The Value of McCabe

Brian McCabe is often critisized for many things. Giveaways, a huge contract, poor defensive play, but his value to a hockey team is greatly underapreciated.In a recent Article by Greg Logan on Newsday.com, Logan talks about the Islanders. He says the Islanders need a good defenseman. He talks about the UFA options and then comes to McCabe. He says the Leafs are hoping to dump McCabe wherever they can. He then goes on to say the Isles would be doing the Leafs a favour by taking McCabe, and the Leafs should add a 1st round pick and Matt Stajan. And doesn’t mention anything going the other way.

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/blog/2007/08/snow_in_august.html

Is McCabe so bad of a player, that we’d have to add a 1st round pick and Stajan to get rid of him?? Of course he isn’t. Yes, he takes a lot of penalties, Yes, he has a lot of offensive turnovers, Yes he’s paid almost 6 million dollars, BUT one cannot deny that he made great strides in his defensive game last season. Oh, and his offensive game makes up for every mistake.

McCabe had 57 points last year and 68 the year before. So he is quite capable of getting 60 points next season. There is no current Islander who got 60 points last season. Not one. So Logan thinks we should offer a 1st round pick and Stajan just to get rid of a guy who could very well lead your team in Scoring from the blueline??? Did I read this right?

McCabe has ranked in the top 10 in scoring for defensemen in both of the last 2 seasons. And I personally believe he and kaberle are responsible for the leafs ability to have 4 scoring lines. The Leafs had 12 forwards last season with 10 or more goals. When healthy, the 4th line of Kilger-Pohl-Battaglia scored a combined 39 goals. Kilger, Pohl, and Battaglia are good hardworking players, but the big reason they can score so much with such limited ice time is the great feeds they get from the blueline. Trading McCabe would not rid us of an ugly contract, but rid us of the one thing that keeps us in the top 10 in goals for every season.

McCabes 5.75 million dollar cap hit looked ugly last season. However, only one year later its already starting to look good.

Lidstrom 7.6 million 62 points
Chara 7.5 million 43 points
Jovo 6.5 Million 29 points
Redden 6.5 million 36 points
Timonen 6.333 million 55 points
Pronger 6.25 million 59 points
Blake 6 Million 34 points
Rafalski 6 million 55 points
Markov 5.75 million 49 points
McCabe 5.75 million 57 points

He is the 10the highesrt paid defenseman. Of the 9 ahead of him in pay only 2 had more points last season.

I have always felt that the best offensive blueliners always perform better with a strong partner. If we did trade McCabe, kaberle would no longer have a strong PP point man. He would have Kubina who has never even broke 40 points.

McCabe is a dominant offensive player, and I for one would be upset if he got traded. If his contract looks ok in his 2nd year, it’ll look like a steal in his 4th and 5th years.