Near the trade deadline, the Sabres waived and sent Zach Bogosian to the AHL. However, instead of reporting, Bogosian opted for a contract termination with an eye on resuming his NHL career and wound up in Tampa Bay shortly thereafter. Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre posits that the Canucks may attempt to go down a similar path with winger Loui Eriksson. Part of that ill-fated group of big free agent signings in 2016, Eriksson’s numbers went down as soon as he signed with Vancouver and had 72 points in his first three years combined after putting up 63 in Boston in his final year with them. His output dipped even further this year to just six goals and seven assists in 49 games, hardly a good return on his $6MM price tag. Once his upcoming $3MM signing bonus is paid, Eriksson will be owed just $5MM in salary over the final two years of the deal which might be enough to walk away from if he thinks he can land an opportunity with a bigger role elsewhere.
More from the Pacific Division:
- While the Golden Knights managed to get Ryan Reaves to take a pay cut with his two-year extension earlier this week, SinBin.vegas’ Ken Boehlke argues that the team didn’t do enough to take advantage of their leverage. The winger has grown to enjoy playing in Vegas and didn’t seem to have much interest in looking elsewhere while his on-ice production isn’t the strongest either with most of his contributions coming on the physical side. With the team being right up against the Upper Limit of the salary cap and the belief that the cap won’t be going much if at all for a few years, he suggests that they may have been better off dragging this out in the hopes of saving a bit more money in the end.
- Coyotes center Brad Richardson told Richard Morin of the Arizona Republic that he underwent a procedure to fix a nagging injury that bothered him down the stretch. The veteran estimated that the issue prevented him from practicing over the final two months of the regular season. While he didn’t suggest that it affected his offensive numbers, it likely was a detriment to his production as well as he dipped from 27 points in 66 games in 2018-19 to just 11 points in 59 contests this season.
People who judge Ryan Reaves by the score sheet are so clueless about hockey that I wouldn’t even try to argue with them or educate them, only ignore them from that point on.
This is true of other players, like Carl Hagelin, as well. But, it’s particularly common with Reaves.
He’s an impact player.
@forwhomjoshbelltolls – I second that motion! Impact players have not (yet) been relegated out of hockey, nor should they be.
100% agreed. Most modern writers and analyst who haven’t spent a minute in a dressing room playing competitive hockey haven’t a clue about what impact an intimidating player on your team or the other team can have. When you know Reaves, Wilson or Chara are on the other team it’s always in the back of your mind and when they’re on your team everyone feels a couple of inches taller. Reaves is an impact player!
I agree. Hated to see him leave the Penguins
Imagine Eriksson believing he could find a role somewhere else in the NHL
@SuperSinker – Stop laughing over there — it’s contagious!!! Just imagine how happy Travis would be if Loui was *traded* to the KHL for two bags of pucks and some dirt. ;-)