Appleyard
Registered User
Voracek's defensive play has been so bad for most of this season that I think deadhead is right to criticize.
Not only has Jake been a .75 ppg player for his 2nd season in a row, he often has been a liability on top of it. How else do you explain a team-worst -24 for the season; -23 in 41 road games; and a by far team worst -12 in 29 games since Feb. 1 when the Flyers' other top players haven't struggled nearly the same? He continues to force many plays that aren't there, which results in danger the other way.
Oh, for sure. Since Xmas Jake has been bad - no doubt. He started the season gangbusters and through the first 35 games was playing great, but since then has looked a shadow of himself.
Giroux has at least rebounded and played some good hockey over the last ~6 weeks while Jake still looks lost.
But he has had 5 seasons before this where he played at worst above average defense as a winger - not sure ~40 games is enough to call his defense sub-par.