a guy who still thinks offense first pretty much all the time. That doesn’t disregard his poor play for the most part, but it at least gives somewhat of an alibi.
In my hopes, there comes a day when Morrisonn’s a 4th or a 5th guy on a good defensive corps. There I think he would be pretty good. However, his salary is starting to get to the point to where I don’t know if that is feasible.
by Chimaera on Jun 9, 2009 10:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Gave him a 5
My expectations coming into the season were that he was at best a #4 defenseman with no offensive skill. Although he got top-pair minutes through most of the season, he proved to be exactly what I thought he was. Therefore, a 5.
No need to bring him back. We have too many defensemen and he’s taking up a top-4 spot that Alzner should have next season. Plus, Erskine/Jurcina are cheaper alternatives as #5/#6 defensemen. So there’s no room for him.
by topshelf_22304 on Jun 9, 2009 11:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I’d be surprised if Alzner is ready next season. He needs to put on a lot of size in the short offseason he’ll have.
by zephyr on Jun 9, 2009 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’d be surprised if Alzner is ready next season.
Nah, he’ll be ready, he just may not be a Top-4, yet. And he won’t have to be.
by DrinkingPartner on Jun 9, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A 3
My expectations of Mo coming into this year were pretty guarded. I wanted him to be that Top 4 D-man, but I wasn’t too optimistic. In just about every way he actually went backwards in my eyes. Little offensive upside, not physical enough, seemed to be disappear for long stretches of time. My main problem with Mo is that he’s average at best in every facet of his game…and we got some young guns with upside in the wings…to me Mo is odd man out
by radhghlndr on Jun 9, 2009 12:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I was originally thinking to give him a five, for being ordinary. But then I read some comments, gave it some more thought and dropped it to a four. I guess the determining factor has to be his salary. Maybe on a comparative basis it’s a fair salary, but not here, not now, not with that performance, which was less than last year. And if he thinks he’s getting $3 million next year, either he’s a fool, or the arbitrator is, ’cause no way is McPhee giving it to him voluntarily. And if he wins it, then he should be allowed to walk.
by gfcaps fan on Jun 9, 2009 5:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 30 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 23 |
|
Atlanta
|
18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 22 |
|
Florida
|
19 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 18 |
|
Carolina
|
21 | 4 | 12 | 5 | 13 |
(updated 11.20.2009 at 9:16 AM EST)
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