The Devils signed Havlat for what could be a bargain if the veteran winger is able to harness some of the skill he’s shown in his career, one that has been plagued by injury and inconsistency. He hasn’t cracked 30 points since leaving Minnesota and saw his ice time limited during his second stint with San Jose, before being bought out last season. His talent has never been denied, but consistency and the ability to stay healthy will go a long way in dictating how he is able to mesh with Czech teammates Jaromir Jagr and Patrik Elias. Havlat is worth a late look or a waiver pick up if he can show a semblance of the skill that used to make him a productive forward.
Havlat is your man if you're a gambler and feeling dangerous. His pic has got to be listed on the Wikipedia page for risk/reward (kidding). He's supremely talented, but has a painful history of injuries, and quite frankly, that's the only reason he's still on the Sharks. Havlat seemed to be a lock to be a compliance buy out for San Jose, but you can't buy out an injured player and Havlat is still considered injured from the pelvis injury he sustained in the playoffs. Havlat is still a natural scorer, but there's no guarantee that he'll continue to produce at earlier levels and it seems unlikely that he will play the full season this year. He will start the year on long-term IR, with general manager Doug Wilson saying there is no timeline for him to return. Ouch -- literally and figuratively.
There aren't many guarantees in life ... death, taxes and, of course, a Marty Havlat injury. Poor guy. And those injuries have meant he's just never been able to live up to the lofty expectations of his youth. His game is built on electric speed, but it's hard to gauge how much last year's torn hamstring tendon will take off his game. He's not exactly conscientious in his own zone, so he needs the perfect linemates to ensure a healthy marriage for his skills. Draft him with caution again this year. We think he'll probably miss a good 20 games and his production will come in bursts, but he will also deliver you 20-plus goals and 50-plus points. Those potential numbers are great in formats that factor production on a per-game basis.
This past offseason, the Wild shipped Havlat to San Jose in a straight swap for sniping forward Dany Heatley. Havlat does not have as much punch in the scoring department as Heatley, though he is a versatile winger with blazing speed. In 621 career games between the Senators, Blackhawks and Wild, Havlat has recorded 512 points (209 G, 303 A), so he's certainly no slouch offensively. Anyone willing to invest a high draft pick on Havlat should be forewarned that he sustained a partially torn shoulder labrum that required surgery last May. The 30-year-old is expected to be ready for training camp, but it will be a situation worth monitoring as he's had trouble staying healthy in the past.
Havlat got off to a slow start with the Wild after groin and hamstring injuries early in the season and he had just eight points in his first 19 games. He got into a groove in the offense in the second half and scored 46 points in his final 54 games. As always, Havlat carries significant injury risk even after playing over 70 games for the second time in seven seasons, but he should be the main scorer on the Wild's top line again.
On a Chicago team featuring the likes of Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews, Havlat was the leading scorer with 77 points. Havlat has always been extremely talented, but he hasn't exactly been an iron man. Last season was the first time he has played more than 73 games in a season, and he ended the postseason off the ice due to a concussion. If Havlat is healthy, he'll likely lead the Wild in points. However, that is one of the bigger "ifs" you'll find this season.
Havlat hasn't been able to stay healthy the last three years. He played 18 games in 2005-06, 56 games in 2006-07, and 35 games in 2007-08. If Havlat could play a full year he'd be considered a "big gun", but he isn't reliable enough to put any faith in him. He's worth taking a late round flier on, but don't reach too early for him.
When Havlat is on the ice, it puts the Hawks on the same level as the typical NHL offense. When he is not on the ice, it would be an understatement to say that the Hawks struggled to score goals. Havlat led the team in most of the offensive categories last season, potting 25 goals and picking up 32 assists. If healthy in 2007-08, he will surpass his career marks, but that is a big if.
The Blackhawks have been searching for a dominant scorer since the days of Jeremy Roenick, and the team knows Havlat is that player who can finally put the puck in the net on a consistent basis. Havlat has scored at nearly point per game for the past two seasons, which will be a huge boost for Chicago's first line. In addition, his playoff experience and success will come in handy for a playoff-starved team.
Havlat, at 24, just continues to get better. In fact, Marty's goals and point totals have increased in each of his four seasons played (2000: 19/42; 2001: 22/50; 2002: 24/59; 2003: 31/68). Havlat is ready to soar to the 75-point level.
