Will a 30-something enforcer ever get a multiyear contract again?

[AvroArrow]

We will see the emergence of a new type of enforcer, big bodied guys that aren't complete plugs. Older enforcers had absolutely 0 hockey skill, they were big, could skate and fight.

You'll see guys like the Tkachuk brothers coming in. Big physical players that can actually contribute offensively. Now obviously they won't all be elite scorers but they won't be complete liabilities.

 

[ToDavid]

There will always be outliers, or GMs who mistakenly think they’ve found an outlier.

 

[Neil Racki]

Matt Martin will get one this off-season.

yeah but Martin isnt an enforcer.

hes a hockey player first .. but also follows the old school code of hockey and will oblige when necessary

I have huge respect for Matt Martin, hes a throw back

 

[mr figgles]

You should avoid giving anyone that plays a very physical game a long term contract after 30. Do they ever age well?

 

[Jacob]

They overpay because that type of player, while not very good (and maybe even terrible) is still kind of rare. And then GMs incorrectly assume that their coach can employ the player in such a way that makes them somewhat effective.

There's some that believe that having a player like that around makes other players up the line-up play better. I remember Crosby was rather effusive in his praise of Tom Sestito in his brief call-ups with the Penguins. Like, he wasn't even asked but he went out of his way to say that the players felt better with him in the lineup.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Depends on the “face puncher.” Reaves hasn’t been effective for awhile and Deslauriers is Deslauriers. Maroon was effective into his 30s and helped Tampa learn what it takes (according to a few interviews I’ve heard).

Maroon wasnt just a face puncher though.

 

[Hockeylife2018]

It's not LTIR, so no cap savings.

I'm referring more so in the line of the PA

I can't imagine they like a willing healthy player not allowed to play because the team says they aren't healthy

 

[StreetHawk]

IR is not LTIR, the Leafs get no cap advantage here they're just not playing a useless body

IR allows them to call up another player to take a spot on the 23 man roster, but will cost the Leafs cap space, since it's not being offset with Reaves cap charge since he's only on IR.

Weird situation. I mean, the Leafs could waive Reaves down to the Marlies as he has not protection against that, if he thinks he's fit to play.

Why keep him around if he's not going to play?

 

[stranger]

As long as the Wild have a franchise there will be a place for players to goon it up.

 

[Curufinwe]

Giving any older 4th-liner term is stupid. That being said, Deslauriers is better than almost all of the mediocre finesse forwards that play on the 4th-line today.

No, he's not. Torts was forced to finally healthy scratch him because he's been terrible since the end of October.

 

[MXD]

We will see the emergence of a new type of enforcer, big bodied guys that aren't complete plugs. Older enforcers had absolutely 0 hockey skill, they were big, could skate and fight.

You'll see guys like the Tkachuk brothers coming in. Big physical players that can actually contribute offensively. Now obviously they won't all be elite scorers but they won't be complete liabilities.

Reaves and Deslauriers were exactly that : Big bodied guys that weren't complete plugs. In their prime anyways. Same with Georges Laraque and Donald Brashear. Same with Wendel Clark and Behn Wilson in the 80ies (obviously at a better level than the players named above).

I mean, Georges Laraque once scored 12 ES goals in a season while playing less than 10 minutes a game. And he had two 20+ ES points seasons during his career, despite, again, never averaging more than 10 minutes. You can't do that with 0 hockey skill.

No, he's not. Torts was forced to finally healthy scratch him because he's been terrible since the end of October.

Well, at some point, he was better than the run-of-the-mill non-physical 4th liner.

But he's also 33.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

With Deslauriers and Reaves having terrible seasons with two years still left on their contracts, will NHL GMs ever give term to an old face puncher again?

Deslauriers turns 33 next month and has two years left at $1.75m. As a Flyer, Deslauriers averages 9:01 at ES and the team has been scored 42-22 with him on the ice.

Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

Reaves just turned 37, and has two years left at $1.35m. Currently he is on IR, but he claims he is healthy and ready to play. As a Leaf, Reaves averages 7:17 at ES and the team has been outscored 13-2 with him on the ice.

Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

I keep forgetting how old Reaves is. For some reason I thought he was still in his early 30's (not that that changes much of the OP's point).

 

[HighAndTight]

I welcome a significant reduction of coke machines and face punchers.

When it was my teams facepuncher fighting your teams face puncher it was 'almost okay'. But now I find, occasionally, these guys take out superstars and I don't like that at all.

If you're taking out Coke machines your taking out more players then you'd care to realize. Goon and star alike.

 

[Sheppy]

If he can play the game, sure. If you're primarily an enforcer (lets be honest, there's like 4 left) and can pop 8-10 goals in, I can see it.

Shawn Thornton was a guy like that for the Bruins.

 

[Jared Dunn]

IR allows them to call up another player to take a spot on the 23 man roster, but will cost the Leafs cap space, since it's not being offset with Reaves cap charge since he's only on IR.

Weird situation. I mean, the Leafs could waive Reaves down to the Marlies as he has not protection against that, if he thinks he's fit to play.

Why keep him around if he's not going to play?

They literally only signed him for ~vibes~ so that's what I'm sure he's still bringing

 

[Sheppy]

How many enforcers are there right now, really? Reaves? Deslauriers? MacDermid?

Those are the only ones I can think of who have a prime objective of punching.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

To be fair to Deslauriers he also penalty killed, too.

I don't think Reaves does anything else really.

How many enforcers are there right now, really? Reaves? Deslauriers? MacDermid?

Those are the only ones I can think of who have a prime objective of punching.

Ross Johnston.

Milan Lucic at this point, but he's "done"

 

[Divine]

Of course they will.

There's nothing wrong with a multi-year contract especially at cap hits that can be buried. There's no risk to the team and you can call the player up for games against dirty teams.

Reaves for reference will cost the team 200K against the cap if he's buried - which is negligible. The only risk is that if he has to keep going up or down he may get claimed but if you're worried about a player getting claimed on waivers it's not a bad contract.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Ross Johnston is not far off, turns 30 in less than a month and still has two more years left at 1.1M. As a hockey player he's pretty borderline for the NHL, to say the least. Waived by the Isles and picked up by Anaheim.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Never say never. I didn’t think Reaves would get one based on past experience but here we are. There’s still some GM’s who seem to over value that.

 

[MXD]

How many enforcers are there right now, really? Reaves? Deslauriers? MacDermid?

Those are the only ones I can think of who have a prime objective of punching.

.. But then again, Reaves and Deslauriers were, at some point in the not too distant past, perfectly adquate 4th liners, regardless of their face-punching.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I'm referring more so in the line of the PA

I can't imagine they like a willing healthy player not allowed to play because the team says they aren't healthy

He should be AHL bound smdh

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Of course they will. There aren't many true enforcers any longer, so there is the supply-demand element. There will always be subpar GMs willing to make dumb moves. Additionally, It's not terribly hard to bury money on contracts outside of the really big ones. Multiple reasons why there will continue to be enforcers given multiyear contracts.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

As long as Lou is a GM, yup.

 

[zar]

Yes.