http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Good riddance, Gonch.That's the sarcastic sentiment I hear too often, and, quite frankly, don't get.
It's not that I am in favor of the Penguins re-signing Sergei Gonchar, a potential unrestricted free agent as of Thursday, for any longer than two years. That would be too bold a risk for a 36-year-old defenseman who merits at least $5 million per season.
But if Gonchar goes, it won't be nearly as easy to replace him as some might think -- even if Dan Hamhuis signs -- and, more to the point, wouldn't he deserve more than a cascade of catcalls on his way out of town?
Before we dive deeper into that cesspool, let's chew on some numbers. Here are the Pengiuns' power-play percentages with and without Gonchar this past season, not including the playoffs, when they clicked at a rate of better 26 percent:
» With: 19.8 percent (48 for 243)
» Without: 9.6 percent (8 for 83)
Here are the Penguins' records with and without Gonchar the past two seasons, including a mark of 9-10-1 without him this past season, 38-18-6 with him:
» With: 55-22-10
» Without: 37-34-6
Happily, it seems to be a small segment of the fan base that wants to kick Gonchar out the door amid a barrage of insults. Probably the same people who mock-cheered their Stanley Cup-champion goaltender on the first shot of the second game of the playoffs.
For these folks, the enduring image of Gonchar undoubtedly is his Statue-of-Liberty play in Game 7 of the Montreal series, when he inexplicably froze and allowed Travis Moen to skate past him for a short-handed goal.
Gonchar was horrific in Game 7, which put him in the company of about 15 of his teammates, including the club's highly paid young superstars.
I would hope that for most fans, the images that stand out are of Gonchar's prolific play and steady leadership.
A snapshot that comes to mind is Gonchar doing his best Willis Reed impersonation in Game 7 of last year's Capitals series, unexpectedly returning from a knee injury. Remember the one-legged slap shot he took that led to Sidney Crosby's ice-breaker in the first period?
Or how about when Gonchar, besieged by an injured back and neck, made it from the dressing room to the bench in the third overtime of the legendary fifth game of the Stanley Cup Final two years ago, then assisted on Petr Sykora's game-winner?
The man has been nothing but class and production personified in a Penguins uniform, even when he walked into a dysfunctional mess in 2005 and was booed regularly in his home building. His production has not waned, either, though he did miss most of the 2008-09 season with a shoulder injury and 20 more games this past season.
Even through the injuries, Gonchar's output remains steady. Consider his points-per-game averages over the past four seasons, and keep in mind that he is the only player to rank in the top five in this category -- points per game among defensemen -- in each of those years:
» 2006-07 -- 0.82 points per game (4th among defensemen)
» 2007-08 -- 0.83 ppg (2nd)
» 2008-09 -- 0.76 ppg (3rd, though he only played 25 games)
» 2009-10 -- 0.81 ppg (3rd)
It's not like Gonchar is just a power-play specialist, either. When he is right, he controls the pace of a game and steers his team through trouble. As prospect Ben Lovejoy -- one of the guys who could benefit from Gonchar's departure -- put it, "He's almost always the most efficient player on the ice."
And if Gonchar was so horrible in the playoffs, how did he finish plus-4 with 12 points (second on the team) in 13 games, while playing a team-high 26:27 per game?
If the Penguins can retain him at, say, two years and $10 million, it's an easy choice: Do it.
If Gonchar wants three of more years, or significantly more money, it's time to cut ties, and that likely would leave Alex Goligoski as the power-play quarterback.
Maybe the talented Goligoski would thrive with the increased responsibility. Who knows? I'm not saying the Penguins couldn't overcome the loss the Gonchar. I'm just saying be careful what you wish for.
And, for goodness sakes, give the man the respect he deserves.
No comments:
Post a Comment