Quoting: sharcuda22
Top 6 in San Jose -> Mid six on a competing team. Again Namestnikov line gets protected minutes - granny doesnt, has worse wingers, and still more points. He drives play. We can both like our guys more, thats fine and part of sports. But for sure granlund has improved immensely from his time in Pittsburg, and is for sure no longer considered a cap dump. He has been very good for the sharks (as good as a sharks player can be). To say otherwise is objectively incorrect.
That's cool. You can make all the excuses for him that you want, but the numbers don't support what you're saying.
Granlund gets 5 minutes more a game playing top line, prime minutes with San Jose's best players and only has 3 more points than Namestnikov with only 17 of those coming even strength.
Namesnikov while playing 5 minutes less of mostly 3rd line minutes with lesser wingers than Granlund had 19 ES points and 22 OA. Namestnikov didn't play regularly in the top 6 until Connor got hurt.
Dollar for dollar, Namestnikov is just better, does more with less in less ice time.
So, there's no incentive for Winnipeg to pay anything for a player that isn't an improvement on what they already have and costs more to boot and has an extra year that Winnipeg doesn't want.
I'm glad you're happy with his play though. He seems to be a good fit in SJ.