Marc Staal.

Plus, he may play with Hedman. Who knows.
- Michael_Stuart

He's a good stay at home defender, but Stralman will be challenged when (if) paired with Carle.

Deryk Engelland was the smartest signing
- The_Janitor

Him and Brooks Orpik!!!!

Him and Brooks Orpik!!!!
- Artyukhin76

Since when were penguin defenders the hottest commodity?

Are you saying
Carle = M. Staal?

- mlindsay

No. Just saying he has experience dragging someone around the ice.

Another blog making arguments based solely on "advanced stats" and not watching actual hockey games. To say that Anton stralman is not only better than Marc Staal but that Staal is a product of stralman is absurd. The advanced statistics movement is also absurd. You know who started this whole thing? The Oakland athletics. You know how many World Series they've won because of it? 0.

No. Just saying he has experience dragging someone around the ice.
- Michael_Stuart

I'm happy with the signing, but let's not crown him king of our Blueline before he's ever dressed for us.

No. Just saying he has experience dragging someone around the ice.
- Michael_Stuart

Huh?

Huh?
- Just5

Don't think he was referring to Staal.

Don't think he was referring to Staal.
- Artyukhin76

Yes, I absolutely was. Staal was a drag on Stralman over the last two years.

Not often I agree with a Rangers fan (lately)... but... yuuup!
How you can compare Marc Staal to Carle (with the exception that their names contain some of the same letters) is beyond me.
- mlindsay

Wasn't comparing the two as players.

Yes, I absolutely was. Staal was a drag on Stralman over the last two years.
- Michael_Stuart

Yes, I absolutely was. Staal was a drag on Stralman over the last two years.
- Michael_Stuart

oh.....

So he's been injured this past season, witch has effected his play negatively. With other words, stralman has dragged around an injured staal.

Injured staal ~ carle
- Cloud

I don't think anybody is comparing the two players. Anyone and everyone would take Staal over Carle seven days a week. It doesn't change the fact that Stralman performed better away from Staal over the last two years than he did when he was paired with Staal. Conversely, Staal improved drastically when paired with Stralman.

Carle is much maligned. I agree that he is not an elite defenseman by any means, and maybe not even a very good one, but he's not nearly as bad as people make him out to be. I bet Philly wishes they had him back now. Carle has performed quite well for us with the occasional hiccup. He is not the weak link everyone says he is. As far as pure skill goes, I rank our defensemen thusly :

Hedman
Stralman
Garrison
Carle
Brewer (on the decline)
Gudas (on the rise)
Sustr (a little more upside than Barberio)
Barberio

With the exit of Salo and the acquisitions of Garrison and Stralman, we have an injection of new blood on the blueline. Anything could happen - players can regress or blossom. I expect Stralman and Hedman will complement each other quite well. If I was an opposing team, I would dread that pairing - assuming Stralman and Hedman click together.

Just my two cents, actual worth may vary widely.

I'd love to see Boyle standing next to Johnson or one of our other little guys. It would look like a giant standing next to a hobbit.

I don't think anybody is comparing the two players. Anyone and everyone would take Staal over Carle seven days a week. It doesn't change the fact that Stralman performed better away from Staal over the last two years than he did when he was paired with Staal. Conversely, Staal improved drastically when paired with Stralman.
- Michael_Stuart

Yea staal improved drastically when playing with stralman. He was only an allstar and our #1 defenseman before stralman barely earned a contract after a training camp invite.

Stralman is a solid defenseman. I would have no issues if the rangers signed him to a similar deal. But at the end of the days hes a perfect #4 defenseman on a good team. Mcdonagh, girardi, and staal are all better and more consistent than him. If you're expecting chara in his prime defensive play then you will be thoroughly disappointed.

The whole premise of advanced stats is based on large sample sizes right? What are stralmans.career corsi stats before he was paired with staal on a defensive team?

He's a good stay at home defender, but Stralman will be challenged when (if) paired with Carle.
- Artyukhin76

Staal was the stay at home defender. Stralman was the more offensive minded one and he managed to score 1 goal in the last 100+ games.

I'd love to see Boyle standing next to Johnson or one of our other little guys. It would look like a giant standing next to a hobbit.
- GalacticStone

Boyle above all else brings consistency and thats very important for a player in his role. He will be a good option for cooper in certain situations. Good signing for you guys but expect him to be ragdolled like hes gerbes size often.

I liked Boyle when he played for the Rangers. Size in spades, great character, gritty, good with faceoffs, and great defensive skills. Even though I hated to see Thompson go, I was thrilled to hear we signed Boyle. I know he can't fight worth a damn, but we didn't sign him for that anyway.

I'd take Stralman over Girardi any day. I watched several Rangers games during the playoffs and all of the Finals games. I didn't see anything about Girardi that impressed me. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's bad, but I think Stralman has more upside potential. Hopefully Stralman lives up to expectations or I might eat those words. LOL.

Don't be blinded by Corsi stats; Marc Staal is a legitimate top four defender on just about any team in the league.
- MidnightMarauder

Defense is the one position in hockey above all else that stats - both traditional and advanced - can't truly analyze. Actually consistently watching players in different situations is the only way to truly judge a player's defensive ability.

With that said, stralman was the next defenseman behind mcdonagh that I noticed breaking up breakaways and odd man rushes with desperation stick checks, the majority while diving. I attribute that to athleticism and positioning for sure.

Did he benefit from playing with staal or vice versa? Not in my opinion.....in my opinion they just complemented each othe very well. I do know that staal brings a different element than stralman though. While stralman might provide more mobility, staal provides more physicality.

I'd take Stralman over Girardi any day. I watched several Rangers games during the playoffs and all of the Finals games. I didn't see anything about Girardi that impressed me. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's bad, but I think Stralman has more upside potential. Hopefully Stralman lives up to expectations or I might eat those words. LOL.
- GalacticStone

It's difficult to compare girardi to stralman. Both are solid guys. But girardi has been a lot more consistent and has played a top pairing role basically his whole nhl career while stralman was a good 2nd pairing guy last year and only became a really great defenseman this year. Also girardi is a freaking warrior. The amount of games this guy plays when looking at the blocks he makes, the hard hits he takes and gives, the competition he faces, and the overall tough minutes he plays, this guy is captain material. A true leader. Not sure I can ever see stralman being a captain.

I will say that during the playoffs, girardj definitely played some of the worst.hockey of his career while.stralman definitely played the best he has ever played - and likely ever will.play IMO - in his career. Dont judge these players entire careers and future.play.based on 2 months.

What carle is offensively is what stralman is defensively. They're both above average in those regards but neither are elite.

Every Rangers fan I talk to has nothing but good things to say about Girardi. That says a lot. That is why I was a little surprised by some of his play during the playoffs.

Tell ya what, we'll trade Brewer for him....... LOL.

Yea staal improved drastically when playing with stralman. He was only an allstar and our #1 defenseman before stralman barely earned a contract after a training camp invite.

Stralman is a solid defenseman. I would have no issues if the rangers signed him to a similar deal. But at the end of the days hes a perfect #4 defenseman on a good team. Mcdonagh, girardi, and staal are all better and more consistent than him. If you're expecting chara in his prime defensive play then you will be thoroughly disappointed.

The whole premise of advanced stats is based on large sample sizes right? What are stralmans.career corsi stats before he was paired with staal on a defensive team?
- rangerdanger94

The point is that he was better away from Staal than with Staal.

And his career Corsi numbers are solid: http://stats.hockeyanalys...ue&season=2007-14&sit=5v5

Yes, I absolutely was. Staal was a drag on Stralman over the last two years.
- Michael_Stuart

Bro, your really on drugs, do you just read what these obscure stats say or watch the games? Marc Staal shut down & absolutely got Crosby off his game in that Pittsburgh series. Again, Stralman is a nice defensemen, he's NOT as good as Marc Staal & not worth this contract you signed him for. You may also be disappointed in his 1 goal a season.