Pius Suter had a career season for the Vancouver Canucks.
But there’s one big concern: His percentage of shots that turned into goals was much higher than his career average.
The potential for regression makes any contract decisions on the unrestricted free agent extra tough.
Suter is projected by AFP Analytics to get a four-year contract worth $20 million total ($5 million AAV).
If that’s what his price ends up at, Suter might wind up outside of Vancouver with another team entirely.
“He’s seemingly due for some regression, and there’s a good chance Vancouver doesn’t want to be the one holding a pricey bill when that comes,” NHL Rumors’ Gabriel Foley writes. “They also have to find ways to promote Räty into a notable role on his next deal, which will directly hurt Suter’s ice time. Should the Canucks get him signed to a reasonable contract, Suter would be a stout veteran to have in the lineup. But an expensive asking price should push the cap-strapped Canucks elsewhere.”
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The Swiss forward Suter turned 29 in May, so he’s not exactly a logical candidate to continue improving.
He may have gotten better, enough times, to be a solid contributor this past winter. But it doesn’t seem like there can be that much upside unless he somehow improves yet again.
Before the 46-point season, Suter had between 24-36 points in each of his first four NHL seasons.
In a lot of ways, he mostly is who he is, and that’s fine.
But it’s not a player that deserves $20 million in total value, even if that’s the deal he winds up with. And if it is, it seems unlikely that he’ll wind up back in Vancouver.
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