Article: To Sam Steel Or Not Sam Steel? That Is the Question

[Luke Sims]

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[Will D. Ness]

What is the reasoning behind giving "youngsters" a non-merit based opportunity for a spot over a known commodity in Steel?  If they cannot beat out said commodity, then why should they be playing in the NHL?

I think Sam Steel is a good benchmark to gauge the value of a youngster.  Steel is somewhat pedestrian, but can be effective at times and isn't a defensive liability.  If you can't beat out that then by what standard should you be given an opportunity?

Well, the answer is obviously potential.  I just wish that said potential was a little more apparent.  I like to look at Brock Faber as a prime example.  

Talk about a guy who was thrown in the to fire of the NHL playoffs with what 2 game warm up?  That is apparent potential not only seen but banked upon.

Now when talking about Rossi, Sammy, or Beckman... yeah their potential isn't so clear.  Rossi was such a deer in the headlights last season, any potential he has was not on display.  Sammy has the wheels and actually needs to be on the roster next year.  Beckman needs to earn it and beat out Steel.

Now with that said... I think Rossi is in a peculiar situation.  We really need a top line center.  Hartman isn't it.  Steel isn't it.  Freddy isn't it.  Even Ek isn't it.

We cannot go out in FA and get one either.  We are stuck in dead cap horror and our only play here is a Hail Mary.

We need to put Rossi with KK97 and see if anything is there.  

 

 

 

 

[Protec]

^^^

I agree with a lot of what's above here but Rossi with Kaprizov and the Norwegian Hobbit is like an All-Star  line for get'n beat up. 

I like to keep an open mind. Who would play with #97 and Rossi?

 

Steel had some nice moments. If he was more consistent, that would help. Jester Strudel territory he's in. Could go either way. Might not sign here again.

Beckman being a wing with scoring pedigree will hopefully take another step. He's getting there in the pecking order. Steel being a center makes him more valuable to keep around if it's cheap. Could he have a Hartman type breakout? Hartman bounced around a little bit himself before having his big season.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

With a contract around the minimum, I'd definitely bring back Steely Sam so that the young guys have someone to beat out. At 25, he's also young enough that he might still improve/impress and earn future contracts.

In even strength points/60 minutes, Steel finished ahead of Gaudreau and Foligno, just behind Zuccarello and Boldy. Not sure how many minutes he played with Kaprizov, which generally helps anyone in collecting points, but he was able to put up okay points over the course of the season.

[Will D. Ness]

15 hours ago, Protec said:

 I like to keep an open mind. Who would play with #97 and Rossi?

Boldy would have to be that guy.  It's hard to break up Ek/Boldy/Mojo although this is a Hail Mary so yeah Boldy.

This frees up Ek to center a shutdown line as well which would also give a home to Foligno who was lost after the Greenway trade.  ?EEF 2.0.

3rd line of pure speed?  Mojo/Freddy/Sammy?

Stacked top line.  Shutdown 2nd line.  Speed 3rd line.

Good balance.  Add a solid 4th line with Hartman/Dewar/Shaw?

I'm going deep here... haha.

[MNCountryLife]

13 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

"At 25, he's also young enough that he might still improve/impress and earn future contracts."

I think people forget how young Steel is.  25 to 32 is when players are at their best.  He is only a year older than Shaw.  No, he isn't top 6... yet.  is he still improving?  His biggest weakness is the faceoff dot which really hurt in the playoffs when he got schooled during the PK and Dallas was able to score quick goals on set plays with easy face-off wins.  

I reserve my judgement on Steel here.  To accurately assess him I would need to study his tape over the course of the entire year and gauge his improvements or lack thereof.... and then compare it to the players in IA.  I am guessing this will not be an easy assessment for player personnel.   Good Luck GMBG.

[mnfaninnc]

Let's put Steel's season into proper perspective. According to Luke, Steel had a nice 25 game run with Kaprizov-Zuccarello scoring 19, essentially, gimme points. Steel didn't get in the way and his speed was useful. 

I kept hearing how Steel was offensively talented last season by Panther, but what I most noticed was his inability to convert grade A chances, chances Hartman put in the basket the previous season. 

Outside of those 25 games, Steel put up 9 points. For an offensively talented center, that's pretty pitiful. Steel could create chances, but shanked a lot of shots. He also goes at 5'11" 184. For a bottom 6 physical player, that is simply too light. 

I think you qualify him, and sign a 1 year deal at around that qualification price. He's worth about $900k/yr. Perhaps he gets a few games with Kaprizov again and if he can be heavier on his stick, maybe even produce. My suggestion for the coaches is a strong strength program where he comes back at 195 and can contribute on the boards. His game screams 13th forward. He's also got to get stronger forearms and wrists to pop in those tight goals. 

Will D. is explaining things perfectly. You have to have a fall back plan for the hungry A players to beat out. You already know Shaw starts the season on LTIR. He could fill the role of Pitlick, especially if Rossi or Beckman doesn't start out on the big club. If he produces even mediocre, there will be a trade partner at that low cap number. 

[mnfaninnc]

1 minute ago, MNCountryLife said:

His biggest weakness is the faceoff dot which really hurt in the playoffs when he got schooled during the PK and Dallas was able to score quick goals on set plays with easy face-off wins.  

I thought it was Gaudreau losing those faceoffs. While Steel was still stinky in the dot, I didn't remember him being Gaudreau's partner. 

Also, good luck to the Kraken tonight so we can slide up to 20 in the draft process.

[Up North Guy]

16 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I thought it was Gaudreau losing those faceoffs. While Steel was still stinky in the dot, I didn't remember him being Gaudreau's partner. 

Also, good luck to the Kraken tonight so we can slide up to 20 in the draft process.

Freddy did lose plenty of faceoffs. It wasn't a mirage.

[Pewterschmidt]

On 5/14/2023 at 11:56 AM, Will D. Ness said:

What is the reasoning behind giving "youngsters" a non-merit based opportunity for a spot over a known commodity in Steel?  If they cannot beat out said commodity, then why should they be playing in the NHL?

I think Sam Steel is a good benchmark to gauge the value of a youngster.  Steel is somewhat pedestrian, but can be effective at times and isn't a defensive liability.  If you can't beat out that then by what standard should you be given an opportunity?

Well, the answer is obviously potential.  I just wish that said potential was a little more apparent.  I like to look at Brock Faber as a prime example.  

Talk about a guy who was thrown in the to fire of the NHL playoffs with what 2 game warm up?  That is apparent potential not only seen but banked upon.

Now when talking about Rossi, Sammy, or Beckman... yeah their potential isn't so clear.  Rossi was such a deer in the headlights last season, any potential he has was not on display.  Sammy has the wheels and actually needs to be on the roster next year.  Beckman needs to earn it and beat out Steel.

Now with that said... I think Rossi is in a peculiar situation.  We really need a top line center.  Hartman isn't it.  Steel isn't it.  Freddy isn't it.  Even Ek isn't it.

We cannot go out in FA and get one either.  We are stuck in dead cap horror and our only play here is a Hail Mary.

We need to put Rossi with KK97 and see if anything is there.  

 

 

 

 

This gets my nomination for post of the week.  Lots of uncomfortable realities laid bare here.  I admire your courage Will D.

[Pewterschmidt]

Re Steel, I think BG signs him to a cheap two year deal.  He's an acceptable placeholder C who can fill in 1C-4C.  If his testacles do drop at 26 (50/50 probability) he becomes an expensive free agent after next season, so that's why BG signs him for two yrs.  Safe to assume Steel game improves over next yrs.

And seriously (as has been mentioned above) who in the A has demonstrated they're ready to TAKE that spot from Steel next season?  Who's next after Rossi on this list?

[mnfaninnc]

I think Petan is a guy who can play C, and Fogarty is another guy who can play C. We've got a lot of guys who supposedly can play C but aren't real Cs.

Bankier will be there next year and he's a little larger body, but was used as an LW in the playoffs this year for Kamloops (not sure about the regular season).  Haight will also be there. I think Petrovsky still gets another year of jrs. but I'm not looking at him to see for sure. 

Perhaps a trade would make more sense? Something we have a large commodity in for something we don't.

[mnfaninnc]

36 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Haight will also be there. I think Petrovsky still gets another year of jrs. but I'm not looking at him to see for sure. 

Looked it up, both these guys have another year of jr. left. Petrovsky's only 5'9" tall, why do we keep drafting 5'9" guys?????

[Protec]

The Wild need Steel to become the next Hartman. 
 

Hartman needs to keep out of the box and direct his energy towards scoring and grizzling without getting distracted. 
 

Let’s say they can get Steel for 1.2M for two years and he has a much more consistent season. That would be great value. The Wild might not have luck this off-season with transactions or the draft. 
 

#brackettsnoguru