In this edition of the hotstove we share our thoughts on the most underutilized defensemen in the Western Conference.
Todd Cordell
…‹Brandon Montour.…‹
The 23-year-old really impressed during the stretch run last season and the expectation was he'd take on a big role this year with the likes of Shea Theodore and now Sami Vatanen out of the picture. That hasn't proven to be the case.
Among the six regulars on Anaheim's defense, Montour ranks last in 5v5 ice time per game. Yes, even behind the likes of Francois Beauchemin and Kevin Bieksa.
Montour's overall possession numbers aren't great – although they are when he's not with Beauchemin – but he is a great skater, puck mover, and ranks 2nd on the blue line in points/60 as well as 1st in shots/60 at 5v5.
I…‹f the Ducks want to make the playoffs, he should probably be playing more. …‹ James Tanner I'd like to see the Stars play Julien Honka a bit more. Currently, he's their 8th most used defenseman and has played in only 24 games this year.
What I like about him is that when he's on the ice, interesting things happen - both offensively and defensively (which is why he probably doesn't play more). I think however, that a player who can push the puck up the ice and who has some offense is worth the extra shots against. He's never been a huge scorer in the AHL, but he's been decent.
He's got the Stars highest possession rating among defenseman - 54% - and he creates an extra 5 shots per 60 for his team when he's on the ice. Most impressive, in limited minutes he's already been on the ice for 33 more scoring attempts for than against.
Honka is a player who needs to play more. Puck moving defenseman, especially ones who push the pace of a game should be what every team wants. The Stars are one of the best teams in the NHL this year and Honka makes them even better.
When Honka does play, he's only averaging 13.5 minutes, so they should play him more.
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