Devil's Advocate Thread: Smith and Kindl

[HockeyinHD]

Defended Smith for forever and ever, but I'm done with him. Cut the cord already.

Positioning in the defensive zone is atrocious. He honestly processes the game like a child.

He's been bad. Once Dekeyser comes back I think we're going to see the IT of Smith drop either substantially through usage decreases or all the way to 0 via benching. I think we're also going to see Green play better with a stronger defensive linemate.

When there are only 6 spots having the guy who plays #2 being gone messes up so many of the matchup decisions and puts so much added pressure on lesser players down the roster... it's bad, especially so when one of them like Smith spits the proverbial bit.

Dekeyser for Smith, Helm for Ferraro, Datsyuk for Jurco. Three pretty huge roster upgrades on the way, I hope.

 

[Soft Rock Renegade]

Brendan Smith 2015-16

saw a lot of people killing him over in the gdt and figured it might be worth its own discussion. imo we know what we have in this guy, and it's someone who doesn't have the head to be an NHL defenseman. he's an above average skater with below average hands but he just doesn't pay attention to details. he's constantly in the wrong position. and he makes poor decisions with the puck. and he doesn't have the offensive skill to overcome his defensive shortcomings. I don't know for sure that our prospects are better than him but I don't consider smith a top 6 dman in this league and I'd rather roll with the unknown. most if not all teams have 6 dmen better than smith. it's time to cut bait. we can all talk about the 5-10 games in his career that he looked good but I don't think he has the mental game to be consistent.

 

[Vladdy84]

Kronwall-Smtih
Green-DD
Big E - Quincey

 

[Bench]

Smith is getting scratched with DeKeyser coming back. Is he officially in the doghouse?

 

[Classicnamesup]

Smith turning 27, Kindl 29. Kindl looks better now, both are immensely disappointing. Especially Smith

 

[Vladdy84]

Ugh, Joker in over Jurco and Lando? Dumb....

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Smith turning 27, Kindl 29. Kindl looks better now, both are immensely disappointing. Especially Smith

Seriously, I'd trade Smith and waive Kindl. We need some brass balls from Holland. Hell Hextall waived Macdonald, we need to do the same shit.

 

[Frk It]

Kronwall-Smtih
Green-DD
Big E - Quincey

Smith on the top pair is a terrible idea right now. Which is probably why he just got scratched.

 

[Frk It]

Seriously, I'd trade Smith and waive Kindl. We need some brass balls from Holland. Hell Hextall waived Macdonald, we need to do the same shit.

Kindl has been decen, think he's ok on a bottom pair. Not sure Smith has any trade value at this point.

Kronwall-E
Dekeyser-Green
Quincey-XO/Kindl/Jensen

E sucks, but he's the prettiest of the ugly girls at the bar.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

The defense will never look good until Ericsson is taken off the first pair. Its just an eye sore at this point.

 

[Yemack]

The defense will never look good until Ericsson is taken off the first pair. Its just an eye sore at this point.

when the team is performing well, I think he is pretty ok with Kronner.

 

[PelagicJoe]

Kindl has been decen, think he's ok on a bottom pair. Not sure Smith has any trade value at this point.

Kronwall-E
Dekeyser-Green
Quincey-XO/Kindl/Jensen

E sucks, but he's the prettiest of the ugly girls at the bar.

That last line sums it all up perfectly. Lololololol

 

[Fugu]

Can I ask what you guys are using to make these assessments, after only 4 games, where the team is 3-0-1, and where they're mostly not getting many shots on the opposition goal. Yet you're ready to dump 50% of the blueline?

 

[Heaton]

Can I ask what you guys are using to make these assessments, after only 4 games, where the team is 3-0-1, and where they're mostly not getting many shots on the opposition goal. Yet you're ready to dump 50% of the blueline?

To be fair, people have wanted to dump 50% of the blueline for a few years.

 

[Bench]

To be fair, people have wanted to dump 50% of the blueline for a few years.

Yeah. Strange statement when the entire blueline is returning other than Green. We've seen Smith play over 200 games. Kindl over 250. Ericsson a whooping 480 games. And this is Quincey's 4th full season since returning.

We've got a pretty good handle on who these guys are.

 

[Fugu]

Yeah. Strange statement when the entire blueline is returning other than Green. We've seen Smith play over 200 games. Kindl over 250. Ericsson a whooping 480 games. And this is Quincey's 4th full season since returning.

We've got a pretty good handle on who these guys are.

Yes, but we just got a new coach, new perspective and system. Some newer guys to work in. I was looking forward to this first quarter to see if anyone looked better, worse, the same.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Yes, but we just got a new coach, new perspective and system. Some newer guys to work in. I was looking forward to this first quarter to see if anyone looked better, worse, the same.

A lot of these guys were always bad though. I'd rather bring up cheaper, younger players and trade for another upgrade.

 

[Heaton]

Yes, but we just got a new coach, new perspective and system. Some newer guys to work in. I was looking forward to this first quarter to see if anyone looked better, worse, the same.

When you're 8 years into your career, a new system isn't going to make you good.

 

[Fugu]

When you're 8 years into your career, a new system isn't going to make you good.

Ericsson sucked completely for his first three NHL years.

A lot of these guys were always bad though. I'd rather bring up cheaper, younger players and trade for another upgrade.

Yes, but that's where I disagree. It's always more difficult to look good when the team is declining from what was a superlative peak for a very long time, than if we'd had the reverse situation where a team was horrific and then started improving.

 

[Heaton]

The defense will look good when we get better defensemen. Pretty simple formula.

 

[Fugu]

The defense will look good when we get better defensemen. Pretty simple formula.

Okay then.

I'll just wait for the first 15-20 or so games to see what's what.

 

[Heaton]

Okay then.

I'll just wait for the first 15-20 or so games to see what's what.

Sure, but doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. There's no reason to think kindl is an answer on defense. Smith was just benched after people thought that he would be a different defensemen under Blashill. It's early, but bad play is bad play.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Ericsson sucked completely for his first three NHL years.




Yes, but that's where I disagree. It's always more difficult to look good when the team is declining from what was a superlative peak for a very long time, than if we'd had the reverse situation where a team was horrific and then started improving.

Team was top 5 in possession last year, but a large majority of the zone exits and entries were by the forwards. The defense has been a huge problem since the team's decline. You have aging, declining Kronwall, Dekeyser, 2015 Mike Green and then, well.....

It's why we need to upgrade the blue line and bring up a guy like Ouellet or Jensen. Sure they'll make mistakes, but they're A. Rookies and B. Cheap.

 

[Fugu]

Sure, but doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. There's no reason to think kindl is an answer on defense. Smith was just benched after people thought that he would be a different defensemen under Blashill. It's early, but bad play is bad play.

And they're not doing the same thing. That's my point.

Think back to the development curve of every single guy on this team, and not a single one of our defenders really hit their stride until maybe their 3rd or 4th season in the NHL. You have to go back to Fischer to get someone who was playing top four routinely within his first couple seasons, but still getting reamed by a lot of fans routinely.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Kindl and Smith are toilet water.

Ericsson belongs on I-94 with the rest of the traffic pylons.