Staal was the best shutdown defenseman Sam not so much

Sounds like the gm wants him at wing
- GERBE!!!75PTS

What's wrong with rolling 3 lines that are strong offensively and play more in the other teams zone then their own?

neither risto or guhle project to be that puck mover type. we need one of each.
- Sabresfan-365

he sure looked like it in the whl and the few games he's played in Rochester and buffalo

neither risto or guhle project to be that puck mover type. we need one of each.
- Sabresfan-365

In deference to fancy charts and graphs, of which I know we both like one of those quite a bit, but how the hell do we know with any certainty that Risto wont be a quality mover of the puck?

The way he's been asked to play in the defensive zone is the definition of passive aggressive IMO.

based upon what?
- Michael Pachla

he looks really bad at the defence

In deference to fancy charts and graphs, of which I know we both like one of those quite a bit, but how the hell do we know with any certainty that Risto wont be a quality mover of the puck?

The way he's been asked to play in the defensive zone is the definition of passive aggressive IMO.
- kingcong39

He just doesnt really have the skating for it. Thats what im getting at, you're never going to see him leg the puck out of the zone.

he sure looked like it in the whl and the few games he's played in Rochester and buffalo
- Michael Pachla

hes a great skater like lindholm, tanev etc. but PMD in a traditional sense is an offensive d-man. Not really what he's billed to be?

he looks really bad at the defence
- Sabresfan-365

based upon what?...playing with a broken bone in his hand?

hes a great skater like lindholm, tanev etc. but PMD in a traditional sense is an offensive d-man. Not really what he's billed to be?
- Sabresfan-365

i get where you're coming from...but he sure looks comfortable with the puck on his stick...had a great 1/2 season with prince George and had six points (2+4) in 12 games for the amerks

based upon what?...playing with a broken bone in his hand?
- Michael Pachla

based upon before that too. he's just not good, plays an extinct style of defence





On a very good washington team, he was an anchor to just about everyone 5 on 5. We dont need this

i get where you're coming from...but he sure looks comfortable with the puck on his stick...had a great 1/2 season with prince George and had six points (2+4) in 12 games for the amerks
- Michael Pachla

Maybe he turns into that, its weird that he projects mccabe to turn into that so if thats the case than guhle could to. I just find it kind of a stretch betting on two defensive/two way guys filling the roll of 5v5 offensive puck movers.

based upon before that too. he's just not good, plays an extinct style of defence
- Sabresfan-365

i'm not sure where that's coming from...he's pretty much respected as a solid defensive-defenseman, with limited offensive ability who can skate well for a guy his size, can log big minutes against top competition and one who also has the ability to hit the open man on the outlet pass

i'm not sure where that's coming from...he's pretty much respected as a solid defensive-defenseman, with limited offensive ability who can skate well for a guy his size, can log big minutes against top competition and one who also has the ability to hit the open man on the outlet pass
- Michael Pachla

so was bogosian for a while there and most of the evidence suggests that he cant


On a very good 5v5 team he had really bad 5v5 numbers. Thats an indication of a bad d-man playing too many minutes.

Especially when you factor in how much he'll get from some idiot gm in FA? You'd be signing another kulikov/bogo. Its an easy no.

Maybe he turns into that, its weird that he projects mccabe to turn into that so if thats the case than guhle could to. I just find it kind of a stretch betting on two defensive/two way guys filling the roll of 5v5 offensive puck movers.
- Sabresfan-365

you're also basing this on two years of "The System" under Bylsma...i always thought McCabe didn't get enough credit for his instincts in the offensive zone

you're also basing this on two years of "The System" under Bylsma...i always thought McCabe didn't get enough credit for his instincts in the offensive zone
- Michael Pachla

to be fair, mccabe turned up his offensive game a bit for a time there (before the benching) so he could have it in him. Showed quite a bit of it during the WJ's too IIRC

so was bogosian for a while there and most of the evidence suggests that he cant


On a very good 5v5 team he had really bad 5v5 numbers. Thats an indication of a bad d-man playing too many minutes.

Especially when you factor in how much he'll get from some idiot gm in FA? You'd be signing another kulikov/bogo. Its an easy no.
- Sabresfan-365

i guarantee he'd be re-signed by the caps if they had more room...that was a nice, fancy chart but much of it was in the middle surrounding the "dull" zone...which, using the word 'dull' in and of itself indicates where the mindset is of the guy who came up with it....

caps had 7th best pk in the league...alzner lead the team with 3:03 average which was 8th in the league

i guarantee he'd be re-signed by the caps if they had more room...that was a nice, fancy chart but much of it was in the middle surrounding the "dull" zone...which in and of itself indicates where the mindset is of the guy who came up with it....

caps had 7th best pk in the league...alzner lead the team with 3:03 average which was 8th in the league
- Michael Pachla

a) im guessing theyd still do shattenkirk before alzner despite everything

b) even if true, wouldnt make it a good signing. Same organization that gave orpik a massive deal


Edit: the chart shows most players are better away from 27 than with, im not sure where you're getting dull from

a) im guessing theyd still do shattenkirk before alzner despite everything

b) even if true, wouldnt make it a good signing. Same organization that gave orpik a massive deal


Edit: the chart shows most players are better away from 27 than with, im not sure where you're getting dull from
- Sabresfan-365

shattenkirk was terrible in the pens series and oprik looked real old...with alzner out of the lineup the first two games of the pens series, Pittsburgh scored nine goals, they scored 11 in five games with him back in the lineup...

as for the 'dull' portion...it's how he labeled the diagonal 50/50 line

shattenkirk was terrible in the pens series and oprik looked real old...with alzner out of the lineup the first two games of the pens series, Pittsburgh scored nine goals, they scored 11 in five games with him back in the lineup...

as for the 'dull' portion...it's how he labeled the diagonal 50/50 line
- Michael Pachla

I know, most of the players are way above that diagonal line when away from alzner...


Im not saying he wasnt(shatt) but judging players based on 7 games is exactly how people tried to convince themselves that kulikov would make a good top pair mate for risto

a) im guessing theyd still do shattenkirk before alzner despite everything

b) even if true, wouldnt make it a good signing. Same organization that gave orpik a massive deal


Edit: the chart shows most players are better away from 27 than with, im not sure where you're getting dull from
- Sabresfan-365

I still can't believe Orpik got 5.5 mil. How does that happen? That same offseason I was thinking we should "overpay" and give him 4.25 to come here for the rebuild

shattenkirk was terrible in the pens series and oprik looked real old...with alzner out of the lineup the first two games of the pens series, Pittsburgh scored nine goals, they scored 11 in five games with him back in the lineup...

as for the 'dull' portion...it's how he labeled the diagonal 50/50 line
- Michael Pachla

Shattenkirk wants to be the #1 guy where ever hue signs. He has always been a liability defensively and the great Blues D core masked this. I would not touch him with a 10ft pole for the money he and his agent will command.

I know, most of the players are way above that diagonal line when away from alzner...


Im not saying he wasnt(shatt) but judging players based on 7 games is exactly how people tried to convince themselves that kulikov would make a good top pair mate for risto
- Sabresfan-365

he's dull and steady and dependable

was that chart just shots for and against?

he's dull and steady and dependable

was that chart just shots for and against?
- Michael Pachla

thats not what the chart shows, its showing that the team gets their poop pushed in when he's on the ice, relative to when hes not.


shot attempts yes, believe it or not the deeper you dig the worse it looks

I still can't believe Orpik got 5.5 mil. How does that happen? That same offseason I was thinking we should "overpay" and give him 4.25 to come here for the rebuild
- chilliard77

The same way Alzner might get 5.5. something something hitting something something grit something something shot blocking.

Seriously I gotta believe Botterill is smarter than that. Cant see a cap guy paying that for what he brings

thats not what the chart shows, its showing that the team gets their poop pushed in when he's on the ice, relative to when hes not.


shot attempts yes, believe it or not the deeper you dig the worse it looks
- Sabresfan-365

those are shot attempts, not shots on goal, correct?

those are shot attempts, not shots on goal, correct?
- Michael Pachla

yes, but that doesnt help your case here. He gave up the highest Shots against per 60 of any d-man on the caps


He and Carlson gave up a ton of shot attempts and shots per game, but carlson generated many himself.