11th Commandment: Draft London's depth players in the 2nd+ rounds.

Idk if Thomas is 1st round material yet (and he might sneak in at the tail end on potential yet), and I haven't seen him this season, but he's definitely someone that could be a riser and/or be a fascinating 2nd round pick. He'd be on my list right now for sure around there.

Speaking of London, after seeing him in the u18s, I really wanted to draft Kuokkanen, if you remember, with one of our 2nd round picks. Just missed him. He's doing really really well in his first couple months of NA hockey. If Carolina drafts a Finn in the 2nd round, be worried.
- Mononoke

I won't always bring up players who are 1st rounders or trending to be one.......Have you find ones beyond round 1 too.

I won't always bring up players who are 1st rounders or trending to be one.......Have you find ones beyond round 1 too.
- ob18

I know. I'm just stating where he's probably at. He actually could be a player that rises.

Top pair is such an ambiguous, meaningless phrase though. Any good team with a deep defensive roster splits their minutes pretty evenly. People might have this fantasy in their heads of Drew Doughty slaying opponents and dragons in the toughest minutes in the world, but over the last few years he actually has gotten equally hard minutes to the second pairing on LA. People often confuse "shutdown" pairing with "top" pairing. It's not. Your top pairing, if you indeed have one, is your best pairing. The Flyers going forward are actually in the unique position where they might interchangeably have multiple of those.

I don't think Ghost is any worse defensively (and his defense is always criminally underrated because he's flashy offensively) than Karlsson or Burns. I don't think anyone hesitates to call them #1s. If Ghost is a Karlsson-lite player, I don't see why he can't be a compliment to someone like Provorov on your best pairing. People just have this idea that Ghost can only be a sheltered 3rd pair PP guy, when in reality he is way smarter and way better defensively than that. For example, I bet that Ghost would be an excellent PKer with the way he reads the play and anticipates, with his quick skating and active stick, but he will never get a chance there because of inherent biases.
- Mononoke

People aren't confused with anything. Most people have an easy understanding of a simple term of a top pairing of defense. For example most will state that Gudas and Provorov is the Flyers top pairing. It's by default. Most know that they're not a true top pairing. Provorov may one day make up one half of a true top pairing.

Gostisbehere is likely to never be more than just average defensively, especially in the defensive zone. The strength of his game, is in the offensive and neutral zone, and with the puck offensively. He's going to be a big minute player at ES, so I don't think calling him a 3rd pair defenseman is accurate. He's a 2nd pair offensive puck mover.
I think you're confused with this idea that Gostisbehere won't get a chance on the PK because of a perceived inherent bias. He likely won't get that chance simply because it's a poor deployment of the player and his skill set. A large part of the PK is battles for the puck and defending the net. That is a weakness of Gostisbehere, simply because of his coverage skills, and his physical stature.

Congrats to Manning on becoming 1/10th of the player Nick Schultz is

People aren't confused with anything. Most people have an easy understanding of a simple term of a top pairing of defense. For example most will state that Gudas and Provorov is the Flyers top pairing. It's by default. Most know that they're not a true top pairing. Provorov may one day make up one half of a true top pairing.

- MJL

What constitutes a "true top pairing"?

Should that have been a penalty on Forsberg? I know they were battling a bit but that was pretty vicious

how is that hit on read not called? easily interference

Was that Darth Vader I heard during the penalty call?

What constitutes a "true top pairing"?
- Mordecai

Two top pairing defenseman with both players capable of playing in key game situations defensively.

Two top pairing defenseman with both players capable of playing in key game situations defensively.
- MJL

I'll take it

I know. I'm just stating where he's probably at. He actually could be a player that rises.
- Mononoke

If you can find it look at his shorty today.

Possible goalie interference?




no way nvm

yay a power play goal on a backup!

Lavy always reacts like he cant (frank)ing believe they just scored a goal....

yay a power play goal on a backup!
- 2Real

Saros is a good one tho

Forwards dropping like flies.

Shoot that poop TK

Getting beaten up out there

If you can find it look at his shorty today.
- ob18

I saw it. It was nifty. Had another nifty pass I saw too. He's someone I'll keep an eye on.

I'll take it
- Mordecai

I so look forward to our top pair of MacDonald-Schultz

I so look forward to our top pair of MacDonald-Schultz
- Mononoke

Erik Karlsson must not be a true top pairing defenseman

Erik Karlsson must not be a true top pairing defenseman
- Mordecai

He's really poor defensively tbh

He's really poor defensively tbh
- Mononoke

2nd pair offensive puck mover at most

He's really poor defensively tbh
- Mononoke

No, he's really not, because this isn't 3 years ago. Dude is, a worst, average defensively.

No, he's really not, because this isn't 3 years ago. Dude is, a worst, average defensively.
- jmatchett383

I think there is a misunderstanding