Injury Report: Dan Girardi (2/7: Skating in practice)

[1Knee1T]

That's tremendously foolish. There is virtually no doubt in my mind I am a faster skater than Stepan, having played college hockey and still playing regularly. I don't have any of the TALENT that Stepan has, but skating was absolutely my strong suit and I have skated with plenty of junior players, ECHL players, a few NHL players and several ex-NHL players and there is no question that I am as good a skater as many of them and faster than some of them. I can't do 25% of the things they do with the puck, but that has nothing to do with skating. It's plenty likely that Nevisis could be just as good a skater as I am and doubting that someone here might be a better skater than Stepan, based solely on the fact that Stepan is in the NHL is misguided. Stepan genuinely has a bad stride, bad acceleration and mediocre top speed. I couldn't hold Stepan's jock strap as a hockey player; as an ice skater, I'm probably faster and more agile.

Really? You think not having the puck skills they do has nothing to do with skating?

Well that's just tremendously foolish. If your hands can't keep up with your feet then you're a non-factor at the NHL level. Skating with the puck is as big a factor in skating as anything else.

 

[egelband]

worst thread ever

 

[Samuel Culper III]

Really? You think not having the puck skills they do has nothing to do with skating?

Well that's just tremendously foolish. If your hands can't keep up with your feet then you're a non-factor at the NHL level. Skating with the puck is as big a factor in skating as anything else.

That has nothing to do with being a better skater than Stepan. It's not a matter of my hands not keeping up; I never had those kinds of hands or I would have gone further. As it is, I played college hockey. I skate really well; I didn't have any of the other tools to be a real hockey player. It's perfectly conceivable that people here are better skaters than Stepan. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Forget skating with the puck. Stepan, skating through the neutral zone, trying to keep up with a rush, or get to a loose puck, or get in on the forecheck or get back to backcheck or beat out an icing, when no stick handling and is involved or even considered, is a poor skater with bad speed and an ugly stride. There's nothing difficult about believing better skaters exist outside of the NHL. It doesn't make us better hockey players. It makes us better at one thing.

 

[Dalagaze]

Talking about Stepan in a Girardi thread? Oh HF....

Anyway, hopefully G isn't out for too long. He is absolutely vital to this team.

 

[1Knee1T]

That has nothing to do with being a better skater than Stepan. It's not a matter of my hands not keeping up; I never had those kinds of hands or I would have gone further. As it is, I played college hockey. I skate really well; I didn't have any of the other tools to be a real hockey player. It's perfectly conceivable that people here are better skaters than Stepan. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Forget skating with the puck. Stepan, skating through the neutral zone, trying to keep up with a rush, or get to a loose puck, or get in on the forecheck or get back to backcheck or beat out an icing, when no stick handling and is involved or even considered, is a poor skater with bad speed and an ugly stride. There's nothing difficult about believing better skaters exist outside of the NHL. It doesn't make us better hockey players. It makes us better at one thing.

Clearly we have different opinions, but don't say I have no idea what I'm talking about. All that stuff about playing with college and pro players, that's fantastic for you, but that's not a way to change my opinion. I did the same with baseball but I don't claim to be a better fielder than any starting MLB player because I don't routinely take the field against MLB batters.

Until you can maintain your speed against an entire team of NHL players, in a 60 minute NHL game, in a full 82 game NHL season, I reserve my right to doubt that you're a better skater than Stepan and Richards. If you don't like that well I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

Clearly we have different opinions, but don't say I have no idea what I'm talking about. All that stuff about playing with college and pro players, that's fantastic for you, but that's not a way to change my opinion. I did the same with baseball but I don't claim to be a better fielder than any starting MLB player because I don't routinely take the field against MLB batters.

Until you can maintain your speed against an entire team of NHL players, in a 60 minute NHL game, in a full 82 game NHL season, I reserve my right to doubt that you're a better skater than Stepan and Richards. If you don't like that well I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it.

Horrendous comparison. Do you need to RUN on the same dirt as them to say you might be faster? Fielding is a skill like stick handling. Skating, while a skill, is different because my speed doesn't change when I get on the ice with different players. My stamina doesn't change when I get on the ice with different players. Stepan, hopefully, is better conditioned than I am but there is nothing on this earth that will make him a better skater than me unless he changes his stride and spends a full summer or two working on increasing his speed with a professional skating coach. Speed is speed. Stepan is slow. Your argument sucks.

 

[1Knee1T]

Horrendous comparison. Do you need to RUN on the same dirt as them to say you might be faster? Fielding is a skill like stick handling. Skating, while a skill, is different because my speed doesn't change when I get on the ice with different players. My stamina doesn't change when I get on the ice with different players. Stepan, hopefully, is better conditioned than I am but there is nothing on this earth that will make him a better skater than me unless he changes his stride and spends a full summer or two working on increasing his speed with a professional skating coach. Speed is speed. Stepan is slow. Your argument sucks.

It's really not a horrendous comparison at all. You don't think MLB batters hit harder than lower level competition? I can't say I'm a better fielder until I'm facing those same ground balls every day. The same thing applies to skating against 5 regular day NHL players versus one of your occasional ECHL, ex-NHL, rare current NHL, whatever league player. I would imagine it's a lot harder to keep pace when you're worrying about 5 NHLers than it is to keep pace with one high level guy.

But listen, none of this has to do with Girardi, and honestly your little cheap shots are silly. If you want to keep it going, feel free to PM me. I need to leave to get some dinner and get ready for MY hockey game. Yeah, I play too. Guess I can have an opinion after all.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

It's really not a horrendous comparison at all. You don't think MLB batters hit harder than lower level competition? I can't say I'm a better fielder until I'm facing those same ground balls every day. The same thing applies to skating against 5 regular day NHL players versus one of your occasional ECHL, ex-NHL, rare current NHL, whatever league player. I would imagine it's a lot harder to keep pace when you're worrying about 5 NHLers than it is to keep pace with one high level guy.

But listen, none of this has to do with Girardi, and honestly your little cheap shots are silly. If you want to keep it going, feel free to PM me. I need to leave to get some dinner and get ready for MY hockey game. Yeah, I play too. Guess I can have an opinion after all.

Enjoy your beer league. If you think Stepan's skating skill is above average, I have nothing further to say to you. It is a bad comparison because your fielding ability is altered by the ability of the batters you are facing. Your skating ability is not altered by anything other than your skates/injury to your body. Stepan's skating ability is subpar for the NHL. It doesn't matter that he's skating against 5 NHL players. That doesn't make him slower. That doesn't change his stride. That doesn't change his agility. We're not talking about a tired Stepan in the third period after grinding all game. We're not talking about a gassed kid, 50 games into an NHL season. We're talking about the fact that Derek Stepan, in a pre-season, exhibition game shootout with no contention, is a poor skater and you thinking it's not possible for anyone who isn't an NHL player to skate better is simply wrong. I'm not going to argue with you any more. I honestly have absolutely no respect for you or your opinion at this point so it really doesn't matter. You're wrong and your argument is a bad one. Stepan could go skating in central park for fun tomorrow and be a bad skater. It doesn't change.

 

[nevesis]

Enjoy your beer league. If you think Stepan's skating skill is above average, I have nothing further to say to you. It is a bad comparison because your fielding ability is altered by the ability of the batters you are facing. Your skating ability is not altered by anything other than your skates/injury to your body. Stepan's skating ability is subpar for the NHL. It doesn't matter that he's skating against 5 NHL players. That doesn't make him slower. That doesn't change his stride. That doesn't change his agility. We're not talking about a tired Stepan in the third period after grinding all game. We're not talking about a gassed kid, 50 games into an NHL season. We're talking about the fact that Derek Stepan, in a pre-season, exhibition game shootout with no contention, is a poor skater and you thinking it's not possible for anyone who isn't an NHL player to skate better is simply wrong. I'm not going to argue with you any more. I honestly have absolutely no respect for you or your opinion at this point so it really doesn't matter. You're wrong and your argument is a bad one. Stepan could go skating in central park for fun tomorrow and be a bad skater. It doesn't change.

This is absolutely QFT. Thanks for saying everything I wanted to, but didn't feel the need to even retort to someone so clueless.

 

[RempireStateBuilding]

I could have sworn this thread was about Girardi, not a pissing contest about who's a better skater than Stepan.

Hope we don't lose him for depth purposes, other than that I don't think Girardi has ever been that great of a d-man outside of a couple stretches.

 

[nevesis]

What sources reported it to be a hip flexor?

 

[Ail]

I make a better omelette than Stepan.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Richards was significantly worse last season, but people denied it because the team was doing well.

Glad to see how ridiculous some people's thought processes are on here. The Richards signing has looked worse then Gomez thus far...by a nice amount.

 

[Dalagaze]

Richards was significantly worse last season, but people denied it because the team was doing well.

Glad to see how ridiculous some people's thought processes are on here. The Richards signing has looked worse then Gomez thus far...by a nice amount.

You're missing the sarcasm emoticon.

 

[Jabroni]

Cool off. This is a thread about Girardi, not Richards or Stepan.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

You're missing the sarcasm emoticon.

And I'm sure I'll get plenty of more comments like this when the team starts a winning streak (if they ever do). Nobody's accountable when we win.

 

[One Winged Angel]

Like Nevesis said, MPF, it's good to have others on here that have played at least a semi-competitive level of hockey or higher.

Skating is not talent or skill like stick-handling is, completely different concept. Skating with the puck and without the puck are two completely different concepts as well. Skating was always one of my strong suits, not being someone who is well over 6' or 200+ pounds.

My uncle had a full ride to Northeastern years ago. He played against MANY great hockey players and some NHL'ers, most notably the Mullens, George McPhee, some other Rangers and Islanders in the 70's and 80's. He said that the difference between making it in the big leagues and not making it was skating. The pros could make cuts that others simply just couldn't make. Skating is a skill that you can craft, yes, but straight line speed is something you either have or don't have.

Derek Stepan simply JUST DOES NOT HAVE IT. I've said for 2 seasons now that if he were to ever work on his speed (he apparently hasn't) that he could be a close to point per game player at the NHL level. He has the smarts, has the shot, has the ability to make plays. His skating simply cannot support his other abilities and it hinders him.

 

[Kwayry]

Like Nevesis said, MPF, it's good to have others on here that have played at least a semi-competitive level of hockey or higher.

Skating is not talent or skill like stick-handling is, completely different concept. Skating with the puck and without the puck are two completely different concepts as well. Skating was always one of my strong suits, not being someone who is well over 6' or 200+ pounds.

My uncle had a full ride to Northeastern years ago. He played against MANY great hockey players and some NHL'ers, most notably the Mullens, George McPhee, some other Rangers and Islanders in the 70's and 80's. He said that the difference between making it in the big leagues and not making it was skating. The pros could make cuts that others simply just couldn't make. Skating is a skill that you can craft, yes, but straight line speed is something you either have or don't have.

Derek Stepan simply JUST DOES NOT HAVE IT. I've said for 2 seasons now that if he were to ever work on his speed (he apparently hasn't) that he could be a close to point per game player at the NHL level. He has the smarts, has the shot, has the ability to make plays. His skating simply cannot support his other abilities and it hinders him.

He should fire his skating coach and get another one.

 

[Henkka]

Derek Stepan simply JUST DOES NOT HAVE IT. I've said for 2 seasons now that if he were to ever work on his speed (he apparently hasn't) that he could be a close to point per game player at the NHL level. He has the smarts, has the shot, has the ability to make plays. His skating simply cannot support his other abilities and it hinders him.

Brett Hull didn't have it. Scored 700 goals.

You put Stepan with Hagelin and Gaborik, and nobody notices his skating when we has two flying wingers, and if Stepan knows how to use them.

***

What's the latest news about Girardi?

 

[NYR Viper]

Guys, the next person who brings up Stepan in this thread will get an infraction, it has gone on long enough. Cool it.

 

[Vickers8]

“@AGrossRecord: Looks like full morning skate for #NYR. D Dan Girardi (undisclosed) on the ice after not practicing yesterday.”

 

[Trxjw]

“@AGrossRecord: Looks like full morning skate for #NYR. D Dan Girardi (undisclosed) on the ice after not practicing yesterday.â€

Good news.

 

[Vickers8]

Good news.

We need DG and Cally back

 

[tlallstar6]

“@AGrossRecord: Looks like full morning skate for #NYR. D Dan Girardi (undisclosed) on the ice after not practicing yesterday.â€

Just came to post this. Great to hear.

 

[Vickers8]

Just came to post this. Great to hear.

Credit to Nevesis, I copied it off the Gameday post