Brooks Orpik

[Ogrezilla]

I have never once seen Bortuzzo taken off his game...I HAVE seen him take a bunch of opposition players off theirs. I have also seen Orpik thrown off his game to the point where he abandons position and all sense to go after a guy and give him extra shots away from the play, to the detriment of the team.



If only Bortuzzo knew how to step on people, right?



Bort not only steps up on people, he can do it judiciously without chasing hits, and he can answer the bell afterwards. He can also - unlike Orpik - give players the business in front of the net, like when he worked over Chara.



Scuds, Martin, Niskanen, Bort, Despres, and Maatta have been more sound than Orpik. Letang's been a gong show too, but he brings dynamic offense. Orpik brings nothing but big talk and an extensive blooper reel.

I like this post a lot. Orpik really doesn't give this team anything it can't replace right now.

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

Bortuzzo will never be a top 4 D-man without injuries, not on this team, probably never. He can't even crack the bottom pairing regularly. That should tell you something.

Yes. He has to the point that other teams players are coming to take shots at him. He literally hasn't played enough to even scratch the surface. Maybe one day when he adds to his frame a little bit. He (Orpik) takes the brunt of hits just as much as he hands it out. I've seen guys like Ovechkin obliterate Bortuzzo while Orpik absorbs it more and most times players bounce off him. It's like a hit without him initiating the hit. You guys don't notice this stuff probably because you're watching the puck after Orpik sends it up. Orpik is a more punishing D-man, period.

As Jmelm said, he's never been a great positional player and that's due to him taking risks, risks that gets noticed around the league and why players respect what he does. Remove Orpik from this lineup and teams will be putting much more pressure on our D. Bortuzzo would be just another target to easily get off his game. After that what do you have?

Go ahead, send away Orpik. You won't like the punishment the defense will takes in a 7 game series against a team targeting the D on dump ins. How do you stop that? Step up at the blueline.

It won't be like the regular season, things get elevated up, and so will, Orpik.


Those are just some hard truths to take with, Orpik.

Just look at what they won with before that were not exactly 80% to 100% sound. 80% to 100% sound, those players cost 6.0 to 9.0, even players not 100% sound cost more in some cases(Letang being one case), and Orpik comes in at half to one third of that cost.

You have to take warts, all players have them to some degree. Some thrive from a certain system put into play, ones that suite how they play. Orpik certainly hasn't been a full believer in this system sighting they should play more defense. This season they're only starting to get back to it (LW lock) being far from it for 4 seasons straight.

I think we win a cup with Orpik not without. D is too green for me with him out.

This is all I'll say on the Orpik subject because, you all have made up your minds already. For my own sanity this thread will be put on ignore like the many Staal threads.

I have stayed out of this for the same reason.

We are having the same conversation about Bort as we had about Engelland a year ago. I want to see Bort a little longer before we throw him the reigns.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I have stayed out of this for the same reason.

We are having the same conversation about Bort as we had about Engelland a year ago. I want to see Bort a little longer before we throw him the reigns.

Between Bort and Despres, I am very confident that we'd be better off getting something in return for Orpik and letting the rookies fight it out.

 

[penguins2946*]

I'm beyond the point of wanting to pull the Despres treatment on Orpik (bench him for every mistake). I want to pull the Old Yeller treatment on him.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I want to pull the Morrow treatment on him. There will be some great symmetry, an old over the hill forward with leadership qualities for a good defense prospect; an old over the hill defenseman with leadership qualities for a good forward prospect.

 

[Tender Rip]

I want to pull the Morrow treatment on him. There will be some great symmetry, an old over the hill forward with leadership qualities for a good defense prospect; an old over the hill defenseman with leadership qualities for a good forward prospect.

 

[madinsomniac]

There are two points Id like to make...
Orpik has had some outstanding games... he seems to just not play hard anymore... I don't know if he is just done or if he is dogging it in the regular season, as has been alluded to before. Ive been a harsh critic of him for a while now, but Im not entirely convinced this Orpik is the guy we will get in the playoffs..

Secondly this coach seems to value vets who hit a lot more than anything else. orpik, glass, Adams... these guys don't bring much to the table right now, but they consistently hit... I know Bylsma believes that this wears teams out over time, but I don't think we have the team that can wear out a bruins or any of those western teams with the hits that a Glass and Adams are throwing, and orps taked himself out of position too much when he does go on a hitting rampage....

Anyone else on board with the "Orps dogs it in the regular season" theory yet?

 

[Ogrezilla]

Anyone else on board with the "Orps dogs it in the regular season" theory yet?

theory? he flat out admitted it. He doesn't play bad positional hockey and handle the puck like a hand grenade because he's taking it easy though.

 

[penguins2946*]

He looks halfway decent in the Olympics because he's playing like 10 minutes a game.

 

[Michael8771*]

He looks halfway decent in the Olympics because he's playing like 10 minutes a game.

He's definitely played better in the Olympics than he has this season in Pittsburgh that's for sure.

 

[penguins2946*]

He's definitely played better in the Olympics than he has this season in Pittsburgh that's for sure.

I've always stood by the theory that he takes it easy in the regular season to conserve himself for the playoffs. This is doing nothing to push me away from that thought.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I've always stood by the theory that he takes it easy in the regular season to conserve himself for the playoffs. This is doing nothing to push me away from that thought.

That to me is worse than just not being good anymore. If he can't play hard every night, I don't want him being a mentor and leader on this team.

And like I said above, his biggest flaws aren't physical things. Does taking it easy cause him to make bad decisions? Does it make him lose his positioning? Is it why he can't make a simple pass? No. In the playoffs, he will ramp up the physicality. His strengths will get stronger. But his weaknesses will still be every bit as weak.

 

[chethejet]

Orpik isn't play well in the Olympics. He is an afterthought for the B team games. Big ice and slow defenseman who miss big hits are not the way to go. Yet Bylsma and Shero love his so called leadership. Where was that leadership when the flyers where embarrassing this Defense. He has served the team for the most part but that was along time ago and he needs to go.

 

[Michael8771*]

That to me is worse than just not being good anymore. If he can't play hard every night, I don't want him being a mentor and leader on this team.

And like I said above, his biggest flaws aren't physical things. Does taking it easy cause him to make bad decisions? Does it make him lose his positioning? Is it why he can't make a simple pass? No. In the playoffs, he will ramp up the physicality. His strengths will get stronger. But his weaknesses will still be every bit as weak.

Sure it could, if you're not giving 100% then you're likely not 100% focused on making even the simple and fundamental plays. Your play most certainly could suffer as a result. So making bad decisions wouldn't necessarily be out of the realm of possibility.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Sure it could, if you're not giving 100% then you're likely not 100% focused on making even the simple and fundamental plays. You're play most certainly could suffer. So making bad decisions wouldn't necessarily be out of the realm of possibility.

fine. go back to my first point then. Let him take it easy somewhere else. I don't want a guy who can't be bothered to be focused on the game being the example for our young guys.

 

[Michael8771*]

fine. go back to my first point then. Let him take it easy somewhere else. I don't want a guy like that being the example for our young guys.

I'm not saying that's what's taking place, I'm just saying if you do take it easy, quite a few areas of your game can suffer, including fundamentals and mental mistakes.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I'm not saying that's what's taking place, I'm just saying if you do take it easy, quite a few areas of your game can suffer, including fundamentals and mental mistakes.

we'll see I guess. All I know is this conversation always annoys me because there are only 2 options.

1: he sucks at hockey.
2: he takes it easy all year and sets an awful example yet is rewarded with top playing time and an A on his jersey.

 

[Michael8771*]

we'll see I guess. All I know is this conversation always annoys me because there are only 2 options.

1: he sucks at hockey.
2: he takes it easy all year and sets an awful example yet is rewarded with top playing time and an A on his jersey.

One of coach Disco's many flaws is that he'll cut vet's a lot of slack. Even to the point he's compromising the teams chances.

 

[Ogrezilla]

One of coach Disco's many flaws is that he'll cut vet's a lot of slack. Even to the point he's compromising the teams chances.

and teaching the young guys bad habits. They just have to earn the right to practice the bad habits.

 

[Michael8771*]

and teaching the young guys bad habits. They just have to earn the right to practice the bad habits.

Well, here's the funny thing about that. If a young player displays lapses in judgement or in his play, he'll sit. The young guys have a very short leash. It's a double standard. But no I don't think our young guys can have that same attitude (IF it exists with Orpik).

 

[Ogrezilla]

Well, here's the funny thing about that. If a young player displays lapses in judgement or in his play, he'll sit. The young guys have a very short leash. It's a double standard. But no I don't think our young guys can have that same attitude (IF it exists with Orpik).

No, they just have the resentment that comes from the double standards.

 

[Michael8771*]

No, they just have the resentment that comes from the double standards.

Without question, that's why I'm disgusted as to how they've handled Despres.

 

[Fordy]

I haven't seen much of the Olympics but from what I have seen he looks even worse since he manages to **** up just as much in even less ice time.

 

[Shwag33]

First game orpik played decent. Russia he played ok until he completely blew his coverage on datsyuk, shocking he couldnt hang.

Today he was brutal for the caliber of competition. Blindly throwing the puck everywhere.

 

[Michael8771*]

First game orpik played decent. Russia he played ok until he completely blew his coverage on datsyuk, shocking he couldnt hang.

Today he was brutal for the caliber of competition. Blindly throwing the puck everywhere.

Um, Carlson was the culprit on the Datsyuk goal. Far more than Orpik anyhow.