Flyers Off-Season Part I, Reg/Season Thread VII or Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult

[BillDineen]

I've been reading articles and comments for almost five years now that say his Corsi is low because of giving up the blueline, so they are entirely intertwined ideas.

Yes, but he blocks at a relatively higher proportion than others. If his corsi is relatively worse in part from blocked shots, I don't care. If it is his suckage leading to unnecessary shots, I do care.

 

[Tripod]

So then the 2nd pairing is MDZ as the anchor without Gudas to carry him? That might be have been OK if MDZ didn't forget how to play defense for most of the season.

As you know, AMac and Ghost played well together the year before. Why not try them this past year?

AMac NEVER should have been on the top pairing all year AND led the defense in SH TOI per game.

 

[Curufinwe]

As a Flyer he doesn't block shots any more than Schultz, MDZ, Provorov or Gudas.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?agg...r=gamesPlayed,gte,35&sort=blockedShotsPerGame

 

[BillDineen]

As a Flyer he doesn't block shots any more than Schultz, MDZ, Provorov or Gudas.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?agg...r=gamesPlayed,gte,35&sort=blockedShotsPerGame

Which is part of the reason he has sucked with the Flyers. With the Isles he was a league leader.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

The only reason Mac averaged close to a minute per game more than Del Zotto and Gudas was because Hak used MacDonald a minute or so more per game on the PK. Maybe he preferred MacDonald's slightly higher career shotblocking rate.

Anyway, I want MacDonald gone and the kids in, but the garbage Hakstol was forced to work with this season on D wasn't limited to MacDonald and I don't think he got particularly inordinate playing time given the makeup of the unit. It's horribly aggravating watching MacDonald play, but Del Zotto, Schultz, and Manning were just as bad.

 

[Curufinwe]

As you know, AMac and Ghost played well together the year before. Why not try them this past year?

MacDonald and Ghost played together for the first month or so this season. I believe MacDonald was accused on here of sucking Ghost's soul out when Ghost got off to a slow start in producing 5 on 5 points, only picking up in 3 in his 230 minutes with MacDonald.

Which is funny, because Ghost ended up playing 309 minutes with Manning and not scoring a single 5 on 5 point.

 

[TCTC]

MacDonald is just an easy scapegoat because of his contract and because he had the thankless job of filling in as #2 defenseman on a team that doesn't have a legitimate #2.

 

[Rebels57]

It's genuinely hilarious that people are still pretending that Hakstol saying that MacDonald was being used a top 3 or 4 defenseman on his team, is a separate thing from the fact that MacDonald was used as a top 3 or 4 defenseman on the Flyers this season.

It would be like getting extra mad if he had said that VdV was worthy of being an everyday 4th liner and main penalty killer. We already knew he thought that based on his usage.

Once again, Hakstol did not say that "MacDonald is BEING USED AS a top 3 or 4 defensemen."

You're distorting his quote so it falls more in line with your narrative.

He said, "MacDonald IS a top 3 or 4 defensemen in the NHL."

No one would argue whether or not MacDonald was being used as a top 3 or 4 defensemen this year. That wouldn't make sense, since TOI is a readily available piece of information.

What is being argued is whether the level of his play was on par with what is to be expected of a top 3 or 4 defensemen in the NHL.

All evidence points to a resounding no.

 

[BillDineen]

Hakstol played MDZ more than AMac even strength. A guy that was scratched multiple times and presumably wasn't worth a pick at the trade deadline or Hextall should have dumped him.

I am not sure Hakstol's usage of one player is relevant outside of simply criticizing Hakstol.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

there are some names on that minutes played list on the PK that are quite shocking in the top 50 among defenseman. so its not Hakstol who plays bad players on the PK. not justifying it. just saying.

Ben Lovejoy(2nd)
Ron Hainsey(18th)
Andy Greene(21st)
Luca Sbisa(46th)

just to name a few.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

MacDonald is just an easy scapegoat because of his contract and because he had the thankless job of filling in as #2 defenseman on a team that doesn't have a legitimate #2.

No, he is a terrible defenseman who stinks very badly. That is the alpha and the omega of that story.

 

[WIP CALLER]

amac was responsible for over half of the teams goals allowed during a stretch in late December through January. appleyard actually tracked it. it was like 15 games where he was either partially or completely responsible for over half of the goals against. I don't know if even manning or Schultz could accomplish that level of suckage. and his ice time did not waver even once during that period. so yes, his usage was completely insane.

 

[Danko]

aMac was less crappy this past year then in the last few.

 

[Rebels57]

No, he is a terrible defenseman who stinks very badly. That is the alpha and the omega of that story.

amac was responsible for over half of the teams goals allowed during a stretch in late December through January. appleyard actually tracked it. it was like 15 games where he was either partially or completely responsible for over half of the goals against. I don't know if even manning or Schultz could accomplish that level of suckage. and his ice time did not waver even once during that period. so yes, his usage was completely insane.

 

[deadhead]

Whole lot of energy wasted on players who don't matter.
If MacDonald returns, it'll be because Hextall wants to wait one more year before buying him out or trading him in a deal where he eats some money.
The other veteran defensemen are gone, Manning is at best the 7th D-man next year.
VdV, Luby, are gone, Read is on the bubble, Leier is unlikely to make the team and will be passed next year by new players on the Lehigh roster.

It is players like Lindblom, MV, Weal, Laughton, AK, and the forwards who are 2-3 years away like Rubtsov, Vorobyov, Bunnyman, Allison, etc. who will be the top 12 by 2018-2019.
It is defensemen like Morin, Sanheim, Hagg, Myers, Friedman who'll compose the D-core with Provorov, Gudas and Ghost.
It is Stolarz, Lyon, Sandstrom, Hart and maybe Madsen who'll fight it out in goal.

It never mattered which scrub Hakstol played, they are all headed out the door.