UFA of the Day: Jeremy Roenick

I love Jeremy Roenick. Pretty much everything about the dude is awesome. He’s one of the fiercest competitors I’ve ever really seen play, and I’ve enjoyed watching him (and his horrible commercials) all season.

However, he’s going to be entering his 21st NHL season, and he’s tired. He’d never admit it, but the average Sharks fan can tell. Roenick hasn’t been skating as effectively as he used to, and he doesn’t bring as much to the table offensively as he did in seasons past. If you take a gander at his points scored over the last four seasons, you’re looking at about 24 point per year average, or .40 points per game. That’s not bad for what you’d expect for a guy his age, but his 2008-2009 production dropped considerably… 13 points in 42 games played (for an average of only .3 points per game).

Roenick isn’t the scoring threat he once was, but that’s ok. He still can fill a hole on this team even if he isn’t putting points on the board. At State of the Sharks, he was applauded for his leadership and determination… two things that the other Sharks are accused of having in short supply.

Although I could wax statistical about Roenick all day, this decision (like most others) isn’t really up to me. It’s up to Roenick. Even Doug Wilson has stated that he’s giving Roenick time to decide if he wants to play next season. He understands that Roenick’s career has been a long difficult road; it’s important to let the emotions of this latest postseason failure pass before he makes any kind of decision about his future.

Since the fourth line got so little ice time last season, I could see Roenick hanging around next year and chipping in anywhere from five to eight minutes a night. He’s a driving force for this team, and I think he’s still got the fire.

And oh yeah, this guy wants a cup. BAD.

TCY’s Final Offer: One year at the NHL Minimum Salary ($500,000). We’re backed against the cap, and I don’t see J.R. holding out for a big paycheck.

If J.R. decides to come back next season, should Doug Wilson re-sign him?