Playing It Safe
Vadislav Namestnikov
While not the flashiest pick, Namestnikov’s skills as a safe center might be a good fit for Seattle’s middle/lower lines. Looking just at his stats with Detroit this season, Namestnikov seems to be a well below average NHL center. His corsi percentage of -4.9 and 17 points (8 goals and 9 assists) in 53 games are both pretty poor for the average NHL center.
So what does Namestnikov bring to the table? Stability and experience. Looking at his production and statistics in with the Red Wings isn’t reflective of what Namestnikov brings to the table. His task with Detroit wasn’t really to score a boatload of points or drive the offense; he had to guide the youth coming up the wings, act as a stable figure down the middle (With some pretty blended-up lines) and play great defensively. In that sense, Namestnikov actually had a decent year, especially considering some of the circumstances he was put in.
Namestnikov has played a lot of hockey for a lot of different clubs. He’s been at the top with Tampa and at the bottom with Detroit. He’s experienced, smart and does his job. If Seattle is looking for some guidance and stability for the lower lines of their new franchise, Namestnikov is the right choice.
Troy Stecher
Troy Stecher is the safest pick of the four. There isn’t too much to explain here; just look at how Red Wings fans reacted on Twitter when the team’s protection list was released. Stecher played some great hockey in Detroit this season, stepping into all sorts of defensive situations and succeeding.
While he doesn’t have the upside of a Cholowski, Stecher is probably the defenseman that the Kraken select. If they are looking to make a Vegas-style push in their first year, Stecher can slot into a winning team immediately. He’d make a perfect bottom-pairing defenseman on a great team; improving the play of whoever he’s paired with, playing competent offensively and, most important, guarding the blue line.
All Stats sourced from Hockey-Reference.com