[News] Bruins waive Matt Beleskey

[sureLoss]

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
Beleskey (BOS) on waivers today

after this season 2 more years at a $3.8 million cap hit.

I remember there were reports the Flames were interested in signing him back in 2015. Dodged a bullet.

[Ashasx]

By dodging this bullet, we put ourselves in front of the Brouwer bullet.

Contracts like these, that were obviously bad the moment they were signed, make me question the sanity of many NHL GMs.

[mrdonkey]

If he could play the Flames 82 times a year he'd be the league leader in points.

[Flash Walken]

If he clears i assume they look at a buyout this offseason?

I wonder if they send him home for the purposes of staying healthy.

[The Yen Man]

We should trade Brouwer for him straight up. Both are comparable, and maybe change of scenery would do good for both players.

[jayswin]

Why do GM's always bite hard on overachieving playoff performer role players? The fans and media almost always unanimously and correctly call what will happen with these signings but GM's can't see it?

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

We should trade Brouwer for him straight up. Both are comparable, and maybe change of scenery would do good for both players.

Brouwer is far better.

[The Yen Man]

Is he $700K per year better?

[smiggy77]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Is he $700K per year better?

Yes, definitely yes.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Brouwer is far better.

Having a finger chopped off instead of having your entire hand chopped off is technically "better" as well, but preferably neither would occur.

[Ashasx]

I don't know if either Brouwer or Beleskey are NHL caliber players right now. Beleskey has zero production this year, but Brouwer's relative possession numbers are the among the worst in the league for anyone who has played a fair amount of games this season.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Anaheim has a talent for making mediocre forwards look better than they really are, and then letting other teams overpay for them. This list is quite long now:

Dustin Penner
Bobby Ryan
Daniel Winnik
Nick Bonino
Matt Beleskey
Kyle Palmieri (although he's been arguably better since leaving Anaheim)
Patrick Maroon

Coming soon to this list: Derek Grant, who is currently their 5th leading scorer with 13 points. Yes, the same Derek Grant who couldn't score a goal in his first 86 games spread over 6 seasons; he's scored 6 goals on the year.

Point is, be very wary of any forward that Anaheim is willing to give up through free agency or a trade. You are likely getting the short end of the stick.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

He's also been their first line center for a significant number of games, so that has something to do with it.

[theg69]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Anaheim has a talent for making mediocre forwards look better than they really are, and then letting other teams overpay for them. This list is quite long now:

Dustin Penner
Bobby Ryan
Daniel Winnik
Nick Bonino
Matt Beleskey
Kyle Palmieri (although he's been arguably better since leaving Anaheim)
Patrick Maroon

Coming soon to this list: Derek Grant, who is currently their 5th leading scorer with 13 points. Yes, the same Derek Grant who couldn't score a goal in his first 86 games spread over 6 seasons; he's scored 6 goals on the year.

Point is, be very wary of any forward that Anaheim is willing to give up through free agency or a trade. You are likely getting the short end of the stick.

I do see your point but Kyle Palmieri has doubled his point production since Anaheim and led the Devils in scoring the first year he was traded there. Dustin Penner, though maligned, had a career high in goals (30+) after signing with the Oilers, and Patrick Maroon had career high in goals and points after he was traded as well (27 goals over a high of 11 goals with the Ducks). Daniel Winnik has carved out a nice career after leaving Anaheim with a career high in goals with the Caps recently as well.

I would argue only Beleskey and Ryan have been true busts after leaving the Ducks out of your list.

Its like any other team - some players do better and some players do worse after leaving/being traded etc - i don't think its really any different with players that were former Ducks.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Anaheim has a talent for making mediocre forwards look better than they really are, and then letting other teams overpay for them. This list is quite long now:

Dustin Penner
Bobby Ryan
Daniel Winnik
Nick Bonino
Matt Beleskey
Kyle Palmieri (although he's been arguably better since leaving Anaheim)
Patrick Maroon

Coming soon to this list: Derek Grant, who is currently their 5th leading scorer with 13 points. Yes, the same Derek Grant who couldn't score a goal in his first 86 games spread over 6 seasons; he's scored 6 goals on the year.

Point is, be very wary of any forward that Anaheim is willing to give up through free agency or a trade. You are likely getting the short end of the stick.

IIRC they actually Grant on the PP, and he's gotten 2 PP goals! However, his ice time has really been cut lately, so the honeymoon might be over.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I think that's the point everybody. Anaheim plays late enough that few know the context of Derek Grant being forced to the top line due to injuries. Yet someone will look at his numbers and say "breakout season! This kid could be a diamond in the rough! Let's pick him up." (My money is on Chia).

Or not.

It's just a trend that I noticed. I would see the numbers that some of these guys put up in Anaheim, and then watch them....then I would say to myself, "Self, there's no way this player can normally put up these kind of points. Just look at him! He's never in a good position to score a goal. He can't make a pass to save his life. His skill is average at best. There's no way this player will continue to do this." And then someone banks on them being able to continue to do it and pays them accordingly.

Palmieri is the only guy who seems to be worthy of that prediction. Most of the others got worse immediately after leaving Anaheim.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

We should trade Brouwer for him straight up. Both are comparable, and maybe change of scenery would do good for both players.

Do it! I'd hate to see Beleskey in a Duck uniform again, especially when the Flames have to go through the Ducks in the playoffs.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

By dodging this bullet, we put ourselves in front of the Brouwer bullet.

Contracts like these, that were obviously bad the moment they were signed, make me question the sanity of many NHL GMs.

I came to essentially say the exact same thing. Sometimes I feel like I could do a better job in constructing a team. There are certain players you know aren't worth big contracts and when they sign them you know it is a mistake.

I felt that way when I saw the Bruins signed Beleskey and when Tre signed Raymond and Brouwer to name some locally. To be fair I'm not always right as I condemned the Engelland signing.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Why do GM's always bite hard on overachieving playoff performer role players? The fans and media almost always unanimously and correctly call what will happen with these signings but GM's can't see it?

Really most GM's in the NHL aren't very good at their jobs. There's a small handful of quality long tenured GM's that have experience and willingness to adapt and another small group of newer, progressive GM's but there's a bunch that really have no business running a professional sports team. July 1st in the NHL is one of the stupidest day/s in any sport as the amount of guaranteed money that gets handed to flawed or mediocre players is astounding. At least in the NFL they structure the big free agent deals so the players get a lot of upfront money so teams can cut ties after a season or two if it doesn't work out. NHL GM's and a lot of these 6+ year deals they hand out annually are pure stupidity.

[Classic_Sniper]

I think I would definitely consider a 1 for 1 trade. 2 underwhelming skaters who could use a fresh start to their careers. Beleskey has great net front presence and has a decent clapper and scores on some nice deflections. When's the last time someone scored a tip in goal? I can't remember any outside of maybe Tkachuk? I'd do this trade asap if he was a slight upgrade over Brouwer on the PP.

Worst case scenario, he ends up on the 4th line playing 9 minutes a game or we buy him out at less than what Brouwer would've cost to buyout. It seems like it would be low risk move and it wouldn't change much on the team as any other bottom 6 forward could replace him on the PK.