Confirmed with Link: [MTL] Karl Alzner (5 years, $4.625M AAV)

[Binary Code]

Says a random guy on the internet.

As brought up by yours truly, another random guy on the internet.

Selective quoting I see

That's why I said you should wait until he plays the Habs system and then you have all the rights to say he's crap. You base your opinion on a player because of what you've read on HFB? I mean come on that's just silly

 

[Habs Halifax]

No buts.

If this team wants to compete for a Cup, it needs to expect points out of its top four defencemen.

Alzner's career playoff best is four points. Aside from Chad Rudwehel and Mark Streit, every Pens D had five points or more in the playoffs.

The way you evaluate, you are never happy with any move the Habs make. So carry on...

 

[Habs Halifax]

We'll "force" forwards to the outsides because that's how they'll blow by Alzner. The guy ain't exactly fast to begin with, let alone in 3-4 years.

Still I like him better than Emelin

This is my only concern. His foot speed. Can he get back to who he was before the hernia surgery. I think he is more reliable than Emelin.. plays smarter.

 

[NotProkofievian]

We just signed 29 year old Carey price to an 8 year deal. Groins are also important for goalies, no?

I don't like the Price contract.

It's 2017. If you think our medical staff can't handle this then what are we even doing here??

Was Alzner even inspected by our medical staff? Moreover, Alzner was cleared to play 82 games by Washington's medical staff last year. Price was also cleared to start the 2015-16 season by ours as well.

That iron man streak was our friend. Had Alzner rested up and came back healthy for the playoffs, who knows, they may have resigned him and we'd be counting on emelin again. Yikes!

Huh? Emelin was claimed by vegas.

I don't really see what Alzner does for us even if he does return to form. We had a hole at 1 LD before the signing, we have a hole there now.

 

[Runner77]

Selective quoting I see

That's why I said you should wait until he plays the Habs system and then you have all the rights to say he's crap. You base your opinion on a player because of what you've read on HFB? I mean come on that's just silly

Never said he was "crap". The argument was about how Alzner is so much better than Emelin, just trying to add perspective. It is what it is, we've got him now. What else are we going to do? Go Alzner, deliver that jarring blow or block that shot or whatever it is he does.

 

[Runner77]

If he breaks down?

He's on public record saying he can't open jars at home.

He's already broken down. Worst part is he was never any good to begin with.

Alzner-inspired "Iris" lyrics, by New Found Glory:

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's about me is broken
I just want you to know who I am

And I can't fight the tears that ain't coming
At the moment I couldn't open a jar
But a nice 5 year contract feels like the movies

 

[japhi]

No buts.

If this team wants to compete for a Cup, it needs to expect points out of its top four defencemen.

Alzner's career playoff best is four points. Aside from Chad Rudwehel and Mark Streit, every Pens D had five points or more in the playoffs.

Well duh, that defense went on a long run to the cup playing behind the best offense in the league. A healthy Alzner would have played top 4 on that team and had more than 5 points as well. The Pens big 2 carry everyones offensive numbers on that team.

 

[habs03]

If he breaks down?

He's on public record saying he can't open jars at home.

He's already broken down. Worst part is he was never any good to begin with.

Lol at you taking his quote about his wife opening the jars are serious.

He was a top 4, top pairing guy at moments on a caps team that was one of the best at times, so its based on your definition of being any good..

 

[Captain Mountain]

Well duh, that defense went on a long run to the cup playing behind the best offense in the league. A healthy Alzner would have played top 4 on that team and had more than 5 points as well. The Pens big 2 carry everyones offensive numbers on that team.

Even healthy, Alzner wasn't getting more ice than Shattenkirk, Schmidt, Carlson, Orlov or Niskanen.

 

[Charon]

Even healthy, Alzner wasn't getting more ice than Shattenkirk, Schmidt, Carlson, Orlov or Niskanen.

Are you referring to Alzner in the playoffs? I'm pretty sure that Alzner was playing hurt most of the playoffs. I seem to remember the media and commentators talking about that during the Pens series. He didn't play most of the Toronto series, and Trotz was playing with 7 D for the last 5 games of the Pens series. After losing the first two games of that series (without him in the lineup), he was back in doing a fair amount of penalty killing with limited even strength (due to injury, the media suspected).

During the season, he was 4th in even strength ice time per game (behind Orlov, Niskanen and Carlson) and 1st in PK ice time per game.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Are you referring to Alzner in the playoffs? I'm pretty sure that Alzner was playing hurt most of the playoffs. I seem to remember the media and commentators talking about that during the Pens series. He didn't play most of the Toronto series, and Trotz was playing with 7 D for the last 5 games of the Pens series. After losing the first two games of that series (without him in the lineup), he was back in doing a fair amount of penalty killing with limited even strength (due to injury, the media suspected).

During the season, he was 4th in even strength ice time per game (behind Orlov, Niskanen and Carlson) and 1st in PK ice time per game.

This is true, but ignores the fact that Orlov and Schmidt passed him on the depth chart as the season went on. I'm not saying he doesn't have value, but he's a 4th D at best, and expecting the at best of a guy like Alzner is pretty naive. Especially with a fanbase that has seen a number of defensive D just fall apart. And over 4.5 AAV for a number 4 D is a luxury a team with brutal center depth and no top pair PMD cannot afford.