Avalanche Final Grade 2012: Jamie McGinn

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2011 Cap Hit: $680,000

2012 Status: RFA

It was quite a season for Jamie McGinn. He started the year a San Jose Shark, where he found himself in the bottom six, averaging 12:33 a night. His numbers there were averagely average: 12 goals and 12 assists (24 points) in 61 games, with 26 PiM, which amount to 0.2 goals and assists per game (0.4PPG). By all accounts he was very happy in San Jose, good friends with young hotshot Logan Couture and a fan favorite over at sister site Fear the Fin. Which is why it came to such a shock for Sharks fans on Trade Deadline Day when he became an Av.

To San Jose:
Daniel Winnik
TJ Galiardi
To Colorado:
Jamie McGinn
Mike Connolly
Michael Sgarbossa

Here is FtF's dedicated goodbye thread to him if you're curious how well-liked he was.

McGinn's start with the Avs was...... inauspicious. In losses to Columbus and Pittsburgh he brought home 0 points, -1, 2 PiM, and 2 shots. And then.... well...

@ minnesota: 2G
v. minnesota: 1G 1A
@ Nashville: 1G 1A
v. Edmonton: 0pts
v. Anaheim: 1G
v. Buffalo: 2G (including the game tying miracle goal)

That's one way to get yourself a new home eh? Jamie went on to finish with 8G-5A-13P in 17 games in the Burgundy and Blue, including 2 GWG. His ice time rose to average 16:40 as he enjoyed top line billing with Paul Stastny and opposite David Jones. He never looked out of place up there, despite spending all his time in San Jose billed as, and playing as, a third line winger with physicality who could provide some secondary scoring. Sacco was depending on him to be a top finisher with a gritty streak. And he flourished. His 14.6% shooting percentage was his highest since a 27-shot rookie season (14.8% with the small sample asterisk blinking at you annoyingly).

When I looked to see what was different about McGinn's weeks with us as opposed to his San Jose career, there was one major thing that stuck out at me. His shooting percentage wasn't that abnormal, despite being on the high end of his range. It was shots on goal. He took 55 as an Av in 17 games, as opposed to 104 in San Jose--in 61 games. On Stastny's wing, McGinn took 3.24 shots/game. That's the highest shooting rate he's ever had by more than a shot per game. It's as if Coach Sacco welcomed Jamie McGinn by saying "Look. I know you can score goals. You know you can score goals. Go out there with Paul and shoot the puck." He did and was rewarded with an upper-30s goal pace.

2012 Outlook: McGinn should be in for a healthy raise. A qualifying offer should be substantially lower than what he earned. I see the catch being the years involved. Will the Avs want to lock him up for a little while? Will he get a single year or two to prove he has what it takes to be a 60 point guy? If the Colorado front office has taught me anything it's that I have no idea what it's going to do with players whose contract is expiring. It's probably a pretty safe bet that they'll hang on to a guy they just traded for in February though.

SteveHouse's Take: Fantastic addition, especially when you look at the trade as a whole given that overage junior beast Michael Sgarbossa will join us for training camp next season... but this is about McGinn and his unexpected--by some ;)--production boost. For his time as an Av alone, I think for a very pleasant surprise he earns an A-.

Sandie's Take: Jamie joined the Avalanche when I went through some Avalanche heartbreak – the loss of Dan Winnik was one that I felt rather deeply. But March 14^th, the game against Buffalo, he scored with 1.7 seconds left in the game to tie it up. With that goal, he turned my mother into a hockey fan. It’s Impossible to hate a man who is able to do that. He managed to finish his Avs part of the season with 13 points in 17 games, a pace that is probably not something the Avalanche should expect next year. He still had a great go in the Burgundy and Blue uniform.

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