Scuderi being honest

[The Tang]

False, Orpik was worse.

No he wasn't. Take away orpiks hitting, speed and puck skills you have scuderi.

 

[Fordy]

orpik has speed and puck skills?

personally i remember like... 3 hits he made last year

 

[Ogrezilla]

orpik has speed and puck skills?

personally i remember like... 3 hits he made last year

A few years ago he was a good skater and had an average first pass. Not so much anymore.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Man... it's like trying to pick a "winner" between ebola and the black plague but I kind of think maybe Orpik was a little worse last year, too.

Is that even possible?

 

[PensFreak]

I thought Orpik was better last year. Trying to pick though... like trying to pick between a giant ****** and a turd sandwich.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

No he wasn't. Take away orpiks hitting, speed and puck skills you have scuderi.

SPEED, PUCK SKILLS, and Hitting?!?!

what did Orpik hit this past year exactly, besides his head on the ice when ST punched his face in?!

Speed?! He was never a speed demon, he USED to be a good skater, but he has pretty much lost several steps in his over-all mobility.

Puck skills?!?! What does that mean exactly? At his prime (08-09) his first past was very average to good at BEST... how he handles the puck and breaks it out worse than ray charles would.

More often than not he was either slow-mo backing into the goalie giving the shooter all the time and space in the world, or he was trying to hit the guy and would get clowned and crossed up like a baby giraffe on skates.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Orpik was worse than Scuderi mostly because it seems like he doesn't realize he's just as bad as Scuderi. I really think he believes he's still good. Scuderi at least knows he sucked last year.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

Orpik was worse than Scuderi mostly because it seems like he doesn't realize he's just as bad as Scuderi. I really think he believes he's still good. Scuderi at least knows he sucked last year.

It still boggles my mind that the caps gave him that contract!

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Orpik was worse than Scuderi mostly because it seems like he doesn't realize he's just as bad as Scuderi. I really think he believes he's still good.

Yeah... that's the determining factor to me, too. Scuderi at least seems like kind of a humble guy. Orpik is arguably just as bad on the ice and carries around a pretty poor attitude, to boot. I understand wanting to be a vocal presence but you probably shouldn't be calling other guys out if you're part of the problem.

It still boggles my mind that the caps gave him that contract!

Pretty awesome, innit?

 

[Ogrezilla]

It still boggles my mind that the caps gave him that contract!

it just makes me smile

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

it just makes me smile

I can't wait to watch that train wreck in DC this year! The only thing sweeter would have been for those dolts to hire Bylsma!

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Orpik was worse than Scuderi mostly because it seems like he doesn't realize he's just as bad as Scuderi. I really think he believes he's still good. Scuderi at least knows he sucked last year.

Yeah, Scuderi knows he sucked, Orpik just got rewarded for it. Or Orpik also knows and just doesn't care.

It still boggles my mind that the caps gave him that contract!

It's hilarious but baffling. They're going to love him with that contract when he half ***** it while they're trying to make the playoffs and without Martin to babysit him. He'll totally turn it on in the post season if they make it, though... if he doesn't get injured.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Honestly I don't even know if "Playoff Orpik" is a thing, any more. Though he was injured pretty much all of this past post season and was pretty good the year before, to be totally fair. Maybe a new team reinvigorates his play. I doubt it.

Injuries have definitely taken their toll. The whole sports hernia saga alone probably took a couple of productive seasons off of his career.

 

[Fordy]

i believe orpik considers himself a #2 dman

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Honestly I don't even know if "Playoff Orpik" is a thing, any more. Though he was injured pretty much all of this past post season and was pretty good the year before, to be totally fair. Maybe a new team reinvigorates his play. I doubt it.

Injuries have definitely taken their toll. The whole sports hernia saga alone probably took a couple of productive seasons off of his career.

I think it's a thing insomuch as he tries harder, how much that actually does is another question. He could stop even doing that. I doubt being on a new team does anything aside from a short spurt in the beginning, but the system could suit him better, I suppose.

The injuries and general wear and tear have gotten to him, I wouldn't be surprised if he was really injury prone in the near future. He may already have reached that point if you go by his playoffs. Thank god Shero wasn't here to potentially re-sign him.

 

[gopens66]

Scuderi has had maybe three good seasons as an NHL defenseman. Before '08 his best asset was that he wasn't Melichar. The Scudichar pairing was laughable at best, and that wasn't all on Melichar. Hell, even in '09 Scuderi had terrible gaffs all season. In game 4 of the finals, he had all day to clear the puck or make a pass, then he passed it right to Helm, and Helm scores to tie the game. Yeah, I cheered when he made his goal-line stop when Fleury was down-and-out, but I ask someone to name one other great play he has made. I mean great, not serviceable. Bringing him back seemed like an act of desperation. I was optimistic at first hearing it, hoping his experience rounded him into a good top 4 D-man, but he still played like an average 1980's d-man, routinely throwing the puck around the boards or blindly off the glass.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

^ This really is much closer to reality than this bizarre legend that Scuderi somehow carved out for himself, here. He was a pretty good third pairing defenseman during this team's Cup run who made a memorable play or two and was generally steady when he was called upon. Successful post season runs are usually filled with guys like that.

Before that, his biggest contribution was largely being one half of a comically bad defensive pairing. And you're right -- it wasn't all on Melichar.

 

[billybudd]

If "Scudichar" is that brutal Scuderi/Melichar pairing, that was 99% Melichar. Not that Scuderi was any good before the 08 playoffs (he wasn't). But that's to say he was maybe about what Strait is now or a little worse.

Melichar, for his part, after that shoulder injury early in his career, was the worst D to lace up skates for this club since the 80s. He could not do one thing right. His positioning was awful, he handled the puck about as poorly as Evgeni Artyukhin, he couldn't play the man...I've never seen another D as bad as him stick in the NHL as long as he did (excluding your MacIntyres).

Apart from positioning (this idiot loooooved to chase the puck carrier way out of position), that wasn't his fault (I believe Bourque once said his shoulder is so bad he played with it in a sling every night), but in terms of results, he was worse than Leroux, Serowik...any of those guys...after that shoulder injury.

 

[BreakfastatMarios]

He also has been in that position on two cup winners playing legitimate defensive minutes. I don't like the guy either at the moment, but at the same time we have to acknowledge that a lot of the defensive issues last year have to do with Bylsma's system as well.

^^^^^^ X 10

It's easier to just say Scuds Sucks though, but I agree with this.

 

[The Tang]

SPEED, PUCK SKILLS, and Hitting?!?!

what did Orpik hit this past year exactly, besides his head on the ice when ST punched his face in?!

Speed?! He was never a speed demon, he USED to be a good skater, but he has pretty much lost several steps in his over-all mobility.

Puck skills?!?! What does that mean exactly? At his prime (08-09) his first past was very average to good at BEST... how he handles the puck and breaks it out worse than ray charles would.

More often than not he was either slow-mo backing into the goalie giving the shooter all the time and space in the world, or he was trying to hit the guy and would get clowned and crossed up like a baby giraffe on skates.

You misunderstand my post. I wasn't saying orpik had any of those, I'm saying you take away what little he did have of those and you get scuderi, hence scuderi is worse because he can't even perform at an orpik level

 

[IcedCapp]

^^^^^^ X 10

It's easier to just say Scuds Sucks though, but I agree with this.

It's easier because there's far FARRRRRRRRRRRRRR more actual evidence that he's nothing special. Sample sizes and individual performances vs. team achievements.

Was Scuderi even a top-10 most-important player on either of those cup teams?

 

[mikethelegacy]

It's easier because there's far FARRRRRRRRRRRRRR more actual evidence that he's nothing special. Sample sizes and individual performances vs. team achievements.

Was Scuderi even a top-10 most-important player on either of those cup teams?

On our 09 cup team, I'd say he was pretty important. I have memories of his play, including him playing goaltender, which I can't say for a lot of the players. Not saying other guys didn't play great, but he stands out on defense for me. Along with Orpik and Letang that year.

 

[IcedCapp]

On our 09 cup team, I'd say he was pretty important. I have memories of his play, including him playing goaltender, which I can't say for a lot of the players. Not saying other guys didn't play great, but he stands out on defense for me. Along with Orpik and Letang that year.

he had a moment that will be imprinted on our minds forever. But it was still just a moment.

 

[Mario_is_BACK!!]

he had a moment that will be imprinted on our minds forever. But it was still just a moment.

And it's an overrated moment. Fleury was behind him ready to make the same save.

 

[mpp9]

And it's an overrated moment. Fleury was behind him ready to make the same save.

If you mean Fleury was out of his net and his stick was behind Scuderi? Sure.

You think Scuderi sucks, we get it man. But he didn't suck in the 2013 playoffs. He was an important piece for LA in 2012. And was one as well for us in 09.

I'd like to see us have as mobile of a defense as possible. But I don't see the big deal having him around to start the season.