5 Reasons the Avalanche Should Acquire BizNasty
Puck Prose
Over the summer, forward/enforcer Paul Bissonnette became an unrestricted free agent when the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes decided not to offer him a contract. Presumably, they wanted to “go in a different direction.”
At the time, the Avs Nation didn’t realize we needed help in that direction — we had one of the premier enforcers in the league in Patrick Bordeleau, supplemented by the scrappy Scot, Cody McLeod. After head coach Patrick Roy revealed Bordie was out for three months following back surgery, we suddenly found ourselves without a proper enforcer. Enter BizNasty.
Currently BizNasty has a professional tryout contract with the St. Louis Blues. Considering how much they’re over-paying former Avalanche Paul Stastny, though, it’s unlikely they can afford even Bissonnette’s modest salary. So, when he becomes available again, the Colorado Avalanche should sign Paul Bissonnette to a one-year contract for the following reasons.
#5: BizNasty’s cheap
I’m not talking about his tweeted pictures or snide remarks — more on Twitter later. Bissonnette doesn’t come with a high price tag. He’s probably going to get just $750,000 next season. With Bordie on injured reserve, there’s no reason the Avalanche can’t fork that over.
#4: BizNasty’s a hard worker
Head coach Patrick Roy is a big fan of players who work hard and want to learn. Bissonnette is keen on both. In fact, Coyote captain Shane Doan described Bissonnette’s role on the team:
“He brings energy. He’s a guy that wants to do everything right. His effort is unquestionable. He’s a good player and doesn’t get the credit he deserves.”
#3: BizNasty’s, well, nasty
It’s not just that Bissonnette is comfortable dropping the gloves. The NHL is moving more towards power forwards and offensive-minded players who fight for themselves. No, the point is that BizNasty is one of those instigators, a guy who really irritates opponents. And he can hit. Hard. Paul Bissonnette is 216 pounds of nastiness slamming into an opponent.
#2: BizNasty can coach EJ on tweeting
Cornerstone defenseman Erik Johnson is already known for his snarky tweets.
There was his tweet after teammate Ryan O’Reilly signed a very lucrative contract:
There was EJ’s interest in the Montreal plumbing system: