Confirmed Signing with Link: [ARI] Radim Vrbata to Yotes, (1 year, $1M + bonuses)

[VanIslander]

$1.0 million for a 36-year-old who can score 20 goals plus/minus five or so, and be a top-9 forward is.... not bad. There is some upside and not a lot of downside even if he rides the pressbox should youngsters perform as optimistically expected to.

The bonus might put him near $3 million. Win-win. If he does prove himself a top-6 producer then the bonuses will be well worth it.

A solid, depth signing with possible upside and no clear downside (given the team has several youngsters as starters already - it's not like he stealing a youngum's job).

Arizona wants to be a playoff team and this MIGHT help, and can't hurt.

 

[pheasant]

I think this is great for Vrbata. Aside from the stint with the Sedin twins, Radim has always been at his best in the Desert. He really does seem to belong there.

And it seems like a double edged sword for Arizona. They get a good player that wants to be there, and for a decent price. If he reaches the bonuses, great. That just means he did really well! ... However, I fail to see how this is better than keeping Vermette would have been. Maybe it's an issue of slot allocation, Vermette a center and Vrbata a winger. But they don't seem super deep at C, from an outsider's perspective.

 

[Zaddy91]

Should score 20+ again.. Wouldn't be surprised with 50pts. Great deal for Zona

haha

guy floats and pays to be paid

 

[tony d]

Decent signing for Arizona.

 

[novon04]

He's Vrback!

 

[XX]

I think this is great for Vrbata. Aside from the stint with the Sedin twins, Radim has always been at his best in the Desert. He really does seem to belong there.

And it seems like a double edged sword for Arizona. They get a good player that wants to be there, and for a decent price. If he reaches the bonuses, great. That just means he did really well! ... However, I fail to see how this is better than keeping Vermette would have been. Maybe it's an issue of slot allocation, Vermette a center and Vrbata a winger. But they don't seem super deep at C, from an outsider's perspective.

A RW was a bigger need

centers are:
Strome
Dvorak
Hanzal
Richardson

 

[BruinDust]

A RW was a bigger need

centers are:
Strome
Dvorak
Hanzal
Richardson

I like how you penciled in 2 guys who have never played a single NHL game into your top 4 centers.

 

[SEALBound]

1x1 is fantastic for Arizona. If nothing else, that's a premium trade piece at the TDL if the Yotes are out of it.

 

[joestevens29]

Arizona is obviously a place players like/love despite all the turmoil over the years. As the team improves the on ice product they may be a real player in the UFA market.

It's also a place that players know they can live a lot easier and not have the pressure that there is in a market like say Vancouver. There is turmoil and such, but for one year it's a pretty decent place to go to.

 

[BlazingBlueAnt]

I like how you penciled in 2 guys who have never played a single NHL game into your top 4 centers.

Front office thinks they're ready for prime time, Vermette was the player that had to move. RW was an area of need. Strome almost made the team last year, and I don't think Dvorak was all that far off either.

Dunno why that's so hard to understand.

Could running two rookie centers screw us? Sure, but Vemette was pretty brutal last year and only started playing better when games became meaningless so I don't hate it.

 

[Bad News Benning]

1x1 is fantastic for Arizona. If nothing else, that's a premium trade piece at the TDL if the Yotes are out of it.

Premium trade piece??? canucks couldn't even give the guy away at the deadline. Teams know what Vrbata is all about and he isn't someone you add when you're loading up for the playoffs.

 

[Zaddy91]

Premium trade piece??? canucks couldn't even give the guy away at the deadline. Teams know what Vrbata is all about and he isn't someone you add when you're loading up for the playoffs.

vrbata in the playoffs is painful.

 

[XX]

I like how you penciled in 2 guys who have never played a single NHL game into your top 4 centers.

Penciled in Domi and Duclair last year, worked out fine. They were more than ready. Management feels the same about Dvorak and Strome. Hanzal with Rieder and Richardson with both Martinook and Doan will likely draw the top opponents.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

The 26-year old is making moves!

 

[M2Beezy]

Brutal player cant see him getting 10 pts this year. Should retire and consider a career in fast food

 

[LuckyNumber11]

McGinn-Strome-Vbata is a very interesting line structure. I look forward to seeing it this year tbh

 

[The Feckless Puck]

I like how you penciled in 2 guys who have never played a single NHL game into your top 4 centers.

They can do what Vermette was doing for a lot cheaper and more upside.

Brutal player cant see him getting 10 pts this year. Should retire and consider a career in fast food

So much salt from Vancouver fans. No worries. Last time Vrby got this much salt from his previous team's fans, he helped the Coyotes to the Western Conference Final. Good omen.

 

[mouser]

Well, now we know where the saved $ from Vermette went.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Interesting. I thought the reason they bought out Vermette was to allow more youth into the lineup.

 

[Elvs]

Now they just need to bring Ray Whitney out of retirement. They worked magic together. Wasn't Hanzal the third fiddle on that line?

 

[MikeK]

I wouldn't want him on my team even at league minimum. Once things stop going his way he mails it in. The guy is a floater and wouldn't know how to spell defense if you put it up on the board in front of him. He'll add nothing of value to their lineup.

 

[Curufinwe]

Interesting. I thought the reason they bought out Vermette was to allow more youth into the lineup.

At center.

http://puckbase.com/player/radim-vrbata

 

[varano]

I wouldn't want him on my team even at league minimum. Once things stop going his way he mails it in. The guy is a floater and wouldn't know how to spell defense if you put it up on the board in front of him. He'll add nothing of value to their lineup.

What do you care? for a million bucks you might as well try on him

 

[Duck Off]

great deal for Arizona.

 

[Pip]

I wouldn't want him on my team even at league minimum. Once things stop going his way he mails it in. The guy is a floater and wouldn't know how to spell defense if you put it up on the board in front of him. He'll add nothing of value to their lineup.

He's actually a pretty good goal scorer despite one down year last season.