NHL 2010-11: The Top 12 Offseason Acquisitions
Wow! What a great start to the season.
The 2010/2011 NHL season is well underway, and I finally think that it is about time we look at some of the best offseason acquisitions.
These rankings will be based on the following criteria:
- How valuable player has been to team
- Scoring (if required by position)
- Effect on team
In this slideshow I will examine my top 12 offseason acquisitions. Please leave a comment and let me know whether or not you agree with my rankings.
Follow me on Twitter: @michaelstuart93
12. Marty Reasoner
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For a guy who really couldn't find a home through the summer months, is it fair to call Marty Reasoner a really pleasant surprise?
This guy has been everything and more for the Florida Panthers.
He has scored three goals and six assists in twelve games this season.
Because of his scoring and high faceoff percentage, Reasoner is being given prime ice time for the Panthers. It is really great to see a guy like this succeed on a team that is really struggling.
Congratulations to Marty and here's hoping that he keeps up the great work.
Stats:
Games played: 12
Goals: 3
Assists: 6
Points: 9
Plus/Minus: +6
11. Sergei Gonchar
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Sergei Gonchar has got to be considered one of the more high profile signings of the summer of 2010.
After a really slow start to the season, Gonchar has really started to help the Senators out. Many are saying that it was the switch to his more comfortable side that acted as the catalyst for the spike in his stats.
Gonchar is one of the premier powerplay quarterbacks in the entire league. He will be sorely missed in Pittsburgh.
When we look at his stats, it's quite apparent that he is doing everything he can to help Ottawa win.
The one area of concern for Senators fans has got to be Sergei's plus/minus. Although he has never been known as a defensive stalwart, hopefully Gonchar's minus turns into a plus.
Stats:
Games Played: 14
Goals: 2
Assists: 8
Points: 10
Plus/Minus: -8
10. Raffi Torres
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Vancouver's local sports radio station keeps mentioning "Physical 15" when they talk about Raffi Torres.
What does this mean?
It means that the expectations for Raffi are that he is going to score 15 goals while maintaining and physical demeanour on the ice.
If he can keep his play up, he will surpass both of those expectations.
Raffi has been one of the most pleasant surprises this season.
He has absolutely levelled opponents with solid physical hits while having some great scoring touch around the net.
It's not often players like Torres come along.
What makes him even better? It's his $1 million salary. In my opinion, the Vancouver Canucks have the two best bargains in the National Hockey League in Alex Burrows and Raffi Torres.
Stats:
Games Played: 13
Goals: 7
Assists: 2
Points: 9
Plus/Minus: +3
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9. Willie Mitchell
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The Kings are right where a lot of media predictors had them pegged.
Where is this? At the top of the conference.
A lot of credit has to be given to Willie Mitchell. He has been everything that the Kings wanted out of him.
Coming off a serious concussion, Mitchell is showing that he still has a lot of hockey left.
Not only has Willie been great on the ice, he has been an unbelievable presence off the ice.
There is no doubt that the Kings are a great team. The one thing they were missing prior to signing Mitchell was experience. He brings a true calming presence to a relatively young team.
If the Kings are to go far this year, look for Willie's influence to play a big role.
Stats:
Games Played: 13
Goals: 1
Assists: 4
Points: 5
Plus/Minus: +7
8. Matt Cullen
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The Minnesota Wild don't look to be going anywhere too quickly this season.
It must really suck to be a Wild fan right now because after so many years of good solid (yet boring) hockey, they are struggling.
Matt Cullen has been one of the few bright spots on this struggling Wild team.
It's a little bit concerning to think that this guy is second on the team in scoring. That's right, Martin Havlat is not in the top two in scoring on this team.
That's not supposed to be a knock on Cullen. He has been so good for the Wild this season. He is another one of those guys who you just love to see succeed.
He deserves every shift he is being given by Todd Richards.
What a great offseason acquisition.
Stats:
Games Played: 13
Goals: 3
Assists: 9
Points: 12
Plus/Minus: -3
7. Andrew Ladd
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The Chicago Blackhawks salary cap problem became a huge asset for the Atlanta Thrashers.
Andrew Ladd was one of the cap casualties in Chicago this past offseason.
Not only has he been playing at a near point per game pace, he has also been a huge presence in the locker room. Notice the "A" on his jersey. It's really great to see a guy come into a team and be given a letter.
If he continues to play at this pace, Thrashers' management will look really good in the eyes of fans around the league. I've been incredibly impressed with his play thus far and I am looking forward to more.
Perhaps this is the year that Ladd reaches the offensive potential that saw him drafted fourth overall by Carolina in 2004.
Stats:
Games Played: 14
Goals: 4
Assists: 9
Points: 13
Plus/Minus: 0
6. Sergei Bobrovsky
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Now I know that Sergei Bobrovsky was signed last May, however I had to include him on this list.
When you look at his stats below, I promise that you will be surprised by his impressive numbers. People were really questioning the Flyers goaltending heading into the season. I'll be the first to tell you that Bobrovsky appears to have filled the void.
He has been calm, cool and collected in the net, and he has stellar numbers.
Sergei is probably the main reason that the Flyers are way up in the Eastern Conference standings. This is a far cry from the team that barely made the playoffs last season. If Philly can keep up this solid play, I see no reason for Bobrovsky to stop saving pucks.
Could this be the year for the Flyers in front of Sergei Bobrovsky? I don't know. What I do know is that Sergei has been everything that the Flyers were hoping for when they signed him in May.
He has side, speed and above all, skill!
Stats:
Games Played: 11
Wins: 8
Losses: 2
OTL: 1
GAA: 2.19
S%: 0.926
5. James Wisniewski
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All right. I'm not sure that anyone saw Wisniewski heading to New York and playing like he is. His stats are through the roof right now.
The one big concern has got to be his plus/minus which you will see in a moment. I don't know whether or not that will change, but if he wants to take the Islanders to the next level, it better.
Other than one really solid offensive year with Plymouth in the OHL, James has never really been an offensive superstar.
This season, things are different.
He is playing with confidence and a little bit of arrogance (see Avery incident). I think it's great to see a guy who really didn't fit in with the Anaheim system succeed.
Am I the only one who thinks that the Ducks would love to have this guy back right now? They need a lot of help on D.
Good for James Wisniewski for really helping the New York Islanders start off on the right foot this season.
Stats:
Games Played: 12
Goals: 2
Assists: 10
Points: 12
Plus/Minus: -12
4. Nathan Horton
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Finally the rumors containing Horton's name can stop!
Apparently the trade to Boston was exactly what Nathan Horton needed to really take that next step. After some solid, yet unspectacular, years in Florida, Horton wanted out. To me, there really isn't any surprise there. He is a talented player who wanted a chance at the cup. What hockey player doesn't want to lift the Stanley Cup?
Horton is playing at a point per game pace and he is doing it in dominant fashion. I can't say I've seen him play like this in any of his years since being drafted in 2003.
Though he hasn't been as good in his last five games, you still have to look at Horton as one of the top offseason acquisitions. He has really helped a Boston offense that has struggled with various injuries and losses in the last few seasons.
Nathan Horton is looking really good right now. I, for one, am hoping that he will be able to crack the 80 point barrier for the first time in his career (career high to date is 62 points twice).
Stats:
Games Played: 11
Goals: 6
Assists: 5
Points: 11
Plus/Minus: +4
3. Dustin Byfuglien
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What you have to remember here is that Dustin Byfuglien was switched back to the blue line this season. Keep that in mind when I tell you that he is off to his best offensive start in his career.
He is playing like he did in the playoffs for the Chicago Blackhawks. Dustin is like Ladd, a Chicago cap casualty.
It must feel great to be an Atlanta Thrashers fan right now. Having Dustin Byfuglien playing with speed, skill and pure dominance is really inspiring.
I'll be honest in saying that I haven't seen a lot of the Thrashers this season, but what I have seen is that he is the kind of playing everyone in Chicago knew he could be.
I wonder if his start to the season in Atlanta has Blackhawk fans crying for this guy to come back. Congratulations to Byfuglien for being such a nice addition to the Thrashers line-up.
Stats:
Games Played: 14
Goals: 5
Assists: 8
Points: 13
Plus/Minus: -5
2. Manny Malhotra
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Canuck fans, I really wanted to put this guy as No. 1 on this list when I made it. I apologize.
That being said, Manny Malhotra has been a great addition to the Canucks line-up.
I believe that a lot of eyebrows were raised around the league when he was signed to a $2.5 million per year contract over a three year term. I bet that all of those concerns have been put to rest.
Manny Malhotra is unbelievable in the faceoff circle and he is even better in the locker room.
It's so clear that Mike Gillis knew what he was getting in this player. He is everything that you could ever want in a third line center.
One of Malhotra's best qualities is that he knows where he fits on this team. He isn't going to be moved down, he isn't going to be moved up (without injury). He fits in as the third line center.
Knowing this has allowed him to hone his craft as the best third liner the Canucks have seen in a few years.
Add stellar offensive numbers to all of these mentioned attributes and you have one of the best offseason additions in the league.
Stats:
Games Played: 13
Goals: 4
Assists: 6
Points: 10
Plus/Minus: +5
1. Jaroslav Halak
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The St. Louis Blues have got to be considered one of the biggest surprises in this young season. They are sitting right at the top of the Western Conference.
One of the main reasons for this success, if not the most important, is Jaroslav Halak.
A lot of people criticized the Montreal Canadiens when they chose Carey Price over the playoff hero Halak. Well, it's safe to say that those concerns haven't been put to rest.
Jaro Halak has been god-like in St. Louis. He has stopped nearly everything that has been thrown at him.
For a guy who was drafted in the ninth round, this is all incredibly impressive. He's not the biggest goalie, he's not the fastest goalie and he's not the most skilled goalie. Yet somehow, he manages to be one of the best goalies in the game.
I applaud Jaroslav Halak on his continued success with the St. Louis Blues organization. He is doing everything that they wanted when they "stole" him from Montreal.
I send this question out to Blues fans. Are any of you missing Lars Eller?
Stats:
Games Played: 10
Wins: 8
Losses: 1
OTL: 1
GAA: 1.46
S%: 0.944
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