HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Worst free agent signing to date?

Jack Johnson
Ceci
Josh Anderson in MTL -- too much term for injuries and a terrible year

No one mentioned Josh Anderson, so I have to assume he doesn’t qualify, since he was acquired through trade. If he’s eligible, he’s the obvious, and nearly unanimous choice

Matt Murray was probably the biggest overpay in terms of AAV, but the Sens need to hit the cap floor and won’t be competitive for a few years, so doesn’t really matter

Cody Ceci to PIT was dumb, as was Jack Johnson to NYR, and Gustafson to PHI

But Anderson in MTL is by FAR the dumbest move

I think the Pietrangelo signing will go down as being very bad with the flat cap, his age, and the term/AAV but more importantly because they dumped Schmidt for a song to fit in AP and Schmidt was underlyingly very good for Vegas on a much cheaper deal and really fit their team.

No one mentioned Josh Anderson, so I have to assume he doesn’t qualify, since he was acquired through trade. If he’s eligible, he’s the obvious, and nearly unanimous choice

Matt Murray was probably the biggest overpay in terms of AAV, but the Sens need to hit the cap floor and won’t be competitive for a few years, so doesn’t really matter

Cody Ceci to PIT was dumb, as was Jack Johnson to NYR, and Gustafson to PHI

But Anderson in MTL is by FAR the dumbest move
- AxlRose91

100%

isnt it true that the Penguins had a terrific penalty kill last season and Jack Johnson led the team in PK time?

Bogo by a nose after JJ .. followed closely by the Wayne train... and followed not so far behind by Jumbo slow.. the Leafs almost singlehandedly owned this catagory...

No one mentioned Josh Anderson, so I have to assume he doesn’t qualify, since he was acquired through trade. If he’s eligible, he’s the obvious, and nearly unanimous choice

Matt Murray was probably the biggest overpay in terms of AAV, but the Sens need to hit the cap floor and won’t be competitive for a few years, so doesn’t really matter

Cody Ceci to PIT was dumb, as was Jack Johnson to NYR, and Gustafson to PHI

But Anderson in MTL is by FAR the dumbest move
- AxlRose91

I really dont think any one year deals where the cap hit can be buried in the AHL if they have to do is worthy of all the attention these signings have received

One year, $1.15 mil. If my worst signing in a year is making slightly over the league minimum, regardless of my view of that player, I am not getting completely bent out of shape. There are others I would have wanted over Johnson, no question. But NY had minimum cap space and the goal was not to make a stupid, long term signing or waste an inordinate amount of money. Both so far have been accomplished this offseason.

One year, $1.15 mil. If my worst signing in a year is making slightly over the league minimum, regardless of my view of that player, I am not getting completely bent out of shape. There are others I would have wanted over Johnson, no question. But NY had minimum cap space and the goal was not to make a stupid, long term signing or waste an inordinate amount of money. Both so far have been accomplished this offseason.
- airjan23

Short of having him sweep up the trash at the garden... any money for him is a complete waste.

Short of having him sweep up the trash at the garden... any money for him is a complete waste.
- dozerD10

If he can help implement Jacques Martin's system, that provides some value. But understand your view.

Short of having him sweep up the trash at the garden... any money for him is a complete waste.
- dozerD10

I can't help but think part of the reason there is such extreme viewpoints on Jack Johnson just had to do with the fact that he looks like a complete doofus

Bogo by a nose after JJ .. followed closely by the Wayne train... and followed not so far behind by Jumbo slow.. the Leafs almost singlehandedly owned this catagory...

- dozerD10

Am I really gonna pick apart someone who can’t spell the word “category”?

Nah

Am I really gonna pick apart someone who can’t spell the word “category”?

Nah
- AxlRose91

As a language limited adult.. spelling has been and is my downfall..

I can't help but think part of the reason there is such extreme viewpoints on Jack Johnson just had to do with the fact that he looks like a complete doofus

Ryan Wilson always had nice things to say about him

I can't help but think part of the reason there is such extreme viewpoints on Jack Johnson just had to do with the fact that he looks like a complete doofus
- jimbro83

No it's because he sucks and he always has yet somehow keeps getting NHL jobs.

He's been a mess in his own end his entire career.

I wrote about how bad he was all the way back in 2011 and yet somehow he's STILL in the NHL.

No it's because he sucks and he always has yet somehow keeps getting NHL jobs.

He's been a mess in his own end his entire career.

I wrote about how bad he was all the way back in 2011 and yet somehow he's STILL in the NHL.
- BINGO!

yeah, I get that, but, everybody absolutely loses their minds anytime they see his name and instantly needs to tell the world like how much they hate him

you know about whenever somebody brings up Saturday Night Live and everyone is required to talk about how it's not funny anymore, they never watch it and it was only funny back in the old days?

like the same thing

yeah, I get that, but, everybody absolutely loses their minds anytime they see his name and instantly needs to tell the world like how much they hate him

you know about whenever somebody brings up Saturday Night Live and everyone is required to talk about how it's not funny anymore, they never watch it and it was only funny back in the old days?

like the same thing
- jimbro83

Kind of. It's just genuinely baffling how he's still in the NHL. He's not an NHL calibre player. Almost never has been. And yet....

One year, $1.15 mil. If my worst signing in a year is making slightly over the league minimum, regardless of my view of that player, I am not getting completely bent out of shape. There are others I would have wanted over Johnson, no question. But NY had minimum cap space and the goal was not to make a stupid, long term signing or waste an inordinate amount of money. Both so far have been accomplished this offseason.
- airjan23

Exactly!!

Petriangelo signing would scare me

One year, $1.15 mil. If my worst signing in a year is making slightly over the league minimum, regardless of my view of that player, I am not getting completely bent out of shape. There are others I would have wanted over Johnson, no question. But NY had minimum cap space and the goal was not to make a stupid, long term signing or waste an inordinate amount of money. Both so far have been accomplished this offseason.
- airjan23

Exactly!!

Petriangelo signing would scare me

Yeah that's the thing with JJ. On the one hand, I get the argument of "how bad can a 1-year deal for barely league minimum be?" because, after all, it's done after a year and you've done no long-term damage to your team.

But also, if somebody signed me to a one-year deal at league minimum it'd be by far the dumbest move any team made this year, because I am terrible at ice hockey. "Don't spend too much" and "don't give the player too much term" are both important goals, but don't forget the most important goal of all: "Don't sign a guy who is significantly worse than replacement level."

JJ's skillset is just not NHL caliber. He'd honestly probably be below average in the AHL. All 31 teams could easily put together a group of at least 7 guys better than him, just by promoting their own prospects or signing top minor leaguers or European pros or NCAA graduates looking for a way into the NHL. There is no reason that any team should ever even consider hiring Jack Johnson to play NHL minutes, and yet here he is again.

I tend to agree that, in the big picture, brutally overpaying a Josh Anderson is the worse move because that can cripple your team's ability to ice a competitive team and retain valuable players down the line. But at least Josh Anderson is an NHL caliber player. He can give you something. He's a decent player, he's just got a bad deal.

Whereas Jack Johnson getting any deal at all is baffling.

I liked the Barrie signing for the cost of it. I don't know that it was the best use of cap for a team that was already potent on the PP. The problem is that it relies on Klefbom being out for most or all of the season to be able to afford Bear. And that if he works out, he's going to get a better payday next summer. He'll be looking for Brodie numbers. And he will get that.

I get why he went short term, I just don't think it solves any problems. Big holes in the lineup next summer, and UFA's are not the right way to fill in those holes. 7 forwards, 2 D (assuming Bear signed longer than 1 year) and a backup. Some of it will be internal movement (Broberg and Bouchard), but that's a lot to fill.

Yeah that's the thing with JJ. On the one hand, I get the argument of "how bad can a 1-year deal for barely league minimum be?" because, after all, it's done after a year and you've done no long-term damage to your team.

But also, if somebody signed me to a one-year deal at league minimum it'd be by far the dumbest move any team made this year, because I am terrible at ice hockey. "Don't spend too much" and "don't give the player too much term" are both important goals, but don't forget the most important goal of all: "Don't sign a guy who is significantly worse than replacement level."

JJ's skillset is just not NHL caliber. He'd honestly probably be below average in the AHL. All 31 teams could easily put together a group of at least 7 guys better than him, just by promoting their own prospects or signing top minor leaguers or European pros or NCAA graduates looking for a way into the NHL. There is no reason that any team should ever even consider hiring Jack Johnson to play NHL minutes, and yet here he is again.

I tend to agree that, in the big picture, brutally overpaying a Josh Anderson is the worse move because that can cripple your team's ability to ice a competitive team and retain valuable players down the line. But at least Josh Anderson is an NHL caliber player. He can give you something. He's a decent player, he's just got a bad deal.

Whereas Jack Johnson getting any deal at all is baffling.
- Sven22

so you are saying no to Jack Johnson

No one mentioned Josh Anderson, so I have to assume he doesn’t qualify, since he was acquired through trade. If he’s eligible, he’s the obvious, and nearly unanimous choice

Matt Murray was probably the biggest overpay in terms of AAV, but the Sens need to hit the cap floor and won’t be competitive for a few years, so doesn’t really matter

Cody Ceci to PIT was dumb, as was Jack Johnson to NYR, and Gustafson to PHI

But Anderson in MTL is by FAR the dumbest move
- AxlRose91


I really dont think any one year deals where the cap hit can be buried in the AHL if they have to do is worthy of all the attention these signings have received

I agree. I really don’t wanna put a 1 year deal in as the worst of the season. None of these teams have been handicapped by their moves.

It’s gotta be somebody who’s been hogtied for a few seasons because of their foolishness. One who cannot make moves on the future due to their missteps.

Especially considering some of these are patch jobs to get them through the Seattle draft. Nothing more. Nothing less. They walk away while being able to protect who they want.

HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Worst free agent signing to date?
- ToddCordellVAN

I honestly think the Pietrangelo signing was a big concern. Schmidt was a top D, and you trade him for a 3rd rd pick, and give Statsny away for a 5th..... I am not sure their team is better today (tho they are still a contender), and Piet could very well be a buyout candidate for his final 3-4 years of this big contract. He's been a great player for a decade, and that amazing streak surely can't continue for another 7 seasons.