trade/signing target: Jake McCabe

Let's get way less sexy than our last few and just nail down a guy that makes a fuckton of sense for us. Dave Shaprio put out an article about him today too.

LD? Check.

Plays a tough game? Check.

Actually plays good defense? Check Plus.

Leader? Yep - wore an A for the Sabres

Contract? Probably cheap - 2m or so.

Age? Just 27 - so he's got miles to go.

No brainer for us, IMO.

Nice work G man!

+41 on the fucking Sabres translates into like +88 on another team. The guy can defend exceptionally well.

My question is, why wouldn't Buffalo just resign him themselves? They probably need him worse than any other team right now.

I'm in. I see McNabb out of Vegas much in the same mold. I figured if they were going to go for Reaves, they'd do Reaves + McNabb in a bigger post-expansion deal, but McCabe would probably be a much simpler signing.

If it were me, I'd pair him with Trouba right away. Lindgren-Fox, McCabe-Trouba, Miller-Lundkvist, where the third pairing gets super sheltered.

Nice work G man!

 

+41 on the fucking Sabres translates into like +88 on another team. The guy can defend exceptionally well.

 

My question is, why wouldn't Buffalo just resign him themselves? They probably need him worse than any other team right now.

He's spent his whole career in Buffalo. I think that probably answers your question.

He's spent his whole career in Buffalo. I think that probably answers your question.

Yeah, really...Fuck Buffalo!!

My ass would've left there before my body!

He is really a perfect fit, Phil's post has the perfect combos and reasoning as well....with either of them...but McCabe I've seen more of.

Also - I know these charts get thrown around pretty willy nilly and I'm not sure people know how to read these, which might cause some alarm w/a guy like McCabe:

There are five columns - (left to right) goals for per 60, expected goals for per 60, Corsi for per 60, expected goals against per 60, Corsi against per 60. There are 7 marks on the Y axis that represent a Z score (basically, how far from "average" are you), with 1, 2, and 3 representing standard deviations. Think of 0 as NHL average, and because we're dealing with a normal distribution, most NHL players will fall between -1 and +1 in any given category.

When you see someone at +/- 2 or higher, they're truly excellent or awful (top or bottom 5%) in that particular area; +/-3 is elite or abysmal (top or bottom 2% or so)

So McCabe can be read to be an NHL average offensive player, but a superb defensive player.

I think this is a guy that everyone learns to... hate.

Has the tools, but always looks like he's just going through the motions. He doesnt play physical, he doesnt use his offensive tools. At this point, he's essentially Jack Johnson.

Someone will overspend on this guy based on charts, hope its not the Rangers.

I think this is a guy that everyone learns to... hate.

Has the tools, but always looks like he's just going through the motions. He doesnt play physical, he doesnt use his offensive tools. At this point, he's essentially Jack Johnson.

 

Someone will overspend on this guy based on charts, hope its not the Rangers.

But how much of this can you chalk up to just being so dejected playing for Buffalo versus this is actually the player he is? That city made Ryan O'Reilly not want to play hockey anymore. Of late, the only thing it's doing is chewing up good hockey players and spitting out depression.

But how much of this can you chalk up to just being so dejected playing for Buffalo versus this is actually the player he is? That city made Ryan O'Reilly not want to play hockey anymore. Of late, the only thing it's doing is chewing up good hockey players and spitting out depression.

That's probably why that knee didn't heal

The only door I'm holding open for Hajek is the one for him to fucking leave. :rofl:

Great. Maybe your friend can go with him.

Sure. If he comes cheap. I'd rather leave room for the full cupboard of prospects, Smith and Hajek to grab a spot. But this guy definitely is a change of scenery type that needs out of his situation.

That doesn't add up.

This would be great as a place holder until Jones or Robertson are ready for full time duty, but I doubt he's signing a one year deal.

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So we shoulda traded for Graves, who was carried by a stacked team, but a guy who played well despite being on a shit team gets passed on for Smith and Hajek?

 

That doesn't add up.

 

This would be great as a place holder until Jones or Robertson are ready for full time duty, but I doubt he's signing a one year deal.

 

 

 

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As I said I'd buy low on Graves as he'd come in a package with Kadri, but yeah whatever... I said sure to this guy too. WTF?