2018 NHL Entry Draft

[Habspatrol]

I know we stink but Mete has to eventually put some points on the board . He has great wheels but cant be considered even a marginal 4D if he cant produce .

Krug is a magician with the puck , so he can get buy . You cant have Mete and another 170 pounder in Hughes on the top 4 .

Even with the change in rules you will get smoked in the playoffs with 2 or 3 midgets on the backend.

Bullshit.

If you had Krug, Ellis, Spurgeon, Gostisbehere, Vatanen and Will Butcher you'd have the best corps in the league... not a single one even 6' tall. And you'd be great in the playoffs.

That's not to say that you want to try to draft small dmen as a rule... but I wouldn't be opposed to a small dman is scouting tells you that he has big potential.

 

[GEEMAN]

Bullshit.

If you had Krug, Ellis, Spurgeon, Gostisbehere, Vatanen and Will Butcher you'd have the best corps in the league... not a single one even 6' tall. And you'd be great in the playoffs.

That's not to say that you want to try to draft small dmen as a rule... but I wouldn't be opposed to a small dman is scouting tells you that he has big potential.

If we had the first 4 we would get the shit beat out of us if we ever make the playoffs.

We would get nailed in our own end . You cant have a backend with 4 players 170-180 pounds and survive 4 rounds .

We would have the best 3/3 OT backend , thats it .

 

[Habspatrol]

If we had the first 4 we would get the shit beat out of us if we ever make the playoffs.

We would get nailed in our own end . You cant have a backend with 4 players 170-180 pounds and survive 4 rounds .

We would have the best 3/3 OT backend , thats it .

Nah, guys like Weber who don't really have the ability to skate the puck out of danger end up making bad passes that get picked off and then get stuck running around in their own end.

These small, talented, quick dmen can alleviate pressure with their feet.

 

[GEEMAN]

Nah, guys like Weber who don't really have the ability to skate the puck out of danger end up making bad passes that get picked off and then get stuck running around in their own end.

These small, talented, quick dmen can alleviate pressure with their feet.

Who has won the cup in the last 15 years with 4 midgets on the backend , cmon HP. You need those Hainsey , Muzzin role playing defenders.

Sure they can skate but as a group your finished in the playoffs , your not escaping crease pressure with 4 midgets and a crop of 200 pounders breathing down your neck in the playoffs when goals are harder to come by and you get away with less .

Ellis and Krug are perfect in their role when you have PK , Ekholm Josi , Carlo , McAvoy and Chara on your side .


The Ghost was nearly run out of town a few years ago with shitty d play and he still isnt much better .

 

[Habspatrol]

Who has won the cup in the last 15 years with 4 midgets on the backend , cmon HP. You need those Hainsey , Muzzin role playing defenders.

Sure they can skate but as a group your finished in the playoffs , your not escaping crease pressure with 4 midgets and a crop of 200 pounders breathing down your neck in the playoffs when goals are harder to come by and you get away with less .

Ellis and Krug are perfect in their role when you have PK , Ekholm Josi , Carlo , McAvoy and Chara on your side .


The Ghost was nearly run out of town a few years ago with shitty d play and he still isnt much better .

That wasn't the argument. No team has really compiled a bunch of small dmen.... my point was that if you have the right "little guys" you can still have a good blueline.

 

[DonKay]

Nah, guys like Weber who don't really have the ability to skate the puck out of danger end up making bad passes that get picked off and then get stuck running around in their own end.

These small, talented, quick dmen can alleviate pressure with their feet.

I have no issues with smaller players if they play big but being a smaller forward vs a smaller dman is not the same thing

I think reality is that you can live with one or two of these smaller sized dmen if they are paired with the right partner.

I agree that they can do alot with their foot speed and quickness but when it comes time to defending and they often give up several inches and 20 pounds on a nightly basis to opposition trying to win board battles, take body position, handle forechecking etc...it becomes a more difficult task over a long haul.

I have seen enough of the Bruins over the years to tell you that Torrey Krug has been victimized quite often not because of his lack of smarts or determination but simply because he got manhadled.

But than again bigger player have often been victimized because they are just not smart players.

It’s definitely an interesting debate but personally I still think a goid dman needs to be able to defend well also because you are not always in posession of pucks

 

[GEEMAN]

I have no issues with smaller players if they play big but being a smaller forward vs a smaller dman is not the same thing

I think reality is that you can live with one or two of these smaller sized dmen if they are paired with the right partner.

I agree that they can do alot with their foot speed and quickness but when it comes time to defending and they often give up several inches and 20 pounds on a nightly basis to opposition trying to win board battles, take body position, handle forechecking etc...it becomes a more difficult task over a long haul.

I have seen enough of the Bruins over the years to tell you that Torrey Krug has been victimized quite often not because of his lack of smarts or determination but simply because he got manhadled.

But than again bigger player have often been victimized because they are just not smart players.

It’s definitely an interesting debate but personally I still think a goid dman needs to be able to defend well also because you are not always in posession of pucks

Bingo .. having 2 is ok with the right partner .

You cant have 4 Krug`s , you will get crucified .

A good buddy of mine is a die hard Bruins fan and hasnt missed a game in a decade , and says the same thing about Krug .

Now he is perfectly slotted in the top 4 and can anchor a pp.

 

[Sal_Butera]

Who said Mete’s a top-4 or has to be one? Why can’t he be considered a success as 3rd pairing Dman?

He already is a success as a mid round pick who will be taking a regular shift on D in the NHL - anything more is gravy.

 

[DonKay]

Who said Mete’s a top-4 or has to be one? Why can’t he be considered a success as 3rd pairing Dman?

He already is a success as a mid round pick who will be taking a regular shift on D in the NHL - anything more is gravy.

I think his offensive game will come around in his 22-24 year range once he feels comfortable with his defense.I believe he has potential to be a good second pairing guy.

 

[GrandWazoo]

Bingo .. having 2 is ok with the right partner .

You cant have 4 Krug`s , you will get crucified .

A good buddy of mine is a die hard Bruins fan and hasnt missed a game in a decade , and says the same thing about Krug .

Now he is perfectly slotted in the top 4 and can anchor a pp.

Yeah there is absolutely no way you can go far with 6 Krugs in your lineup. That being said, I don't think you'd go very far with 6 Webers either. And no team out there would be able to handle 6 Subbans.

 

[GEEMAN]

Yeah there is absolutely no way you can go far with 6 Krugs in your lineup. That being said, I don't think you'd go very far with 6 Webers either. And no team out there would be able to handle 6 Subbans.

You need balance but you aren't winning a cup without the contributions of players like Muzzin , Martinez, Seebrook , Sidenberg , Boychuk, Dailey etc.....to be those defensive D minute crunching players .

Pitt had nothing but stable stay at home players last year without Letang but Dumolin and Hainsey were outstanding and no one on that D was a quality puck mover or midgets .

 

[Habspatrol]

Dumoulin and Hainsey were not great in the playoffs. Schultz was by far their best dman in the playoffs.... and he was also their only puck mover.

Oh yeah, they also had Crosby, Malikn and Kessel so their defense wasn't nearly as important.

 

[worm]

I have no issues with smaller players if they play big but being a smaller forward vs a smaller dman is not the same thing

That makes little sense. You want your smaller players to use the tools they have. Quickness, positioning, smarts, not trying to knock over a big forward.

People focus on style and not substance too much.

Habsfan would probably be pissed off that Lidstrom didnt bodycheck ppl if he was a hab.

 

[Rolex]

That makes little sense. You want your smaller players to use the tools they have. Quickness, positioning, smarts, not trying to knock over a big forward.

People focus on style and not substance too much.

Habsfan would probably be pissed off that Lidstrom didnt bodycheck ppl if he was a hab.

But Lidstrom did use his body...it's a misconception that he didn't hit

 

[hairnova]

There's definitely a lot of people on here who would build their team differently than I would.

I want skill skill skill.

 

[DonKay]

That makes little sense. You want your smaller players to use the tools they have. Quickness, positioning, smarts, not trying to knock over a big forward.

People focus on style and not substance too much.

Habsfan would probably be pissed off that Lidstrom didnt bodycheck ppl if he was a hab.

You can't be a small forward in the NHL and avoid contact and traffic is the point I'm making.

If you are small and are afraid to face bigger and stronger players you have no chance...Gallagher and Byron play in traffic, take hits etc...

If you are small and avoid contact and traffic you better be ultra talented like Gaudreau

 

[worm]

But Lidstrom did use his body...it's a misconception that he didn't hit

Never said that.

 

[worm]

You can't be a small forward in the NHL and avoid contact and traffic is the point I'm making.

If you are small and are afraid to face bigger and stronger players you have no chance...Gallagher and Byron play in traffic, take hits etc...

If you are small and avoid contact and traffic you better be ultra talented like Gaudreau

It is about using the skills you have. Byron scores by uses his speed not being playing big.
Gallagher is one of the extremely rare players that plays big to create offense.

If Byron tried to play the way Gallagher does (aka plays the big game) he would be pretty much useless because that is not his skill set.

 

[Sal_Butera]

But Lidstrom did use his body...it's a misconception that he didn't hit

Lindstrom only used his body for positioning, ever see him in person....he was a toothpick. Ultra high hockey IQ, specifically play aniticipation, and elite in stick positioning - Markov was the only other Dman I've ever seen who was anywhere as good with his stick. Both were so flawless with their stick, u never even noticed it.

 

[DonKay]

But Lidstrom did use his body...it's a misconception that he didn't hit

Lidstrom is one of the most intelligent hockey players of our time.

I have never seen a player be more efficient in his movements and positioning, it allowed him to be so good each and every year and show little decline in his play.

But yes, he used his body very effectively