You obviously don't watch the player if you think all he had to offer was production. Why don't leaf fans watch other teams play?
He makes 2.9 million the caps 88 million. That's a middle 6 forward who Is a good pker. Are you incapable of math?
For one thing...i have no idea why you're assuming i'm a Leafs fan.
I'm not.
Secondly, just because the cap went up...doesn't mean that teams want to burn that extra money increase on bottom-6 filler. They'd rather spend that money on Top-6 impact players and Bottom-6 role players with an actual "Role" to play. Joseph is neither.
For example...The Sens upgraded by spending ~$1M more on a bonafide Top-6 Forward in Perron. Who also happens to be a great competitor, veteran leader, and brings far more tenacity and functional grit to the mix. That's what the Senators
really needed for the role.
Since Joseph's production is largely a mirage. It came playing a ton of de facto Top-6 minutes with guys like Stutzle and Giroux. Joseph dragged down everyone he played meaningfully with, and got more or less completely caved in without guys like Stutzle/Giroux to carry him. So when you look at Joseph's production in a vacuum and call it "decent" that's being more than generous. It's actually pretty poor, considering his quality of linemates and opportunities. Perron barely costs more than Joseph and would absolutely slaughter his production in those type of minutes.
Guys that bring what Joseph does, have regularly gone for $1-2M over the past few years. If they're pushing up closer toward the $3M range like Joseph, it's typically because they have a very well defined role. Guys who are actually a PK ace, score more reliably from bottom-6 minutes, positional versatility, lockdown defensive responsibility, faceoff ace, or bring legitimate physicality and grit, etc. It may only be a $1-2M difference to scoff at...but it also means Joseph costing 30-60% more than comparable, or sometimes even better and more versatile "filler" players. That's a huge factor in cap efficiency.
My bad just seen him constantly hate on everything sens. Very leaf fan lite. I always find it interesting when posters have an irrational hate on for the sens. They haven't been a threat for a long time. As fans we have been saddled with the worst ownership in the league. Many bad breaks beyond our control then you get guys like
@biturbo19 who chastise every player every move. Not every move is bad not every signing is bad. Some are good some arent. I have no issue with being objective about rival teams moves. Like for example i think the leafs have had a great offseason addressing some major holes.
I'm also not really sure why you think i have a hate on for the Senators. If anything, they're a team that i actually tend to root for out in the East. I've always had a soft spot for them as the expansion stepchild underdog of Eastern Canada.
I'm also not hating on what the Senators have done at all. I think that doing what it takes to dump dead weight like Mathieu Joseph in order to bring in a massive upgrade like Perron for very little more money is a actually a great move.
Cutting a guy like Brannstrom loose was smart. These are the kind of "fat around the edges" that teams have to trim if they want to get better as a team.
They've made other solid moves like getting what they can in a better fit RHD for Chychrun. The Ullmark move still remains to be seen how it'll work out, but was a great gamble to make at a position they clearly needed to address while also managing to unload most of Korpisalo's contract.
I just hate when they do terrible stuff like...hiring Travis Green as a coach. Because i've seen what that looks like, and i wouldn't wish it on anyone. Especially not a team that i'd like to see actually finally turn that corner to be competitive again.
And for the record, i think the Leafs have thus far, had an absolutely goofy disaster of an offseason overall.
I agree I think there is more to it than his on ice performance.
Yes a player with Joseph's skillset is needed and useful. He stretches the zone, puts pressure on defenders all the time. Especially on the forcheck. The sens don't have anyone like that anymore. The forward group is very slow especially the top 9. Not every player on a line needs or should be a skilled guy. You need puck retrieval you need physical play to make space. Ottawa is missing that badly in the top 9 outside of Tkachuk and Greig. They're gonna be a very easy forward group to play against.
As far as this part goes...that's just really not what Joseph is as a player. As you're admitting here...he's not a skilled guy. And i'd agree, not every player on a line needs to be that. In fact, quite the opposite. You need balance and diversified complementary skillsets to make a line really work.
However...Joseph isn't what you're describing there. He's not a fearsome forechecker, ice stretching, physical space maker...he's more of an up and down the ice puck chaser. Closer to a guy like taller Anthony Beauvillier ($1.25M) or less smart polished and versatile Calle Jarnkrok ($2M) than a Teddy Bluegers ($1.8M) or Dakota Joshua ($3.25M). Not adding a lot to a Bottom-6 line and not going to produce in that role. And a squeaky wheel who doesn't have the skill or processing to keep up or add anything to a Top-6 line.
There certainly is more to it than
just the play on the ice. Things like his attitude, leadership, effort and consistency obviously aren't there to justify the pricetag either. But it's primarily about the fact that on the ice...he simply
is not the player you're portraying here.
He's a mooch in the Top-6. And invisible or a downright liability in the Bottom-6. That's the bottom line, and why i say the people who think he's such a good player are being blinded by his production, which is largely a mirage. It's "decent bottom-6 production" from deployment that included quite a bit of "top-6 usage and linemates".
