The Flames have been playing 2 rookie defensemen as a pair since opening night and are in first place.
Tampa has the best record in the league, 6 veteran defensemen, and still plays a 21-year-old rookie who was far worse than Myers in the AHL most nights.
The Canadiens are playing a 5-foot-9, 20-year-old defenseman who was a fourth-round pick and played all of 7 games in the AHL on their top pair.
And the Flyers went to the playoffs in 2015-16 with a rookie in their top four, and in 2017-18 with a 2nd year defenseman playing 24 minutes a night.
Each player is different, neither Sanheim or Myers is as explosive as Ghost as a rookie or have the instincts of Provorov
Calgary's rookies are on the 3rd pair, and one is playing b/c 28 year old Mark Stone is injured.
Andersson plays 15:15 a night, Kylington 11:51, both are subpar defensemen right now.
Cernak has been a surprise for TB:
“When we first saw him in Training Camp, I was thinking like he is not ready yet. We were okay with sending him down to the AHL,” said Head Coach Jon Cooper in December. “But when we
called him up from the minors, we were left shocked how much Cernak has improved. He is overcoming himself game after another and that´s what I like,” concluded Cooper. Cernak was called up to provide depth when
Anton Stralman went down injured in November.
Cernak is not necessarily a modern mobile defenceman. He is a big defenceman with excellent reach and strength. He is strong defensively and in front of his own net.
