Ya I agree with the NMC part....but he's a solid, top-pairing guy back there. Especially now with J-Bo gone they need him more than ever. Was the $$$ a little high? Sure...maybe by 500-750k...no big deal IMO
- The-O-G

He's ideally your #2 on a top pairing. More ideally he's your #3 with a lot of PP time.

The thing is it's Chara and then a bunch of lower guys. Take Chara out of that team and put Edler there and that d looks like poop.
- Lahey

chara is clearly the most dominant dman in the league, so I don't think too many can argue their defence doesn't take a massive hit minus him.
but Seidenberg is criminally underrated. and your words are proof positive of this. he's such a solid defender and can eat big minutes in his own right. a solid #2 imo.
boychuks an extremely solid top 4 defencemen too.

I don't agree that defence is sh1t at all without zdeno. he just takes it from very solid (with edler for example) to elite, imo

chara is clearly the most dominant dman in the league, so I don't think too many can argue their defence doesn't take a massive hit minus him.
but Seidenberg is criminally underrated. and your words are proof positive of this. he's such a solid defender and can eat big minutes in his own right.
boychuks a great top 4 defender too.

I don't agree that defence is sh1t at all without zdeno. he just takes it from very solid to elite imo
- hugefemale dog77

I think Sideberg is really good, but there is no way in hell he could anchor that defense without Chara.

Boychuk is good, but this is also a different Boychuk right now. The guy isn't nearly this good in the regular season.

I am changed forever....
- The-O-G

Try watching 1 guy 1 jar......

I think Sideberg is really good, but there is no way in hell he could anchor that defense without Chara.

Boychuk is good, but this is also a different Boychuk right now. The guy isn't nearly this good in the regular season.
- Lahey

he's a true 2 and boychuk's a 4.

do u mean boychuk doesn't put as much effort in the regular season? ive always found him to be a real physical presence regardless of the situation.

yes chara is what makes that defence so dominant. but give me Seidenberg, boychuk and ference on my blueline ANYTIME

he's a true 2 and boychuk's a 4.

do u mean boychuk doesn't put as much effort in the regular season? ive always found him to be a real physical presence regardless of the situation.

chara is what makes that defence yes, but give me Seidenberg, boychuk and ference on my blueline ANYTIME
- hugefemale dog77

I don't really disagree. And yes I'll take all of them, but if they didn't have Chara, they wouldn't be able to have Boychuck with Ference. They are allowed to have a weaker 2nd pairing with no real #3.

Try watching 1 guy 1 jar......
- Reveen

Sadly I have seen it......WTF are people thinking sometimes?? Son of a bi+ch.

Don't bother. I got into this argument the other day. I wouldn't do Ference either. He's top 4 in Boston right now due to injuries but normally is a 5-6 guy.
- Iggysbff

How is it due to injuries? Tell me who that's injured plays in their top 4. As someone who rarely misses a Boston game please tell me. This is their top4
Chara-Seidenberg
Boychuk-Ference
The bottom 4 is any combination of McQuaid, Redden, Hamilton, Krug, Bartkowski, Johnson

totally disagree.

in no way are u even remotely close to correct.

ference is a better skater, a proven winner, stronger, more apt at the physical side of the game etc and all for a million less
- hugefemale dog77

Proven winner because he plays a minor role on an elite team. He's also quite a bit older, and is actually not that good at defending. Not as good as Nick Schultz is.

I'm not broken up either, but we need more organizational depth at center. If not Knight then someone else. We have very little competition at that position.
- Lahey

It wouldve been nice to get him but up until a week ago 99% of the posters on here, myself included, had no idea who this kid was

LOL for sure he could....plus he has some balls.
- The-O-G

You like balls don't you

It wouldve been nice to get him but up until a week ago 99% of the posters on here, myself included, had no idea who this kid was
- Ihatebrianburke

He must suck then.

It wouldve been nice to get him but up until a week ago 99% of the posters on here, myself included, had no idea who this kid was
- Ihatebrianburke

I could really careless about that though. It's the scouting department that I care about. There are tonnes of players in college and in europe that can help this club in someway. Every year some unknown makes an impact and I want our club to be one of those clubs that looks for these guys and get these guys.

Who the hell really knew who Ryan Jones was before we got him? Got him for free and made a pretty decent impact.

The thing is it's Chara and then a bunch of lower guys. Take Chara out of that team and put Edler there and that d looks like poop.
- Lahey

Take a norris trophy winner out of any squad and its gonna look like poop. I still love Dougie Hamilton and think he's gonna be a beast of a #1 for them when Chara's ready to hang em up

He must suck then.
- The-O-G

from what i read, potential to be 3c.

Take a norris trophy winner out of any squad and its gonna look like poop. I still love Dougie Hamilton and think he's gonna be a beast of a #1 for them when Chara's ready to hang em up
- Ihatebrianburke

Put Chara here, does that all of a sudden mean our d-men are really better than they are?

I could really careless about that though. It's the scouting department that I care about. There are tonnes of players in college and in europe that can help this club in someway. Every year some unknown makes an impact and I want our club to be one of those clubs that looks for these guys and get these guys.

Who the hell really knew who Ryan Jones was before we got him? Got him for free and made a pretty decent impact.
- Lahey

Ya sucks donkey cock that we missed out on Raanta, and Ericsson

He must suck then.
- The-O-G

He does now.

Put Chara here, does that all of a sudden mean our d-men are really better than they are?
- Lahey

No it just means they would all play more sheltered minutes which might give them a greater chance to succeed

Put Chara here, does that all of a sudden mean our d-men are really better than they are?
- Lahey

I think so, Chara playing 30 minutes a game means the rest of the 5 dmen only play 90 minutes. Pronger would have the same effect.

No it just means they would all play more sheltered minutes which might give them a greater chance to succeed
- Ihatebrianburke

Which would kinda go back to why a guy like Ference can be succesful in a top 4 role in Boston, but not in Edmonton. It's why Boychuk can be a #3 there.

So Lindholm is just more of what already have enough of, eh? Hmm... I was under the impression that our team needs smart, skilled, and tenacious two-way players that come from winning teams. Boy was I ever wrong!

Bottom line is that we need BETTER players. If Monahan, Barkov, and Nichushkin have been taken and if there isnt a deal out there that makes us a good deal better, we'd better be taking this guy. He's a safe pick that projects as a responsible and tenacious 2nd line C. Maybe he makes Gagner expendable a few years down the road. BPA drafting always the way to go!

Note the word tenacious as it was used by a number of scouting services when describing him.

I don't really disagree. And yes I'll take all of them, but if they didn't have Chara, they wouldn't be able to have Boychuck with Ference. They are allowed to have a weaker 2nd pairing with no real #3.
- Lahey

yes, ference is a true 3rd pairing guy if that's what you're referring to

Put Chara here, does that all of a sudden mean our d-men are really better than they are?
- Lahey

Add Chara we make the playoffs and no one makes fun of our D



He'd likely fix the 'Oilers are small and wimpy' tag too

He does now.
- Al Hacker

Just like all your first-overall picks