Dennis Wideman

[Cropduster]

why was he drafted so high? (I think 8th round)
Seems he did fairly well in juniors

Click to read more...

 

[Hobey Baker]

why was he drafted so high? (I think 8th round)
Seems he did fairly well in juniors

He's small for an NHL D-man, and some questioned his skating ability. He didn't really blossom until his last 2 years in the O. Even then, many thought that his numbers were a bit inflated (like Dylan Hunter's are this year) by being on a strong London squad as an overager in 2003-04. He reminds me alot of Matt Kinch, but I think Wideman might get a shot with the Blues someday. Regardless, he's got a cannon for a shot, and is great QB on the PP. The Sabres dropped the ball by letting him go IMO. Look at their defensive prospects, and look at the Amerks struggle on offense this year. Tell me they couldn't use him as a spare part in their system.

 

[tuckerdomi]

Pretty Cocky, hes a damn good hockey player, so good at both ends.

 

[nomorekids]

Pretty Cocky, hes a damn good hockey player, so good at both ends.

I've heard the opposite..that he was closer to Andy Delmore than Sergei Gonchar.

 

[Plager05]

He's small for an NHL D-man, and some questioned his skating ability. He didn't really blossom until his last 2 years in the O. Even then, many thought that his numbers were a bit inflated (like Dylan Hunter's are this year) by being on a strong London squad as an overager in 2003-04. He reminds me alot of Matt Kinch, but I think Wideman might get a shot with the Blues someday. Regardless, he's got a cannon for a shot, and is great QB on the PP. The Sabres dropped the ball by letting him go IMO. Look at their defensive prospects, and look at the Amerks struggle on offense this year. Tell me they couldn't use him as a spare part in their system.

Wideman is putting up excellent numbers in the AHL. Leads rookie defensemen in scoring. 8g 18a in 42 games.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I dunno about both ends of the ice. Wideman made quite a few poor giveaway's in London when I followed them. One really bad in game 7 vs Guelph last year that ultimatly made London lose.

 

[Hobey Baker]

Pretty Cocky, hes a damn good hockey player, so good at both ends.

One thing that might attest to that is the fact that he called the Sabres initial contract offer "not even close"....That could come off as a bit cocky for a late-round pick.

 

[Boomhower]

He didn't really blossom until his last 2 years in the O. Even then, many thought that his numbers were a bit inflated (like Dylan Hunter's are this year) by being on a strong London squad as an overager in 2003-04.

Wideman has put up great offensive numbers in junior hockey since he was 15. Never did it have anything to do with the team around him!

His defensive play in the last two years of his junior carrer was much improved though. The decisions he made with the puck were much more sound and the higher risk passes were weeded out of his game.

 

[Hobey Baker]

Wideman has put up great offensive numbers in junior hockey since he was 15. Never did it have anything to do with the team around him!

His defensive play in the last two years of his junior carrer was much improved though. The decisions he made with the puck were much more sound and the higher risk passes were weeded out of his game.

He did indeed make huge leaps offensively in his last three years as his playing time increased (not two as I stated earlier), but you can't say that the Knights amassing some serious up-front talent had nothing to do with it. I've always given him his props for being one of the better PP guys on an OHL blueline in years. He was a key piece in the puzzle.

I'm not here to discredit Wideman at all - I'm one of the guys who didn't understand why he was let go by Buffalo. He excelled at the junior level and I see no reason why he won't continue to develop in the same manner as a pro, but he sure as hell better make proper decisions with the puck and eliminate mistakes when he's a 20 year old playing against younger competition.

 

[BlueBleeder]

He has been a pleasant surprise for us Blues fans.

We needed a right hand shot on the point with MacInnis most likely retiring.

 

[Boomhower]

He did indeed make huge leaps offensively in his last three years as his playing time increased (not two as I stated earlier), but you can't say that the Knights amassing some serious up-front talent had nothing to do with it.

Yes I can, it's rare for a 16 year old defenceman to score 36 points in major junior hockey. Wideman's highest points output came on a team that was anything but 'amassed with serious talent upfront'. Again from the age of 15 until now, Wideman has never had a poor offensive year.

but he sure as hell better make proper decisions with the puck and eliminate mistakes when he's a 20 year old playing against younger competition.

Well many don't, that's why drafting guys who are mostly offensive defnceman in junior is such a crapshoot.

 

[TJF]

Yes I can, it's rare for a 16 year old defenceman to score 36 points in major junior hockey. Wideman's highest points output came on a team that was anything but 'amassed with serious talent upfront'. Again from the age of 15 until now, Wideman has never had a poor offensive year.


Well many don't, that's why drafting guys who are mostly offensive defnceman in junior is such a crapshoot.

That's very true, Wideman only played for the Knights when their were stacked one year which was last season prior to that Wideman put together 3 very good offensive season with the knights, two of which the Knights finised under .500 and the other one the Knights were only 4 games over .500. In fact his offensive year where he scored 27 goals and 69 points, London was under .500, all this talk about his numbers being infalted because of playing on a stacked team is BS.