The Copper & Blue: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: MLB Trade Deadline: Who is available around MLB?

Backstrom Re-Signed

As per TSN, the Minnesota Wild have re-signed Niklas Backstrom to a four-year, 24 million dollar contract extension.

There was no doubt that they needed to do something with Backstrom, but I think they may have made a mistake. Backstrom is of course a superb goaltender, but he probably isn't one of the elite tenders in the league. His numbers have almost certianly been artificially inflated by playing in Minnesota. Consider the SV% numbers for Minnesota's goaltenders over the past six seasons:

2008-09: Backstrom - .925, Harding - .931
2007-08: Backstrom - .920, Harding - .908
2006-07: Backstrom - .929, Harding - .960, Fernandez - .911
2005-06: Fernandez - .919, Roloson - .910, Harding - .904
2003-04: Roloson - .933, Fernandez - .915
2002-03: Roloson - .927, Fernandez - .924

Yes, all these guys are good goaltenders, but nobody who has played more than one game has a save percentage lower than 21-year old Josh Harding's .904, recorded over three games.

Minnesota plays the most stringent defensive system of any team in hockey, and today Niklas Backstrom benefitted to the tune of 24 million dollars.

Not that it's bad news for Oilers fans, but there may be even more good news - it seems pretty likely that Josh Harding, another good not great young goaltender, should be available via trade. Why the Wild didn't trade Backstrom for a premium and play Harding and a capable 1A type (Roloson, Fernandez, Labarbera, etc.) next season is beyond me.

0 recs  |  Comment 4 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Hey Jonathon,

I don't know if Minnesota made a mistake from the Oilers perspective (which of course you were not referring to).

This hamstrings them by tying up big money in their goaltender, which they have seemed reluctant to do recently (Roli traded as an UFA and Fernandez was trade one year after his big contract was signed). This stops them from being over active in the free agency market: as offensive minded players might have needed a over pay to come to the place where scorers come to die (sit till they play D).

Plus Harding is a RFA this summer. On my blog, Shepso and I have been talking about the desirability of making an offer sheet to Harding if Minnesota signed Backstrom for over $6 million a season. If Tambo offers Harding a three year contract at $2.614 million dollars a year, the Oilers would only have to give up a second round pick. So that is a pretty cheap trade for the Oilers: a second round pick and a slight over pay (Harding will most likely get 1.5-1.75 million anyway). If Minnesota matches it they are paying their goaltenders $8.6 million for the next three years, and they can't trade Harding for at least one year: roughly 15% of the salary cap, if it stays at the current rate, for 8% of the 23 man roster. At best we get a goaltender that is young and way better the JDD, and at worst we drive up the salary of a rival team (I am sure the NHLPA doesn't mind players salaries going up). Minnesota is not going to be trading with a divisional rival anytime soon, so does it matter if we piss them off (other then them giving a random offer sheets to Grebs/Cogs/Gags . . .).

by B.C.B. on Mar 3, 2009 4:01 PM PST reply actions  

I like Harding. But I'm not a fan of the offer-sheet idea. The Oilers already have a little over 36-million committed to 2010-11, without new deals for Pisani, Gagner, Cogliano, Brodziak, Grebeshkov, Smid or a goaltender. They'll also need to either re-sign or replace Cole, Pouliot, MacIntyre and Strudwick.

They're going to be really tight for 2010-11 as it is; ripe for an offer sheet.

by Jonathan Willis on Mar 3, 2009 4:47 PM PST reply actions  

I think that the offer sheet idea has merit, but I wouldn't want the Oilers investing too much. If the Wild can't get him signed try to go for 1.5M over three. He'll probably be able to get more from someone else but, as Jonathan has said, our budget for 2010 is a concern.

As for the salary inflation comment, there's nothing that any offer sheet can do to make the amount of money players make greater. It helps Harding to be paid more and, since resources are finite for the players, hurts everybody else.

by Scott on Mar 3, 2009 6:55 PM PST reply actions  

BCB, you mentioned that they traded Fernandez one year after they signed him to a big deal.

I wonder if they plan to trade Backstrom, but thought he'd have more value in the summer being signed for 4 more years than as a rental at the deadline?

Anybody interested in Backstrom would have to pay him at least that much as a UFA...

by Councilman Les Winan on Mar 11, 2009 3:57 PM PDT reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to SB Nation's Edmonton Oilers community.
Start posting about the Oilers »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Kurri_small
Fan Posts and Fan Shots: Community Guidelines
Laraque_horcoff_250x360_small
The Downtown Arena
Kurri_small
Nikolai Khabibulin's Trial Postponed Again
Laraque_horcoff_250x360_small
Those Darned Chicago Blackhawks
Esaandstanley_small
Gilbert Brule is a Good Player and a Good Guy
Image0221022_small
Khabibulin Insurance
Small
Oilers Pick Hall + Other Draft stuff
Kurri_small
SB Nation's NHL Draft Prospect Corner
Small
Fraser
Small
Colin Fraser Traded to Oilers for 6 Round Pick

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Northwest Standings

GP W L OTL PT
Vancouver 82 49 28 5 103
Colorado 82 43 30 9 95
Calgary 82 40 32 10 90
Minnesota 82 38 36 8 84
Edmonton 82 27 47 8 62

(updated 4.12.2010 at 6:21 AM PDT)

Oilers Stats Leaders

Stat

Forwards

Defense

TOI/G:

Horcoff (19:23)

Gilbert (22:24)

ESTOI/G:

Horcoff (14:24)

Visnovsky (17:14)

Points:

Penner (63)

Visnovsky (32)

Goals:

Penner (32)

Visnovsky (10)

Assists:

Penner (31)

Gilbert (23)

EV+/- /15

Penner (.152)

Smid (.090)

Shots:

Penner (203)

Gilbert (96)

Corsi/15:

Penner(.405)

Visnovsky (.460)

SCF/15:

Penner (5.241)

Visnovsky (4.517)

SCA/15:

Stortini (3.850)

Gilbert (4.360)

SCDiff/15:

Penner (.448)

Visnovsky (.122)

SBNation.com Recent Stories

Washington Capitals' Tomas Fleischmann, of the Czech Republic, takes a check from Ottawa Senators' Chris Neil during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Fred Chartrand) +53 updates

NHL Free Agency: Fleischmann Stays In DC, Grebeshkov Bolts To Russia

FILE - In this May 7, 2009, file photo, Milan Michalek, front left, of the Czech Republic attacks Swedish goalie Jonas Gustavsson, right, during a quarterfinal at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Bern, Switzerland. Sweden's Carl Gunnarsson is seen behind on left. The Toronto Maple Leafs landed Gustavsson with a one-year contract on Tuesday, July 7, 2009. The 24-year-old netminder, nicknamed "The Monster," was also heavily pursued by Dallas, San Jose and Colorado. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File) link

Euro Hockey For Dummies: A Primer On How European Hockey Leagues Work

PITTSBURGH - JULY 27:  Pittsburgh Penguins President David Morehouse addresses the media at the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic press conference on July 27 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.  (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) +2 updates

Penguins, NHL Unveil 2011 Winter Classic Logo At Pittsburgh's Heinz Field

More from SBNation.com >


Managing Editor

Kurri_small Derek Zona

Columnists

Willis_small Jonathan Willis

Laraque_horcoff_250x360_small Scott Reynolds

Zorg_small Bruce McCurdy

Esaandstanley_small Benjamin Massey

Columnists Abroad

N168302557_2381_small Jonathan Hord