Uh, Garland had 64 points in 80 games last year and has 36 points in 58 games this year. Am I missing something beyond a JFresh chart here? A 2nd rounder for him seems fine.
This just reminds me of when JFresh said that the Rakell addition last off-season stunk.
Since I am actually JFresh (hi fellas long time no see etc. etc.) I feel like I can speak to this.
1. Granlund's 5v5 scoring is very poor. Only 17 points in 58 games this season. His per-60 rate is 12th out of 14 forwards on the team. Can he help our power play? Maybe. Last season was a bit better (29 in 82) but still nothing special and about average on the Preds.
2. He is a negative defensively - doesn't forecheck, doesn't do the dirty work you want from a centre. He's a pure skill playmaker who isn't good enough at evens to pull that off.
3. He's 30 and has two years left after this one at $5 million
4. I wasn't over the moon about Rakell but I think I was realistic about what he was and what he was capable of, having watched a lot of him for an article I wrote. I said he's not a player who can create that much for himself but if you put him next to an elite passer he'll put pucks in the net. I don't think his tenure with the Penguins has disproven that.
Raw point totals don't tell the story here. Granlund can still pass the puck at a very high level but that is all he can do at this point. He is not the player we needed.
