- Boxcars: 43gp, 13-8-21
- Shots: 97
- Plus Minus: -9
- Corsi (Rel): 7.0 (3rd among F's)
- GF/GA ON: 17-26
- 5x5/60: 1.40 (6th among F's)
- 5x4/60: 4.92 (2nd among F's)
- Quality of Competition: 9th toughest among F's
- Quality of Teammates: 11th best among F's
- FO %: 53.2% in 47 FO's
- Offensive Zone Start FO %: 47.6% (7th easiest among F's)
- Cap Hit: $1,250,000 (UFA this summer)
- What do these numbers tell us? Although his negatives are obvious (speed is a real worry) Mike Comrie can score goals. His Corsi number is strong and he was playing mid-to-low level competition with the dixie dregs most nights. His PP numbers (5-5-10 in just a little over 2 hours with the man advantage) were solid on this team and his exceptional skill around the net was on display whenever he was in the lineup.
- How Could these numbers be better? A healthy season from Comrie would have helped a lot (he could have popped 20 goals in a full season and that would have been a story) and it is an open question as to how many of the games he played in were "healthy" GP's. For the money he was money, but the injuries and illness took the heart of the season from him.
- Will they re-sign him? No, I don't think so. Comrie's skills are duplicated all over the roster (although not as well) and this team isn't going to be a contender for some time. I'd love to see him back and think a lot of Oilers fans feel the same way.
- Was he a "value" contract? Hell yeah, any team with a need for goals should look at giving him a 1-year, $1M deal this summer.
Projected Role in 2010-11: Skill F in an NHL town
I think it's worth pausing to remember just how bad his linemates were, considering that qualteam rank. Eleventh best teammates on the Oilers is the equivalent of some AHL teams' second lines.
ReplyDeleteComrie should absolutely be back if they care about building something or entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI'm not too convinced the Oilers management understand building something.
I hate this player, but I would have him back on a 1-1.35 Million, One year contract
ReplyDeletethey should bring him back, and sign him to a longer term contract with a slight raise.
ReplyDeletehis skills are duplicated, but duplicated with a higher cap hit. he's also far more entertaining a player than any of the players who duplicate his skills.
his performance given that qualteam is also remarkable, as steve point out. he's been playing with AHLers, while sick, and performing as well or better than players being paid more than he is.
mike comrie isn't going to turn this team into a winner, but he's certainly a keeper at his current contract.
I say 7 years at $2.5 a year! Who's with me, Kevin, Stever, anybody...
ReplyDeleteFarewell, smurf.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, don't we have enough pipsqueaks? Begone, munchkins.
Why would you not bring back Comrie ? He is the ideal player to help out guys like Gagner and Eberle in the future. Time to cut bait on rejects like P.O.S. and Nilsson.
ReplyDeleteWill they re-sign him? No, I don't think so. Comrie's skills are duplicated all over the roster
ReplyDeleteThat was true last summer. ;)
i was thinking 2 years at 1.5m
ReplyDeletepersonally i think comrie is a far better guy to have around the team then patty o or nilson. did either of these guys drop the gloves or stick up for their team mates at all this season. he may be small but he has a bit of grit about him
ReplyDeletepersonally i think comrie is a far better guy to have around the team then patty o or nilson.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anybody would disagree with you. But those two are under contract, and Comrie isn't.
If we keep most of our prospects in developmental mode (minors/jr.) and we need to play "Pick-a-smurf," then I'd pick:
ReplyDelete1. Grumpy smurf (we could use his grit)
2. Comrie (he's the best of the rest)
If prospects fill the smurf roles, then off with their heads!
If by July 4th 3 of POS, Cogliano, Nilsson, Moreau are gone I like bringing Mike back.
ReplyDeleteGagner has good things to say about his leadership and mentoring skills. This guy could help Eberle make the transition too.
You can never have enough value contracts, and if he repeats his numbers in a healthy season, even 1.5 is a good number.
Can play effectively with all four lines and contribute, that's not a common commodity on this team.
Plus I get to stare at Hilary Duff in person a few more times and that could never be a bad thing...at least from my perspective.
Woodguy - I think the all 4 lines thing is a key comment. He can be a first line scorer if our top guy goes down for a game or six, but conversely he can be effective on the fourth line, making smart plays and getting in a fight if necessary.
ReplyDeleteThat has a fair bit of value, and especially for this team as you identified.
If there was a UFA forward on the market who was undersized, 30 years old and had serious injuries or other maladies each of the last three years, would we even pay a million for him? This season's 43 games played is actually Comrie's best during that stretch.
ReplyDeleteAlthough his negatives are obvious (speed is a real worry) Mike Comrie can score goals.
ReplyDeleteHmm... He's always been pretty quick. He's slowed down some but not much by my eye. His skating problem is what it has always been. He skates fast one way and loses a gear going the other.
Overcommitting gets him a lot of his goals but it infuriates coaches to no end. I think Quinn had a big problem with this a few times this season and it's why he was a healthy scratch on some nights.
I like watching him play, certainly more than some of the other little guys, so I'd like to see him signed.
My view of Comrie is he is an opportunistic scorer. He doesn't generate offence and relies heavily on his linemates to set him up or benefits from a steal or lose puck.
ReplyDeleteI don't seem him as all the valuable to this team for next year.
Regwald - Explain to me exactly why "opportunistic scorers" are not valuable.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to get open and actually finish is much rarer than people seem to think.
Comrie also has incredibly underrated playmaking abilities for some reason...but let's focus on opportunistic scoring.
He is one-dimensional player that way and is easy to shut down and doesn't generate enough offense.
ReplyDeleteIf he was so good at it, why such a low point total ?
He needs to generate more points, in my opinion.
I really would keep Comrie, and I think he could be a great bridge to the next geenration of top 6 forwards.
ReplyDeleteNext year, I would:
> Draft Seguin
> Cut/ release/ buy out/ trade - Cogliano, O'Sullivan, Nilsson, Moreau, Potulny ansd Deslauriers. Also, Souray - but I don't think we'll get much for him.
> Pick up Konopka and a good second pairing D-man (Hamhuis?)
> Re-sign Pisani to a reasonable deal.
Comrie Horcoff Hemsky
Penner Gagner Brule
Pouliot Seguin Pisani
Jones Konopka Stortini
Stone Eberle
> Phase Stone and Eberle into the line-up depending on match-ups, injuries and trends.
Whitney Gilbert
Hamhuis(?) Smid
Peckham Johnson
Strudwick (as captain)
Leave Khabibulin and Dubnyk in net.
I would phase in Lander, MPS, Vande Velde and others in the years as they properly mature in the SEL, AHL.
I tend to agree w/Woodguy, but more specifically:
ReplyDeleteIf Moreau, POS and Nilsson are gone by July and Comrie will come back on a value contract ($1 to 1.2 mil/year) then he does bring some intangibles - even if he is small.
And I say that in the belief that Cogs will likely be packaged and traded, which makes room for Eberle to be on the roster next season.
That puts 3 smurfs on the roster (Gagner, Eberle, Comrie). No more.
Also would not surprise that it may come down to Comrie or Omark for one of the last roster spots this fall. Question is if the decision is made before we get to camp.
Regwald: I don't consider his point total last year at all low based on the number of games he played, the number in which he was ill, and the linemates he played with.
ReplyDeleteIt's blatantly obvious that Mike plays his best hockey in Edmonton. That works for us and works for him.
I don't think he's quite as one-dimensional as you seem to...though even if he was, I'd take scoring goals as the one dimension 7 days a week.
Once upon a time Comrie looked like he might be a star but that ship has sailed.
ReplyDeleteNow he's just another tiny player who between injuries might score you 20 goals, few that count particularly big when it matters.
If you extrapolate out his numbers over 82 games it would be 40 pts with 25 goals. Great value for his $1.2M, but don't try to convince me 40 pts warrants keeping him ahead of Nilsson. There's lots of 40 pt players out there.
ReplyDeleteI think there are other options available that better fit the need for this team. If you like the guy, good on ya, but I don't see the need to bring him back with such a low point total.
And don't forget some of those missed games were a healthy scratch too.
Apparently the Oilers will let MPS know as early as next week if they want him to sign and come over for next season.
ReplyDeletehttp://hockeysverige.se/news_show_edmonton-tar-beslut-om-paajarvi.html?id=9743036
Google translate:
Edmonton takes decisions on Pääjärvi
Next week could be told
Stay in Timrå or take a shot across the Atlantic. These are choices that the talented scoring forward Magnus Svensson Pääjärvi face.
Having been in talks with the Edmonton Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini said Pääjärvi's father and agent Gunnar Svensson told Dagbladet that there should be a decision shortly.
- They told me that they will be able to give us a direction information in the coming weeks. Then we know what is what.
Pääjärvi was drafted by the Oilers as tenth player in the first round last season. He has done for the season 29 points (12 +17) in 49 appearances for Timrå. Right now he is in charge of the camp as coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson is the World Championships.
-----
Seems more and more likely they bring him over, possibly even for the AHL. I wonder the extent to which KP was responsible for communicating with and making decisions regarding these players? At the very least we can be certain that Tambellini is making all decisions regarding the AHL affiliate until a replacement is found, if one is found.
Great value for his $1.2M, but don't try to convince me 40 pts warrants keeping him ahead of Nilsson.
ReplyDeleteYes, I much prefer my forwards to cost $2.0MM a year and score only 37 points.
Great value for his $1.2M, but don't try to convince me 40 pts warrants keeping him ahead of Nilsson.
ReplyDeleteWhy not?
My thoughts is he is another small forward and is not under contract.
ReplyDeleteI am liking the theory of letting Nilsson and O'Sullivan play out their contracts, no need for a buy out.
Do I think Nilsson is worth his $2.5M ? nope, do not.
Do I think we need another small forward ? Nope, do not.
I would rather move forward with a an energy guy or physical forward or a forward who can play tougher minutes than Comrie. I would be up for re-signing Pisani for the right dollars.
I wonder the effect of asthma on Comrie's game and if that's the reason he ended up here.
ReplyDeleteWhen he was healthy he rarely saw the ice in the last 5 minutes of a game whether we were ahead or not (IIRC).
Was this because he cheats to the offense too much and was too unreliable to throw out there.
Or are the coaches concerned about his wind and stamina late in the game.
I don't know the answer but it is a concern if we're thinking about re-signing him.
That said, he was value for a limited role and is unlikely to contract mono again no matter whom else Duff has been kissing (I'm looking at you, Woodguy).
But I wouldn't sign him if it meant we were going to be over our smurf quota.
The Oilers really have room for only one of Cogliano, Comrie, Nilsson, and O'Sullivan.
ReplyDeleteUnless Cogliano is traded, I don't think Comrie gets an offer from the Oilers.
I wouldn't mind keeping Comrie around to work with Eberle. Comrie could teach him a lot about getting his nose dirty and taking NHL-level abuse to get to the scoring spots.
ReplyDeleteI think Eberle has a natural nose for the net, but he's going to have to be willing to work for it at the NHL level, it's not going to come easy.
Comrie is an undersized, shifty forward who doesn't have great foot speed, but seems to have the knack for getting to the scoring areas.
ReplyDeleteEberle is an undersized, shifty forward who doesn't have great foot speed, but seems to have the knack for getting to the scoring areas.
I think having Mike around for 14's first year may prove invaluable to helping 14 acclimate his game to the NHL.
Schitzo,
ReplyDeleteYou beat me to the punch, didn't see your last post before I wrote mine.
Great minds and all....
Woodguy: Yes. Yes we are.
ReplyDeleteYeah just what we all need - another season of Pisani on the IR, with everyone's mealy mouthed comments about how brave the little millionaire is.
ReplyDeletehunter sez:
ReplyDeleteNow he's just another tiny player who between injuries might score you 20 goals, few that count particularly big when it matters.
Do "big" goals count double?
Woodguy:
ReplyDeleteI think it might be a tad early to christen the 14 jersey, as the wearer could change on draft day.
Hall can't have 4, and I shudder to think of another 44 on this roster, the number's freaking cursed. I think he gets 14 if we draft him. Also, Eberle wore 7 (also unavailable) in Junior and I think he was 17 in one of the WJCs. Where did he wear 14?
As a complete aside, new information comes to light surrounding Omark's journey to North America.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=318976
He's quite a lucky guy in that he was able to work out a deal with the Oilers. You have to feel for the Zhitnyk-type stories. And could you imagine what it would be like to lose one of the NHL's most storied franchises? I give the KHL another 3 years.
Down goes the House of Waffles.
ReplyDeleteDg,
ReplyDeleteEberle wore 14 in the pre-season this year iirc, and would have seniority on this year's draft picks for jersey numbers....if he wants 14.
spOILer,
Please direct all questions regarding myself and Ms. Duff to my lawyers Dewey, Chetum and Howe.
I've also retained them to handle the inevitable restraining order.
Comrie was a much better player this time around than his first run as an Oiler. I'm not as worried about too many small players as most. Jacques, Moreau and Strudwick are three of the biggest guys on the team, and they get shelled in terms of scoring chances.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Lain is right, maybe there is a magical balancing force in the universe that causes players of small stature to do less to help their team win if, and only if, the guys that were on the ice 120 seconds previous were also 5'10" or less. I seem to be the only one here who hasn't seen that in the games, so perhaps I'm missing something ethereal.
LittleFury:
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the grammar nazis were in here, or else i'd be sure to consult my grade 7 English textbook that I'm still trying to get my head around.
Just in case you're serious, yeah, Glenn Anderson's insurance goal in 1987 looks ten times better than anything Ryan "everyone loves" Smyth ever scored in his entire career.
Take your pick from the two answers above, then go kiss your mirror.
Vic: You've always been adamant that a good NHL player helps a team win and you didn't give a shit whether he was big, small, flashy, a grinder, whatever.
ReplyDeleteHow many of the little ones do you think help a good team win? I'm looking at Gagner soon and Comrie in a support role. I see Cogliano good but he's got to add a lot of dynamics to his game to really help a good team and the rest can't play the toughs or kill the softs. So small-guy conspiracy aside, what do you think of Edmonton's small guys?
quain, that was a beautiful line, but I find it hard to explain to my 10 year old students why I am laughing (without getting fired, that is).
ReplyDeleteBTW, I think Comrie's money could better be spent on the 3rd line checker-type, especially if they have a FO% north of 50. JMO.
I think the Oilers need to continue to find value contracts like the Comrie one.
ReplyDeleteI'll fully admit I didn't like the signing... not because of the dollars but because it didn't really fit the team.
Fact of the matter is, there were a few guys who lasted late into the summer that would help an NHL team in some capacity. They cost a little bit more than a career AHLer but they offer a lot more.
Eberle wore #14 at this year's world jr. tourney. The oilers store at Rexall sold team canada jersey's with that number as well.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, in the last few weeks of the season, you could pick up pre-crested Eberle #14 orange/blue jersey's at the Oilers store at Rexall.
I would say that's an indication, Eberle owns #14 for the Oilers.
showerhead, I find it hard to determine what an extra 2 inches of height brings to a hockey game.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of weight, if you are anywhere within 10lbs of 200, you are at about the same advantage as anyone else.
The extra 5% in mass isn't going to add anything.
I don't think the problem with small forwards is that they are easy to push around... I just think that when you have crappy players they get pushed around and that's what the Oilers have had.
In a game involving agility and quickness, the difference between being 6'0 200lbs and 5'10 185 lbs is very little.
Dawgbone, 2" and 15lbs is a huge difference. It makes it just that much harder to out battle the next guy, or that much easier to get around. You also wear down faster as it takes more of a physical toll battling with players larger than you.
ReplyDeleteSmaller players have to compete harder and overcome more to make it in the NHL. Basically the size just makes is more difficult on an already difficult road.
I do agree with you though, that the smaller players that the Oilers had compounded the issues with their size by not being very good players all season long though.
Dawgbone:
ReplyDeleteI just think that when you have crappy players they get pushed around and that's what the Oilers have had.
This quote is bang-on, IMO. It doesn't matter what the player's size or shape is if he's not as good as the ones the other team's coach throws over the boards. That is exactly my point and I think some of the Oilers who happen to be small also don't happen to be players that help a good NHL team win.
The extra 5% in mass isn't going to add anything.
This I can't agree with. In today's NHL game the difference between players is a tiny one. All else being equal, your 6'0 200lb player is going to win more battles than your 5'10 185 guy. Of course for this to be true all else really does have to be equal or Crosby will take the puck from Sutton at will at the series will be 3-1 heading into game 5. In Edmonton's case, our small guys don't have the other skills and traits to overcome their warts.
OT, but TSN has released a list of free agents available this summer. It is an interesting (but long) read, especially when you see how highly rated some of the 35+ players are. The defensemen available was the part that I found the most interesting. Not that any of the names available is much of a secret to people around here, though it is interesting to see them all in one place.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLMHF: Ok, but if the little guy and the big guy are equally technically sound, are they equally tough to play against?
ReplyDeleteUni - I don't agree.
ReplyDeleteI played at 6'1" 185 as a defenceman.
So the outer markers are 5'11" 170 and 6'3 200.
I don't think within that small margin, I had much of an advantage over the smaller guy, or the bigger guy has much advantage over me.
Within that degree of difference, it's all about skill level and work ethic. If they're NHLers, they'll do fine.
Schitzo - Depends on how you're defining equally sound I guess.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we're saying it makes NO difference, but I think the difference isn't what some make it out to be.
What this team could use right now is a 5'11" 220 pounder quite frankly. That's the guy I hated playing against. At least with the BIG BIG guy I had a leverage point. Kovalenko us up!
It's a trade off, Penner is harder to knock off the puck, but Hemsky can dance through defenders. It's about having players who can apply their skill to do something useful. Right now it's not a case of having too many small players, it's a case of having too many players who would be in for a tough row playing against AHLers.
ReplyDeleteA balance of types is nice, because you feel less terrified sending in Penner (or even Horcoff) on puck retrieval than you do Gagner or Hemsky, but right now our discussions need to be geared towards replacing shitty players with good players, not worrying about the size of our shitty players.
Re: Kovalenko equivalent - There's a guy named Bill Arnold eligible for this draft who seems to fit the bill. Listed at 5'11: and 218 on central scouting. Nice.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know anything about him?
I suspect that, in general small players (5'10 or under) are worse at winning puck battles and driving possession than bigger players. It's just a suspicion, though.
ReplyDeleteDo you disagree Vic?
I suppose an easy way to check would be to look for an inverse correlation between player size and Rel Corsi.
Comrie may be small, but he had a lot of fight in him this season. He showed courage in returning to Edmonton, he showed grit in his fights especially late in the season when others didn't care. I don't care about his height, just his heart. I say buy out Nilsson, ship out O'sullivan and Moreau and sign Comrie for another year or two, and make him captain.
ReplyDelete