Mike Colligan: The Quiet Decline of Brooks Orpik

[AquaticBirdman]

Orpik used to clear the crease and win board battles. He doesn't anymore. That's a huge problem because he isn't good enough with his stick or positioning to make up for it. Add that to his decision making problems and you get the current version of Orpik. If he was on our 3rd pairing, he'd seem fine. But he's playing 20+ minutes against top opponents. Its a problem.

If he were playing fewer minutes then he'd be fine. However him seeing that much ice time is ridiculous.

 

[Master Shake*]

article is nonsense. There is no decline in Orpiks game. Hes a little banged up and sore sometimes. Get used to him being here another 5 years.
Man I do not understand Penguins fans sometimes. Never satisfied.

 

[cygnus47]

article is nonsense. There is no decline in Orpiks game. Hes a little banged up and sore sometimes. Get used to him being here another 5 years.
Man I do not understand Penguins fans sometimes. Never satisfied.

If he hasn't declined, then he's been bad all along.

 

[IcedCapp]

article is nonsense. There is no decline in Orpiks game. Hes a little banged up and sore sometimes. Get used to him being here another 5 years.
Man I do not understand Penguins fans sometimes. Never satisfied.

okay

 

[Winger for Hire]

Does an article like this affect his trade value at all? Before it just seemed to be fans noticing the drop in play, but it was widely thought that the league still held his play in high regard.

It seemed like before the article we thought his value (to Toronto at least) was around Kulemin, maybe Kulemin+. Does this article make the value for a trade to the Leafs maybe make the value more like Orpik+ for Kulemin?

 

[ColePens]

Does an article like this affect his trade value at all? Before it just seemed to be fans noticing the drop in play, but it was widely thought that the league still held his play in high regard.

It seemed like before the article we thought his value (to Toronto at least) was around Kulemin, maybe Kulemin+. Does this article make the value for a trade to the Leafs maybe make the value more like Orpik+ for Kulemin?

Is this a serious question? That can't be serious. Value is not based on articles written by writers.

 

[MrBurghundy]

You really get your money's worth out of these boards, don't you?

I have to with so much vCash invested.

 

[MrBurghundy]

article is nonsense. There is no decline in Orpiks game. Hes a little banged up and sore sometimes. Get used to him being here another 5 years.
Man I do not understand Penguins fans sometimes. Never satisfied.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Is this a serious question? That can't be serious. Value is not based on articles written by writers.

20% serious. 80% wondering how an article like this would change Brooks' value/perception on the hypothetical HFBoards trade market.

I know that the real life GM of a NHL team won't make decisions based on something like that... well not now that Mike Milbury isn't running a team anymore. I understand that Ray Shero doesn't open up the USA Today, read a Kevin Allen article and make decisions based on that. At least I would hope not.

 

[ColePens]

The article does nothing. Fans really have no say. Writers have no say.

 

[Winger for Hire]

The article does nothing. Fans really have no say. Writers have no say.

I do realize my question is a bit dumb, sorry about that. I'll try harder next time to not be such a dolt.

 

[MtlPenFan]

The Quiet Decline of Brooks Orpik

Thank God someone out there has some sense. I know a lot of these idiots covering the team think because message board posters don't have the same forum they do, that we don't know what we're talking about.

Mike Colligan knows what he's talking about:

http://******/tfG4K

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Late to the party

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1597901

 

[MtlPenFan]

Ooops. My bad.

 

[madinsomniac]

" Orpik, 33, still ranks among the league leaders in hits, but this stat can be misleading for defensemen . . . A game with 60 hits doesn’t necessarily mean you played well. It means you finished your checks well as you chased the puck around the ice. "

That part can define why Orpik, Adams, and glass get ice time game after game... and grade out good in the eyes of the staff while having actual positional and puck possession weaknesses... the mentality that hits wear out teams by the third... that that takes precedence over burying them on the scoreboard or keeping them out of your zone

 

[IcedCapp]

" Orpik, 33, still ranks among the league leaders in hits, but this stat can be misleading for defensemen . . . A game with 60 hits doesn’t necessarily mean you played well. It means you finished your checks well as you chased the puck around the ice. "

That part can define why Orpik, Adams, and glass get ice time game after game... and grade out good in the eyes of the staff while having actual positional and puck possession weaknesses... the mentality that hits wear out teams by the third... that that takes precedence over burying them on the scoreboard or keeping them out of your zone

,,,

 

[MrBurghundy]

" Orpik, 33, still ranks among the league leaders in hits, but this stat can be misleading for defensemen . . . A game with 60 hits doesn’t necessarily mean you played well. It means you finished your checks well as you chased the puck around the ice. "

That part can define why Orpik, Adams, and glass get ice time game after game... and grade out good in the eyes of the staff while having actual positional and puck possession weaknesses... the mentality that hits wear out teams by the third... that that takes precedence over burying them on the scoreboard or keeping them out of your zone

It's almost like our coaching staff makes their personnel decisions based purely off of stats like that one guy on here, and completely ignores what they see with their eyes.

 

[rkhum]

So what Orpik is too slow to maintain gap control, can't make smart outlet passes, and is best as a third pairing defensemen for physical ability, not a top four penalty killer. Is this a good summary?

 

[Ogrezilla]

So what Orpik is too slow to maintain gap control, can't make smart outlet passes, and is best as a third pairing defensemen for physical ability, not a top four penalty killer. Is this a good summary?

And we have two guys who are scratched or in the AHL when we are fully healthy who are better than him. That's key to the hate.

 

[KIRK]

Ooops. My bad.

Do you really think nobody would've posted that article for 36 hours?

So what Orpik is too slow to maintain gap control, can't make smart outlet passes, and is best as a third pairing defensemen for physical ability, not a top four penalty killer. Is this a good summary?

His whole 'do as I say, not as I do' brand of 'leadership' leaves a lot to be desired on a team that could use a REAL leader in his stead.

 

[billybudd]

His whole 'do as I say, not as I do' brand of 'leadership'

Don't forget the side of "my screw up is your fault."

 

[KIRK]

Don't forget the side of "my screw up is your fault."

Actually, it's "my screw up is your fault, Geno."

But your point is taken . . .

 

[Jacob]

He lost me at the part about Orpik not being able to skate backwards as well. That sounds nonsensical and almost like something you'd hear on a sports call-in show. There's certainly a case to be made for Orpik's decline in overall effectiveness but there's literally nothing wrong with his skating and I can't imagine a scenario where only a player's backwards skating deteriorates. It wouldn't happen. So I didn't bother reading any further.

 

[MrBurghundy]

He lost me at the part about Orpik not being able to skate backwards as well. That sounds nonsensical and almost like something you'd hear on a sports call-in show. There's certainly a case to be made for Orpik's decline in overall effectiveness but there's literally nothing wrong with his skating and I can't imagine a scenario where only a player's backwards skating deteriorates. It wouldn't happen. So I didn't bother reading any further.

I think he's drawing that conclusion from his atrocious gap control.

 

[gtpeli2]

Orpik should be paired with Scuderi and they should be the third pair.

Martin/Letang
Maata/Niskanen
Orpik/Scuderi