From Jonathan at Copper & Blue:
Looking at the numbers, I like both players. Orpik has played well in a softer role, while Eaton has posted slightly less impressive numbers in more difficult icetime. The difference between them, as I alluded to in my introduction, is what kind of money they’re going to receive. Orpik is widely expected to recieve between 4.5 – 5M/yr on his next contract. As valuable as a physical element is, it simply isn’t that valuable. It makes me wonder what Matt Greene would fetch the Oilers on the trade market. Eaton, on the other hand, will in all likelihood be eminintly signable, but there are concerns with him as well. Signed to a two-year contract by the Penguins in 2006, he’s played a total of 71/164 possible games with knee and wrist injuries. That’s getting up into Ethan Moreau territory, and to top things off he’s still recovering from a torn MCL suffered last December.
Read his entry entry here.
I have to say that I agree with Jonathan. The Oilers don’t need to spend that type of money on Orpik. As for Eaton, not only is he injury prone, but he hasn’t proven to be much of an upgrade over any of the Oilers’ seven defensemen.
