Lars Eller v. Montreal Canadiens

Lars Eller v. Montreal Canadiens Team #23

Table of Contents Introduction... 3 Lars Eller... 3 Intra-Team Comparison... 4 Offense... 4 Defense... 4 Summary... 5 League Comparisons... 5 Eller vs. Tlusty... 6 Eller vs. Bailey... 8 Eller vs. Stewart... 9 Conclusion... 10 2

INTRODUCTION Pursuant to section 12 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (the CBA ) between the NHLPA and the NHL, Lars Eller has requested salary arbitration to determine his compensation for the 2014-2015 Season. Eller should be evaluated and compensated based on the standards of the current market. For the reasons set forth herein, Lars Eller respectfully requests an award in the amount of $3,650,000 for the 2014-2015 season. LARS ELLER Lars Eller is a 25 year-old 6 2 215 pound left handed shooting center, with the Montreal Canadiens (the Club or Montreal ). In Eller s 2013-2014 platform season, he led Montreal in hits and all Montreal forwards in blocks. Eller was a staple of the NHL s 4 th ranked penalty kill and contributed time on Montreal s power play. Despite struggling to duplicate his 12-13 offence, it was in the playoffs that Eller proved his worth. Eller scored 13 points in 17 games, ranking him second on the team, one point behind PK Subban. Eller is a durable player, playing in 74% of Montreal s games since joining the team, which is remarkable in light of his hits and block statistics. INTRA-TEAM COMPARISON It is important to look at market values within the Club. With respect to salary and value, Eller should fit between Montreal s forward P.A. Parenteau 1 and David Desharnais. Lars Eller Intra-Team 2012/2013 & 2013/2014 Regular Season Statistics 2 PLAYER GP G A Pts Pts/ G Min/G PPMin/G SHMin/G Hits Blocks FO Off Zone FO Def Zone 1 While Montreal did not sign Parenteau, they did trade for him with knowledge of his salary 2 http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_team_statistics.php?ds=22&f1=2013_s&f2=mtl&c=0+1+2+3+4+13+14+15+16+17+1 8+19+20+21+22 3

Desharnais 127 26 54 80 0.62 16.69 2.47 0.07 0.38 0.41 46% 51% Eller 123 20 36 56 0.45 15.03 0.74 1.26 1.76 0.74 52% 51% Parenteau 103 32 44 76 0.73 17.82 2.42 0.01 0.53 0.29 NA NA Lars Eller Intra-Team 2012/2013 & 2013/2014 Post Season Statistics* 3 PLAYER GP G A Pts Pts/ G Min/G PPMin/G SHMin/G Hits Blocks FO Off Zone FO Def Zone Desharnais 22 2 7 9 0.41 17.76 2.75 0.20 0.95 0.31 42% 61% Eller 18 5 18 13 0.48 12.35* 0.30* 1.33* 1.78 0.44 33% 55% Parenteau 7 1 2 3 0.43 17.53 2.56 0.00 0.14 0.28 NA NA * Injured due to a hit, which garnered a suspension, resulting in Eller only playing 1 period in the 12/13 playoffs OFFENSE While Eller was behind in regular season offensive categories, he significantly closed the gap in the playoffs, leading the group in points per game, finishing 2 nd on the team in playoff points. Eller s 2012-2013 season and his 2014 playoffs are indicative of the offensive upside that the Player has. In Eller s platform season, he played with a revolving door of wingers such as Brandon Prust (13 pts) and Brendan Gallagher (41 pts) who are traditional bottom six players, as well as wingers such as Alex Galchenyuk (31 pts) and Rene Bourque (16 pts) who had uncharacteristically poor seasons themselves. DEFENSE Eller led Montreal in hits (130), led all Montreal forwards in blocked shots (58) and was among the top Montreal players with respect to takeaways (.39 per game). 4 Eller also bested Parenteau and Desharnais in offensive and defensive zone faceoff winning percentage, demonstrating his reliability in key faceoff situations. Eller most often played with Montreal s top defensive pairing of PK Subban and Andrei Markov, lining up against Montreal s toughest opponents. Eller is a more well rounded player, playing significant penalty killing minutes, as compared to the virtually non-existent penalty killing minutes that Parenteau and Desharnais have played. 3 www.behindthenet.ca 4 http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchkey=20142mtlfafall&sort=hits&viewname=rtssplayerstats. 4

SUMMARY Lars Eller is a true two-way player that steps up in high-pressure situations. As Eller s 2012-2013 season and 2014 playoffs indicate, Eller has the potential to become a 60+ point player who can be relied on in all defensive situations. PA Parenteau is a skilled offensive forward who can play first line minutes for Montreal. Conversely, David Desharnais is caught in the middle. Desharnais is nowhere near the defensive player that Eller is, yet he is also nowhere near the offensive player that Parenteau is. As such, it is submitted that Lars Eller s award request of $3,650,000 is both fair and reasonable as it places him between Parenteau and Desharnais, where he belongs. LEAGUE COMPARIBLES Of the forwards who were RFAs in one of the previous two seasons, comparable players who met the following criteria were selected: PLATFORM SEASON At least 20% of league games played by Eller; +/- 15% of Eller s Time on Ice per Game ( TOI/G ); and At least 0.3 Points Per Game ( PPG ). CAREER TO PLATFORM SEASON +/- 40% of Eller s NHL games played; +/- 15% minutes of Eller s TOI/G; and +/- 0.3 PPG. The comparable players are: Jiri Tlusty, Chris Stewart, and Josh Bailey. Lars Eller vs. Comparable Players Contracts PLAYER 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 Stewart $4,100,000 $4,200,000 $4,150,000 Eller $3,650,000 $3,650,000 Bailey 2,200,000 $3,100,000 $3,500,000 $3,700,000 $4,000,000 $3,300,000 Tlusty $2,950,000 $2,950,000 5

Lars Eller vs. Comparable Players Platform Year Statistics 5 PLAYER GP G A Pts Pts/G Hits/ Blocks/ TA/G Min/G PPMin/G SHMin/G G G FO % Eller 77 12 14 26 0.33 15.57 1.06 1.24 1.69 0.75 53% 0.39 Tlusty 68 16 14 30 0.44 15.10 1.29 0.34 1.29 0.55 20% 0.38 Bailey 38 11 8 19 0.50 16.22 1.17 0.54 0.63 0.58 47% 0.68 Stewart 48 18 18 36 0.75 15.49 2.19 0.00 0.85 0.27 30% 0.27 Lars Eller vs. Comparable Players Two Years Career to Platform Hits/G PPMin/ SHMin/ G G PLAYER GP G A Pts Pts/G Min/G Blocks /G FO % Eller 123 20 36 56 0.45 15.03 0.74 1.26 1.76 0.74 51% 0.43 Tlusty 116 39 29 68 0.59 16.62 1.83 0.46 1.21 0.68 18% 0.41 Bailey 118 24 27 51 0.43 15.67 1.14 0.94 0.74 0.48 45% 0.74 Stewart 127 33 33 66 0.52 15.37 1.76 0.02 1.20 0.27 26% 0.24 Lars Eller vs. Comparable Players Career to Platform 6 PLAYER GP G A Pts Pts/G Min/G PPMin/ SHMin/ Hits/G Blocks /G FO % G G Eller 286 45 58 103 0.36 13.36 0.65 1.30 1.33 0.59 48% 0.42 Tlusty 344 73 69 142 0.41 11.25 1.56 0.17 0.67 0.37 38% 0.51 Bailey 329 58 81 139 0.42 15.84 1.93 0.88 0.76 0.54 43% 0.73 Stewart 319 100 102 202 0.63 15.32 1.89 0.03 1.22 0.22 33% 0.27 LARS ELLER vs. JIRI TLUSTY EXPERIENCE Of the regular season NHL games, which have been played since their first season (Eller: 376) TA/G TA/G (Tlusty: 704), Eller has played in 76% of his games. 7 Conversely, Tlusty struggled to make the lineups consistently, playing in 49% of the games. OFFENSE At first glance, it appears that Tlusty s offensive capabilities exceed Eller s; however, this is not the case. Tlusty s Hurricanes finished the season ranked 24 th in wins (with 36), compared to the 5 Supra note 4. 6 Ibid. 7 http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8474189&docid=teamplayerbio:41071#&navid=nhl-search. 6

Canadiens 9 th place finish (with 46). 8 Playing on a relatively weaker team allowed Tlusty to play on Carolina s top line. As a result, Tlusty received ice time in prime scoring situations. Additionally, Tlusty was able to share a line with strong offensive players 9 - Eric Staal (61 pts) and Alexander Semin (42 pts). 10 Eller by contrast, played on a checking line with a revolving door of struggling teammates. 11 DEFENSE Eller is relied upon as a regular penalty killer, averaging 1:24 of penalty killing time. This is compared to Tlusty s 0:34 seconds. When examining differences in defensive performance as measured by hits (Eller: 130; Tlusty: 88), blocked shots (Eller: 58; Tlusty: 38), and takeaways (Eller: 30; Tlusty: 26), this becomes clear. Undoubtedly, Eller s ability to consistently win faceoffs is likely another factor that contributes to his higher SH TOI/G. PLAYOFFS Tlusty has never played in an NHL postseason game, as compared to Eller s 25 playoff games. At the very least, it indicates that Tlusty is an unknown in the post season, unlike Eller, who has consistently raised in game in the postseason. SUMMARY Based on the comparisons, and the $2,950,000 salary that Tlusty will earn this season, it is submitted that Eller s award request is both fair and reasonable. LARS ELLER vs. JOSH BAILEY EXPERIENCE 8 9 NHL 2013-14 Player Data retrieved from: http://www.hockeyabstract.com/testimonials. 10 http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gametype=2&team=car&position=s&country=&status= &viewname=summary. 11 http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2014/9/3/6097757/lars-eller-canadiens-season-review 7

Despite having 2 extra years of NHL playing experience, Bailey has only appeared in 1 playoff series. Eller on the other hand, has helped his team reach the playoffs in 3 seasons, appearing in 25 games. This experience differential cannot be understated. OFFENSE Bailey and Eller are of comparative skill offensively. While Bailey s PPG of 0.5 compared to Eller s 0.36 appears to indicate a gap in capabilities, the players are virtually identical on a career to platform basis. 12 Considering the turmoil on the wings beside Eller, the small differential in platform numbers is easily accounted for. Furthermore, Eller has outperformed Bailey offensively in the postseason, when the games matter most, tallying an average of 0.6 PPG compared to Bailey s 0.5. DEFENSE Bailey does not demonstrate the physicality and grit required to be of the same defensive caliber as Eller. This is illustrated in Eller being a fixture on a 4 th ranked penalty killing unit, whereas Bailey was only trusted with an average of 54 seconds of shorthanded time per game, on a penalty kill unit ranked 21 st in the NHL. 13 The physicality gap grows when looking at the discrepancy between the players performances in Hits/G and Blocks/G for their platform years, with Bailey recording 0.63 Hits/G and 0.58 blocks/g compared to Eller s 1.76 Hits/G and 0.75 Blocks/G. MISCELANIOUS In addition to the foregoing, Eller has the additional attribute over Bailey in the fact that he has proven himself adept in the faceoff circle, 14 giving him versatility. In Bailey s platform season, he managed a meager 46.7%. SUMMARY 12 Eller: 0.36, Bailey: 0.42. 13 http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?season=20122013&gametype=2&viewname=penaltykill#. 14 Managing a 53% success rate. 8

Based on the comparisons, and the $3,100,000 salary that Bailey will earn this season, it is submitted that Eller s award request is both fair and reasonable. LARS ELLER vs. CHRIS STEWART EXPERIENCE With respect to career to platform, both players had played at least 275 games, with Stewart playing 33 more games than Eller. In their respective platform seasons, Eller played in 94% of Montreal s games, while Stewart played in 100% of his team s games, albeit in the lockout shortened season. OFFENSE Stewart is a pure scorer. Eller is a two-way forward. Stewart is compensated as a top 6 scorer, rather than as a top 6 forward as he is a one-dimensional player. Stewart s offensive statistics are better than Eller s however, Eller still managed to provide enough offense (.45 PPG in just over 15 minutes of ice time) to remain a valued member of Montreal s top 6 core, while also providing the two-way capabilities that Stewart lacks. DEFENSE Eller bested Stewart in every defensive metric. Despite Stewart being a power forward, Eller out hit and out blocked Stewart while also recording more takeaways than Stewart. Additionally, Eller was an integral part of Montreal s penalty kill, whereas Stewart was nonexistent on his teams penalty kills. Eller holds his own offensively against Stewart, yet utterly demolishes Stewart with respect to defensive metrics. DURABILITY Despite Stewart being a true power forward, in their respective platform years, Eller had over 90 hits more than Stewart, while still playing in 94% of Montreal s games. Even with Stewart s 9

numbers being extrapolated to account for a full season, Eller still would have recorded over 40 hits more than Stewart. In addition to leading Montreal in hits, Eller also led Montreal s forwards in blocks, which only further demonstrates his durability. PLAYOFFS Lars Eller vs. Chris Stewart Career to Platform Playoffs 15 PLAYER GP G A Pts Pts/G Hits/G Blocks/G TA/G Eller 25 5 10 15 0.60 2.00 0.5 0.3 Stewart 19 5 1 6 0.30 1.50 0.3 0.2 With respect to career to platform, in the playoffs Eller has produced better offensive and defensive numbers in every statistical category as compared to Stewart. While Eller elevates his game in the playoffs, Stewart s regular season numbers dwarf his postseason statistics. Eller is a proven playoff performer who brings his game to a higher level when he is needed most. Moreover, while Eller and Stewart both received power play time, only Eller played for his team short handed. SUMMARY Based on the comparisons, and the $4,200,000 salary that Stewart will earn this season, it is submitted that Eller s award request is both fair and reasonable. CONCLUSION Lars Eller is a well-rounded, skilled, durable, physical, two-way rising star who contributes in all facets of the game. Compared to similar players Jiri Tlusty, Josh Bailey and Chris Stewart, Eller demonstrates his worth. It has been demonstrated that Eller should be compensated ahead of Jiri Tlusty and Josh Bailey, and slightly below Chris Stewart. As such, for the reasons stated herein, it is respectfully requested that Lars Eller be awarded a salary of $3,650,000 for this season. 15 Supra, note 4. 10