Agree to disagree. Last time I checked I think Vegas was 26th in production from their defense. And it's pretty obvious with the eye test how much guys like Merrill, Engelland, and Mcnabb struggle moving the puck.
You can be dangerous in the playoffs with your forwards carrying the offense. You can't if half your defense is incapable of clearing the crease of bodies and pucks and you're surrendering many high quality chances at close range against. As a fellow fan of both the Ducks and Knights I ask, what do you think the bigger reason is for the collapse in Gibson's Vezina campaign last season (apart from just not trying as hard anymore) do you really think it was a lack of offense from the blueline or was it because Anaheim's defense couldn't be f***ed to defend the crease leaving Gibson to have to stop the most high quality chances in the league by a wide margin? Cause that's what's been happening with Vegas lately.
I didn't say we can't use puck movers. I just don't think it's the priority for this season. Hague and Whitecloud will be good puck movers when they settle their games into the NHL level, in the meantime we need to account for the own zone disasters that Merrill, Holden, and Engelland bust out on a nightly basis. But then again I'm of the philosophy that defense is the paramount contribution of a defenseman. And yeah I know good puck movement and zone exits help with that but I feel the biggest issue is how much real estate our opponents get to have down low because we can't tie up the lanes or guys like Engelland go fishing to cut off low danger chances along the boards.
