UFA Option: Ladislav Nagy

There are a host of reasons not to sign Ladislav Nagy. He's small, soft, and injury-prone. The only Kings forward to play easier minutes was Derek Armstrong (although Mike Cammalleri, a player always rumoured to be on his way to Edmonton, wasn't far back).

That said, there are some things to like about Nagy. He's averaged .69 PPG the last two seasons, playing in cities where his style simply didn't fit. That's a 57-point pace, on average. He'll probably be signed in around the 3M/yr range, which really isn't bad for what he brings, at least compared to what most RFA's will receive. He's also coming off a bad year- a year where he suffered neck and hip injuries, and he probably isn't high on any GM's list, so he should be signable.

Ladislav Nagy averaged 10:49 per game at even strength, and 2:56 on the powerplay.

At even-strength, the Kings scored 2.70 GFON/60 and 2.85 GAON/60 with Nagy on the ice. Nagy was on pace for 168 shots (4th among Oilers F), 60 hits (5th among Oilers F) and 24 blocked shots (9th among Oilers F).

Nagy is an excellent powerplay option, leading the Kings in points/60 (6.62) and helping the team to a 7.18 GFON/60 and 1.10 GAON/60. This, in my opinion, is what teams interested in Nagy will sign him for- he can score at even strength, against soft opponents, but his big virtue is as a puck mover on the powerplay.

I think Nagy will be a good bet for an offense-starved team needing a cheap option (Columbus?), and there's a high probability, in my opinion, that such a signing will work out nicely. That said, I doubt that Nagy is a player of interest for the Oilers. He's the same type of player as Nilsson/Cogliano/Gagner and to a lesser extent Hemsky, but without the virtue of youth to recommend him. He needs shielding 5-on-5, and injuries are a constant worry.