Ten Terrible Ways To End Unemployment: #9

That’s a pretty big gap in offensive production and I don’t think the defensive gap is big enough (if it is even in White’s favour) to make up for it.

My point in this is that while in isolation it’s a good signing compared to what was lost and what other moves were made it’s the kind of thing that you can point to as the Wings being (maybe this will even be the year!) their decline someday.

Small distinction, I believe they wanted to make the moustache captain, and just let White have the C on his shirt.

I remember when we first got Komisarek people were talking on the radio about him possibly being our next captain.

It was scary.

If Ian White were 6’2", he’d be an Olympian.

I really don’t think Ericsson is a better defenseman. I guess he gets paid more so Detroit may disagree but I thought he was overpaid.

I don’t know about LD RD but I imagine my top 4 would be Lidstrom/Stuart and Kronwall/White.

Truculence.

we’ll survive with that cap hit. somehow.

There was a large discussion on this when he was signed where a bunch of the regulars (IIRC Chemmy and Skinny) were annoyed that there is no reason to lock in a guy with such a low ceiling to long term (ie longer than 1 MAYBE 2 years)

but I’d be curious to see a list of D men that you think deserve $2.875 million in cap hit seasonally. Also it should be pointed out the guy took a pay CUT after making $2.999 mill the previous season. Here are the D men that are making around that much right now around the NHL (and their salary rank amongst the D men on their club):

Nik Kronwall – Detroit ($3 mill – 4th)
White – Detroit ($2.875 mill – 5th)
Andy Greene – New Jersey ($3 mill – 3rd)
Braydon Coburn – Philly ($3.2 mill – 5th)
Toni Lydman – Anaheim ($3 mill – 3rd)
Andrew Ference – Boston ($2.25 mill – 3rd)
Jordan Leopold – Buffalo ($3 mill – 3rd)
Anton Babchuk – Calgary ($2.5 mill – 4th)
Bryan Allen – Carolina ($2.9 mill – 3rd)
Tim Gleason – Carolina ($2.75 mill – 4th)
Steve Montador – Chicago ($2.75 mill – 4th)
Erik Johnson – Colorado ($2.6 mill – 3rd)
Fedor Tyutin – Columbus ($2.844 mill – 3rd)
Matt Greene – LA ($2.95 – 4th – probably 5th when Doughty signs)
Josh Gorges – Montreal ($2.5 mill – 3rd)
Mark Eaton – NY Isles ($2.5 mill – 2nd)
Chris Phillips – Ottawa ($3.083 mill – 3rd)
Rostislav Klesla – Phoenix ($2.975 mill – 3rd)
Derek Morris – Phoenix ($2.75 mill – 4th)
Doug Murray – San Jose ($2.5 mill – 4th)
Roman Polak – St. Louis ($2.75 mill – 3rd)
Tom Poti – Washington ($2.875 mill – 4th)
Jeff Schultz – Washington ($2.75 mill – 5th)

Now of that group… guess how many have managed to post 5 consecutive seasons of 20+ points while averaging between 18 and 23 minutes in ice time nightly?

NONE OF THEM. Only 5 NHL D men have managed that feat over the past 5 years… White, Kimmo Timmonen, Christian Ehrhoff, Dan Hamhuius, and Roman Hamrlik.

The following players have managed it 4 times – Adrian Aucoin, Keith Ballard, Rob Blake (but he retired so he counts too I suppose), Brian Campbell, Trevor Daley, Pavel Kubina, Ron Hainsey, Joni Pitkanen, Brad Stuart, Marek Zidlicky… and Derek Morris.

Morris is the ONLY player making comparable dough that has even come close to White’s consistent output in a limited role minutes wise.

I think White deserves recognition for what he is, a guy that produces offensively in relatively limited ice time, who is a pretty reliable and dependable top 4 D man. He isn’t a bottom pairing guy, despite views to the contrary, and he’s VERY consistent. He does deserve the contract he signed.

From a purely offensive point of view:

In the last 3 years he is 45th in points by a dman and 22nd in goals by a defenseman. Even if you look at per game stats he is 47th for points and 22nd for goals. That means offensively he has been a top 2 defenseman around the league over the last 3 years.

Defensively I would argue he is at least a top 4 D man… So no I don’t think he is over paid.

For comparison the 50th highest cap hit is Orpik at 3.75.. At almost a million less he is probably 30+ places behind…