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

[JTmillerForA1stLOL]

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



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.

Calling that poster a Vancouver fan is an insult to actual Vancouver fans.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Good signing. Should still be around 20 goals.

 

[The Extrapolater]

Well, good luck to Vrbata and the Yotes.
He's an okay player. Can't really create his own shot, but his wrister's pretty lethal, so if he pairs with a playmaker, he can be effective.
Canucks, outside of the Sedin line, weren't constructed to utilize a player like Vrbata effectively, at all.
Maybe he'll rebuild some value this coming season, and be traded to a playoff contender for a pick.

 

[RandV]

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.

He didn't want to be traded. His wife was about to have a kid so he didn't want to relocate, and using his NTC gave Benning an unworkable list of teams he'd accept a trade too.

Benning messed up because he let a bad fit sit all year then tried to move him at the last minute. Vrbata himself said he'd have been open to a trade earlier in the season.

 

[Ignatius]

Finally I can get back to wearing my game worn Vrbata jersey...

 

[rt]

We basically traded Vermette for Vrbata, in terms of salary.

It cost us 2.5 to buyout Vermette, which saved us 1.25, which we used to sign Vrbata.

I think Vrbata is a better fit, and fills a need better than Vermette did. So this is a net positive, even if it's a very minor move.

Vrbata should fit well on a line with Jamie McGinn and Dylan Strome. I think McGinn and Vrbata make very good linemates for Strome. Neither rely on speed or possession to be effective. McGinn creates net-front havoc and collects garbage goals. Which buys Strome and Vrbata time and space. He's also able to stick up for them physically. Strome has the possession, vision, and passing ability (plus a laser wrister to keep D honest and not always play the pass) and this should allow Vrbata to hang back in the quiet areas and wait to get his shot off. Which is Vrbata at his best. Third man high. Which it's nice when your third man high is also the most defensively responsible on the line. Vrbatas skill set isn't one that deteriorates with age, either. He's got positional awareness, sense of timing, and a high end shot.

I feel like McGinn could do something like 20g15a with Vrbata doing 18g12a and Strome with something like 10g30a. Which should enough to take some of the checking pressure off of the Domi, Hanzal, and Duclair line. Which is all I really want from the 2nd line, apart from giving Strome a couple of nice security blanket vets to help him develop well.

Bottom six is probably some combo of Doan, Rieder, Martinook, Richardson, Dvorak, and White. Though I'd like to give Dvorak some time to develop in the minors and acquire a player like Torrey Mitchell or Eric Fehr. If Dvorak can beat one of them for a job, we'll know he's truly ready. They can take White's job, and White can slide to the 13th forward spot.

I'm not interested in seeing Dauphin, Gaudet, or Samuelsson until they can prove something in the AHL other than surviving some games.

 

[Jakey53]

We basically traded Vermette for Vrbata, in terms of salary.

It cost us 2.5 to buyout Vermette, which saved us 1.25, which we used to sign Vrbata.

I think Vrbata is a better fit, and fills a need better than Vermette did. So this is a net positive, even if it's a very minor move.

Vrbata should fit well on a line with Jamie McGinn and Dylan Strome. I think McGinn and Vrbata make very good linemates for Strome. Neither rely on speed or possession to be effective. McGinn creates net-front havoc and collects garbage goals. Which buys Strome and Vrbata time and space. He's also able to stick up for them physically. Strome has the possession, vision, and passing ability (plus a laser wrister to keep D honest and not always play the pass) and this should allow Vrbata to hang back in the quiet areas and wait to get his shot off. Which is Vrbata at his best. Third man high. Which it's nice when your third man high is also the most defensively responsible on the line. Vrbatas skill set isn't one that deteriorates with age, either. He's got positional awareness, sense of timing, and a high end shot.

I feel like McGinn could do something like 20g15a with Vrbata doing 18g12a and Strome with something like 10g30a. Which should enough to take some of the checking pressure off of the Domi, Hanzal, and Duclair line. Which is all I really want from the 2nd line, apart from giving Strome a couple of nice security blanket vets to help him develop well.

Bottom six is probably some combo of Doan, Rieder, Martinook, Richardson, Dvorak, and White. Though I'd like to give Dvorak some time to develop in the minors and acquire a player like Torrey Mitchell or Eric Fehr. If Dvorak can beat one of them for a job, we'll know he's truly ready. They can take White's job, and White can slide to the 13th forward spot.

I'm not interested in seeing Dauphin, Gaudet, or Samuelsson until they can prove something in the AHL other than surviving some games.

Good post rt. With Tucson being so close I think we will see plenty of shuffling between the two clubs this year, even more than last year. We have to keep on evaluating these kids. I do not want us to sign another vet forward.

 

[rt]

Good post rt. With Tucson being so close I think we will see plenty of shuffling between the two clubs this year, even more than last year. We have to keep on evaluating these kids. I do not want us to sign another vet forward.

I want one veteran RHS who can kill PKs and win face-offs when called upon. Mitchell or Fehr. That's it, though. The rest can be kids.

 

[Siludin]

Vrbata didn't try once after he was removed from the Sedin line to distribute scoring. He was also invisible in the playoffs during his "good" year in Vancouver. Vrbata is one of the most mentally fragile players in the NHL and is the human definition of a bonus-laden contract.

 

[WesMcCauley]

Great deal for Arizonaaaa!

 

[WrinkledPossum]

Vrbata didn't try once after he was removed from the Sedin line to distribute scoring. He was also invisible in the playoffs during his "good" year in Vancouver. Vrbata is one of the most mentally fragile players in the NHL and is the human definition of a bonus-laden contract.

After seeing him play many seasons in the desert I would disagree. Never saw any of that. I think Vancouver was/is the problem, not Vrbata.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Great signing if true.

 

[Snarky Coyote]

Feel the butt hurt from north of the border! bottom line is its a no risk signing, to fill a gap that needs a year or two for a young'un to be ready. its a decent price heavy incentives for performance. Also keep in this guy has done well in AZ. maybe the problem was coaching or leadership on Vancouver.

 

[topched88]

Feel the butt hurt from north of the border! bottom line is its a no risk signing, to fill a gap that needs a year or two for a young'un to be ready. its a decent price heavy incentives for performance. Also keep in this guy has done well in AZ. maybe the problem was coaching or leadership on Vancouver.

No butt hurt, not sure why some posters are upset. Vrbata totally checked out last year but it was our mistake not to try to get something for him at the deadline. Or atleast try to get him into a good situation for good faith purposes.

Good signing for ari for sure, vrbata could get back to 25g 50 pts no problem I think

 

[thadd]

Very smooth move by the Coyotes. Vrbata is coming out of his prime, but they've signed him to a contract that you'd think you'd be offering him 3-5 years now from instead... great value for the team.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

I don't like Vrbata, I find him overrated.

But for 1 mill that's great. Good signing. Like where this team is headed with the new GM.

Tbh, I like Arizona going forward more than almost all of the other young up-and-coming teams.

 

[PAZ]

I assume this would have a NMC at that price.

 

[PetterssonSimp]

Lol Yotes fans acting like they just signed a top free agent. Vrbata mailed it in during December, had no drive, no compete and was a pure liability all over the ice. Had it not been for Horvat bouncing a few points off Vrbata's backside a few times I don't think this guy would have had more than 10 points from Decemeber on. Yotes are most likely 6th in Pacific as it stands, the Oilers can score more still, and the Flames have a better defence core, Vancouver is the only team most likely on paper worse than the Yotes. Any playoff dreams will be on another team if he actually garners interest this time, seeing as teams weren't even willing to give up a middling prospect.

 

[WrinkledPossum]

Lol Yotes fans acting like they just signed a top free agent. Vrbata mailed it in during December, had no drive, no compete and was a pure liability all over the ice. Had it not been for Horvat bouncing a few points off Vrbata's backside a few times I don't think this guy would have had more than 10 points from Decemeber on. Yotes are most likely 6th in Pacific as it stands, the Oilers can score more still, and the Flames have a better defence core, Vancouver is the only team most likely on paper worse than the Yotes. Any playoff dreams will be on another team if he actually garners interest this time, seeing as teams weren't even willing to give up a middling prospect.

No one is acting like that. People are just happy we finally added a much needed RW who is cheap, and isn't going to take a roster spot away from one of the young players next season. He was also a fan favorite last time he was here too.

 

[SniperHF]

Lol Yotes fans acting like they just signed a top free agent. V

Show your work.

 

[Flair Hay]

Chayka, the best GM in the league strikes again with another smart cost efficient signing

With a track record like his, this is becoming indisputable.

 

[rt]

Lol Yotes fans acting like they just signed a top free agent. Vrbata mailed it in during December, had no drive, no compete and was a pure liability all over the ice. Had it not been for Horvat bouncing a few points off Vrbata's backside a few times I don't think this guy would have had more than 10 points from Decemeber on. Yotes are most likely 6th in Pacific as it stands, the Oilers can score more still, and the Flames have a better defence core, Vancouver is the only team most likely on paper worse than the Yotes. Any playoff dreams will be on another team if he actually garners interest this time, seeing as teams weren't even willing to give up a middling prospect.

Start quoting. I think I'm the most optimistic with a 30pt projection. Who's be more overzealous than that? Among Yotes fans?

 

[PG Canuck]

Lol Yotes fans acting like they just signed a top free agent. Vrbata mailed it in during December, had no drive, no compete and was a pure liability all over the ice. Had it not been for Horvat bouncing a few points off Vrbata's backside a few times I don't think this guy would have had more than 10 points from Decemeber on. Yotes are most likely 6th in Pacific as it stands, the Oilers can score more still, and the Flames have a better defence core, Vancouver is the only team most likely on paper worse than the Yotes. Any playoff dreams will be on another team if he actually garners interest this time, seeing as teams weren't even willing to give up a middling prospect.

It could be one of the best signings of the summer if Vrbata scores 20 goals. One season doesn't dictate a player, and quite frankly I wouldn't be too impressed with management and coaching if I were Vrbata either.

There were a good amount of players that just mailed it in for a lot of games.

 

[Hictor Vedman*]

Good signing. He was utterly worthless in Vancouver last year.. but being worthless will basically net you a contract like this by nhl standards.

Can't go wrong. Good signing, yotes.

Everyone on Vancouver was useless.

 

[PG Canuck]

Everyone on Vancouver was useless.

Well, most of them, but not all.