San Jose Sharks: Should I Stay or Should I Go? RFAs Volume III

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

C Marcel Goc

Goc has been a player whose future has been hard to place. The former first-round pick in 2001 has worked hard to become the best on the roster in face-offs (over 58 percent), and a big reason why the Sharks finished second in the league in that category.

That, and his exceptional skating ability also has made him a valuable penalty killer. However, his offensive game has actually gotten worse from his rookie season (8 G, 14 A, -7 in 81 games)—he scored just 11 points in 55 games (2 G, 9 A, -6) last season.

Often, his skating and tenacity would give him scoring opportunities he just could not finish—hence his 1.9 shooting percentage. Because of his value as a penalty killer, I would have offered him arbitration on a $650,000 salary, and if he got more, walked away.

W Brad Staubitz

It was clear the team valued Staubitz since he was also mentioned specifically at the State of the Sharks event, not just as a promising prospect, but a player McLellan thought perhaps should have been given ice time in the playoffs. (One reason he said he did not was to help Staubitz develop by playing minor league playoff hockey, as he would receive little playing time at the NHL level.)

Staubitz is a large (6'1", 215 lb.) 24-year-old converted defenceman who was in primarily for toughness (1 G, 2 A, even, 76 PIM in 35 games). He provided the team with energy and played smart hockey.

However, with his lack of production, I would only have offered him $600,000 in arbitration. He was unlikely to get much more than that.

Since he was listed as getting a qualifying offer, I take that to mean a figure of $863,157 necessary to force teams to give up a compensatory pick. Had he won that amount (or maybe as much as $900,000) in arbitration, I would pay it, but why do that if you do not have to?

W Lukas Kaspar

Kaspar was given every opportunity to produce at an NHL level, and has failed to do so. In 13 games with the Sharks, he had two goals (including a game-winner), two assists, and an even rating.

But since being drafted in the first round in 2004, he has managed just 16 NHL games (he was -2 with no points in 2007-08). He was even given a chance on the second line and power play last season.

When he was benched and then sent down to Worcester, the coaches made no secret that they felt he had not been giving enough effort. He was reasonably productive at the minor league level with two straight 40-point seasons, but has also finished below sea level in plus/minus both seasons.

I might have done just what Wilson did and let him go, or I might have been willing to offer him a minimum contract and dare him to try to get more in arbitration or the open market, walking away if he did.

According to TSN, Blake has been retained with a one-year, $3.5 million contract that offers unspecified bonuses. Unless the bonuses are high and easy to reach, that is a steal, representing a 30 percent paycut for the team's second- or third-best defenceman in 2008-09.

This leaves the Sharks with 12 other players destined for unrestricted free agency as the calendar turns overnight: Brian Boucher, Tom Cavanagh, Mike Grier, Kent Huskins, Claude Lemieux, Kyle McLaren, Travis Moen, Jeremy Roenick, Alexei Semenov, Ryan Vesce. AHL free agents include Brenden Buckley, Cory Larose and Brett Westgarth.

In tomorrow's edition, we will look at what the team should (and may already have) done with the other major NHL players: Boucher, Grier, Huskins, Moen, and Roenick.

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