As odd as that title was for me to type, I’m sure it was just as strange for you to read.  After deciding to rise above the rubble of my day job, I felt the need to comment about the signing of veteran center Scott Gomez by the Florida Panthers.  This could very well be one of the more valuable moves for the upcoming season by the Panthers.  After having his ludicrous contract bought out by the Montreal Canadiens, a seven year deal for $51.5 million dollars that Gomez signed as a free agent to play for the New York Rangers in 2007, the reality is that Gomez is a very low risk, high reward signing.  His contract was ludicrous simply because he failed to produce at the level that was expected.  His best year as a Ranger was his first when he scored 70 points.  That year was followed by a 58 point season which then saw him traded to the Montreal Canadiens in a seven player deal with Gomez and Montreal’s Chris Higgins being the biggest names of the group, along with a defenceman by the naem of Ryan McDonough. Gomez had 59 points in his first season in Montreal, 38 the next, and battled injuries as he quickly fell out of favor with the Canadiens.  Of course one other reason his numbers fell could have had something to do with the stifling game plan of Jacques Martin, however “dat” is discussion is for another time.

Gomez’s lack of production and fat contract made him an easy target for the Montreal faithful, and after the lockout ended last season, the Canadiens bought him out, and Gomez eventually landed with the San Jose Sharks in a very serviceable role, playing 39 games, scoring twice and collecting 13 assists.   The Sharks Todd McLellan had this to say about Gomez during his time in San Jose:

“Gomer has been a very good player for us in a number of different ways. I don’t want to say it’s surprising, but he’s almost like a third or a fourth coach. He’s trying to do things the right way. He’s trying to get guys to keep their shifts short, that we have a high guy, that we don’t turn pucks over. I didn’t know we were getting that in Scott Gomez, but we’re getting it, and he’s been a big influence that way.”

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