Teams Lining up to Settle Before Arbitration

A few weeks ago we released an arbitration list which named the players ready to do battle with their employers. From that list a vast majority settled with the exception of Stanley Cup winner Antti Niemi.

Let’s take a short look at who settled and who is still prepared to go to war:

	James Wisniewski – Scheduled 8/3/10
	Ben Eager – Scheduled 8/3/10 Andrew Ladd – Scheduled 7/29/10 Clarke MacArthur – Team walked away from award
	Gregory Campbell – signed before arbitration Blake Wheeler – Pending award
	Tim Kennedy – Pending Award
	Ian White – Scheduled 7/30/10
	Antti Niemi – Scheduled 7/29/10
	Jared Boll – Settled before arbitration Anton Stralman – Settled before arbitration
	Fabian Brunnstrom – Settled before arbitration
	Derek Meech – Settled before arbitration
	Gilbert Brule – Settled before arbitration JF Jacques – Settled before arbitration Jeff Deslauriers – Scheduled 8/4/10
	Brad Richardson – Settled before arbitration
	Mark Fraser – Settled before arbitration
	Matt Moulson – Settled before arbitration
	Daniel Girardi – Settled before arbitration
	Chris Campoli – Scheduled 8/4/10 Peter Regin – Scheduled 7/30/10
	Daniel Carcillo – Settled before arbitration
	Cam Janssen – Settled before arbitration
	Nate Thompson – Settled before arbitration
	Tanner Glass – Settled before arbitration Mason Raymond – Settled before arbitration Jannik Hansen – Settled before arbitration
	Eric Fehr – Settled before arbitration Tomas Fleischmann – Settled before arbitration Jeff Schultz – Settled before arbitration

In the past these wars would be nasty, where the team accentuates all the flaws with their young player and essentially alienate the player from the actual team.  Certain young players seem to have been given the vote of confidence this season as Raymond, Schultz, Fleischmann, Fehr, Moulson and Girardi felt like part of the core rather than expendable and unproven commodities.

Since the lockout we knew that the game would become a younger sport and it really shows in how a GM values their young players.  Young players make great trading chips so a roster player under team control is now treated as a indispensable asset.

My fantasy strategy somewhat mirrors that of a NHL GM so drafting younger will be a priority this season.  However, if Jarome Iginla finds his way into the 4th round it would be foolish not to pull the trigger over age.