When you say you don't mean to offend, it means the comment that follows is going to be condescending, which yours was.

He has his moments, like all defenseman do, but I've seen innumerable plays where he makes great subtle plays to exit the zone. That's also playing defense.

Saying he is very much lost in his own zone is a blatant overstatement that is inaccurate.
- kingcong39

A wee bit touchy this am, ok. I get it.
Sorry.

Dahlin is very poor at the D-GAME
His TRANSITION game is very, very good.

We'll agree to disagree.

i'd fire the gm
- Michael Pachla

I heard botts might get the axe

I am guessing 7

and I would pay it

he is a difference maker
- homiedclown

Looking at the contracts signed last summer and I'd say you're off by $1m+, especially if he's this big difference maker that you claim he is.
If he's such a difference maker, how come the Flames only won 1 playoff series (6 games total) in the 10 years that he's been there?

dahlin does the last two very well...

his positioning has gotten better and will continue to get better and he's pretty good at causing turnovers and/or blocking passes...

he's not expected to block shots...at least regularly (which is necessary on the pk)...

he's a defenseman and what he is not good at is tying up a player in front of the net and along the boards...he was really bad at both much of last season and at the beginning of the season but he's progressed...not massively, imo, but has progressed
- Michael Pachla

The big question is how much are the two in bold worth in terms of impact compared to everything else I outlined?

if long term deal, yes
- homiedclown

tj brodie is not worth 7m...please explain how a second-paring defenseman on a team with a solid top-four anchored by giordano is a difference-maker?

I'm sorry but saying Dahlin is very much lost in his own zone is overstated nonsense.

Does he have room for improvement? Of course.
- kingcong39

Hmmmph.

A wee bit touchy this am, ok. I get it.
Sorry.

Dahlin is very poor at the D-GAME
His TRANSITION game is very, very good.

We'll agree to disagree.
- IonSabres

You're the one who had the condescending tone.

Check what I posted about all the aspects of playing defense.

I heard botts might get the axe
- homiedclown

it doesn't affect me one bit, personally

Looking at the contracts signed last summer and I'd say you're off by $1m+, especially if he's this big difference maker that you claim he is.
If he's such a difference maker, how come the Flames only won 1 playoff series (6 games total) in the 10 years that he's been there?
- adambuffalo

If Eichel is such a difference maker, why do the Sabres continue to suck?

You can go round and round forever using that logic.

team went 4-6 once they got him
- homiedclown

To be fair it was 4-3-3 and the three regulation losses he played less than 20 minutes.

The big question is how much are the two in bold worth in terms of impact compared to everything else I outlined?
- kingcong39

you can't move the puck out of your end if it's in your net because you couldn't win a battle along the boards or in front of the net

Looking at the contracts signed last summer and I'd say you're off by $1m+, especially if he's this big difference maker that you claim he is.
If he's such a difference maker, how come the Flames only won 1 playoff series (6 games total) in the 10 years that he's been there?
- adambuffalo

based on your logic

if eichel is such a difference maker, why has he yet to play a playoff game?


I mean you are on your knees for dillion like he is the second coming of schoenny

Hmmmph.
- IonSabres

Notice how I didn't say LOL or act like an ass when responding?

To be fair it was 4-3-3 and the three regulation losses he played less than 20 minutes.
- adambuffalo

fire the gm for acquiring a sucky player

you can't move the puck out of your end if it's in your net because you couldn't win a battle along the boards or in front of the net
- Michael Pachla

It's clear you think those two things are much more important than all the other aspects I outlined.

I disagree.

Being bad at any of those other aspects also ends up with the puck in your net. See Ristolainen, as an example.

tj brodie is not worth 7m...please explain how a second-paring defenseman on a team with a solid top-four anchored by giordano is a difference-maker?
- Michael Pachla

Marc-Edouard Vlasic says high

What constitutes good defense? Serious question.

- Tying up a player in front of the net?
- Tying up a player along the boards?
- Being excellent with positioning?
- Being able to cause turnovers?
- Blocking shots?
- Blocking passes?
- Making a great first pass out of the zone?
- Being able to exit the zone yourself?

It's very much a nuanced topic and discussion.
- kingcong39

Great question.
Bold is yes.
The last 2 are TRANSITIONAL PLAY

Probably most important in the Dgame, IMO is standing the play up at the blueline via proper gap control.

based on your logic

if eichel is such a difference maker, why has he yet to play a playoff game?


I mean you are on your knees for dillion like he is the second coming of schoenny
- homiedclown

nobody has been on their knees...classic hockeybuzz overreaction...solid, 2nd-pairing defensive-defenseman amongst a top-four group of puck-movers...nothing more, nothing less

It's nice to be talking hockey instead of all the other crap that has been discussed here recently.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic says high
- homiedclown

doesn't answer the question?

how is he a difference-maker?

Great question.
Bold is yes.
The last 2 are TRANSITIONAL PLAY

Probably most important in the Dgame, IMO is standing the play up at the blueline via proper gap control.
- IonSabres

Getting the puck out of your own zone either yourself or via a great first pass is also defense to me. If you get the puck but don't get it out of your own zone in a controlled manner, you're essentially running in place.

How many teams employ the stand up at the blue line defense? Doesn't seem like many do.

It's clear you think those two things are much more important than all the other aspects I outlined.

I disagree.

Being bad at any of those other aspects also ends up with the puck in your net. See Ristolainen, as an example.
- kingcong39

I never said that...but it's pretty much hockey 101...if you don't have the puck the opposition does...and if you can't tie up a man in front of the net than the odds are better that they score a goal by either a tip, a layup or a rebound

nobody has been on their knees...classic hockeybuzz overreaction...solid, 2nd-pairing defensive-defenseman amongst a top-four group of puck-movers...nothing more, nothing less
- Michael Pachla

Rather than overpay for a name like Dillon, I believe you can get an almost equally as effective defensive defenseman for much less in salary as the league overall seems to underrate that value.

That would be my approach.

I heard botts might get the axe
- homiedclown

He's going to get "axed" what?
Let's hope he doesn't have a great answer.

Getting the puck out of your own zone either yourself or via a great first pass is also defense to me. If you get the puck but don't get it out of your own zone in a controlled manner, you're essentially running in place.

How many teams employ the stand up at the blue line defense? Doesn't seem like many do.
- kingcong39

the blues won a cup that way in 2019...best to have a mix, though...

dahlin will do what dahlin does best...and that's a great thing