Iam notcsurexanyvd-oartner can offset S.Jones flaws as a Dman...which is why I still say hecsgoukd be moved toKW where he (S Jones) can just concentrate on a simpler set if tasks and use hisxattack skills best whike not have to worry about making wrong decisions...late decisions,and confused decisions to leave position...chase and get caught watching as the opps go to his vacated spot and pump goals into ourvnet..
S Jones does not havectge Brian's tonojay tge position proberly...but freed from tge cerebral clarity problem to process tge pkay before him,he ought to thrivexathketicakkyvas a KW with skating...speed ...over and if not a great shot at least create set-ups from the wing as he moves in on net...butcask him to be in correct position in thecd-zonexas play of incoming attacks preceeded is asking sonethibg hevis incapable of...
Move him upto wing and let Vlasiic,Regula and Del Msstro handlectge more complex thought processing involved in d-zobe pkay.
I have zero confidence th Luke Richardson and a zone defense scheme can help what is obviouslyva mind problem for S Jones..
you cannot post a-37 despite all the offense he creates and not be convinced that S Jones has a major major problem processing the flow of play coming at him and making correct decisions to stop these attacks....way too off position and caught chasing and failing to get back iin tine...unlike most complaints of our vet dmen(turnovers) ,S Jones ratger us justvin the wrong place at the wrong time way way too much..He does not havectge mind or hockey sense defensively ifvyou prefer that term...
He has many good qualities ....athleticism...ability to pkay big minutes in games...skating...passing....yes his shotcfrom tgeboijntvdoes nitvoroducecenough goals,but I eoukdvoverlook that aspect of his game IF only hevorocessed better in drfendibgvattacksvinto our d-zobe...he simply cannot.
Vlasic...Reguka and Del Mastro alk process better..take better correct positions...know when to chase and when notcto ...Tgey reaction time...notvdelauedcorvin confused miner abdctgeyvrekease and get back into position better that S Jones often caught still engaged on the corner when he needsxto be back protectobgvtge slot.
He does notceotger follow the puck well nor does he get to loose oucksvin time and clear correctly...nor does he separate guyscoff pucksxwithout lingering too long in that positioninsteadvif hustling back to protect the slot.
He simply has no conception of defending properly.
That is what my eyexsees...therefore I am so encouraged by tge potential for actual defensive competence that Vlasic,Reguka and Del Mastdo cN bring to thus team..actual defending competence.
Does not mean they are best in the keague or all -star shutdown guys. BUT compared to Mr -37,they will look like all star shut down guys in comparison.
Motcsurextgey will add much offensively(maybexReguka if they let him use his shot from the point) ....but since the puck will be in our d-zone a lot less time,that is a net win for us as our forwards should benefit from more time in the o-zone as a consequence.