While most think that the choice for Canucks GM Mike Gillis this summer was Kevin Bieksa or Christian Ehrhoff, it was more of a triangle, with Keith Ballard being the other, unspoken, option.
First, the contracts:
Christian Ehrhoff: 10 years, OH MY GOD, he's so not worth it. Did you see his plus minus in last year's playoffs? yikes!
Well in fact, the last 3 years are for 1 million per year (ala Luongo) so it works out to more of a 7 years at 37 mill, (5.29 Mill per year, counting the first 7 years only) and that would take him to the age of 36. The cap hit for all 10 years is 4 mill. Being he signed the contract before the age of 35, then any cap hit comes off the books when he retires. His two years here were the most productive by a canucks defensemen since Jyrki Lumme and Ed Jovanovski's peak years....
Kevin Bieksa: Heart and soul guy. Wow was he good with Hamhuis. His plus/minus last year was amazing!
We can't let this guy go.
He signed for 5 years, 4.6 million cap hit, and like Ehrhoff (10 mill in year one) his contract is front loaded too (from 7 mill the first year, to 2.5 the last). He will be 35 when the contract runs out. The unfortunate part being, in the last 4 years, he's been injured as much as the tough as feathers
Sami Salo (227 games played, Sami has 218). Yes Bieksa had some flukey injuries, but missed games are missed games....And now that Hamhuis is struggling to regain his form after off-season surgery, perhaps Bieksa's performance ia a little too tied to his partner's.
Keith Ballard: Boy he had a tough year, but look what he's done in the past. He just need's to get out of coach AV's doghouse, and we'll see why we traded a calder trophy nominee, and a 1st rounder for him. He had injuries too...He had 7 points last year (after fluctuating between 21 and 39 points his first 5 years in the NHL.
He has 4 years left @ 4.2 million each, with the cap hit also 4.2. He'll be 32 when his deal runs out. So far this season, he's not faring much better. He's on pace for 6 points. His plus/minus if it continues at it's current pace, will be a Kansas City Scouts like
-52.
Recap:
Ehrhoff - 4.0 Million cap hit - signed until 36 (39 counting years he'll be retired and/or buried in the minors)
Pace this year : 48 points, but an ugly +/- of -41
Ballard - 4.2 Mill. cap hit - signed until 32
Pace this year : 6 points, but also an ugly +/- of -52
Bieksa - 4.6 Mill. cap hit - signed until 35
Pace this year : 18 points, also an ugly +/- of -47
Now everyone knows trading Ballard (and opening up the $ for Ehrhoff) would be admitting you gave away Michael Grabner for nothing (Oreskovich
is in Chicago....), and after last year the 'nucks would have gotten squat for him anyways. Ehrhoff's rights got the team a 4th round choice. Who wouldn't trade Ballard and a 4th rounder for Ehrhoff and his contract now?
At this point for Canucks fans, when it comes to defense, they'd better hope Shea Weber REALLY hates country music....
