Ozz
Registered User
About time we get our diamond-in-the-rough Swedish defenseman. Could have been 1989, but noooo...
He had 31 hits in 54 games. There was like 50 more defencemen in SHL that hit more this season.
Hitting isn't the only thing that makes you physical though. Boxing players out, being strong along the boards, winning puck battles, those are all things that make a player physical.
Fantenberg is a good example for Frölunda because I watch them more than Brynäs. He has 52 hits in 50 games, but I don't consider him overly physical just because he has hits, he will step up on guys but he gets over powered quite easily. A lot of his hits come when he is slightly out of position and hitting is the best option rather than letting people get around him. If he was better positionally then I don't think he would have made all of those hits.
Not photoshopped.
Exactly. How often did Nicklas Lidstrom throw a hit? The game moves to fast for you to be throwing hits and putting yourself out of position, especially as a defenceman. Any defence coach isn't going to teach hitting, it's all about positioning, stick work and, knowing not to engage physically when your opponent has clear body positioning so that your stick is free and you can find your spot to jump in between him and the puck.
And this mentality is why we've been stuck with the paul martins of the world for so long.
Unfortunately we have a logjam of bottom pairing guys but maybe he steps in as a top 4 guy. How come he has to sign an ELC?
And this mentality is why we've been stuck with the paul martins of the world for so long.
Are you implying that Paul Martin, as a defender specifically, isn't that good?
No, but if you have a corps with only Paul Martin types, then you get...
...well then you get the Penguins defense of the last five seasons.
Somehow, some way we need to bring back the snarl.
Any defence coach isn't going to teach hitting, it's all about positioning, stick work and, knowing not to engage physically when your opponent has clear body positioning so that your stick is free and you can find your spot to jump in between him and the puck.
What kind of defenders does Chicago have exactly? Can somebody remind me.
There is nothing wrong with being positionally sound and physical when necessary, but not chasing hits.
To be fair to MTLPens though, this team IS gonna struggle if they go full youth movement(more growing pains than anything. the guy taking PMarts minutes is gonna look really good on some nights and really bad on others) on D. Especially if they keep 1 or 2 of Scuds/LJ around with them.
Yes, that is true. I don't think they have much of a choice other than to deal with it though.
Seems like a leader, something this team needs. Does he speak English well?
I wish! We just got rid of Brooks Orpik who made some ridiculous bank off of one shift in the 2008 SCF.
What kind of defenders does Chicago have exactly? Can somebody remind me.
There is nothing wrong with being positionally sound and physical when necessary, but not chasing hits.
About time we get our diamond-in-the-rough Swedish defenseman. Could have been 1989, but noooo...