Martin Frk Claimed off Waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes

Another one has been lost to waivers. This afternoon the Hurricanes kept their streak alive of profiting off of other teams mismanagement by claiming Martin Frk off waivers. This follows up their claim of Andrej Nestrasil from Detroit just two offseason’s earlier in an identical situation. Nestrasil had almost as many points as Sheahan and Helm last season while playing almost 20 less games. Helm by the way, spent much of the season alongside Pavel Datsyuk. 

Frk was good for 44 points in 67 games last season in Grand Rapids and has been a point-per-game player in the playoffs for two appearances in Grand Rapids and two runs in the ECHL. He has a booming shot and would have been one of only four right handed shots in that forward group in Detroit had he made the squad. There’s no doubt he’ll be seeing some decent play time and likely power-play time in Carolina. Whatever, you may say to yourself, it’s Carolina, we’re better than them. Well, no, that’s not actually correct as Bob MacKenzie reported this morning:

One of the leagues best rebuilds now has another great depth piece. I wonder how people are going to feel about this when Detroit loses a wild-card spot to the Hurricanes this season…

Why is this an issue? Well, where exactly do we start here? From even just a financial standpoint it’s horrible. The organization is sinking money into every prospect they have. They are developing them, providing them with resources and going out of their way to be sure the player thrives. This is time, this is money, this is focus and teams of people working with and for these prospects. All that now becomes the benefit of the team who claims the free, NHL ready player.

Is it an accident that Detroit has five skaters waiver eligible this season and reportedly went bust again this offseason on the trade market? No, because why would any team in the NHL pay to get players they know are heading their way for free? Ouellet, Sproul and Frk all could have been valuable assets to sweeten any type of deal. They are the exact players that go along with a trade for someone like, I don’t know, maybe a Trouba? They are the Reilly Smith’s of the Sequin deal, they are the Nick Bonino’s of the Kesler deal, they are the pieces of value you need to have the foresight to deal earlier when you know they aren’t going to crack your lineup. Your game plan has been sign veterans for the last 20 years, this is pure and simple asset mismanagement. If they aren’t good enough for your team, that’s on management. If they can’t fit because you signed too many terrible contracts, that’s also on management. But when teams are just sitting pack and waiting for another mistake out of Detroit from Ferraro to Nestrasil to Frk now, that’s a real issue and a real bad look for the organization. 

This waiver claim coupled with confirmation of the rumour that Andreas Athanasiou is going to be starting the year in Grand Rapids would make for one of the worst weekends in Detroit in a very long time. The playoff streak has crippled this team from being able to make the proper moves that could advance this team back into a perennial competitor. When all they care about is season 26 and keeping their jobs on mediocrity, these are the types of moves we get. 

All the best to Martin Frk where he’ll finally get a fair crack at being a regular NHL player. Good luck in Carolina, there’s an amazing future there. 

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