Did Pittsburgh have a bonafide number 1 when they won?
- Yeti1181

Gonchar was one of the best in the world back then.

Yes but these guys deliver. Can we say the same about Dion? That's my point. In a cap world, you cannot have 7M doing nothing (or not much). You need your $ to be effective, like Kessel.
- fidopro

Considering who he's had for partners in his time here he's been doing pretty good.

Yes but these guys deliver. Can we say the same about Dion? That's my point. In a cap world, you cannot have 7M doing nothing (or not much). You need your $ to be effective, like Kessel.
- fidopro

The unfortunate reality is that you can't trade garbage for talent and it takes time develop quality D-Men. We all KNOW the situation but you also have to be realistic that there is no flick of the switch solution. Robidas is a step in the right direction. By no means is it some magic that puts the Leafs over the top but it helps while the Leafs wait on guys like Rielly, Gardiner and Percy to take the next steps.

Gonchar was one of the best in the world back then.
- AdamFrench

Oh right forgot about him.

Gonchar was one of the best in the world back then.
- AdamFrench

ya

Yes but these guys deliver. Can we say the same about Dion? That's my point. In a cap world, you cannot have 7M doing nothing (or not much). You need your $ to be effective, like Kessel.
- fidopro

Meh, give him Seabrook/Toews/Kane and I'd imagine him being effective.

Keith is just a rover with good backup ( Seabrook )

Same as Subban, Subban has Markov to help him out. Throw Subban in Pha9 spot and he wouldn't look the same.

Hoping the new D help Pha9 look a little better...I'm not the biggest fan of #3 but when he's out there making mistakes..to me it looks more from exhaustion than being a total tit.

The unfortunate reality is that you can't trade garbage for talent and it takes time develop quality D-Men. We all KNOW the situation but you also have to be realistic that there is no flick of the switch solution. Robidas is a step in the right direction. By no means is it some magic that puts the Leafs over the top but it helps while the Leafs wait on guys like Rielly, Gardiner and Percy to take the next steps.
- markmark

True. Draft and patience is key.

Gonchar was one of the best in the world back then.
- AdamFrench

Sergei himself

Meh, give him Seabrook/Toews/Kane and I'd imagine him being effective.

Keith is just a rover with good backup ( Seabrook )

Same as Subban, Subban has Markov to help him out. Throw Subban in Pha9 spot and he wouldn't look the same.

Hoping the new D help Pha9 look a little better...I'm not the biggest fan of #3 but when he's out there making mistakes..to me it looks more from exhaustion than being a total tit.
- Garnie

He was having a really solid year till the whole team collapsed.

Meh, give him Seabrook/Toews/Kane and I'd imagine him being effective.

Keith is just a rover with good backup ( Seabrook )

Same as Subban, Subban has Markov to help him out. Throw Subban in Pha9 spot and he wouldn't look the same.

Hoping the new D help Pha9 look a little better...I'm not the biggest fan of #3 but when he's out there making mistakes..to me it looks more from exhaustion than being a total tit.
- Garnie

Having better partners doesn't make Dion better. He would still be flat footed and make poor decision.

Yes but these guys deliver. Can we say the same about Dion? That's my point. In a cap world, you cannot have 7M doing nothing (or not much). You need your $ to be effective, like Kessel.
- fidopro

Talk to us after this season. We may agree with you...we may not.

Having better partners doesn't make Dion better. He would still be flat footed and make poor decision.
- fidopro

You think Keith or Seabrook would be just as good if they had worse partners?

Having better partners doesn't make Dion better. He would still be flat footed and make poor decision.
- fidopro

He'd also have somebody to cover for him, right now he (frank)s up - it's in the back of the net.

NOT THIS YEAR BABY....HERE WE COME STANLEY

You think Keith or Seabrook would be just as good if they had worse partners?
- Yeti1181

I think they're better players, whoever they play with.
Alright, my fantasy draft just started, See you

You think Keith or Seabrook would be just as good if they had worse partners?
- Yeti1181

keith is one of my fav D in the league

dion cant be the C when babcock coaches the leafs.

ya
- Jurco_28

Well he wasn't Lidstrom or Pronger, but he was still a (frank)ing beast. That's like saying Sergei Zubov wasn't one of the best in the world because he played in the time of Bourque, Leech etc. That's where "one of" comes into play.

Having better partners doesn't make Dion better. He would still be flat footed and make poor decision.
- fidopro

think we should tell him that Subban and Markov mainly played apart the last 2 years or leave him in his bliss?

think we should tell him that Subban and Markov mainly played apart the last 2 years or leave him in his bliss?
- DoubleDown

Subban played with Emelin on the second pairing? Correct?

Having better partners doesn't make Dion better. He would still be flat footed and make poor decision.
- fidopro

I've seen Weber get beat by someone coming in wide with speed
I've seen Subban way out of position on a personal grudge miss his assignment
I've seen Keith try to pinch and someone chipped the puck by him for a breakaway

I could go on, but the last two years, Dion has looked very good. In the lockout season, wasn't he on the All-Star team?
Last year, he looked really good until the Olympic break.

With Doughty, Muzzin is no Gunnarsson. Muzzin is a solid Seabrook type D
With Weber, notice how he dropped off after Suter left?
Notice Pietrangelo's mass improvement with Bouwmeester last year?

You need TWO top Dmen. You can't rely on just one to get the job done

Subban played with Emelin on the second pairing? Correct?
- Yeti1181

No

we must be a better team this year because all the crabs have crawled out of the toilet seat and the maggots have crawled out of their paper bag....all trying to jump onto the bandwagon with their sock in one hand and their ass plug in the other

Having better partners doesn't make Dion better. He would still be flat footed and make poor decision.
- fidopro

this could be the dumbest thing i have ever read on this site

of course it would make him better.. a better partner = less responsibility

No
- AdamFrench

Who did he play with then?

think we should tell him that Subban and Markov mainly played apart the last 2 years or leave him in his bliss?
- DoubleDown

i will sincerely start banning for stupidity very shortly

put crosby in bozaks place.. think kessel gets better?

say no.. i so dare you