Andy Greene - one of the best American born defenders in the NHL?

[Chessarmy]

Thread title says it all, is Greene one of the best American born defenseman in the league?

I say - absolutely.

He's one of the most reliable defenseman in the NHL and can play in all situations. He's great with his stick but can also play a physical game (as evidenced by a great body check last night along the boards, one of the highlights of the game), he's great on the penalty kill but has the offensive ability to contribute on the powerplay as well. His skating is good, his passing is accurate and his vision of the ice is top notch. He's a smart player with an extremely high "Hockey IQ" who is severely underrated.

In short, Andy Greene is awesome.

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[Better Call Sal]

He is incredibly under appreciated around the league, but I'm glad he finally got his due with us last year. You really could see how valuable he was to the team last year and I'm glad he's become a strong leader for this team because they need some of those with the last of the previous old guard (Marty, Patty and Sal) slowly being phased out.

 

[Chessarmy]

Great points maddog, another interesting note is just how durable he's been throughout his career. Hopefully that continues *knock on wood*

 

[Unknown Caller]

You can make the argument that he is the best behind Suter and McDonagh (unless I'm forgetting someone obvious). I feel like he's just as good as Martin, Shattenkirk, Fowler, Carlson, etc.

 

[tr83]

Better than Suter, Shattenkirk, and McDonough?

I don't know my friend, that's saying a LOT

 

[Better Call Sal]

I think he will be a perfect mentor for the upcoming crew of young defenders, also. It's incredible how far he's come from being an undrafted FA. I am sure that many others remember that a number of fans wanted Greene off the team around the beginning of the decade. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was under Lemaire after Sutter left that he really began coming into his own.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Better than Suter, Shattenkirk, and McDonough?

I don't know my friend, that's saying a LOT

I said best behind Suter and McDonagh. Meaning not as good as Suter and McDonagh. I don't see Shattenkirk on the same level as those two.

 

[Better Call Sal]

He is absolutely just as good as Paul Martin, if not better. I don't even think that's debatable at this point.

I'm so glad we didn't give him a long term deal but that's neither here nor there.

 

[Emperoreddy]

He was better then Orpik and Martin last year and should of played in the Olympics but Disco Dan was playing favorites.

 

[RSeen]

He is absolutely just as good as Paul Martin, if not better. I don't even think that's debatable at this point.

I'm so glad we didn't give him a long term deal but that's neither here nor there.

Martin was a good Dman for the Pens. I don't know about this year, but he hasn't been bad.

 

[NJDevs26]

He was better then Orpik and Martin last year and should of played in the Olympics but Disco Dan was playing favorites.

Between Danny Boy and some of team USA's other 'geniuses' last year not even considering Greene with the other nonsense that came out in LeBrun's insider article last year, and the whole Yzerman/MSL fiasco for Canada/TB, it kind of soured me on having pros in the Olympics to a degree. At least when you have current GM's and coaches deciding roster spots. The conflict of interest is just too deep.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I'm still waiting to see him play a good game this season

 

[Chessarmy]

I'm still waiting to see him play a good game this season

Huh? He's had at least 4 or 5 good/great games already this year. Are you sure you didn't mean to put <--- that smiley in your post?

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

This man will like to have a word with you:

 

[glenwo2]

Greene is TOP 5, that's for sure.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Right now? Absolutely. I understand the lack of hype, but he might have been the third best defenseman on Team USA in Sochi if they had even invited him to camp.

It's kind of sad to think how long NJ's group of mediocre defensemen kept him out of anything resembling a spotlight, or how long he'd been making terrible defensemen look passable without getting much credit for it.

Here's his most common D partners, in order of most time spent together to least, since 2007:
Fayne
Salvador
Larsson
Salmela
Zidlicky
Fraser
Mottau
Volchenkov
Tallinder
White
Harrold
Leach
Corrente
OMG
Taormina
Merrill
Martin
Vishnevski

Is there much surprise that he didn't REALLY break out until the D was overhauled and he wasn't lugging a slug around every night?

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

Yandle
Suter


ARe the only two I would take on the board prior to Greene.

 

[slammer]

he is awesome

 

[Oneiro]

Let's not act like he was a diamond in the rough the entire time he's been wearing a Devils uniform. Give the guy credit for his continued improvement.

My favorite thing about seeing his game grow is that he's now comfortable on both sides of the puck to the point where he takes the right kind of exciting offensive risks.

 

[Wingman77]

Let's not act like he was a diamond in the rough the entire time he's been wearing a Devils uniform. Give the guy credit for his continued improvement.

My favorite thing about seeing his game grow is that he's now comfortable on both sides of the puck to the point where he takes the right kind of exciting offensive risks.

From an undrafted FA signing to some success when he first came up followed by some struggles for a couple of years and to where he is now, the guy has made tremendous strides in his game

edit: loved this hit the other night - another area he as stepped up in his game along the way, wish he'd play physically more often because when he hits he doesn't **** around

 

[Better Call Sal]

From an undrafted FA signing to some success when he first came up followed by some struggles for a couple of years and to where he is now, the guy has made tremendous strides in his game

edit: loved this hit the other night - another area he as stepped up in his game along the way, wish he'd play physically more often because when he hits he doesn't **** around

He had some great hits on Crosby and Ovechkin a couple years back, I wish I could find video.

 

[glenwo2]

From an undrafted FA signing to some success when he first came up followed by some struggles for a couple of years and to where he is now, the guy has made tremendous strides in his game

edit: loved this hit the other night - another area he as stepped up in his game along the way, wish he'd play physically more often because when he hits he doesn't **** around

The vid-cap(without pressing the play button) looks like Greene nailed the Jets player in the balls.

 

[Chessarmy]

Right now? Absolutely. I understand the lack of hype, but he might have been the third best defenseman on Team USA in Sochi if they had even invited him to camp.

It's kind of sad to think how long NJ's group of mediocre defensemen kept him out of anything resembling a spotlight, or how long he'd been making terrible defensemen look passable without getting much credit for it.

Here's his most common D partners, in order of most time spent together to least, since 2007:
Fayne
Salvador
Larsson
Salmela
Zidlicky
Fraser
Mottau
Volchenkov
Tallinder
White
Harrold
Leach
Corrente
OMG
Taormina
Merrill
Martin
Vishnevski

Is there much surprise that he didn't REALLY break out until the D was overhauled and he wasn't lugging a slug around every night?

Hey! I liked Anssi Salmela! Leave him alone!

 

[tr83]

I said best behind Suter and McDonagh. Meaning not as good as Suter and McDonagh. I don't see Shattenkirk on the same level as those two.

Our posts came up at the same time. I was responding to Chessarmy since no one had replied

 

[AfroThunder396]

Let's not act like he was a diamond in the rough the entire time he's been wearing a Devils uniform. Give the guy credit for his continued improvement.

My favorite thing about seeing his game grow is that he's now comfortable on both sides of the puck to the point where he takes the right kind of exciting offensive risks.

I distinctly remember him having a GREAT series against Tampa in the 2007 playoffs. He was hit or miss under Sutter, but it was Papa jacques that really taught him how to be a top pairing guy.