The Iceman
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2007
- 5,089
- 3,726
Without free agents/Hanifin/Trades next year looks like this
Reilly-Polak
Gardiner-Percy
Robidas-Granberg
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He doesn't handle the puck very well and I don't think he ever will get much better with it but he's improved his skating by a mile since joining the Marlies. He's super strong and fearless when it comes to shot blocking.
Looks like a solid bottom pairing defender for now, which is fine by me. Cheap and effective for his role. If his puck handling can get better, he could be a Roman Polak type player for us moving forward. If it doesn't get better, he'll be Staffan Kronwall and back in Sweden in a few years. It's up to him.
I think he can become a key player for us in shutdown role. Any one expecting him to put up points will be disappointed. He is a bottom 4 defenseman, most likely a 3rd pairing one who plays a lot on the PK.
Now team success should not be credited to one individual but he already has a pretty impressive list of accomplishments. Before he moved to Toronto he had already become SHL champion, JWC gold medalist and he even made the senior squad and won gold in the WC the following year. And he was not just there to watch and learn on any of those teams but played a significant role defensively.
I see him in a similar way as I view Biggs and Gauthier as forwards. They will not catch the big headlines or become star of the weeks, but they will be crucial in our success as defensive specialists.
??? - Gauthier - Biggs
??? - Granberg
I think he can become a key player for us in shutdown role. Any one expecting him to put up points will be disappointed. He is a bottom 4 defenseman, most likely a 3rd pairing one who plays a lot on the PK.
Now team success should not be credited to one individual but he already has a pretty impressive list of accomplishments. Before he moved to Toronto he had already become SHL champion, JWC gold medalist and he even made the senior squad and won gold in the WC the following year. And he was not just there to watch and learn on any of those teams but played a significant role defensively.
I see him in a similar way as I view Biggs and Gauthier as forwards. They will not catch the big headlines or become star of the weeks, but they will be crucial in our success as defensive specialists.
??? - Gauthier - Biggs
??? - Granberg
People and this organization need to have patience with prospects, and understand that they aren't finished products. He has weaknesses... they all do. If he turns into a good #6, and is solid defensively, isn't that great? Don't we need a cost contained #6? If he turns into more, isn't that great too?
Just because the team success wasn't directly a product of his play, doesn't devalue it at all. In fact, I think the fact that he has been chosen to represent his country not just at the junior level, but at the WC too speaks highly of him. And of course, playing on a winning team can be good for a player's development.