twabby
Registered User
- Mar 9, 2010
- 13,624
- 14,443
Orpik is pretty ****ing low on the issues list tonight. The numbers are what they are, but there are giant issues well ahead of him.
I agree that there are deeper issues on a macro level such as coaching, low-to-high system that generates few high quality chances, confidence issues across the board, a putrid 4th line, Backstrom’s game falling off a cliff.
But on a micro level Orpik getting 20+ minutes a game is killing the team. With him on the ice it’s pretty much a guaranteed one-and-done in the offensive zone and often times extended defensive zone time.
Again it’s not his fault he’s being forced into that position, and at least for the past few games you can’t even put it on Trotz due to Djoos’s injury (though Trotz was still overusing Orpik when Djoos was healthy). It’s a failure on management to expect Orpik to be able to handle a top 4 role.