Survivor UFA: Big Z Not Big Enough

Editor's Note: The Blues have quite a few UFAs whose futures need close examination. This is an ongoing pro/con debate on the fates of each of them.

Zbynek Michalek.

Zbynek Michalek.

Zbynek Mich--- WAIT. If you say his name three times he comes to life and reeks havoc on your life!!! Haven't you ever watched Beetlejuice Hoosier Blue?

Now I am not saying Michalek is as gruesome as Michael Keaton's character but at the end of the day his offensive stats and potential salary could make many of us wish we had just kept our mouths shut.

I can't argue that defensively he isn't one of our best options to resign but take a look at the Stanley Cup playoffs right now, what is winning? Oh thats right goals and goals and goals. And where are those goals coming from? Superstar forwards and offensive defensemen, something that Michalek is neither. So why would we waste $3.5 million on a guy we won't need and can be replaced with a much cheaper option?

Let's start with statistics. As my opponent has stated, Michalek averages .24 points per game in his career and this year it fell all the way to .17 per game which ranked him as the 182 best defensemen in the NHL this past year. His top season came back in 2006-07 when he put up a "huge" 28 points for Phoneix Arizona. While I give you that his almost 1600 career blocked shots is impressive, in this league you need to be able to score to win games.

Rolling that into salary, why the Penguins paid $20 million for a glorified shot blocker after seeing the Blues pay huge money for Jay McKee is beyond me. Not only has that driven up his price now, it effectively drives the price for a Barret Jackman up as well. Pair that with a recent run of injuries and you could be on the hook for a high priced press box chair. MIchalek has dealt with a broken finger, a sustained hip injury and most recently a concussion. And we all know how well the Blues treat concussions, *cough*Andy Mac*cough*.

Michalek has also never played on a team that has made it out of the first round of the playoffs. He doesn't bring any playoff experience for a guy that is 32 years old.

And if your argument is that we need physicality on the back line, look no further than Petteri Lindbohm who more then proved he has the skill and the physical nature to play in the NHL. He also has a much better contract situation, by which I mean he is much cheaper then Michalek could be.

The Blues would be absolutely foolish to bring back Michalek as he would push us to the salary cap, not give us anything in offensive productivity and would block the growth and development of a number of our young defensemen. The Sand Worm can take this free agent and drag him down to free agent purgatory for all I care.