Aside from Curtis McElhinney who started from not even being on the roster, Jordan Martinook is probably the Carolina Hurricanes player who has most surprised me thus far during the 2018-19 season.
The ho-hum deal that brought Jordan Martinook to Raleigh
With Marcus Kruger having not worked out and finishing the season in the AHL, the Hurricanes had a big incentive to move him both for his benefit and team’s. Any sideways deal that unloaded Kruger and the year remaining on his contract and returned any kind of NHL player was going to be good enough. And ‘good enough’ was what I figured the team managed when it traded Kruger for Jordan Martinook. As an experienced NHLer who brought physical play, energy and penalty killing, I figured the team had landed a serviceable #12/#13 forward who was a capable spare part.
Exceeding expectations
But the Hurricanes netted much more in that deal. Martinook has fit the bill as a serviceable depth forward. And with 10 goals through 50 games, he has exceeded expectations in terms of chipping in reasonable depth scoring. But the statistics miss the point with Martinook. Jordan Martinook is the type of player that you want to be part of the fabric of your team. He is the authentic version of team-first and character.
He is one of the first off the bench when the team wins in overtime.
As part of an odd couple, he has taken rookie Andrei Svechnikov under his wing.
He is capable and willing to stand up for team mates when things get chippy.
He, as much as any other player on the team, has a sense for when the team needs to dial it up, and he leads the way with physical play early in games when the team needs a spark.
And he receives high marks for just being a great team mate in all ways possible.
The Andrei Svechnikov thing
A veteran grinding depth forward from Canada. A young projected superstar from Russia. In terms of having common ground of similarities the too looking nothing close to being a match. But great people are not limited to narrow pools of people like themselves in terms of building relationships. Instead, good people have a tendency to forge relationships with all different varieties of people. Jordan Martinook is such a person. And he also gets the importance of helping team mates. When focusing on what happens on the ice, there can be a tendency to underestimate the sometimes difficult off ice transitions. Age-wise, Andrei Svechnikov is the equivalent of a kid who just graduated from high school in May. After a whirlwind summer with the draft, his fall consisted of moving to a new place and another country (his third in the past couple years), joining a new team and facing the challenge of the NHL and the high expectations that come with being drafted second overall. The role that Jordan Martinook and others play in helping Svechnikov take on a massive life change is immeasurable.
The deal itself
As I said on Twitter, I really like the deal. As detailed above, Martinook is a valuable depth player, but not to be lost in that description is ‘depth player.’ As such, it is important not to grossly overpay for the role, and I do not think the Hurricanes did. No doubt, $2 million per year that Martinook receivedis a bit of a premium above the $800,000 to $1.5 million range common for fourth line players. But the premium that Martinook received is reasonable and also well-deserved and is not overdone given his role as a depth forward.
Jordan Martinook’s role going forward
Looking forward, Martinook only needs to do exactly what he has done so far for 50 games in a Hurricanes uniform. He needs to continue to have a sense for when the the team needs a lift or a spark and continue providing it. He needs to fill a slot as a depth forward who can kill penalties. Though the scoring is not what makes him valuable, continuing to chip in goals at a reasonable pace is important in today’s NHL that requires scoring 12 forwards deep. And most importantly, he needs to continue to be a glue player plays a significant role in the locker room and with the interpersonal aspect of building a successful team.
What say you Canes fans?
1) Are you as happy as I am with the re-signing of Jordan Martinook? Or do you view him more as a good but replaceable depth forward?
2) What are your thoughts on the term and salary for the deal?
3) Of the Hurricanes pending unrestricted free agents (McElhinney, Mrazek, Williams, Ferland) are there any others that you would prefer to be signed before the trade deadline?
Go Canes!
This is a solid deal. For both parties. Agreed he got a premium for a guy who seems destined to live in the bottom six, but his goals totals and intangibles make him a premium type in the bottom six. As much as I loved watching Joakim Nordstrom give everything he had on every shift, a guy like that can’t replace what Martinook is giving right now.
Term is great because if Martinook’s point total waivers he comes back up the year Svech is done with his ELC and offers some cap wiggle room.
If I could design my perfect world I’d get both goalies tied up for a year, pay Ferland very well short term and then have Williams’ get a home team contract come in after Aho. Justin offers an incredible amount to the team, but part of that should be knowing that you’re coming back and needing to make some sacrifices to put together a condenser.
*contender.
1) Yes. Martinook has done everything well—including scoring more goals than Kruger, Nordstrom, and Jooris combined last season. I am mostly glad because Martinook is a great interview.
2)
1. Absolutely thrilled Martinook was extended.
2. 2yr term is ideal. AAV is about right when you factor production + intangibles he brings off the ice.
3. I think the team needs to see what they have in Ned before locking up any goalies to mid-term contracts. If Ned is able to be part of a 1A/1B tandem, then signing Mrazek to high dollars goes against the grain. If Mrazek is open to a 2yr/3mil deal I would do it now. I would then trade McElhinney and Ferland before the deadline. Extend Williams for 1yr @ 3mil (anything more is a vast overpayment). Aho may very well take over the captaincy next year anyway…this is his team.
While not meaning to sound as pessimistic as I will, strengthening the rebuild makes more sense than mortgaging the future for short term results. The Canes need 47 points in 32 games to reach the needed 97 points for real playoff hopes. That equates to above 7-3-0 in each of the 3 ten game sets remaining. A tall task. That said I see Ferland fitting team needs longer term. His departure will leave a gap to be filled. Resigning him fills that gap perfectly. Williams is still valuable as a mentor to a young team and a valuable conduit to the team for RBA. Of the 4 names mentioned he is the least replaceable because of those off the ice issues. As for the goalies, neither is essential. While solid when healthy McElhinney is injury prone and would require a reasonably good AHL goalie ready for call up ineligible for waivers, (Note: Nedjekovic would be able to move up and in down risk free in 2019-20.) Those really in the know about his health need to make this call. As I’ve said before I’m not a Mrazek fan, believing that he looks good when compared Darling and Ward, but not the “at or above NHL average” 1A goalie we need.
Pardon the fuzzy math. The Canes need 43 points in the remaining 32 games. That equates to a better than 6-3-1 record for each of the remaining 3 sets of 10 games.
I am delighted with the deal. Jordan’s marketing value and team intangibles value exceeds the premium paid for on-ice metrics.
He is a great fit for this team and this fan base.
1st- Ferland should be resigned!! …barring the acquisition of someone who can fill his ROLE /SKATES…! (Unlikely)
We really need that scoring /physicalit he provides, and it would be nice to have another guy like him, as well! IMPORTANT.
2ND I don’t pretend to know about the relative comparison between the three (currently available) GOALIES, but UNLESS WE CAN FIND SOMEONE, CLEARLY BETTER, I’D keep the two best (if not all three).
3rd – WILLIAMS – Though he’s not irreplaceable /vital to the team, I’d like to keep him (short term) for a reasonable price.
4th – the need for another scoring forward (ideally a center) is still NECESSARY…enough said…!
I am absolutely certain that it is too late to dream of playoffs this year. I’d peg the chances at less than 5%. This team is good, I think it is younger, faster and in many ways better than in years past, but this is not a top tier NHL team, it doesn’t have the top tier talent, though it may be close to developing that talent.
I think, given all the changes that were made, that it was entirely reasonable to live with another year of playoff misses, new coach, new players, new systems, lots of rookies, including the coach, and some rookie management mistakes (yes yes, I can’t shut up about the Skinner defiascobut the management has been doing a lot of good stuff apart from that and I am happy with all their latest moves).
So there is value in trading some RFAs for futures if possible.
Would JW, for instance, be amenable to be traded and make a playoff run with the team while almost guaranteeing to become a UFA and sign for one more year (or 2) after that? He would be helping the Canes and he would be getting the thrill of another playoff run, maybe even a cup, a guy of his caliber and experience could take a team like Tor over the top.
Ferland would not agree to this, I am sure, he’d have to be resigned or traded with little expectation of seeing him again.
I think at least one of the goalies should be traded, maybe big Mac and JW/Ferland to Tor for some of their forward future, though Tor is getting pretty set.
It is true our goalie standards have been set artificially low, we’re not quite as bad as the Oilers (their goalies tend to do awfully good once they get out of Oil city, but we’re not too far behind).
And, well, there’s Aho, isn’t he an RFA this summer, first priority to get the kid signed to a longterm deal.
1. I am thrilled by the signing (including term and money – so there is the answer to 2). I am thinking you are understating his skill level – he is type of depth forward who scores about 10 goals a game when he is playing well – and he good finish capability. His Canes trajectory has been excellent and he is on his way to a career year in goals. You have to reward that, so I think that is an easy lift from the 0.8-1.5M you suggest.
It if the intangibles both on and off the ice that make him not a “replaceable depth forward”. His special bond with Svech is priceless.
This is absolutely an appropriate way to reward Martyman, and sends a great to the mean to what he value and what we pay for.
3. I really don’t know if we are going to be sellers or buyers, and decisions on our UFAs should factor that in.
I don’t see a rush to sign Williams – I am sure there is already a tacit agreement and plan to extend him so timing is not an issue. I doubt we trade him if we are a seller although that game has been played before.
Ferland is not going to sign – for me the question is do we actually trade him if we a buyer at the deadline. I would say no – even if we know he is going to walk afterwards he would be a critical piece in a run to and into the playoffs and we ride that – and be willing to give up a little in the future to reward the team and fanbase with a playoff appearance.
I would like to sign one of goalies and, of the two, that would be Mrazek. It already looks like we are pushing Mac past his physical limits as part of 1A/1B combo. He will be an excellent backup next year. And if we are sellers at the deadline we would get a better return. And there would be worst things than finishing the season with a Mrazek/Ned combo.
I think Mrazek has proven that is a competent 1A/1B goalie and I would like t see us sign him (and before the deadline). But he might be more interested in testing the FA market and we would probably go to convince not to do so.
Did I mention we are not going to resign Ferland??? – But question – does Marty’s contract term and amount have any ramifications for Ferland, given their similarities in style, although Marty is not at the same level. But is Ferland that much better to realistically command 5×5 or 6×6???
The interesting about Ferland is that he really doesn’t have a line if Staal returns.
I saw a post at another site that made me think about the disruption line I mentioned before the season. When Staal returns:
Foegele/Staal/Martinook A line that can disrupt top scoring lines.
I think Aho/TT make Niederreiter a 30-goal scorer. I don’t see Williams on the third line.
So: NN/Aho/TT, Svechnikov/Wallmark/Williams, Foegele/Staal/Martinook, McGinn/McKegg/Maenalanen.
Ferland doesn’t fit on the top line now with Nino on board, as I mentioned Williams isn’t a fourth liner, and Ferland would likely not thrive with Staal/Martinook.
FYI. Vegas odds for the Canes to make the playoffs are in the 25% range.
1) Very happy with Jordan Martinook. He deserves it and he helps a ton. Fair deal. He is beyond a typical 4th liner, so premium earned.
2) Good deal.
3) I think I would hold off on McElhinney. He is our best goalie but the knee problems concern me for the future. Lets see how he does by the end of the season. Mrazek may not have great numbers but I believe he has been effective and stops things when the team hang him out to dry. I probably would try to get a 1 or 2 year deal done. The verdict is still out on Ned. We should maybe still shop for a 1.
I agree with puckgod, resign Ferland. Sorry CT and raleigh, can’t agree on this one. He scores, is full energy and will crush anyone who messes with our guys. He is our Wilson. The NN additional is absolutely great. Do not loose Ferland. Its time for TD to step up. He said he wanted to win. You do not do that by saving money. If we cheap out, it will mean we do not want to pay our players. Who will want to come here knowing that. Not the top UFAs. We will have an efficiently run business that no one will want to see. There is a reason other teams are lining up to get Ferland.
With a guy like Ferland you can put him anywhere. Him and NN could trade off on the first line depending on the competition.
I agree, some may need to sit, Foegele, McGinn, McKegg, Maenalanen. I do not feel good letting two top 5 draft picks go and getting a rental for 3/4 of a year. The intent was to resign him, they just did not realize how good he was. The price is up. I do not blame him for trying to get a good deal. Other guys are not as physical. The other teams out there are not underestimating him, we should not either.
I do agree with Raleigh and CT that Ferland may not sign and test free agency regardless of what we do. I want to know that we at least realistically tried. That is a real tough piece to loose even if we get some return. I think he protects our guys and I am not sure if other see that.
I would love to get into the playoffs but I do not think we would get too fare even if we did. Because of that I do not think we should do much at the trade deadline. I want to keep our D. Why trade away what works and I do not believe a return would put us over the top. I am more for getting somebody as a UFA later. Teams are not going to give up a top forward when they are preparing for the playoffs. I could see letting JW go to get us a draft pick as long as the agreement is, he comes back. We have some talent developing. Its probably better to wait for next year.
This is all just opinion and open to others views.
ic – I love Ferland and what he brings to the table, and I am not saying I don’t want to sign him. I would love to see him stay a Hurricane.
I am saying we are not going to sign him – the sides are too far apart in negotiations and assessment of value and willingness to pay or be paid.
So to me it is a moot point.
I like the idea of high dollar and low term but he wants his cake, he wants to eat it, and then he wants seconds – and I don’t blame him. This is his big payday coming.
I think the best scenario is that we are buyers at the deadline, do not trade him, and ride him to the playoffs. Then we can negotiate with him, as other teams would be doing as a FA.