The off-season targets series keeps on rolling tonight with a look at a blue-liner who just saw his season end, and who could really help the Oilers out in a massive way. That defender is Montreal veteran Andrei Markov, who has been rumored to be on the Oilers radar before.
Why Is He Out There?:
The Habs are coming off of a break-out season, which was greatly helped by the efforts of Markov, that said, he is a free agent on July 1st, and is going to want a pretty hefty contract money wise. Montreal already has to re-sign star PK Subban and captain Brian Gionta, and might sacrifice Markov to save cash for those contracts and other improvements.
Markov’s age (35) and past injury history is a concern as well. There were rumors his contract demands were too steep at the deadline and that he could be on the market, and he was connected to Edmonton by Bruce Garrioch.
What Does He Do Well?:
Markov does a lot well. He’s a very good puck-moving defender that can get the puck up to the skill guys and create offense. He has a great shot from the point, is a smart player, and is around a 50% Corsi For % player, so he’s average possession wise. He’s not overly physical, but he has decent size.
He’s not overly flashy, but he’s smart with the puck, and can make that all important first pass. He can play pretty big minutes too, as he has been averaging between 20 and 25 minutes the last few seasons. He’s also been up against tough competition too, just below that of first line duty.
He’s a major asset on the power-play, and can run a unit if need be, which would be a major hole filled for the Oilers.
Markov was behind PK Subban this past year, and as a result saw his level of competition fall a little bit. That being said, he’s playing just below the top guys and is still handling great players nearly every night. His Corsi For % took a small dip from 2012-13, but was still pretty good this past year at 49.4%.
He isn’t a legit number one anymore, but he’s a top-pairing option that moves the puck well, is around average possession wise, and is very smart.
Fans won’t love that he isn’t a big brute like Pronger was, but he’s a darn good defender that fits in with the roster.
Where Will He Play, and Where Should He Play?:
If Andrei Markov signs in Edmonton, he’ll be the number one defender on this hockey club. On a cup team, he’d likely be the number two or three defender, so he’d be higher up on the depth chart than he should be. That being said, he’d still be a candidate for big minutes and would still be a top-pairing option most other places, so he isn’t that far out of place.
He won’t save the unit on his own however, and while Markov would improve Edmonton’s defense, there would need to be more brought in to help the veteran.
What Will He Cost?:
The good news is, this is an option that wouldn’t cost Edmonton any assets. Markov would only cost money, so he’s even more appealing to the Oilers. There are contract demands here however, and it will likely have to be an overpay.
Before the deadline, Tony Marinaro of TSN 690 reported Markov wanted a three year deal and around $6 M per year. That would mean the starting offer would have to be 3 yrs/$18 M.
Likely, to come to Edmonton, it will cost three years and about $6.5 M per. That’s a hefty contract for a 35 year old with major injury concerns.
Closing Argument:
Andrei Markov is a good defender. That shouldn’t be news to anyone, as he has been doing this for years. He’s a decent possession player who can run a power-play, move the puck extremely well, possesses a great shot, and gets the puck to the forwards. For a team like Edmonton, he fits the bill skill wise, a strong puck-mover. If Edmonton is serious about being that kind of team, Markov is a great fit.
There are questions, mainly age and injury history, and the contract will be hefty, but with this risk comes reward. He’s not a number one defender anymore, but Andrei Markov is a top-pairing option and would improve a poor Edmonton blue-line at the cost of simply money and a contract.
If Markov is interested in signing with the Oilers, Craig MacTavish should be more than willing to entertain the idea.
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