hockeylover
Well-known member
A defensemen's job is not to spend most of their time in the other teams end though.
A defenseman is supposed to keep the puck out of their own net and if they're in the other team's end... that's accomplished.
A defensemen's job is not to spend most of their time in the other teams end though.
A defensemen's job is not to spend most of their time in the other teams end though.
I'm not a Holzer fan, but MacWilliam though...dude can legitimately skate, and hits like a freight train, a lot. I don't know if his puck skills can handle a full time role in the NHL yet (or ever), but he looks like a pretty ideal #7 defender for next season.
Gardiner is what he is an offensive through bred horse, he's a high risk guy who's going to **** up a lot trying to be the hero, he reminds me alot of Berard. Rielly at 19 is a lot smarter then Gardiner is at 24, Rielly is every bit of a skater as Gardiner is but he knows when to pull back and when to jump not to mention he's a lot better positonally then Gardiner is.
Yeah, it is pretty hard to judge his performance last year, when Randy threw him to the wolves by giving him a steady diet of top-pairing minutes and top-pairing competition.I wouldn't mind seeing holzer get one more look, but this time in a more appropriate bottom pair role. Both his size and skating are nhl legit and he's been really good for the marlies.
I think we used him completely wrong and unfairly last year.
IMO it doesn't work on several levels 1. Rielly is 19 you cannot expect him to play 25 plus minutes a night against the leagues best players and thrive 2. Buff isn't a defensive guy and Gardiner is a nightmare in his own end he needs a stay at home guy to anchor him.... Buff isn't that guy.
I'm not a Holzer fan, but MacWilliam though...dude can legitimately skate, and hits like a freight train, a lot. I don't know if his puck skills can handle a full time role in the NHL yet (or ever), but he looks like a pretty ideal #7 defender for next season.
Gardiner will iron out his decision making with experience. We've seen him when he's on the top of his game and he's a pure impact defender when he's there.
Yeah its now or never for Holzer and Brennan. They are turning 26 and 25 soon.
Yeah, he has bottom pair/#7 potential IMO. We have better prospects. Granberg, Percy, Finn and Nilsson are legit prospects I think.
To a point he will but really he'll never be anything more then average in his own end
Gardiner gets himself into a lot of bad spots but his saving grace his his elite speed to either skate the puck out or get back into positon.
You make way too much of this. Who gives a **** if he's only average at chasing the puck around in his own zone, if he's elite at moving the puck out of his own zone when he gets a hold of it.
Becayse a defenceman's job is twofold 1) To seperate the oppositon from the puck 2) Transition the puck up to the forwards.
Actually, it is. Nobody scores on you from their own zone.