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With Capitals uninterested in bringing him back, Scott Hannan searches for new team

Scott Hannan, Sean Bergenheim

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Sean Bergenheim gets held up by Washington Capitals defenseman Scott Hannan during the second period in Game 1 of a conference semifinal NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoff series Friday, April 29, 2011 in Washington.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

AP

When the Washington Capitals nabbed rugged defenseman Scott Hannan last November, many wondered if he could be the missing piece. With his grit and lengthy resume of NHL experience, it seemed like Hannan possessed the kind of grit that critics found lacking in an oft-criticized Capitals blueline.

Regardless of how you feel about Hannan’s individual performance, the Capitals’ playoff run ended like the others: with disappointment. It’s lousy - and if you ask me, wrong - to lay much of the blame at Hannan’s feet, but he wasn’t a magical elixir for Washington’s woes, either.

For many who watch the team closely, the Roman Hamrlik signing is the team’s attempt to find a Hannan upgrade. Hannan probably has a slight edge on Hamrlik in the physicality department, but Hamrlik isn’t shy to use a little ruggedness either. Even if that edge is big, Hamrlik is more responsible in his own end, is even more experienced and can contribute far more offensively as well. (Hamrlik has 624 points in 1,311 career regular season games; Hannan has 185 in 830.)

That being said, Hamrlik’s age could make him more prone to injuries, so would the Capitals consider keeping Hannan around as a depth player/insurance? It doesn’t sound like a bad idea at the right price, but Stephen Whyno reports that Hannan must look elsewhere for employment next season.

Scott Hannan never received an offer from the Capitals before July 1 and remains unsigned. His agent, Don Meehan, told The Washington Times in an email that he’s still working to secure an NHL deal for the veteran.

As for the posssibility of Hannan playing next season for the Caps, Meehan said flatly, “That won’t happen.”


Let me first admit this much: I’m not blown away by Hannan as a defenseman, at least when considering his bloated former price tag. That being said, the former San Jose Sharks defenseman might actually make some sense in the price and role of newly added Sharks defenseman Colin White.

Like White, Hannan is “economical,” which is a nice way of saying that he doesn’t have a wide range of talents but keeps his game simple and rugged. Both won’t wow you but can serve as decent depth defensemen who soaks up tough minutes. Hannan averaged a team-leading 2:40 shorthanded minutes per game last season, which is more impressive than it sounds because the Capitals PK was quite sound.

Some teams who may want to consider Hannan (if he’s OK with Colin White-type money)


  • New Jersey - Why not make this comparison come full circle by adding Hannan? White was too much at $3 million but his size and experience might be missed. (Kevin Sellathamby also brought up this idea.)
  • Montreal - Hamrlik replaced Hannan, so maybe Hannan could replace Hamrlik’s physicality while a hopefully healthy Andrei Markov could more than make up for the loss in offense? (Stan Fischler thinks Hannan might work in Montreal.)
  • Pittsburgh - Not the first team that came into my head (Mike Colligan’s idea), but a depth boost might be handy for a Penguins team that might have a lot of grinding in its future if Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have health issues again.
  • Islanders - They could pay Hannan more than other teams since they need to reach the cap floor. Hey, he could even keep Evgeni Nabokov company, too. (Whyno brought this one up, although I doubt Hannan would get $4 million.)
  • Anaheim - The Ducks’ defense can use every bit of help they can get and Hannan probably wouldn’t mind living in California again.
  • Vancouver - Sure, their ideal add would be a top-six forward, but a lack of blueline depth is what doomed them in the Stanley Cup finals. If you think Boston bullying was an even bigger issue in that series, then Hannan could help a bit there, too.

Really, there are plenty of teams who could benefit from signing Hannan if his asking price isn’t outrageous. Maybe he wants to be within whispering distance of his bloated former salary, but the market should correct itself rather harshly this summer. If he can swallow his pride and take a Colin White-like salary, Hannan shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a job.