Replacing TvR on the 3RHD Slot
With TvR turning 35 this year, Andrew Peeke (I believe) is a great replacement for that 3rd-pair RHD. Contract wise TvR was on a 3x3, Peeke was on a 3x2.75 and are both UFA's heading into this off-season. Peeke I think could sign somewhere between 2.75-3.5.
I spent some time on hockey-reference and while I'm not the best at understanding every stat ever I think I got a decent read on the stats that matter.
He is an ideal defensive defenseman. Over his career, 64.3% of his even-strength starts came in the defensive zone. On the PK, he is at a 94.6% career shorthand D-zone start. In Boston this past season he hit 98.5%. He's a fantastic shot-blocker with 741 blocks in 386 GP.
While his career 3.7 GA/60 is higher than TvR’s (2.8), I believe that number was inflated by playing on some AWFUL CBJ teams from 22-24. Those teams finished 8th in the metro both seasons and had 59 and 66 points. His GA/60 was 4.8 and 4.5 GA/60 in the 22-23 and 23-24 season respectively. Once he got into Boston his numbers dropped to 2.3, 3.1, and 3.4 in these past 3 seasons.
Peeke also has a stat of 5.43 Blocks/60. The average bottom-pair, defensive defenseman usually lands between 3.0 and 4.0 blocks per 60 minutes. Peeke's rate puts him in the top 15–20 overall among NHL defensemen.
It's a very weak UFA class this year and while we're all focused on getting someone like Robertson (I think we should offer sheet him) I think adding a 28 year old puck eating defensman isn't a bad idea to replace TvR.
Following the Carlson and Dowd trade the locker room took a severe hit in morale. Peeke grew up in the Jr. Panthers program with Jakob Chychrun and Brandon Duhaime (assuming Duhaime is re-signed). He should slot well into the teams locker room, and hopefully bring back some of that agape love.
NOW. I will freely admit that I might be biased because I play with both his father and brother in my Rec league hockey. BUT I do actually think this makes sense.
Thoughts?