Your opinion is still clueless man. He is as blood and guts as a defenseman get. Occasionally like all dmen he gets beat, but the man risks his body every shift. Go watch the shot he blocks by subban down 3-0 with about 2 minutes left and tell me I'm wrong. There's alot more to a player then stats. Girardi is one of the most underrated, not overrated like you say, players in the leauge
- Slimtj100

That's fine..gotta defend your guys. But the advanced stats do pretty much paint a good picture, and if he is supposed to be the best shutdown guy in the league, he lets in a few more goals when he's on the ice than these other shutdown guys who supposedly aren't as good as him. Including McD.

he's a top-4 defenseman. He is not the best shutdown guy in the league, as hyped when he got an All-Star selection two years ago. He's a great defender, but there were many trying to call him the best defensive d-man after the hype he got two years ago, and it just doesn't line up like that. McD is the better defensive and offensive guy on that pairing.
- Blackstrom2

Ok, best shut d man is a stretch, agree with you.

Listen, I'm not saying Hamonic is not good. I was just responding to the Glenn Healy should comment about McD's contract now statement from before. Healy was a little harsh, but I understood where he was coming from. Healy wasn't talking about amount of Hamonic's deal, he was talking about the length of contract to someone so young. And I get it, if Hamonic regresses, it would be a hard contract to move. But McD's contract is a little less, we signed him for 6 years not 8. I think its all about how things are viewed proportionally under the new CBA. If 8 years is the maximum allowed, there is a tier of players that should fall under that. Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Stamkos, etc... These are the players that have proved their worth for the maximum term. McDonagh hasn't even reached the point where we is getting the max year offers, but Hamonic gets it? If Hamonic continues to impress and get even better, then yes its a value deal. But Healy was comparing it to DiPietro's deal. The same was said when DiPi was signed. If DiPi became what they projected him to become, he would have been a huge bargain. But when your that young and unproven, you just don't know what will happen, and long contracts turn into handcuffs. Thats all I'm sayin.
- xcheckmajor

Nothing is guaranteed. Crosby is oft-injured and Ovi will never score 50 goals again. I agree with you about long-term contracts, but I was just defending Hamonic's play. He is one of the best young, rising blue liners across the league.

Nothing is guaranteed. Crosby is oft-injured and Ovi will never score 50 goals again. I agree with you about long-term contracts, but I was just defending Hamonic's play. He is one of the best young, rising blue liners across the league.
- Blackstrom2

that's crazy, he had 32 goals in 48 games last year.

Hamonic faces the toughest minutes on the Isle..just like McD and Girardi do for you. Did he bang your girlfriend or something? What's with the Travis hate?
- Blackstrom2

I don't hate Hammy, I think he is a great player. Just didn't like the comparison to McDonagh made earlier. Hamonic really became a 1st unit guy this year (again, please correct me if I'm wrong here), which is where he posted a -8 for the year and thats playing with all of Tavares' + scoring included. Islanders also had their best year in a long time making the playoffs. If it was an 82 game season, Hamonic would have paced for about a -15 overall.

Nothing is guaranteed. Crosby is oft-injured and Ovi will never score 50 goals again. I agree with you about long-term contracts, but I was just defending Hamonic's play. He is one of the best young, rising blue liners across the league.
- Blackstrom2

Agreed he is.

Nothing is guaranteed. Crosby is oft-injured and Ovi will never score 50 goals again. I agree with you about long-term contracts, but I was just defending Hamonic's play. He is one of the best young, rising blue liners across the league.
- Blackstrom2

Agreed he is.

Ok, best shut d man is a stretch, agree with you.
- GioRock

You guys might have not bought into that hype as much as other sites, and I just carried it over here. You guys, in general, are a bit more realistic. I probably encountered someone talking Girardi up like once, and now I associate that argument with every Rangers fan, haha.

that's crazy, he had 32 goals in 48 games last year.
- jimbro83

And then 1 in 7 games...

And then 1 in 7 games...
- Blackstrom2

lucky one too

I don't hate Hammy, I think he is a great player. Just didn't like the comparison to McDonagh made earlier. Hamonic really became a 1st unit guy this year (again, please correct me if I'm wrong here), which is where he posted a -8 for the year and thats playing with all of Tavares' + scoring included. Islanders also had their best year in a long time making the playoffs. If it was an 82 game season, Hamonic would have paced for about a -15 overall.
- xcheckmajor

He became a #1/2 guy the season before last I believe. But yea still very young and as we saw with mdz, regressions can and do happen.

ugh, 6 more years of him!

Seriously, a great signing. The cap going up after this season is going to make it look better and better with every year as he gets better and better. 4.7 for 6 is a steal. No question. Poor Habs..

You guys might have not bought into that hype as much as other sites, and I just carried it over here. You guys, in general, are a bit more realistic. I probably encountered someone talking Girardi up like once, and now I associate that argument with every Rangers fan, haha.
- Blackstrom2

I just get the sense you think he's not that good. The term overated doesn't apply to him. You gotta find a different one. Not as good as mcdonagh would be the fairest assessment, but that doesnot mean he's overated

Please don't ever compare Travis Hamonic to Ryan McDonagh ever ever again. Not even in the same category of defensemen even though he is a top pair for YOU guys.
- xcheckmajor

Both are easily in the same category in terms of importance to each teams blueline. Both will be mainstays and both deals will be looked at as steals in a few years

I was quite only the money when I was predicting a 4.65m contract for mcdonagh

I just get the sense you think he's not that good. The term overated doesn't apply to him. You gotta find a different one. Not as good as mcdonagh would be the fairest assessment, but that doesnot mean he's overated
- Slimtj100

He got an All-Star selection based solely on his defensive play. How often does that happen?

ugh, 6 more years of him!

Seriously, a great signing. The cap going up after this season is going to make it look better and better with every year as he gets better and better. 4.7 for 6 is a steal. No question. Poor Habs..
- FloridianDevil

(frank) Pierre Gauthier.

ugh, 6 more years of him!

Seriously, a great signing. The cap going up after this season is going to make it look better and better with every year as he gets better and better. 4.7 for 6 is a steal. No question. Poor Habs..
- FloridianDevil

All I can say is, our new division next year is gonna be by far the best division in hockey (as the Atlantic normally is). Its gonna be really nuts. With you guys basically replacing Fatty, I think the Devs just solved the big problem I was hoping they would have, goaltending for the future. Isles are gonna be good too. Columbus will suprise everyone, I think JD did an amazing job (like he always does....wish he was here for Sather). I think CBJ is definitely poised to make the playoffs. I really can't wait!!

I was quite only the money when I was predicting a 4.65m contract for mcdonagh


- aecliptic

Yeah that was good call. Now I'm hoping your crystal ball is right about Step too!!

(frank) Pierre Gauthier.
- Scabeh

Do you have the same amateur scouts as when that trade was made? Not so much the Gm as the scouts who told him McD was expendable. I would assume that person no longer works in a scouting capacity.

Do you have the same amateur scouts as when that trade was made? Not so much the Gm as the scouts who told him McD was expendable. I would assume that person no longer works in a scouting capacity.
- Blackstrom2

When's kuznetsov coming over?

When's kuznetsov coming over?
- rangerdanger94

He says after next year.

All I can say is, our new division next year is gonna be by far the best division in hockey (as the Atlantic normally is). Its gonna be really nuts. With you guys basically replacing Fatty, I think the Devs just solved the big problem I was hoping they would have, goaltending for the future. Isles are gonna be good too. Columbus will suprise everyone, I think JD did an amazing job (like he always does....wish he was here for Sather). I think CBJ is definitely poised to make the playoffs. I really can't wait!!
- xcheckmajor

Fatty

Yes, this division is going to be insane. Completely agreed on CBJ, they're coming.
The Schneider trade was so off guard, m and my buddy down here are watching the draft and that demon Bettman says there's a trade from NJ to Vancouver, I would have sworn it was Luongo. We put our heads down immediately, then he said Schneider

I want you guys to lock up Hank quick, I want this rivalry staying at it's level for a long, long time.

Do you have the same amateur scouts as when that trade was made? Not so much the Gm as the scouts who told him McD was expendable. I would assume that person no longer works in a scouting capacity.
- Blackstrom2

Trevor Timmins is still head of the scouting department but he was never involved in trade talks as baffling as it sounds. But we've added many scouts since last year and I think we had 2 very solid draft in a row.

There was an article where he said he cried when he heard about the trade.

We're all still crying Trevor....

Quick.. someone offer sheet Stepan!!
- Panthers88