OT: Can Ken Holland Please Just Go Away Now?

Submitted by Dylan on

What we got for Vanek / Still having half the cap hit on our hands is just unacceptable:

EDIT: I realize keeping half the salary means only having 1.3 mil on the books for the rest of this season, which doesn't really amount to anything but the cash. I'm more upset becasue teams are looking at Vanek as renting a solid contributor to make a strong push for / make some noise in the postseason.  He should bring a second and a third for this year's draft, not a third with a no-name D-Man whom no team has wanted (he's been shipped around a TON).

EDIT II:

Yeah, but my "best" wouldn't have been very good either -- Still a pretty bad "best."

Sac Fly

March 1st, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^

Dylan McIlrath? That's the best you could get? He's been a AAAA player for his entire career despite the Rangers trying for years to give him a spot.

Navy Wolverine

March 1st, 2017 at 12:11 PM ^

This is an alarmingly low return - worse than what we got for Jurco. I get the sense that Kenny tried to start a bidding war on Vanek but asked for too much and waited too long and trade partners started going to their Plan B. Maybe this is a sign that we will resign Vanek in the offseason.

Navy Wolverine

March 1st, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^

Sorry - I was thinking of Smith.

However the 3rd Round pick we got for Jurco is actaully Ottawa's so that is probably equal to a 3rd rounder from Florida. Plus we have to retain 50% of Vanek's salary. It looks like McIlrath has cleared waivers 2 times this year already so we could have had him for free if we wanted. 

Bad trade.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 1st, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^

Who cares about the cap hit?  It's not like we're signing any marquee free agents between now and the summer?

We're sending Florida an obvious rental, it's not like we were going to get The Future in return.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 1st, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^

The 2nd is in 2018, though, and future picks are always discounted in value.  If we'd insisted on this year's 2nd, we wouldn't have got it.  Plus, the Rangers are pretty decent, so the pick is kind of down there.  Florida is not, and if the Panthers do make the playoffs, we get Arizona's 3rd-round pick instead - which is like thisclose to being a second-rounder.

I mean, it's not a super-special haul, but it's far from a disaster.

Sac Fly

March 1st, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^

Vanek has 15 goals in 48 games. The Stars traded Patrick Eaves, who has 21 goals in 59 games, for a 2nd rounder that becomes a 1st if the Ducks go to the conference finals.

Someone always overpays at the dealine, which is why people are pissed that the Wings got a return you would expect to get if you made a trade during the offseason.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 1st, 2017 at 12:37 PM ^

I don't think you can look at another deal that is an obvious and blatant overpayment, acknowledge it as an obvious and blatant overpayment, and then complain that we couldn't find another idiot to obviously and blatantly overpay us.  Sometimes deals don't set the market, they just make other GMs shake their heads and resolve not to be like that fool.

Huzilla

March 1st, 2017 at 1:02 PM ^

Jurco, Smith, and Eaves where a player of worse value got more than we got for Vanek.  (Ok, in Jurco's case similar but Jurco is wayyy worse than Vanek)



So really I think the onus is on you to show an example of a trade where we a player with more value than Vanek got less.

Huzilla

March 1st, 2017 at 1:59 PM ^

But Vanek is just undoubtedly a better hockey player.  Stalberg's career statline is in line with what we saw in Detroit with Kirk Maltby.  You cannot honestly tell me that a 3rd line checker is worth the same as a forward who has put up 40+ points every season for the last 12 years.  I get they're different jobs, but it's not even close.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 1st, 2017 at 1:16 PM ^

Either that, or show that Vanek really doesn't have the value you think he does.  Vanek doesn't defend, hit, or win faceoffs.  He's a scorer and nothing else, and he has a rep for being streaky, inconsistent, and for disappearing in the playoffs.  Hasn't scored a playoff goal since 2014.  Oh, and he's old, was hurt this season, and probably not sticking with the Panthers after this year.

HarbaughsLeftElbow

March 1st, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^

Why would you expect more? I am not sure that a second-tier scorer/primarily offensive player that is known for his lack of effort and defensive ability is what playoff contenders are looking for. If you have a realistic chance of winning the cup, what player's ice team do you replace with Vanek's? Smith is a valuable upgrade for a 4th/5th/6th defenseman for a top tier team. I am not sure Vanek is an obvious upgrade for a top 6 forward for any team, so he is more of a risk reward type tradebait. 

lilpenny1316

March 1st, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^

And I'm being kind.  We traded away 50% of Vanek's salary for a middling 3rd round pick and a guy who is a UFA at the end of this season.  McIlraith is going to Grand Rapids so we may never see the guy in a Red Wing uniform.  The only way this trade makes any sense is if Vanek comes back next year, which I don't know is a good thing.

Hotel Putingrad

March 1st, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^

Dylan McIlrath is a slightly bigger and less talented Jonathan Ericsson. I would've been more than okay with a 1st in 2018, because I think Vanek is resigning with us this summer. But between the money and the underwhelming return, why not just keep him for the last 20 games?

Blue 4 Life

March 1st, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^

Its sick that we're going into rebuilding mode with a GM that won't be here long term. Holland has another year on his contract and he'll probably be around another year. Very tragic. 

HateSparty

March 1st, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^

The market drives what you get, not what you want.  I just did a quick scan of the trade deadline feeds, no one is getting that the haul you expect for anyone, especially a solid but not great player who does not perform in the playoffs.  For the first time in what seems like ever, I can support Holland's trades.

Hannibal.

March 1st, 2017 at 12:37 PM ^

What an incredibly disappointing trade.  Shocking that the price was not higher.  When it comes to guys like Vanek -- guys with a ridiculous ratio of performance: cap hit -- it looks like a seller's market to me.  How is it that none of the front runners wanted to take a shot on this guy to put them over the top?  It's what we would have done ten years ago.  He's absolutely a "final piece" guy first rounder.