Brassard still has an up side. RJ no longer does with this team.
You are correct in that Umberger no longer has "upside". What he has is a proven track record of minimums of 20 goals and 40 points per season, every* season. Typically as high as 50 points per season.
*: Every full 82-game season, at any rate.
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I love how people get attached to a player on a team and to a lot of people they can do no wrong. There is so much a stat sheet doesn't say and it was with very good reason why Umberger has become a "whipping boy" around here. Same with Nash before he was traded, my favorite player for a lot of years and half the reason ibecame a Columbus fan but with how he played basically since Hitch's last year i couldn't have been happier to see him traded. Eventually some of these guys are gonna need to be moved because you can't have a team of role players and expect to win against the best. To me that makes Umberger an obvious target with his age and contract. While i don't want to say a guy like Foligno is a replacement for Umberger with Umberger only 30 years old but if Columbus wants to be competitive they can't be waiting half a season for the guys they count on to get going to actually start playing the way they should. I bring up Foligno because he brings a lot of the same qualities minus some of the finishing ability but with better defense and that insane back checking.
We'd be lucky to get a 2nd round pick for RJ at this point.
At the deadline, I'd expect several teams to be extremely interested in him. The last season that he didn't score 20 goals, he was in Philly and had 10 goals in 17 playoff games.
At the deadline, I'd expect several teams to be extremely interested in him. The last season that he didn't score 20 goals, he was in Philly and had 10 goals in 17 playoff games.
This. He's still a very highly sought after commodity. Don't be so short-sighted ... even players getting up there in age have commanded huge returns at the deadline - in "poor seasons".
I'll agree that teams in contention tend to overpay for players come deadline time.
That being said, the way the guy has played for the past two seasons will not intrigue anyone. He no longer plays with any passion and any edge and his scoring has been sub par despite high ice time and PP time. Add in the $4.5 million for the next four seasons with a declining salary cap and he is completely untradeable. The only exception to this would be if the Jackets pay half of his salary (I believe that is allowed under the new CBA) or if the Jackets take on someone else's vastly underperforming player who has a fat, long term deal. GIGO, if you will.
The Jackets most likely decision to make with respect to this train wreck known as RJ is whether or not to make him an amnesty buyout. I would be disgusted if they don't if he continues his putrid, lazy and unproductive play.
Oh, and now he's on pace for 5 points this season.
My view on RJ is simply that he no longer wants to be here. His game is based upon his tenacity and competitiveness. he needs to have something at stake, like a playoff spot to get his juices going. He simply is not the guy for a rebuilding team that is playing to see how low a draft pick they will get. Send him to the Pens of Flyers and I think they would get the tough, competitive RJ back. You know, the one who actually stays in shape. When he signed his contract a year ago, we were not "rebuilding", Now we are. Send him someplace he wants to be.
RJ hasn't been good, but IMO has been better the last two games. During the lockout he didn't play, didn't have a training camp and may just be finding his stride.
I'll give him another 7-10 days before burying him.
For me at least it isn't about burying umberger it is about the future of this team and this rebuild. Umby has been a good player in the past but he is a second line complimentary player. Right now he has no one to compliment and is being leaned on as a primary player. Thus his struggles this and last season. In addition he is 30 not past his prime but close he is not going to find the fountain of youth. Right now we can get at least a second for him. If we wait beyond this yearhis value will continue to decrease to the point we are forced to buy him out.
We need to face facts this is a REBUILD not a facelift, not a reshape. We are at least 2 years from playoff contention so guys who will not be impact players at that point (i.e. guys over 30 without playoff experience) need to be moved for assets now so that we can build a young core of players who can take us to the cup.
We need to face facts this is a REBUILD not a facelift, not a reshape. We are at least 2 years from playoff contention so guys who will not be impact players at that point (i.e. guys over 30 without playoff experience) need to be moved for assets now so that we can build a young core of players who can take us to the cup.
I'll leave it up to JD and SH to decide when or if to trade RJ, but I will point out that he's one of the few players on the squad with successful playoff experience and that, today, over 30 does not necessarily mean "done" as a player. He was awful to begin last season and is, again, to begin this one. Still, nine games is too early to panic or judge anyone on this roster.
Brassard still has an up side. RJ no longer does with this team.
Which upside is that? He is at almost 300 games played and is now 25. We need to see this "upside" soon and he really is no longer young. He is supposed to be entering is prime. If this season is any indication of his prime, he is not more valuable than RJ. Actually less valuable in some aspects, until you consider that he is a bit cheaper and 5 years younger.
RJ and Brassard both look like they are starting to warm up a bit. The LA game should be interesting.
Also moving out these players clears cap room to add players through free agency as well as veteran leadership once we become a contender.
Sounds like JD doesn't have a lot of interest in adding via FA. I suspect role players at most. I wouldn't be surprised if UFA time around here is pretty quiet moving forward.
Sounds like JD doesn't have a lot of interest in adding via FA. I suspect role players at most. I wouldn't be surprised if UFA time around here is pretty quiet moving forward.
You mean like always
Seriously, your probably right. I figure that there will be some moves to grab veteran offensive leaders (still surprised we didn't go after Arnott) but we won't be in on anyone like getzlaf or perry.
Probably good you know. Having superstars on your team can lead to having "One True Savior" complex.
lol, I get the attempted irony. Having said that, last season we acquired Carter and Wiz. Before that we attempted to throw the world at Redden. I suspect that is a thing of the past. Honestly, I am not disappointed. I am ok with that.
A confession to make. Normally I do not wish for our team to lose. However, this season and this draft, I am wishing for three teams to lose a lot. This draft it way too valuable to this team for anything that happens in this shortened season. We will probably never see 3 1st round picks again. It would be nice to have all of them in the top 14. Probably won't happen, but hopefully the hockey gods will find a way to help us with all the bad karma over the years and especially last season.
lol, I get the attempted irony. Having said that, last season we acquired Carter and Wiz. Before that we attempted to throw the world at Redden. I suspect that is a thing of the past. Honestly, I am not disappointed. I am ok with that.
Agreed, though even with the large contract i still like wiz. I expect to be moderately active at the trade deadline and the draft this year, but after that i expect relatively little movement from us as we let our newest draftees and other young guys play expanded roles.
Agreed, though even with the large contract i still like wiz. I expect to be moderately active at the trade deadline and the draft this year, but after that i expect relatively little movement from us as we let our newest draftees and other young guys play expanded roles.
If we are floundering, I wouldn't be surprised if we are very active at the deadline. With a draft this deep, I wouldn't be surprised if we try and get more 1st-3rd round picks out of it. First round being highly unlikely. Would it really shock us if we try and move Tyutin, RJ, and/or Brassard? Not to mention smaller moves to get rid of some of the players that aren't hard to play against.
If we are floundering, I wouldn't be surprised if we are very active at the deadline. With a draft this deep, I wouldn't be surprised if we try and get more 1st-3rd round picks out of it. First round being highly unlikely. Would it really shock us if we try and move Tyutin, RJ, and/or Brassard? Not to mention smaller moves to get rid of some of the players that aren't hard to play against.
Should those three and others be traded, I'd love to see it structured so that we have multiple first round picks in the next draft, as well. Don't know how realistic that might be, and it certainly could take additions; but, at the deadline, one or more teams might see them as the final pieces to a playoff run. I know nothing about the quality of talent available in the next draft, but it would seem that a serious rebuild requires serious influx of young, top-end talent.
With the cap going down to $64.3MM next year and RJ on a long term contract it does not bode well to moving him. His production vs contract the last two years is sub standard. Cap space will become even more valuable for the next 2-3 years depending on how the revenue stream changes.
I still see glimpses of "good" RJ but he's really struggled at a level that, to me, goes beyond slump. His game has changed and I don't see a big return if the CBJ wanted to move him and even had a potential buyer. His last two games have been better but it needs to be a LOT better going forward.
If we are floundering, I wouldn't be surprised if we are very active at the deadline. With a draft this deep, I wouldn't be surprised if we try and get more 1st-3rd round picks out of it. First round being highly unlikely. Would it really shock us if we try and move Tyutin, RJ, and/or Brassard? Not to mention smaller moves to get rid of some of the players that aren't hard to play against.
The only one that would pseudo "shock" me would be Tyutin. I'm not opposed to guys being moved if we can better the short and long term.
Brassard seems to be the wild card to me more than the others. He's shown a level of skill that could be enticing but just doesn't seem to have the overall game to produce consistently or provide intangibles to raise his value. However, he's a guy that a team might think "in the right environment he could flourish".
Tyutin would surprise me though. He just seems to be highly thought of by CBJ brass.
With the cap going down to $64.3MM next year and RJ on a long term contract it does not bode well to moving him. His production vs contract the last two years is sub standard. Cap space will become even more valuable for the next 2-3 years depending on how the revenue stream changes.
I still see glimpses of "good" RJ but he's really struggled at a level that, to me, goes beyond slump. His game has changed and I don't see a big return if the CBJ wanted to move him and even had a potential buyer. His last two games have been better but it needs to be a LOT better going forward.
Send RJ to NYR for next years first. The Rangers have a top heavy line with no depth. They'd do it.
