Bastian is the type of player that when he’s 26 or 27 and still in the organization he was drafted by, they usually start letting them go. Some are gone even younger than that. And they’re usually replaced by a younger and often times even cheaper version. Even if they are already cheap.
Zemgus Girgensons from Buffalo is shockingly one of the only players I can think of around the league who is a career 4th liner and is still on his first NHL team a decade into his career. He’s about 4 years older than Bastian is/was drafted 4 years before Bastian and cracked the NHL when he was several years younger than Bastian was when he became a full timer. Girgensons was also a 14th overall pick and projected to be more than a career 4th liner.
Someone will say they’re different types of players, but my point is that their both career 4th line guys, with no upside above that, at least not anymore.
And I also remember running the numbers months ago, I just can’t remember exactly what they are, but Bastian has missed approximately 40% of the games over the last two seasons to injury. I’m sure due in no small part to his style of play. Regardless of if he’s on the NHL team or not there’s a good chance he will miss some time.
