Redundant to the NHL roster as currently constructed, yes. Non-tendering him is wholly idiotic though when there is a no downside alternative strategy (i.e. sending him to the Cuda to help that team not be last place).
Look at teams that win these days... It's a requirement to have that style to your team game to get where we want to go. This idea that we need to "win the right way" with all skill and good guys is ill conceived and unrealistic. Need some pricks to be a good team. Just the way this sport works.
I'd do the deal to move up to 12 regardless of who is there. That's typically one that happens not on the draft floor if you're attaching a contract to it (and you are that much closer to wherever you want to move up to). That said, we'd still need Philly to add their 51st overall pick though to make the deal workout based on the Puckpedia salary cap relief and draft pick value chart.
The only pedestal I put those guys on is the "already signed for next season" pedestal. We can't get rid of Robins or Wiesblatt without buying them out. Bordeleau we can just walk away from, which is exactly what I'll advocate doing to the rest next offseason.
I think if we're advocating for letting Bordeleau walk, we should do the same for Kunin and Zadina. None of them play good defense. Bordeleau is the more productive of the three at least from a pace perspective. Bordeleau has the highest odds of improving on what they are now.
Bordeleau provides zero value when he isn't scoring. When Kunin isn't scoring he still hits, kills penalties, drops the gloves and is reportedly a leader in the room. I could take or leave Zadina but at least he has established himself as a NHL depth player unlike Bordeleau.
Now this just isn’t true anymore. I was really impressed with Bordeleau at the end of last year, actually. It seems like he did take the feedback the coaching staff provided him to heart, because he was much better defensively and for sure more physically engaged.
I agree that Bordeleau provides zero value when he isn't scoring. The issue I have with this take is that it ignores the stark reality that Kunin and Zadina's value is a dramatic net negative regardless of whether they're scoring. Nothing that Kunin does, even the physical element, helps the team any. He may take some PK shifts but he's terrible at the role and a large contributing factor to why the PK tanked this past season. And no, Zadina did no such thing establishing himself as a depth player. Establishing yourself as a depth player requires them to be a net positive in some aspect. Matt Nieto was an established depth player because he could actually contribute positively on the PK and in defensive situations. Kunin and Zadina do not do that.
How many years in a row are we going to fall for a player's performance in meaningless games down the stretch of a season where the Sharks have already been eliminated? We should put about as much stock into post-deadline games as we do into preseason games. Bordeleau looked completely out of his depth at the beginning of last season and wasn't even that great in the AHL. I think that says way more about who he is at this stage.
Maybe a trade up from 12 works, but if you're Seattle who is looking for a game breaking player, why do you take this deal? You probably have a chance at Buium, Parekh, Yak, outside shot at Lev, Silayev, and you're desperate for a top D... But you give that up for an extra high 2nd?
I do hope we are patient with players like Bordeleau and Gushchin. We weren’t with Gourde, Goodrow, Demelo, Morrissey, and several others that went on to have good careers on other teams.
Gourde I’ll give to you, Goodrow we got a first back for him, Demelo went for the best defenseman in the league at the time, Morrissey I don’t know who you meant there because Josh was drafted by WPG 13th overall and doesn’t have ties to Sharks org.
Demelo was a throw in there. I'm sure they could have tossed in f***in Joakim Ryan and made the deal.
I kind of doubt it honestly. Who knows though. Either way it landed us EK who regardless of how it turned out here was a top dman
Like I said, I don’t think Bordeleau is a long-term piece for the Sharks. All I’m saying is that there is no reason not to qualify him.
There's no reason to qualify him either. We should always have positive reasons to sign a player or they're not worth signing. 50 contract slots adds up fast.
The reason to qualify Bordeleau is that you can probably trade him for a fourth round pick or a change of scenery player. Bordeleau is probably not a good NHLer but he still has a chance and that means he has some value. If the Sharks offered Bordeleau around the league I am confident some team would offer at least a fourth round pick.
The reason to qualify him is that he is AT WORST a very good AHL player who can help the Cuda. He also represents a trade asset for a similar defenseman in a similar situation. We’ve talked Justin Barron before with Habs fans as a swap for Bordeleau. He could also be an injury call up if someone in the top-6 gets hurt.
So trade him for that pick or player before the QO deadline, which is what I suggested at the start. My guess is he has no trade value on his own because pretty much every team has 5 Bordeleaus on the farm but maybe attaching him to the Devils 2nd can get us a decent roster player.
Something like Bordeleau for Barron would be a great move that can be executed before the QO deadline. If nobody wants Bordeleau even in a change of scenery prospect swap, that says it all.
If no one wants Bordeleau in even a change of scenery trade, then fine. But I refuse to believe that there is any downside to signing him to his QO and letting him start with the Cuda. We currently have 33 contracts. 33 out of 50.
