Confirmed with Link: Pens sign D Niclas Andersén out of Sweden

[Ogrezilla]

Yup.


Prime Orpik was a feared open ice hitter and a smooth skating defenseman that was an amazing partner for Gonchar for a while. Despres, is still trying to find his footing and seems to make some of the same mistakes when he was a Penguin and his short time with the Ducks.

Simon would need to get better real fast to get to Orpik's level of play when he was in his prime. I think people hated Orpik the last 2yrs so much that they forget just how good he was. There was a reason LA & NYR were throwing a ton of money at him after 2009.

Its not like Orpik stepped into the league and was immediately a great player. He struggled for a few years himself. Is 23 year old Despres as good as prime Orpik? No. Is he as good as 23 year old Orpik? I think so.

 

[cygnus47]

He also produces better possession and close to matched Orpik's best offensive season (i.e. stood next to Gonchar in '10) with the least possible help as a Penguin. Again as a 23 year old and with way worse teammates, no opportunities as a Pen and in a less offensive league.

I wouldn't put 14-15 Despres much below prime Orpik as an overall player. Next year he'll be better than Orpik ever was at everything and it will be his second full NHL season.

 

[Ogrezilla]

He also produces better possession and close to matched Orpik's best offensive season (i.e. stood next to Gonchar in '10) with the least possible help as a Penguin. Again as a 23 year old and with way worse teammates, no opportunities as a Pen and in a less offensive league.

this was the roster when Brooks Orpik was 23

http://penguins.nhl.com/club/stats.htm?season=20032004

I wouldn't put 14-15 Despres much below prime Orpik as an overall player. Next year he'll be better than Orpik ever was at everything and it will be his second full NHL season.

I don't know about all that. 2009 Brooks Orpik was a very very good player.

 

[The Greatest 101]

I wouldn't put 14-15 Despres much below prime Orpik as an overall player. Next year he'll be better than Orpik ever was at everything and it will be his second full NHL season.

Prime Orpik was a #2 D,so Despres will become #1 D next year?That's hilarious.

 

[Jacob]

Orpik was never a #2.

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

How many more Despres threads do we need?

 

[gordie]

How many more Despres threads do we need?

Pretty pathetic eh? A mediocre defenseman no better than a #5 getting this kind of attention. You would have thought they traded a real talented young defenseman like Olli Maatta instead of a guy who the Ducks will soon realize is just a run-of-the-mill player who can be easily replaced at any time.

 

[The Greatest 101]

Orpik was never a #2.

Really?He played on the top pair with Carlson last postseason and he was 34 years old,but prime Orpik was never a #2?

 

[Ogrezilla]

Orpik was never a #2.

he absolutely was. We won a Cup and went to another final with him as our number 2, and that was without a real legit number 1.

At least he was defensively and physically. Obviously he never scored. But in his prime, there wasn't a player in the league you'd feel uncomfortable with Orpik defending.

 

[Jacob]

Really?He played on the top pair with Carlson last postseason and he was 34 years old,but prime Orpik was never a #2?

he absolutely was. We won a Cup and went to another final with him as our number 2, and that was without a real legit number 1.

At least he was defensively and physically. Obviously he never scored. But in his prime, there wasn't a player in the league you'd feel uncomfortable with Orpik defending.

Just because a d-man plays on a top pairing doesn't make him a #1 or #2. Just like Dupuis isn't a legitimate first liner just because he plays with Sid. Just like Eaton wasn't a #2 just because he was paired with Gonchar. Just like Justin Schultz isn't a #1 d-man despite him being Edmonton's top guy by default.

Also, Orpik wasn't used as a shut-down or match-up d-man in 08 or 09. That was a relatively recent thing in the absences of Scuderi, Eaton and Gonchar.

Orpik was 4th on the 09 team in ice time in the regular season and 3rd in the playoffs. On the Caps this year, he was 3rd behind Carlson and Niskanen. He's not a #2 and never has been, unless our views of what a #2 d-man is are drastically different.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Just because a d-man plays on a top pairing doesn't make him a #1 or #2. Just like Dupuis isn't a legitimate first liner just because he plays with Sid. Just like Eaton wasn't a #2 just because he was paired with Gonchar. Just like Justin Schultz isn't a #1 d-man despite him being Edmonton's top guy by default.

Also, Orpik wasn't used as a shut-down or match-up d-man in 08 or 09. That was a relatively recent thing in the absences of Scuderi, Eaton and Gonchar.

Orpik was 4th on the 09 team in ice time in the regular season and 3rd in the playoffs. On the Caps this year, he was 3rd behind Carlson and Niskanen. He's not a #2 and never has been, unless our views of what a #2 d-man is are drastically different.

He was first on the team at ES TOI in both 2008 and 2009.

 

[Jacob]

Cool.

 

[#1GuinFan]

Id say in his prime he was a #2. Nothing more, but certainly not less either.

 

[Penguinator]

Id say in his prime he was a #2 with the Pens. Nothing more, but certainly not less either.

Fixed.

 

[66-30-33]

How many more Despres threads do we need?

I dunno but i've put all 16 appreciation threads on my ignore list, it's not even funny anymore since the 2nd one happened.

 

[KareemTrustfund]

A number 2 D man to replace Simon! Finally.