Chris Drury for Patrick Marleau? Thoughts from Puck Daddy

i’d like this trade if it went down. mostly because the rangers lose a big contract and replace it with another capable player who will be ufa. for this to happen though drury would have to waive his NTC and the rangers would probably have to include another player b/c of the contract.

Easier said than done…

Also, even if this did happen, Marleau isn’t exactly easy to replace if he walked after a contract year.

And everyone calls Marleau a dog out there, so we want another half-hearted player here? As disappointing as Drury has been, a soft frenchman isn’t the answer. Marleau can’t kill penalties the way Dru can and has no idea of what his own zone looks like. Marleau for Gomez might be a better alternative …

Drury’s getting paid for his reputation and a little league game he pitched 20 years ago. Marleau’s scored more playoff goals – 32 – and more GW playoff goals – 10, then anyone else since 2002.

Marleau’s and Drury’s career stats, on a per game basis, are nearly identical.

Regular Season:

Marleau: .31 GPG, .38 APG, .70 PPG.
Drury: .30 GPG, .42 APG, .73 PPG

Marleau: 53 GWG in regular season, career
Drury: 46 GWG in regular season, career.

Marleau: career +/- : 1
Drury: career +/-: 2

Playoffs:

Marleau: .37 GPG, .27 APG, .67 PPG
Drury: .36 GPG, .31 APG, .67 PPG

Marleau: 10 GWG in playoffs, career
Drury: 17 GWG in playoffs, career.

Calling Drury a better penalty-killer is as subjective a comment as you can make. Marleau scored 5 SHG this year – and has a career total of 7. Drury scored 1 SHG this year, and has a career total of 8. Marleau has a positive BehindtheNet rating shorthanded; Drury has a negative rating.

All this goes to show that, statistically, you have two players who cannot be more similar. So any difference between the two boil down to subjective factors – “leadership”, “winner”, “clutch”. These are the subjective factors that I would argue have gained Drury a more positive “reputation” than Marleau.

Big deal. I’ll trade a subjective reputation for equal on-ice production, cap space, and a younger player any day.

And i’ve never been a fan of Drury. I’d accept the trade just for the simple fact that Drury would be gone. Plus with the cap space maybe the rangers could make some more moves and bring the Sedin brothers, or maybe even Gaborik who would be terrific for John Torts and the rangers.

But the fact remains he’s still a good player to have on the team. I know he doesn’t play up to his contract, but that’s more of the people around him. He had guys like Daniel Briere and Brian Campbell playing with him in Buffalo, he has none of those types in NY.

Surround him with some better talent, then we’ll see.

Marlueu is like Joe Thornton, there’s a reason these guys fail year after year in the playoffs. Its not like the Sharks don’t have a good Goalie or defense either.

Marleau is a bit better offensively, Drury is a bit better defensively, Marleau’s contract comes off the books after 2009-10.