[News] The Athletic releases list of worst contracts (we’re #1!)

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Their local coverage was better when it was Slavin.
But I largely don't purchase a sub for local stuff. I buy it for other coverage, including the prospect coverage. I really enjoy Wheeler's work.

Agreed that the league-wide stuff posted on the Athletic if where most of the value lies. The quality of the local coverage varies dramatically by team. The Flames are not well served by Julian McKenznie. But some of the correspondents - like Murat Ates for the Jets and Aaron Portzline for the Blue Jackets - are excellent. Not only do they make frequent contributions, they have access to players and team management and write top-notch features. If you're interested in stories from across the league, there's loads of great NHL content on the Athletic.

[Locke]

Can someone photoshop Huberdeau with a big #1 foam finger? Maybe add a pineapple pizza slice in his other hand? Perhaps while rolling on a bed strewn with money?

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, it's just a model. And a model is just numbers.

And a model can be flawed. Why is that difficult to accept?

It's not flawed. It's limited in what it captures, and the author is up-front about those limitations.

The Flames likely have their own statistical model for cap value. It has limitations too. Doesn't mean it's "flawed."

[dino7c]

Any list without Nurse is severly flawed

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Athletic is mostly garbage and click bait for fans in markets like Calgary. Not worth the $1 month I used to pay for it, IMO.

Pretty much all written sports journalism is becoming like that. Everything is so accessible and different mediums have done a way better job of tackling different niches that reading articles just seems entirely pointless. It’s either one guy’s opinion or one guy’s model and there are 200 other opinions or models that are just as valid being given away for free.

For all we joke about insiders, trade proposals, etc on here, CP is legitimately the best source for Flames analysis (and virtually everything else). I learn everything I know about Flames prospects from here and readily available stats (for example).

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It's not flawed. It's limited in what it captures, and the author is up-front about those limitations.

The Flames likely have their own statistical model for cap value. It has limitations too. Doesn't mean it's "flawed."

'limited in what it captures' makes it flawed - by definition

[Badgers Nose]

You have to take fan sentiment into account as they follow the team closest and can provide more context to these judgements. Most serious Flames fans would say Huby is not playing up to his contract, but that he is a contributor, imprtant to the team with a work ethic that endears him to fans.

This article was written by somebody that last followed the Flames 2 years ago. It’s embarrassing and lends credence to the whole failed NYT story.

It would serve them better not to even mention Calgary. Do it right or don’t do it at all.

Death to america!

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

'limited in what it captures' makes it flawed - by definition

“Here is some basic #### to make you angry”

Exclusive to the Athletic because we NEED the $0.0005 impression revenue. That’s our whole business model (that and perpetual $1/month subscriptions).

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Hockey-and_stuff

It's not a flaw, it's simply a constraint of the available data.

All NHL teams play 82 games. Not all NHL teams play playoff games, and not all playoff teams play the same number of games.

These models are just numbers, and sometimes you have to make concessions to make the data more consistent across the board.


There will always be players that beat the
projections and there will be players who fall short. The hope with the model is that as you accumulate historical data the variances get smaller and your model works with a higher degree of accuracy.

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Playoff performance isn’t available data?

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The Flames are not well served by Julian McKenznie.

That might be because he is the Ottawa Senators beat reporter.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

Canucks Elias Pettersson had 15 goals, 45 points for 11.6 M

Flames Jonathan Huberdeau had 28 goals and 62 points for 10.5 M

Huberdeau is the worst contract in the NHL and nobody says boo about Petey buddy?

Ok then.

How this eludes a pure statistical model for ranking is curious to me.

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

For all we joke about insiders, trade proposals, etc on here, CP is legitimately the best source for Flames analysis (and virtually everything else). I learn everything I know about Flames prospects from here and readily available stats (for example).

I think Ryan Pike and the staff would disagree with that.

I agree that Sandman and other draft gurus' input is invaluable but the actual journalists covering the Flames deserve some recognition, too.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Agreed that the league-wide stuff posted on the Athletic if where most of the value lies. The quality of the local coverage varies dramatically by team. The Flames are not well served by Julian McKenznie. But some of the correspondents - like Murat Ates for the Jets and Aaron Portzline for the Blue Jackets - are excellent. Not only do they make frequent contributions, they have access to players and team management and write top-notch features. If you're interested in stories from across the league, there's loads of great NHL content on the Athletic.

McKenzie was not a frequent contributor so it sucked, but now the Flames have no one so it sucks more.

Agree that for other teams there is some great coverage. Would add Fluto for the Bruins to your list.

[Caboose]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

How this eludes a pure statistical model for ranking is curious to me.

Petterson is 6 years younger than Huberdeau. I'm sure that carries some weight in the model.

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[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

You have to take fan sentiment into account as they follow the team closest and can provide more context to these judgements. Most serious Flames fans would say Huby is not playing up to his contract, but that he is a contributor, imprtant to the team with a work ethic that endears him to fans.

This article was written by somebody that last followed the Flames 2 years ago. It’s embarrassing and lends credence to the whole failed NYT story.

It would serve them better not to even mention Calgary. Do it right or don’t do it at all.

Death to america!

How is it embarrassing? We all watch him 82 times per season, we all know he is the worst contract in the league by a country mile.

[Finger Cookin]

The age has got to be the explanation. Although watching his rapid death spiral over two seasons almost makes the fact that his play has already fallen off a cliff at his age even more alarming. I guess those additional years are expected to give him runway to rebound. Even if there has been no sign of a rebound.

[CaptainCrunch]

Nurse is the worst contract in the league, and its not close, he pretty much hurts the Oilers whenever he takes the ice.


But, coming soon Bouchard's contact is going to be bad, like hideously bad, like when you go to a restaurant and see a steady stream of ants heading to the buffet bad.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Caboose

Petterson is 6 years younger than Huberdeau. I'm sure that carries some weight in the model.

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Because..... being worse sooner is better?

Pettersson is $1.1M more expensive and the wheels fell off of his season even worse than when Huberdeau did it (45 points as opposed to 55 points). Also, Pettersson has more years left on his contract. If he doesn't figure himself out, he can drag his team down for longer than Huberdeau can.

[Nammer403]

Writer is a Oilers homer...
He said last year
That the Edmonton Oilers have used their cap dollars with the second best efficiency of any NHL team, behind only the Florida Panthers.... And we know how that turned out

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by Hockey-and_stuff

It's a lot of money for the regular season production that Bennett provides. The Panthers also had one of the best value deals in the league as well in Reinhart.

The author of this article was on the Athletic podcast today and essentially said that if you take Reinhart and Bennett together it's a value overall for Florida so they aren't hurting themselves with the contract.

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That contract is going to age great. Eight million isn't star money, it isn't even 1st line money anymore.