Speculation: Left Shooting Defensemen of interest to the Jets

[voyageur]

I think Trouba is easily ready for top pairing with a legit partner. Not many guys in the NHL can replace Buff's scoring but Trouba with Entrom is a very nice top pair. I also think Trouba is the perfect guy to shelter Josh if he is needed to play top 4 minutes. After all how many RHD in the NHL could carry Stu in a top 4 position? Buff was good with Ben but I need to see a larger sample size. Trouba may be young but he is going into his 3rd season and I think he would be the best fit for A top 4 Morrissey when that happens. Sadly Stu seems welded to Jacob.

I think that is because they have forged a good pairing. Trouba has played better with Stuart than any other LH partner (he was -2 with Morrissey last year in preseason against the Oilers for example) other than Enstrom, and having the team's toughest defenseman with him is a way to protect him from cheap shots and after whistle garbage that Toby cannot. It is not coincidental that Nashville went out and got Barret Jackman to play with Seth Jones, trying to emulate our success on defense. I thought that Stuart cleaned up alot of Trouba mistakes in the playoffs, not vice versa. But people will see things differently. My concern with a Trouba-Buff pairing would be that you have two players who like to gamble playing together, the chance for being exploited is higher as a consequence.

I'd be happy with Enstrom-Trouba, Morrissey/Chiarot-Myers, and Stuart-Buff, if we wanted to go that route, but I think Enstrom is the #1 d, and Trouba has not yet reached that point. If we are looking for Subban like development, it may not come until his bridge contract period, instead of at 22, with no AHL seasoning, unlike Subban.

I think the LHD projects to be 1. Enstrom 2. Morrissey 3. Stuart for a couple more years, adding depth to that would be a priority, as Enstrom and Stuart are likely candidates for injury.

 

[10Ducky10]

You don't think Maurice will switch one of the RHD (Buff) to LHD?

 

[Daximus]

You don't think Maurice will switch one of the RHD (Buff) to LHD?

My hope is he trades Buff for a legitimate Bottom 4 LHD + a 2016 1st + a prospect. Striking while the iron is hot is the best strategy in my opinion.

 

[blues10]

My hope is he trades Buff for a legitimate Bottom 4 LHD + a 2016 1st + a prospect. Striking while the iron is hot is the best strategy in my opinion.

Couldn't we use a top 4? We seem to have bottom 4's

 

[Channelcat]

You don't think Maurice will switch one of the RHD (Buff) to LHD?

So Buff is going to shoot left handed? I suppose he couldnt get much worse.

 

[garret9]

I''m thinking Maurice pairs Enstrom with Myers against the other teams top lines, if he can't get that matchup, he is happy with Buff and Trouba.
I wonder how well Postma does this year?
It sure would be nice to see him play 12 - 15 minutes a game of sound hockey alongside Chiarot. Myers- Enstrom and Buff - Trouba will easily eat up 45 - 48 minutes of a game.

I know, I know, Stuart will be out there.

To be honest... I'm not as big of fan of Enstrom-Myers as the other possibilities.

Whoever is with Enstrom always gets the top line match ups... but the results differ.

I previously looked at how our different RHD did when paired with Enstrom while the forwards were Ladd, Little, and one of either Frolik or Wheeler were on the ice (LLF and LLW have nearly identical shot differentials). I then adjusted for zone starts.

Byfuglien 58%
Trouba 57%
Myers 54%
Bogosian 51%

 

[Daximus]

Couldn't we use a top 4? We seem to have bottom 4's

Yeah but I doubt we get a Top 4+ for 1 year of Buff. A legitimate Bottom 4 guy that is better than what we have a 1st and prospect is doable. A similar return to what Yandle got isn't out of the question. At the trade deadline there may be more potential buyers. Detroit and Boston come to mind if they are in playoff territory. Possibly Edmonton, maybe even Columbus.

 

[10Ducky10]

So Buff is going to shoot left handed? I suppose he couldnt get much worse.

Last year, Maurice mentioned that it could happen (Buff moving to LHD) to get all 4 the minutes he wants them to see in a game.

 

[garret9]

Last year, Maurice mentioned that it could happen (Buff moving to LHD) to get all 4 the minutes he wants them to see in a game.

I think he's making a joke that Buff would actually become a LSD (left side d) not LHD (left handed shot d).

 

[Heldig]

IF Buff can play the left side, I would like to see
Enstrom - Trouba
Buff - Myers

 

[bogostick]

So if buff and trouba play together, and the body's start flying, can we dub them the "gangster sqaud"?

 

[blues10]

This article ties into the discussion. Seems strange Chevy can't find a decent upgrade of a left side d-man.

How rare are elite right-shot defensemen?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...t-defensemen---trending-topics-142721563.html

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

This article ties into the discussion. Seems strange Chevy can't find a decent upgrade of a left side d-man.




http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...t-defensemen---trending-topics-142721563.html

This brings me to a question I've asked before but I had never heard of it till recently and haven't been entirely satisfied with the answers. Why do lefthanded hockey players shoot right? I bat right, I golf right, I play tennis right, I throw right, I kick a ball right, I shoot right in hockey. I could learn to manipulate the stick left hand low but I would be shooting off the wrong foot, probably trip and fall a lot. It just ain't natural.

 

[garret9]

Weirder:

I shoot left as a goalie.
I shoot right as a skater.

 

[Sixty Minute Man]

Weirder:

I shoot left as a goalie.
I shoot right as a skater.

Me too!

 

[garret9]

yay us!

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Weirder:

I shoot left as a goalie.
I shoot right as a skater.

Maybe more about catching than shooting?

 

[CaptainChef]

This article ties into the discussion. Seems strange Chevy can't find a decent upgrade of a left side d-man.




http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...t-defensemen---trending-topics-142721563.html

My thoughts as well -- if I skimmed the article right it says that 2/3 of the defensemen in the NHL are lefties so righties are in much higher demand. Yet we have always had an overabundance of righties on our team & in our prospect system. We seem to be unable or unwilling to rectify that imbalance (hence having to rely on marginal top 4 lefties like Chiarot & especially Stuart; with Morrissey being the only lefty of any significance in our prospect system).

Always wondered why we have never corrected that imbalance through trades -- especially now with overabundance of quality rights & Buff's contract situation. Then we've have marginal righties like Redmond & Postma that we've pretty much just let go their way (although I was happy to were able to resign Postma as a UFA).

Something seems to be amiss when it comes to our righty-lefty dilemma & our unwillingness to make any moves on that front.

 

[Jet]

Weirder:

I shoot left as a goalie.
I shoot right as a skater.

You should be thankful. I used to have to flip my stick around to shoot as a goalie... couldn't have a curved blade.

 

[Flair Hay]

I think that is because they have forged a good pairing. Trouba has played better with Stuart than any other LH partner (he was -2 with Morrissey last year in preseason against the Oilers for example) other than Enstrom, and having the team's toughest defenseman with him is a way to protect him from cheap shots and after whistle garbage that Toby cannot. It is not coincidental that Nashville went out and got Barret Jackman to play with Seth Jones, trying to emulate our success on defense. I thought that Stuart cleaned up alot of Trouba mistakes in the playoffs, not vice versa. But people will see things differently. My concern with a Trouba-Buff pairing would be that you have two players who like to gamble playing together, the chance for being exploited is higher as a consequence.

I'd be happy with Enstrom-Trouba, Morrissey/Chiarot-Myers, and Stuart-Buff, if we wanted to go that route, but I think Enstrom is the #1 d, and Trouba has not yet reached that point. If we are looking for Subban like development, it may not come until his bridge contract period, instead of at 22, with no AHL seasoning, unlike Subban.

I think the LHD projects to be 1. Enstrom 2. Morrissey 3. Stuart for a couple more years, adding depth to that would be a priority, as Enstrom and Stuart are likely candidates for injury.

Great post.