Between him, Toews, Pulock and Mayfield, the Islanders have a young core of defensemen in the NHL. Toews and Pulock both have top pairing upside and Mayfield and Pelech can both step into spot duty in the top-4, but are excellent 5-6 defensemen with room to improve. Leddy is young too, and add in Bode Wilde and Dobson in a few years, not even to mention Aho?
Van de Sompel and Wotherspoon will also be NHLers in my opinion. We also drafted Robin Salo in 2nd round two years ago I don’t know how they view him but that is high pick.
If you knew me better in real life, you'd know that me saying something is "pretty good" is a higher compliment than saying it's "outstanding".
Hmmm....I dunno - if your wife/girlfriend/non-gendered specific partner asked you for a critique and you said “that was pretty good” the response would be “phew - I was afraid you’d say ‘outstanding’”?If you knew me better in real life, you'd know that me saying something is "pretty good" is a higher compliment than saying it's "outstanding".
My wife knows that "pretty good" is my highest compliment, but I'm smart enough to know not to use it in certain circumstances.Hmmm....I dunno - if your wife/girlfriend/non-gendered specific partner asked you for a critique and you said “that was pretty good” the response would be “phew - I was afraid you’d say ‘outstanding’”?
I thought Hickey was fine last night. He was part of a pretty good defensive effort. Some might even say outstanding.
More than anything, it seemed like the game simply needed to slow down for him, which usually comes with time, experience and confidence.
Agree with your post, but would also add that an actual effective system is also a factor. Playing within a simple but well designed system makes decisions so much easier as the point of the system is that if you follow it the right things will happen; it makes things easier to predict and reduces what you have to consider when making a decision. Capuano's system was overly complex which forced the dmen to have to quickly choose from too many possible options, whereas Weight's system of just go out there and make good decisions gave no guidance to the Dmen and created chaos. This is especially problematic for young defensemen, and I think it should be no surprise that all three of the young Dmen have taken huge steps forward this season and are showing much improved decision making.
It wasn't that long ago where people on this list were overreacting by saying that his contract sucked and he sucked.
| 2013-14 | Erie | OHL | 60 | 9 | 45 | 54 | 52 | |
| Canada | WJC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2012-13 | Erie | OHL | 59 | 8 | 32 | 40 | -16 | |
| 2011-12 | Erie | OHL | 44 | 2 | 18 | 20 | -20 | |
| 2010-11 | Erie | OHL | 65 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
