I didn't realise njd depth was so bad.Gardiner can't defend for ****. Vatanen is playing 25+ a game vs top competition
All advanced stats say Gardiner is an excellent 5v5 D-man and Gardiner has scored 84 points the past 1.75 seasons + seasons whereas Vatanen has scored 53 points. Get real.Gardiner can't defend for ****. Vatanen is playing 25+ a game vs top competition
Like Toronto is a defensive powerhouseI didn't realise njd depth was so bad.
Vatanen was playing with a bad shoulder last year, and since joining the Devils, he's on a 0.55 ppg, playing vs Top competition lol.All advanced stats say Gardiner is an excellent 5v5 D-man and Gardiner has scored 84 points the past 1.75 seasons + seasons whereas Vatanen has scored 53 points. Get real.
4-5 top 4 dmen. We ok...but can be better. Liljegren coming soon.Like Toronto is a defensive powerhouse
So Gardiner is #2 defenseman?4-5 top 4 dmen. We ok...but can be better. Liljegren coming soon.
So Gardiner is #2 defenseman?
okGardiner is the Leafs 2nd best D-man behind Rielly. So yes, Gardiner is a #2 D-man given that he is the 2nd best D-man on the 6th best team in the league.
I don't think that's how it works.Gardiner is the Leafs 2nd best D-man behind Rielly. So yes, Gardiner is a #2 D-man given that he is the 2nd best D-man on the 6th best team in the league.
Care to elaborate on my point:
Fact A: The Leafs are the 6th best team in the league
Fact B: Gardiner is the 2nd best D on the 6th best team in the league.
If Fact A and B are correct, which they are, that makes Gardiner a #2 D-man.
Way to knitpick, Gardiner does make bonehead mistake from time to time but his ability to cover the passing lanes, his transitional game and his effectiveness at preventing controlled zone entries is what makes him an effective Dman in his own end. If Gardiner is terrible at his defensive assignments then what does that say about the rest of the Leafs' top 4 (Rielly, Zaitsev and Hainsey) considering Jake has the best GA/60 (by a wide margin), xGA/60, HDCA/60 (high danger shots against), SA/60 and HDCF% (high danger corsi %) among the Leafs' top 4 Dmen. If that was the case, then Andersen really deserves the Vezna for playing behind the worst defensive top 4 ever assembled am I right?Gardiner is terrible in his own end, just awful. I don’t know enough about Vatanen’s game to compare but I’m well over Jake’s hot-streaks, where he produces enough offensively to dupe people into thinking he’s a good D.
So I picked Vatanen, because Vatanen didn’t almost cost us the game tonight.
Vatanen is better defensively and was buried on the Ducks so his numbers were lower.
He’s clearly outplaying Gardiner this second half of the season with NJ. My money is on him continuing that and more with a better LD partner this off-season (kids moving up, acquisitions, etc)