twabby
Registered User
- Mar 9, 2010
- 13,766
- 14,709
I wasn't suggesting flipping Alzner and Orlov was necessarily a permanent solution. I'm saying try it out and see what you have with those new pairings.
The only two defensemen I'd for sure keep protected in the draft right now are Carlson and Niskanen. At this point, I think there is a very interesting debate between keeping Alzner or Orlov as the third protected defenseman and some of that uncertainty revolves around Alzner's and Orlov's next contracts. If you put a gun to my head I keep Alzner for now due to a proven track record versus Orlov's inconsistency, but stability only goes so far. You need players who can drive possession and tilt the ice and if Orlov can prove that he can clean up his mistakes (which he has done a nice job of so far this season) he makes a very strong case for being protected over Alzner because his contract situation is likely to be more favorable to Washington as a RFA vs. Alzner as a UFA and also because he is a few years younger.
The only two defensemen I'd for sure keep protected in the draft right now are Carlson and Niskanen. At this point, I think there is a very interesting debate between keeping Alzner or Orlov as the third protected defenseman and some of that uncertainty revolves around Alzner's and Orlov's next contracts. If you put a gun to my head I keep Alzner for now due to a proven track record versus Orlov's inconsistency, but stability only goes so far. You need players who can drive possession and tilt the ice and if Orlov can prove that he can clean up his mistakes (which he has done a nice job of so far this season) he makes a very strong case for being protected over Alzner because his contract situation is likely to be more favorable to Washington as a RFA vs. Alzner as a UFA and also because he is a few years younger.