RE 11-12: Andy Sutton

Andy Sutton is massive. Huge. I'm fairly certain he'll be a third pairing enforcer who has a lot of penalty killing experience. After his acquisition I had a look at his previous jobs and that's what the resume looks like to me.

I wonder how long Sutton will be in town. He's 36, makes 2M and is a free agent next summer. Should the Oilers need to move him before the trade deadline I don't think it'll be too difficult (although the return will no doubt improve as the dollars from the contract fall away).

NHL defensemen are always in demand.


NHL Prediction for 11-12: 44, 0-3-3 (.068)

1. You don't like this guy. I like him fine, it's just that he doesn't fit this hockey club. In fact, he's the only defenseman on the roster who has zero chance to be a part of the group when they start winning.
2. So that's why you want him traded? I just don't see the point of holding back Jeff Petry, or not giving Corey Potter 500 at-bats or even keeping Chorney if he earns the roster spot. Andy Sutton isn't a top pairing guy and he isn't going to help the powerplay. The one area I can see him helping is on the PK, but even then it would seem to me the club should be developing some long term solutions.
3. Sutton was brought in to provide an experienced hand, an "actual NHL player." Right, but he is an end of the roster player on a team dying for a defenseman who can play the heavier minutes.
4. Sutton can play the heavy minutes. Last year, he was defnitely a 5-6D. He was on the ice very little at evens (12 minutes per game) but was a strong PK option (2.5 minutes). That's a 6-7 defenseman. The Oilers have a bunch of them.
5. So they need a top 4D? Well, someone who could play 16 minutes at evens and then take on those PK assignments, yes. And someone who is young enough to sign another contract and be around awhile. 
6. Sutton can do that, he did it in 09-10 in Ottawa. He played on two teams in 09-10, and it does look like he played 2nd pairing minutes. However, after being traded to the Sens at the deadline spring 2010, he was -7 in 18 games. I don't think there's a lot of evidence that he can play outside a defined role.
7. Which is? An enforcer who can play at the back of the roster, block shots and penalty kill.
8. So that has no value? It has value, but not as much for the Oilers. They need long term solutions. Sutton could be a valuable end of the roster player for a playoff bound team, a guy who  could step in as needed and give his team a veteran presence. Andy Sutton and Theo Peckham play similar roles on an NHL team, I don't see the benefit of having Sutton on the roster to duplicate Peckham's skills--especially when the need is so great in other areas of the defense.
9. If they wait until the deadline the Oilers might get a 2nd or 3rd rd pick. As much as Chorney looks like he won't be able to handle things, at this point I think the organization is better off seeing this thing runs its course. A 2nd or 3rd rd pick probably won't make the NHL for years. And keeping Petry on the roster would appear to be a no-brainer.
10. Well, he's here now so let's talk about that. Sure. He'll be a depth pairing and take playing time away from one of Petry, Chorney or Potter.
11. And he'll be the wild card for the top 4D? No, I think it's Peckham or Petry. Smid-Gilbert and Whitney-Barker with Petry and Peckham as guys who might slot in. I don't know how Sutton would slot into the top 4.
12. So you're saying he can't play top 4D? I'm saying that last season in Anaheim Cam Fowler was getting killed CorsiRel and they still sent him out before Sutton.
13. He could surprise you know. It is possible, although defensemen his age (and with his footpseed) are usually known for getting passed like a house on the side of the road. He could surprise, but what then? The point I'm making here is that even though the Cam Barker signing is a high risk one, if it works out then the Oilers have a legit piece of the puzzle moving forward.
14. Yeah? Andy Sutton is a stopgap measure where none is needed. The Oilers already have Peckham for that role and Smid too.
15. You'd rather they had spent $3M over 4 years to get Hannan? Well, we don't know the pricetag Hannan would have required to come here and that's an excellent point. You don't want to overspend on the position. But my point is that when you traded Kurtis Foster for Sutton--and knew that Peckham and Smid were also part of the top 6D--what were you thinking? It had to be more about adding toughness and a fighter over the ability to make a difference in a hockey game
16. Ideally, who would the Oilers have acquired this summer for the top 4? Last season, Renney's top 4D in terms of QualComp were Gilbert, Peckham, Whitney and Smid (in that order). From what I can see, after all the summer moves, Petry and Peckham remain the best options to add to Whitney, Gilbert and Smid. Ideally, they would have added players who were more likely to address the tougher even strength minutes.