2009-10 Rink Wrap: Tom Poti

He has his moments, but he’s never consistent or reliable enough. His PK antics were horrid. Doesn’t really do any one thing particularly well in my opinion. DO NOT WANT past 2010-2011.

I said 7, because I don’t have great expectations for him, but definitely should be better on the PK, and could score a few more goals.
Next season, I see him in a more limited role as the whipper-snappers start to eat a lot more minutes.

Many of you lowered your scores for Green, Semin, Flash and others based on their poor performance in the playoffs, due to the importance you put on the playoffs over the regular season. Here’s a guy that showed up in a big way during the playoffs. Just keep that in mind when you cast your vote.

I actually thought he did a little better than expected – I’d have liked to have seen a bit more offense from him but his even strength play was generally good to great.

Granted, he definitely should not be the guy with the most PK minutes – but I find it hard to dock him too much considering the Caps were one of the least penalized teams in the NHL this year. 18+ solid minutes a night at even strength outweighs the 3+ minutes a night where he might be a little shaky (and not even for the entire time).

And frankly he was one of the only guys to really step his game up – consistently – in the playoffs. That’s huge in my mind. Would love to see him in a reduced PK role next year, maybe at 18-19 minutes a night with perhaps a bit more PP time?

5. Kinda zen about his non-offense at this point, and the fact that there’s talk about bringing in a “Feds for the defense” would seem to indicate whatever value he currently has back there. If he can fill that role and trade shifts with Carlzerson, that works for me.

He gets a 1 for the playoffs, and was what I expected otherwise. I’d love to see him moved if we are going to use that money to replace him with a younger or better top 4 D, but getting rid of him just for the sake of getting rid of him is a bad idea (and highly unlikely). I hate him getting so much PK time (shocking), but that’s on BB. His constant rookie mistakes are extremely frustrating, but I can’t say they aren’t exactly what I expected from him. I’d like to see GMGM get another top 4 D that can play with him for next year, but I would rather see him leave when he’s UFA. We’ll need that money to keep our core together and most of our homegrown D will have enough experience to support us by then (Carlznerson will almost certainly be ready for 2nd pair billing). It wasn’t asked, but for a 10 next year he would need to continue to play the same solid ES minutes, cut the rookie mistakes and act like he’s a 10 year veteran, and bring back some of that offensive skill he was known for as a younger player. Yeah, it won’t happen.

6

Bumped up for the playoffs, bumped down for the season of horrendous clears, but overall on the slightly-high-end of what I expected.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a veteran defenseman who was less effective at clearing the puck out of the zone on the penalty kill. That said, next year, I think Poti will see his SH ice time drop, and that is from a season that saw his lowest SH TOI/game in his three years here (3:36). It might not happen right away, but I suspect Carlson and Alzner will both eat into his ice time on the PK, and I suspect that the Caps will be rooting around for a defenseman, either in trade or via FA to shore up their own end.

Which is on the higher end this time.

After last season, I didn’t expect much. I seem to remember him being way overpaid, not able to clear the puck, and not being visibly really good last season (of course, I wasn’t watching for that either). The own goal(s) didn’t help, luck or not. So with my expectations lower, he did better in my rating than most others’, I guess. I’m not faulting him too much for getting lots of PK time since that’s a coaching decision. His ES play was terrific. I really thought he was kind of done.

With John Carlson and Karl Alzner almost assured of roster spots next season, what will Poti’s role be and who does he skate with?

A FA or Schultz, I think. Reduced SHTOI and TOI overall I think. Basically, a 2.5 pairing D if Carlson and Alzner keep it up.

Does Poti become expendable when he becomes a UFA, or for the right price does he stay on as a veteran presence beyond 2010-11?

For the right price, I think he’d be good to keep. If GMGM gets a good PKing defenseman, then that makes Alzner-Carlson-Green-other (Schultz, if he develops more?), so Poti can be a 3rd pairing D. I can’t see anyone in the system that would replace him.

Do Poti’s shorthanded shortcomings outweigh his even-strength prowess, or is the opposite true?

With Poti, they sort of meet in the middle, I guess, because his PKTOI is so high. If he gets less, then ES play outweighs his shorthanded shortcomings, which is I think what we’ll see next season.

What will it take for him to earn a 10 rating next year?

Solid GA/60 on the PK while leading the Caps in PK TOI with the Caps as a team faring middling to above average results at season’s end and 10 goals, 35-40 points if he gets significant PP time, or 5 goals 30 points without, with a +30. And fewer failed clears. Seems like he has most of the tools already.

He was better than expected defensively at even strength, but worse than expected offensively. Better than expected in the playoffs; worse (by a lot) on the PK. All in all, I decided it was just barely on the high side of expectations when it all balanced out.

The Discussion: With John Carlson and Karl Alzner almost assured of roster spots next season, what will Poti’s role be and who does he skate with? Does Poti become expendable when he becomes a UFA, or for the right price does he stay on as a veteran presence beyond 2010-11? Do Poti’s shorthanded shortcomings outweigh his even-strength prowess, or is the opposite true? What will it take for him to earn a 10 rating next year?

I think Poti keeps the same role he had late this year; steady, stay at home mentor for Carlson on the second line. I wouldn’t mind keeping him beyond next year IF he continues to excel at ES, improves on the PK, and takes a pay cut :-). He’s not an integral piece per se, but a much more valuable re-signing (at the right price) than ShaMo or Jurcina would be this year. I think his ES prowess overrides his failings on the PK, because the caps should be able to put other guys out there that don’t suck as much. That’s on BB to make it happen.

To earn a 10 next year, he would have to drastically improve on the PK, learn to clear the puck consistently (and not over the glass), and provide solid veteran mentorship to Carlson. I’m not looking for bigger offensive numbers from him to earn a 10, because my ideal season for him would be a complete stay-at-home while letting Carlson provide the offense.

An unspectacular and underwhelming regular season followed by 5 1/2 terrific playoff games. He was possibly the most solid defender for the Caps against Montreal. Poti’s strengths are his reach, and his relative quickness as a defenseman. Against a physical team like Philly, he has a rough go, but against a team of smaller players like Montreal, he’s going to play well. It was a good match-up for him and he took advantage. He also regularly has good games against the Rangers (Hi Scotty!)…but I think that’s just using revenge as a motivator.

He does make some mind-boggling mistakes in his own end, but they aren’t that common, which is why they are noticed so much. A player who makes 2-3 dreadful plays per game in his own end regularly is not going to be noted for a mistake in his own end. Poti is noticed because most of the time his play is unnoticed.

His role in 2010-2011 (should he recover from the horrific injury) will be reduced, and that is likely a good thing. He’s entering the downhill side of his career and he probably doesn’t need to play 24 minute a night. 18 should suffice. If he plays 15 even strength, 2 shorthanded, and 1 on the power play with Carlson at the end of the penalties, that’d be about right. Sure he’s overpaid for a 5th defenseman, but he is on the roster, and he is the 5th best defenseman in the organization right now, so not playing him doesn’t make sense.

I fully expect this will be his last season with the Caps unless he is willing to take on a 5th defenseman salary and role in the future, meaning about a 40-50% pay cut. I can see it happening, as there’s only one thing missing from his hockey resume, a Stanley Cup, and he’s got a shot here. I’m not sure another contender will take a chance on him…

To get a 10…if he plays at his playoff level all season, even if it’s only 15-18 minutes a night, I’ll give him a 10.

About as expected: less points than hoped for but a better +/- than imagined possible.

One nice thing about adding a top flight defensive defenseman (as opposed to going long at the 2C) this summer, is that it will put our D into roles that are more suitable for them in terms of TOI, special teams, etc.. I like 3, but his days as a top four defenseman, here or anywhere, are fairly numbered. Never really known for his defensive acumen (and certainly brought here for his ‘offensive game’ way back when), TP has adjusted his game to suit his revised role here, but I’ve never been super confident in his consistency in the defensive zone. I just can’t see us keeping him at 3.5M—or 2.5M— after this year, what with the horses we have coming up.

For a 10 in his contract year: 10G/40A, similar +/- and fewer facepalm clears up the gut. Get well soon, Tom!

He gets a 7 from me, but only because the past two years of watching him have totally de-sensitized me to his one awful clearing pass per game.

I think on balance, he’s proved to be a good signing for GMGM, and has pretty much exactly earned the contract he received.

For me, Poti in 2010/11 will still be a second pairing D man, preferably alongside a veteran free agent signing. I’d really like to see Carlson/Alzner as the third pair, and would expect them to eventually swap roles with Poti/whoever into the second pair by the playoffs.

I don’t expect Tom to be here after his contract expires, only because I think some team will be willing to offer him a contract that pays him like a second pairing guy, and we won’t have a need for him at that price.

For a 10 next year, Poti would have to see a points explosion, something like 10/35/45. Doubt he’ll get enough PP time to do that. Alternately, he could simply clear the damn puck every time and earn a 10 that way. Personally, I think the 40+ points scenario is the more likely of the two.

8 for playoff performance and all activities not related to clearing the puck out of his own end. also and bump for allowing me to learn more about opthamology than i ever wanted to know.

4 for the agita he caused when in possetion of the puck in his own end and for the lack of pp production.

however, he was one of the few players who elevated his game when it mattered most. so overall i give him a 7.

next year i see him partnered with either mo, juice or the new FA dman, if anyone. i dont see him having much of a role with the team after this year given his age and salary. maybe he gets a one year deal if he plays well this year and the team does not sign a big name FA to a long term deal.

Next year may be better for him if Carlson can eat up some of his PK minutes (and especially so if Alzner can as well), he’s your classic solid veteran who is going to be an important part of a playoff run even if he does trend a little Sasha in the regular season.

Im fine with Poti as long as his SHTOI is reduced and kinda like the idea of him playing with Carlson next year, rather than having the rookies play together. Id be comfortable with this line up:

Green / Schultz
Poti / Carlson
Alzner / Juice or FA/trade

Sloan

Thought he played pretty well all season and if anything quite consistent. Was one of the few players who excelled in the playoffs which was surprising even if he was paired with Steve Rodgers the entire time.

He was good at times, bad at others. He was what I expected him to be: no physical play, some savvy defensive plays, matched with solid 5on5 play. His PK work left me cursing and screaming too often to be ignored. I doc points here, I add some there, I get to a 5. He is what he is, and when he’s your top defensive defenseman, your in trouble. He got an extra 1.5 for his playoff performance.

Come free agency< he’s gone. He doesn’t provide offense, much, doesn’t really have a physical element, can’t PK at all (seriously, 800 games in and he doesn’t know where to put his stick?), and is really just a one and a half dimensional player at this point. Package him in a trade and upgrade the blueline.

Only 33 of those 40 SH GA were at 4v5.

Of the 16 Caps averaging >1min 4v5 TOI/G, Poti ranks 10th, but has the highest qualcomp by a huge margin over all those not named Matt Bradley.

I’m not disagreeing that his PK time should come down, his GAON/60 is rediculously higher than others in the league receiving similar ice time. I’m just pointing out it wasn’t as bad as the numbers may appear, even if those clears were downright atrocious.

7

10 next year = ~5.0 SH GAON/60 while still getting ~2.5min SH TOI/G; 10 goals, 40 points, >+30, similar total TOI/G.

I don’t like him.