Claimed off Waivers: [OTT] Victor Mete claimed off waivers by the Senators from the Canadiens

[Habs 4 Life]

Some players need to move on. Mete seems to be one of those guys. The question I have is whether he will be Ottawa Mete or Montreal Mete next season.

he will do good in Ottawa, he was ruined from day one of camp here!! Worst part about it is that he could have easily been the #5-6 guy here...

 

[Wats]

Success in Ottawa maybe will help weed out the people in charge of development in Montreal.

 

[BurgoShark]

I remember an interview with a GM/coach a while ago. I think it was Phoenix. I'll have to paraphrase the gist of the article, but I think it is relevant to a discussion of Mete (and players like him). GM/coach was talking about evaluating some "defensive genius" they were considering acquiring. Someone who had this league wide reputation as a defensive stopper.

Reviewing the tape, the GM/coach talked about how the guy was great defensively, but when they dug deeper they realized that he was CONSTANTLY recovering from bad defensive situations. The issue was that he couldn't pass or handle the puck. So whenever they puck ended up in the defensive zone, it never got out and ended up as a scoring chance or a faceoff in the defensive zone. The guy had tons of turnovers in the defensive zone.

The GM/player then contrasted that with Yandle and how, despite his terrible defensive reputation, his metrics weren't that bad. Yandle wasn't nearly as good defensively as "Player X", but he got the puck out so much easier, there was less opportunity to exploit the shortcoming, and less opportunity to cycle the puck or generate a turnover in the offensive zone for the other team. Which was why, the gm/coach theorized, Yandle was still able to be so positive 5 v 5.

Was the "defensive genius" Kris Russell? I remember a lot of discussion about his shot blocking, toughness, etc. when he was on Calgary, and then a similar discussion to what you have said above. The reason he blocks so many shots and is relied on so heavily in his own zone is because the rest of his play causes him to be there.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Was the "defensive genius" Kris Russell? I remember a lot of discussion about his shot blocking, toughness, etc. when he was on Calgary, and then a similar discussion to what you have said above. The reason he blocks so many shots and is relied on so heavily in his own zone is because the rest of his play causes him to be there.

Honestly, I don't recall, it might have been. Someone along those lines, someone who had great defensive numbers but poor underlying goals against.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Elliotte Friedman just said that the sens are closing in a new deal for Mete

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I remember Friedman also saying that Montreal waived Mete because they felt they had a bigger deal in place, but it fell through and MTL was left scrambling in the last minutes of the deadline to get a PMD.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Elliotte Friedman just said that the sens are closing in a new deal for Mete

That's good, he earned it.

14 games and only 3 points, but he was +5 and was Ottawa's #2 LHD for about a 4 game stretch when Chabot went down. All his metrics were good too. Where is Ottawa going to find a better solution than sticking Mete on the third pairing next year?

1. LHD with 200 NHL games
2. Cost controlled due to RFA
3. Only 22 and still has the potential to develop further and push guys like Brannstrom.
4. Won't require a long-term contract that will block guys like Sanderson.

I just can't think of anyone Ottawa could find that will outplay Mete for what he's going to cost on a short term contract. I'm sure there are some UFAs out there that are better, but they'd cost more, want more years, etc.. or there are trade targets that would cost big assets that Ottawa can't afford.

 

[Altimus]

he has been a steady positive addition. Be delighted if we stayed on for another 2 years.

 

[Wats]

I remember Friedman also saying that Montreal waived Mete because they felt they had a bigger deal in place, but it fell through and MTL was left scrambling in the last minutes of the deadline to get a PMD.

Merrill/Gustafson both have definitely been worse and they costed picks.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

he has been a steady positive addition. Be delighted if we stayed on for another 2 years.

I don't think I would go 2 yrs unless its 1mil tops. By the end of that contract, he should ideally be the 4/5LD:

1) Chabot
2/3) Brannstrom/Sanderson
4/5) Mete / Experienced vet, likely added next offseason or at the following deadline

That said, he has been really impressive. I just don't see a real long-term fit.

 

[NyQuil]

Solid stretch with the Senators - works hard and that insane pace of his both helps track back forwards as well as get the puck out of harm's way swiftly.

His play along with Brannstrom factored in heavily in terms of Ottawa's surge post-deadline.

 

[samsagat]

Mete has insane gap control, has a good 1st pass, skates well.

When he gets first to the puck, everything is fine. And more often than not, he gets first.

But when he's second, it's when the problems begins. Can't win a 50/50 battle along the board or in front of the net.

 

[NyQuil]

But when he's second, it's when the problems begins. Can't win a 50/50 battle along the board or in front of the net.

Haven't really noticed that but I'll keep an eye out next year.

 

[Andrei79]

Real happy for Mete. Guy worked his ass off, but the Habs have significant trouble helping their young players round out their games.

I mean, he though he needed to be "more physical" to stay in the NHL. Don't know what management team is dumb enough to tell him that. When he came in at 19, he was solid positionally, had a great first pass and knew how to evade his winger in the offensive zone, though his shot was so bad he never scored.

He's now in an organization with a ton of talent and a pretty amazing track record of turning that talent into solid NHLers.

 

[jbeck5]

I don't think I would go 2 yrs unless its 1mil tops. By the end of that contract, he should ideally be the 4/5LD:

1) Chabot
2/3) Brannstrom/Sanderson
4/5) Mete / Experienced vet, likely added next offseason or at the following deadline

That said, he has been really impressive. I just don't see a real long-term fit.

If Sanderson is in, that's in 2 years...why isn't JBD there in 2 years??

 

[jbeck5]

Haven't really noticed that but I'll keep an eye out next year.

It's because he's ever so rarely second to a puck.


He obviously doesn't have the skill or smarts, but his skating is almost Karlsson on Ottawa level when it comes to his first few steps and getting the puck out. The kid flies out there. Way faster than everyone else on the ice.

 

[NyQuil]

It's because he's ever so rarely second to a puck.

He obviously doesn't have the skill or smarts, but his skating is almost Karlsson on Ottawa level when it comes to his first few steps and getting the puck out. The kid flies out there. Way faster than everyone else on the ice.

From a physical perspective, he doesn't hit guys through the boards but he can get in the way and has and that's usually enough.

By the end of the season we had Mete and Brannstrom killing penalties together and it worked out fine, particularly when it came to springing our shorthanded threats like Formenton, Connor Brown and Nick Paul.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

Solid stretch with the Senators - works hard and that insane pace of his both helps track back forwards as well as get the puck out of harm's way swiftly.

His play along with Brannstrom factored in heavily in terms of Ottawa's surge post-deadline.

Their "controlled zone exits" -- or whatever the fancy shmanzy name is for not just dumping it out off the glass -- has improved so much since Brannstrom and Mete joined the lineup.

 

[Dan Patrick]

If Sanderson is in, that's in 2 years...why isn't JBD there in 2 years??

I think that's just on the left side

 

[jbeck5]

I think that's just on the left side

Ah. Yes. First thing in the morning. Thanks.

Didn't even notice others like zub missing haha.

 

[LudwigVonKarlsson]

It's because he's ever so rarely second to a puck.


He obviously doesn't have the skill or smarts, but his skating is almost Karlsson on Ottawa level when it comes to his first few steps and getting the puck out. The kid flies out there. Way faster than everyone else on the ice.

I was telling myself the same thing when he took the puck from behind the net the other day and went all the way into the offensive zone at the drop of a dime. He obviously doesn't have the skill of Karlsson but he has been a very welcome addition to the back end as a puck mover and someone who can skate with the puck out of danger.

 

[jbeck5]

I was telling myself the same thing when he took the puck from behind the net the other day and went all the way into the offensive zone at the drop of a dime. He obviously doesn't have the skill of Karlsson but he has been a very welcome addition to the back end as a puck mover and someone who can skate with the puck out of danger.

100%

And he even has that extra gear. There's times where he's flying but loses the puck and I think "aw, the opposition is about to get the puck" but then he has this extra gear where he just zooms to the puck and beats out the guy and keeps going up ice.

 

[Wondercarrot]

Find it hard to believe we got Mete off waivers...
what a great addition. Echo the positives in the posts above.

 

[Wats]

Find it hard to believe we got Mete off waivers...
what a great addition. Echo the positives in the posts above.

He was considered one of the teams best prospects for quite a while and was almost untouchable in his rookie year. Glad he's turning it around and proving the problem is Montreal's development strategy/management core.

 

[foggyvisor]

His skating is ridiculous and is obviously the key to playing defense for him. Not sure why anyone would tell him to play physical. There's no point with his small stature. He needs to continue using his speed to get to pucks first to break the cycle.

Overall, he's been really solid.