Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
By the way, there was a typo in my post earlier that listed stats on Ryan...
His 38 points would have put him in the top 6 among forwards on 23 of the 30 other teams, not 21.
That's right... 38 points puts you top 6 among forwards on 75% of the teams in the current NHL.
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I can't speak for everyone, but for me it all comes down to cap hit and term.
Is he going to sign with the Flames as a 38 point center with great underlying metrics and an awesome FO%? Or will he sign with the Flames with cap and term expectant of a 4th liner?
The risk is that he put up those points due to opportunity with a low budget team with less depth. Cane fans are happy to see him leave. Why is that? Sure, you can't ever truly gauge a player's worth simply by fan perception, but a common perception among Cane fans is that Ryan was over-used in Carolina. I doubt (and should hope) that it wouldn't be the case here.
I am 100% on board with signing him, as long as he is paid like a 4th liner. You simply can not expect him to get anywhere near 38points again if he is utilized as a 10th forward.
I wholeheartedly agree that this team needs an improvement in their bottom 6, but I argue that improvement should come from downward pressure as the Flames upgrade their top 9, rather than take a 7/8th forward, pay him as such, and plop him into the 10th spot while expecting him perform as well with less offensive opportunity.
Do you know what I mean? I am not sure I am adequately expressing my reservations on this signing. If he comes cheap, then I not only have zero qualms about the signing, but welcome it ecstatically.
I am just damn tired of having one of the most expensive 4th lines in the league. That's not where cap should be spent.