Shane O'Brien
- Thread starter 190Octane
- Start date
Slats432
Registered User
190Octane
Registered User
I drafted him in a full draft league this offseason.
Good pickup if PIMs count in your league. Me being the idiot that I am told my friend to pick him up in our fantasy hockey league and he's doing much better than Jovanovski is doing for me.
Marshall
A ribbon reflector
A lot of DC and Hershey fans watched him last year in the Hershey/Portland playoff series and were very impressed. Like the heck out of him as a player.
I'm going to talk out of my ***, seeing as I've really not seen him play... but with d-men, I think the proving ground is really when they are out against the opponents top opponents.
Well on a team with Nieds and Pronger, I doubt it really happens very often. Not anything against O'Brien... but when two defensmen are playing 26+ minutes a night... it's hard to shine defensively.
Having said all that, I hear he's legitimately good... but if we're talking about what a defensman has actually accomplished, I've got to say playing 12 minutes a night against opposition that your coach doesn't feel the need to play Niedermeyer or Pronger against doesn't show that much.
Well on a team with Nieds and Pronger, I doubt it really happens very often. Not anything against O'Brien... but when two defensmen are playing 26+ minutes a night... it's hard to shine defensively.
Having said all that, I hear he's legitimately good... but if we're talking about what a defensman has actually accomplished, I've got to say playing 12 minutes a night against opposition that your coach doesn't feel the need to play Niedermeyer or Pronger against doesn't show that much.
Pepper
Registered User
- Aug 30, 2004
- 14,693
- 269
Let's put it this way, at this point I would much rather have OB than Smid playing for the Ducks. Now this could obviously change in the future but at the moment (from what I've seen) OB is pretty much ahead in every category except skating and even there it's not a huge difference.
Then again, I said the same back in summer when we traded for Pronger.
Then again, I said the same back in summer when we traded for Pronger.
190Octane
Registered User
My point about his minutes per game was mainly about how he has so many points while playing so little.
As for Nieds and Pronger.. you think that opposing coaches don't try and get favorable matchups on the road against O'Brien and DiPenta? He's still a +7 so he must be doing something right.
Um ok. I really haven't seen enough Ducks games to comment...but I think most Oiler fans are very happy with Smid's puck poise and play on the pk etc.. But it sounds as if O'Brien is ahead at those things too.
I'm just saying that if I were talking about best defensmen, I personally think it's hard to judge defensmen until they've been thrown into the fire against top opponents - so I look more at TOI and pkTOI than most things.
As for getting favorable matchups - I saw Cory Cross rack up huge + points for years... so I think bad matchups can by and large be avoided if a coach has other options. Basically what MacT would do was wait until opponents top lines had just been out and then stick Cross out there... usually with responsible forwards... that way opponents coaches couldn't really do anything to get their big guns out against Cross.
But I feel like you Duck fans are getting defensive about this. I personally am not saying he's bad... but for me, for a defensman to show he's good, he's got to play some tough minutes.
No I don't think he is, Smid is a different kind of player. Shane has better offensive instincts, while Smid plays a relatively safe game.
Pepper
Registered User
- Aug 30, 2004
- 14,693
- 269
I wouldn't be surprised if that didn't happen. If I had to choose one in a keeper league, I'd go with O'Brien.
Dirk316
Registered User
Not too sure about that. O'Brien's offense and physical play >>>>>>>>>>> Smid, skating is close. He reminds me of Jovo/Sourey with a little Marchment
