Confirmed with Link: Jamie McBain and #35 for D Andrej Sekera

[Swag Surf Aho]

I like those powerplay combinations. The first one looks strikingly similar to the disaster we experienced last year though. It didn't really start picking up until Semin manned the point. With Semin's vision and shot, and Eric's clutch faceoffs, we should consider moving Jordan to wing and Semin to D in at least the late game desperation powerplays.

One of Eric or Semin manning the point is clearly an indication that we shouldn't be looking to trade Pitkanen anytime soon. I mean, we did see Harrison's clapper on the pp a couple years back, but can we just please leave him be as a 3rd pairing defenseman and nothing more?!?

 

[StormCast]

He literally just said shutdown. Someone who can "shutdown" the other teams top line. That doesn't imply that they are physical or crease clearing whatsoever.

Yes, JR said that after getting Sekera. Before the draft though he said the defense needed to be more physical and harder to play against.

My point being that is not Sekera and I'm afraid JR is stepping away from his original requirement. That is, a physical crease-clearing D in my view. That was clearly lacking on the PK but at even strength as well.

 

[NotOpie]

Last off-season JR said Corvo could play with Gleason in a "shutdown" role so I don't think physical and crease clearing have anything to do with JRs definition of a shutdown defenseman.

I think they need a crease clearer for the PK, but the guys who are supposed to do that already (Harrison and Gleason)

And therein lies the rub. Harrison is an enigma on the PK in that regard. 5 on 5 and Jay is all up in people's grill, playing the body, laying hits, and generally playing a pretty solid game (although I feel he regressed a bit last year, mostly from playing up from his natural bottom pairing skill level). During the PK, for whatever reason, Harry let's people camp in front of the crease and generally clog things up, leaving perfect opportunities for tips and rebound chip ins.

Timmay used to be that dude. You took your life into your hands if you got into his area. Last year, not so much. It was almost as if he was trying to play more of a finesse game. I recall hearing that Dave Lewis was getting Gleason to play with one hand on the stick in certain situations. I wonder if he is stressing the finesse part of Tim's game. If that's the case, I say STOP IT! Gleason is a banger and should remain one. Sure he's not as fast as he used to be but he should be smarter. Also, I think I recall that by the end of the year Tim was playing with a bad wheel....can't recall exactly. That could have accounted for less contact in front of the net.

Regardless, that is what we need....somebody to put opposing players on the ice whenever they step in front of our net on the PP. The guy who did that quite effectively during his short time up was Brett Bellemore. That is why, if need be, I'm okay with a defense of:

Pitkanen/Sekera
Faulk/Gleason
Harrison/Murphy
Bellemore

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

I don't understand holding the fact that Sekera isn't physical against him.

We don't "need" bangers, we "need" talent in our top 4. Once we have 4 defensemen we can play without wondering whether they will constantly **** it up, then we can start to find something better.

Sekera does that. He gives us 4 (when healthy) top-4 defenseman. No more McBain, Bergeron or Harrison consistently playing top-4 minutes.

Now that we have Sekera, we can look for the gritty veteran. Pluck Hal Gill on waivers, see if Bellemore can raise his game, trade for someone.

 

[StormCast]

I don't understand holding the fact that Sekera isn't physical against him.

We don't "need" bangers, we "need" talent in our top 4. Once we have 4 defensemen we can play without wondering whether they will constantly **** it up, then we can start to find something better.

Sekera does that. He gives us 4 (when healthy) top-4 defenseman. No more McBain, Bergeron or Harrison consistently playing top-4 minutes.

Now that we have Sekera, we can look for the gritty veteran. Pluck Hal Gill on waivers, see if Bellemore can raise his game, trade for someone.

Nobody is holding it against him. He was a good pick-up. The point is that the makeup of the D is still too finesse-oriented. Again, though it's wishful thinking, a swap of Pitkanen for a physical, stay-at-home D who could play in the top would be ideal. Then you have the new guy to go with Faulk, Sekera, and Gleason.

The problem with getting a retread like Gill or a journeyman minor leaguer like Bellemore is they can't play in the top 4. Then you have to play either Murphy or Harrison there and that's a problem. It's not just the mix of O-D & D-D, it's on which pairing they can contribute.

 

[Swag Surf Aho]

Nobody is holding it against him. He was a good pick-up. The point is that the makeup of the D is still too finesse-oriented. Again, though it's wishful thinking, a swap of Pitkanen for a physical, stay-at-home D who could play in the top would be ideal. Then you have the new guy to go with Faulk, Sekera, and Gleason.

The problem with getting a retread like Gill or a journeyman minor leaguer like Bellemore is they can't play in the top 4. Then you have to play either Murphy or Harrison there and that's a problem. It's not just the mix of O-D & D-D, it's on which pairing they can contribute.

There would be no problem trading Pitkanen, but at what cost? Many teams probably zeroed in on the guy while he was playing preinjury. He'll be 100% by preseason according to JR but that doesn't help his trade value.

Teams will look at his expiring contract and the fact that he can't stay healthy as leverage. It's like throwing in McBain who had zero value in the Sekera trade, selling at an all time low could easily backfire.

 

[bleedgreen]

Sekera isn't too finesse oriented. We need better defensive play, and he is an above average defensive player. He just doesn't do it by banging bodies. He moves the puck quick and well, he positions himself in the right spots. He isn't a finesse guy, he just isn't a banger either.

Moving mcbain, losing sangs and corvo leaves us with Pitts as the primary softie on the d. Part of the reason I don't like him playing such a big role with us. Losing the others will make us less soft to start. Bellemore as the 6/7 guy will add to the toughness if he makes it.

 

[DaveG]

Sekera isn't too finesse oriented. We need better defensive play, and he is an above average defensive player. He just doesn't do it by banging bodies. He moves the puck quick and well, he positions himself in the right spots. He isn't a finesse guy, he just isn't a banger either.

Moving mcbain, losing sangs and corvo leaves us with Pitts as the primary softie on the d. Part of the reason I don't like him playing such a big role with us. Losing the others will make us less soft to start. Bellemore as the 6/7 guy will add to the toughness if he makes it.

Murphy... but yeah, that's also a big reason I want us to go after Blum as a UFA now that he hasn't been qualified by the Preds. Basically would replace McBain for us at a much cheaper cost.

 

[StormCast]

Sekera isn't too finesse oriented. We need better defensive play, and he is an above average defensive player. He just doesn't do it by banging bodies. He moves the puck quick and well, he positions himself in the right spots. He isn't a finesse guy, he just isn't a banger either.

Oh man, I must not be clear. What I wrote was the D is still too finesse-oriented. I agree with your assessment of Sekera but the D corps needs a nasty presence, which it sorely lacks still. Hence why I said he was a good addition but another one, and a more physical one who can play top 4 minutes (ideally to replace Pits), needs to be brought in.

 

[WWAD]

Everyone is always saying they want a "physical stay at home defensemen." What we usually wind up with is....


Stay at home = Can't skate

Physical = Takes stupid penalties

 

[vwg*]

I personally don't think we're too finesse oriented on D. We're pretty much average in physicality with guys like Gleason, Faulk and Harrison. What we were lacking was a d-man or two that was competent in his own end. Switching out McBain with Sekera goes a long way towards fixing that.

Just look at the D that won the Stanley Cup, the only real physical guy out of that group is Brent Seabrook. Keith, Oduya, Rozsival, Hjalmarsson, and Leddy aren't that physical at all.

 

[sheriff bart]

Everyone is always saying they want a "physical stay at home defensemen." What we usually wind up with is....


Stay at home = Can't skate

Physical = Takes stupid penalties

Wonder what Mike Commodore is up to these days?

 

[faulkingdynamic]

I personally don't think we're too finesse oriented on D. We're pretty much average in physicality with guys like Gleason, Faulk and Harrison. What we were lacking was a d-man or two that was competent in his own end. Switching out McBain with Sekera goes a long way towards fixing that.

Just look at the D that won the Stanley Cup, the only real physical guy out of that group is Brent Seabrook. Keith, Oduya, Rozsival, Hjalmarsson, and Leddy aren't that physical at all.

Yeah but there is a big difference between the 6 you named and the six on our roster. You could argue they have three better than our best one

 

[sheriff bart]

I just think JR puts too much importance on the " puck moving" and not enough on the "puck stopping" aspect of d-men.

 

[vwg*]

Yeah but there is a big difference between the 6 you named and the six on our roster. You could argue they have three better than our best one

So the solution to not having those type of guys is to bring in more physical D? No, the solution to that is to bring in more competent D, which is exactly what I said.

 

[faulkingdynamic]

I'm just saying if you are going to go the overall talent versus doling out roles, the group of six needs to be better. As currently constructed I think we would be better off adding a banger. That said I wouldn't just add a banger to add one but this D still isn't going to be that hard to play against. It's low on physicality and IQ

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Oh man, I must not be clear. What I wrote was the D is still too finesse-oriented.

We were 29th in GA last year. While some of that can be attributed to Ellis and Peters combined mediocrity, I think most would agree our terrible defense had to do with that.

What does it matter if it is too finesse-oriented? We need a better defense, plain and simple. They could be oriented around speed, around offense, around whatever. We need more talent, more top-4 defensemen.

In the position we were in at the end of last season, saying we need more bangers is like saying the Titanic needs a fresh coat of paint. It's probably true, but we have bigger issues to fix.

 

[vwg*]

I'm just saying if you are going to go the overall talent versus doling out roles, the group of six needs to be better.

I agree but that's easier said than done.

That said I wouldn't just add a banger to add one but this D still isn't going to be that hard to play against. It's low on physicality and IQ

I wouldn't say they're low on physicality. I think they are average in that department after looking at how other team's Ds are currently constructed. I will agree they're a bit low on defensive IQ so that's why I would take another d-man who can play his own end competently even if he's low on physicality before I worry about making the D more physical.

 

[StormCast]

What does it matter if it is too finesse-oriented? We need a better defense, plain and simple. They could be oriented around speed, around offense, around whatever. We need more talent, more top-4 defensemen.

Not sure I can say it again and any more clearly but here goes. Correct, I'm advocating for another top 4 Dman to replace Pitkanen, a guy who is physical and tough to play against. As I wrote before, it's not just a physical guy to fill a bottom pairing slot, such as a Gill or Komi. It's a specific type player who plays with an edge but also can play against one of the opponent's top two lines.

I pointed out earlier that I worried JR would point to Chicago's D which is not overly physical. But that is a facile analogy because that D has significantly greater talent than the Canes D corp. So yes, a more finesse player like Keith or Lidstrom or Niedermeyer can be effective but they are elite players. The Canes don't have anyone close to that and thus need a better balance of physical and finesse D players.

 

[NotOpie]

We were 29th in GA last year. While some of that can be attributed to Ellis and Peters combined mediocrity, I think most would agree our terrible defense had to do with that.

What does it matter if it is too finesse-oriented? We need a better defense, plain and simple. They could be oriented around speed, around offense, around whatever. We need more talent, more top-4 defensemen.

In the position we were in at the end of last season, saying we need more bangers is like saying the Titanic needs a fresh coat of paint. It's probably true, but we have bigger issues to fix.

Defense isn't only on the blue liners. Our forwards didn't come to play defensively the second half of the season. ONce we started losing games the back checking became almost non-existent.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

Someone explain to me why it would be a good idea for our only defensemen with any offensive skill to be Justin Faulk and a 20-year old Ryan Murphy with four NHL games played.

I know that we've had too many puck-movng defensemen in recent years, but I think that trading Pitkanen officially swings it to not enough puck-moving defensemen. The defensive defensemen police apparently aren't satisfied that we've traded McBain and are letting Corvo, Bergeron, and Sanguinetti walk.

As soon as Ryan Murphy struggles it'll be Bellemore time and we'll be going off the glass/around the boards on every breakout. Sounds like a great plan when you've got 30 million dollars tied up in your top six.

 

[Joe McGrath]

The D isn't good enough or physical enough today to compete for the Stanley Cup. That's obvious. But it's not like they are so bad they can't be an average defensive team. Would I prefer to turn Pitkanen into say Johnny Boychuk? Sure. But it's not happening.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Forget competing for the Cup. Is this defense good enough to make the playoffs?

Hard to say. But it should be better than last year's.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Forget competing for the Cup. Is this defense good enough to make the playoffs?

Hard to say. But it should be better than last year's.

That's my point. It's an average defense now IMO. If Ward can stay healthy and play like he's paid to he can make the average defense look above average. If that's the case I think this is a playoff team (unless the offense falls off a cliff).

 

[NotOpie]

That's my point. It's an average defense now IMO. If Ward can stay healthy and play like he's paid to he can make the average defense look above average. If that's the case I think this is a playoff team (unless the offense falls off a cliff).

Yup, then it's trade deadline deal time and lightning in a bottle.