Written by Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell)
On Brian Elliott …
After years of searching, the Calgary Flames’ have finally found themselves a No. 1 goaltender.
That goaltender, of course, is Brian Elliott.
While Elliott isn’t generally a name that comes to mind when thinking of the NHL’s top goaltenders the reality is he has been one for some time now.
Over the last three seasons Elliott owns a .931 save percentage during 5 v 5 play. That ranks him 7th among 36 goaltenders who played at least 4,000 minutes in that span.
Elliott’s .931 SV% at 5 v 5 puts him just ahead of the likes of Braden Holtby, Cory Schneider and Ben Bishop to name but a few. Obviously the St. Louis Blues’ defensive system played a role in that, but there is no doubting Elliott’s quality.
If you look at all situations SV% over the same three-year span, Elliott ranks 4th among 21 goaltenders with at least 100 games played. The only goaltenders ahead of him in that regard are Carey Price, Cory Schneider and Cam Talbot.
When you factor in all the Flames had to part with is a 2nd round pick (and a conditional 2018 3rd if Elliott re-signs), this seems like a steal of a deal.
On Brandon Pirri …
Monday was the deadline to extend qualifying offers to restricted free agents and one notable that didn’t get an offer is forward Brandon Pirri.
While the possibility still exists he could re-sign with the Anaheim Ducks ahead of July 1st, that seems unlikely.
Pirri is just 25 years old and has scored 49 goals while adding 80 points in 166 NHL games. That’s 24 goals and ~40 points per 82 games.
On top of solid production, Pirri also more than holds his own in possession as over the last three seasons, his teams have controlled 50.4% of the shot attempts at 5 v 5 with him on the ice.
If and when he officially becomes an unrestricted free agent, there should be no shortage of suitors.
On Patrick Wiercioch …
Another restricted free agent that was not qualified and is expected to test the market is Ottawa Senators defenseman Patrick Wiercioch.
While Wiercioch doesn’t put up many points, he is still a valuable player and should have no problem landing another NHL job.
For all his perceived faults – not enough points, too many turnovers, soft, etc. – the one-ice results for Wiercioch have been excellent since joining the league.
As you can see, the Senators controlled a larger percentage of shot attempts, scoring chances and goals with Wiercioch on the ice.
If a team is looking for a possession driver and added depth on the back end, very few defensemen in free agency are better options than the 25-year-old Wiercioch.