On the Block: Steve Ott

Every player on this roster with an expiring contract should be considered a tradeable asset. Ott won’t lift a team into the playoffs or be their ringer in a 3-0 series deficit, but GMs and coaches won’t underestimate the power of positive attitude and camaraderie that certain guys bring to the locker room. Ott is a guy who brings those things and everybody knows it.

On the ice, one thing Steve Ott brings is grit. He’s second on the team in hits and leads the team in fights. Both management and players love a guy who is willing to put his body on the line for his teammates. If somebody needs to be avenged, Ott will bite the bullet. If they need a momentum swing, Ott will get the crowd going. Look no further than Detroit’s December 17th game against the Anaheim Ducks. The Wings fell behind by 2 goals early in the first period, so Ott dropped the gloves and lo and behold, the team clawed their way back and won the game 6-4. A well-timed fight can completely change the momentum of a game.

In addition to his fists, Ott is frequently counted on to win defensive zone faceoffs. He currently leads all team centres with a 59.5 FO% and has been a contributing factor to the Wings’ middle-of-the-pack 80.8 PK%. His aggressive defensive play stifles competitors. He’s only been on the ice for 17 goals against (all situations), which is 5th best on the team and 3rd best among forwards who have played over 100 minutes. Ott’s play can help his team defensively.  

Unfortunately, that means that Ott’s play hinders his team offensively. The more time you spend in your own zone defending means the less time you spend in your opponent’s zone creating scoring chances. In today’s NHL, the role of the fighter has been diminished and pushed out due to all of the emerging talent. Playoff teams now have four lines that can pressure offensively and create scoring opportunities. If you look at the pests in today’s game – Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkatchuk to name a few – all of them bring more to the table than their pesty ways. They are fast and they can score. Ott struggles in both of these departments, even though it’s hard not to smile at him being a pest.

The other problem is that Ott often hurts his team, taking penalties at crucial moments in the game or when his team is on the powerplay. When a player is a liability like this on the ice, the chances of him getting ice time are low and he ends up spending most of his time in the press box. I’m not sure any teams out there would want to give up assets for someone they are likely to scratch on a weekly basis. Unless they have some history with him.  

There is a lot of drama around the St. Louis Blues right now. After firing head coach Ken Hitchcock Wednesday morning, team general manager Doug Armstrong slammed his players for playing like “independent contractors” and not losing with pride. In an interview with Nicholas J. Cotsonika on NHL.com, Armstrong said, “I think the culture’s changed a bit and we have to regain the culture … we have to regain wanting what’s best for the Note on the front, not the name on the back.” This sounds like it could be a job for Steve Ott. Ott played for the Blues last year on their deep playoff run and was part of a tight knit group that stood up for each other. His teammates loved him.

The Calgary Flames may also be in the market for a tough guy. Currently tied for the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, the Flames may be looking for somebody who is able to protect their young stars. Earlier this season, Johnny Gaudreau was assaulted by slashes, one of which eventually broke his finger. In a league where guys have to answer the bell for hurting a star player, there is nobody on the Flames roster who will go out and exact that revenge. Steve Ott could.

As for a return, I’m not sure the Wings could get anything more than a really low draft pick. Ott’s style of play is not a hot commodity and, while he does bring leadership to the locker room, teams would rather pay for someone who can add to their goal tally. Still, his contract expires at the end of this season, so it would be a low-risk acquisition for any interested teams. It’s something Ken Holland should at least be asking about. If they are going to lose him at the end of the season anyways, you might as well try to get something for him.

What do you think? Should the Wings keep him or deal him? Are there any other teams you think would be interested? Let us know in the comments below.