Player Discussion Shea Weber - Dear Dad Edition

[scrubadam]

No team is going anywhere without a number 1 Defensemen. So until we have something that can replace Weber he isn't going anywhere.

Trade Weber and draft Hughes and have a C line of Huges/KK/Domi but guess what it won't win squat without a 1D and Petry (well everyone wants him traded) or Brook or Mete or Juulsen aren't 1D's. Even if we added LaFranierre we still wouldn't contend without a 1D.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

No team is going anywhere without a number 1 Defensemen. So until we have something that can replace Weber he isn't going anywhere.

Trade Weber and draft Hughes and have a C line of Huges/KK/Domi but guess what it won't win squat without a 1D and Petry (well everyone wants him traded) or Brook or Mete or Juulsen aren't 1D's. Even if we added LaFranierre we still wouldn't contend without a 1D.

Out of the big 3 that everyone wanted to trade in the offseason (Patches, Price and Weber) he was the only one I didn't want to trade. It's just another hole you have to fill. One that is REALLY really hard to fill. I really think he'll age like Chara.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Markov was effective until his late 30s dont see why weber couldnt last the same amount of time

and Weber's game depends less on skating than Markov's did.

Chara Blake there alotes of Weber type of D-man that where good in there late 30s

I'm glad people are starting to see this/mention it. I found it weird that the 'he is going to break down 100%' narrative went largely uncontested when the guy's in peak physical shape and his game largely depends on his smarts.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Chara Blake there alotes of Weber type of D-man that where good in there late 30s

Pronger played his best hockey from ages 32-36 (2006-2010)

 

[JianYang]

Pronger played his best hockey from ages 32-36 (2006-2010)

It was a different game with pronger. He enjoyed being a dirty player. Now, you can't slash the player's gloves, and you can't hook and hold like before.

Chara is an interesting case though, because he's surviving in today's game. The thing is, Chara also has superhuman wingspan that we have never seen before.

Shea may only have a couple years left as a top defender for all we know.

 

[Frank Drebin]

It was a different game with pronger. He enjoyed being a dirty player. Now, you can't slash the player's gloves, and you can't hook and hold like before.

Chara is an interesting case though, because he's surviving in today's game. The thing is, Chara also has superhuman wingspan that we have never seen before.

Shea may only have a couple years left as a top defender for all we know.

Or, he may play till 46 like Chris Chelios, for all we know.

Each player is unique and predicting declines is difficult. He looks good today at 33 after missing a calendar year.

I think he'll be good for 3-4 more seasons

 

[JianYang]

Or, he may play till 46 like Chris Chelios, for all we know.

Each player is unique and predicting declines is difficult. He looks good today at 33 after missing a calendar year.

I think he'll be good for 3-4 more seasons

Heres another guy that had a dirty bag of tricks. You just can't do that stuff anymore. You can't cheat to slow guys down as you age. It's a much tougher environment for the aging veterans to excel in.

BTW, I'm not talking about retirement age, I'm talking about years left as a top pairing guy.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Pronger played his best hockey from ages 32-36 (2006-2010)

I feel like I've heard the same about Chara or at least he played his best at 33. Unless there's a king's ransom that's impossible to pass up I want him retired as a Hab.

I'll go out on a limb and say he captains us to a Cup. I just have this feeling that all of MB's 'blunders' are just gonna end up paying off. Right now the lion's share of them seem to be.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I feel like I've heard the same about Chara or at least he played his best at 33. Unless there's a king's ransom that's impossible to pass up I want him retired as a Hab.

I'll go out on a limb and say he captains us to a Cup. I just have this feeling that all of MB's 'blunders' are just gonna end up paying off. Right now the lion's share of them seem to be.

Chara won his first and only Norris at age 32, and captained the bruins to the cup at age 34 in 2011, and again to the finals in 2013 at age 36

 

[Frank Drebin]

Heres another guy that had a dirty bag of tricks. You just can't do that stuff anymore. You can't cheat to slow guys down as you age. It's a much tougher environment for the aging veterans to excel in.

BTW, I'm not talking about retirement age, I'm talking about years left as a top pairing guy.

I think 3-4 more seasons as a top pairing guy, maybe more as a complimentary guy later in his career. (Hey if Kulak or Emelin can play top pair with Weber, maybe a young stud can carry his old ass around for a couple seasons.)

Weber seems to be just fine playing his game, you're delusional if you don't think the old dogs can't adapt.

 

[JianYang]

I think 3-4 more seasons as a top pairing guy, maybe more as a complimentary guy later in his career. (Hey if Kulak or Emelin can play top pair with Weber, maybe a young stud can carry his old ass around for a couple seasons.)

Weber seems to be just fine playing his game, you're delusional if you don't think the old dogs can't adapt.

If I'm delusional for believing that this current era of hockey is a tougher environment for older players to excel in, then I don't know what to tell you.

I'll repeat this again. What I'm talking about is how much time does he have left as the top guy. I'm not talking about him being a complimentary guy. That's irrelevant especially when you consider the context of my discussion. I responded to the message of pronger continuing to play his top level hockey into his latest years.

 

[Frank Drebin]

If I'm delusional for believing that this current era of hockey is a tougher environment for older players to excel in, then I don't know what to tell you.

I'll repeat this again. What I'm talking about is how much time does he have left as the top guy. I'm not talking about him being a complimentary guy. That's irrelevant especially when you consider the context of my discussion. I responded to the message of pronger continuing to play his top level hockey into his latest years.

3-4 more seasons as a top pairing guy (a very good one), which coincides with the expiration of the contract of the guy who we traded him for.

 

[Vachon23]

Giordano is 35 and he's playing his best season

 

[Frank Drebin]

Giordano is 35 and he's playing his best season

But...but...but...he-he's a pmd

Gio wasnt even a top pairing guy till he was 30

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Weber is playing well but I still feel he's shaking a little bit of the rust off from the injuries. I'm hoping he steps his game up yet another notch.

 

[Andrei79]

If I'm delusional for believing that this current era of hockey is a tougher environment for older players to excel in, then I don't know what to tell you.

Are you basing this on facts or your impression ?

Because the data points to the opposite.

 

[JianYang]

Are you basing this on facts or your impression ?

Because the data points to the opposite.

My opinion is based on the stick infractions being consistently enforced like never before, and team philosophies becoming increasingly high tempo and attack oriented across the league.

Its an outlook which looks at where the game is, and where I believe it is going. We are in the infancy of a new era IMO, where the defense's job is harder, and the bag of tricks to keep up is getting smaller.

Sure, Weber might defy the odds and hang as a TOP dman for another 4 or 5 years, but I don't believe the game is going to do him any favours as we go forward.

 

[Andrei79]

My opinion is based on the stick infractions being consistently enforced like never before, and team philosophies becoming increasingly high tempo and attack oriented across the league.

Its an outlook which looks at where the game is, and where I believe it is going. We are in the infancy of a new era IMO, where the defense's job is harder, and the bag of tricks to keep up is getting smaller.

Sure, Weber might defy the odds and hang as a TOP dman for another 4 or 5 years, but I don't believe the game is going to do him any favours as we go forward.

I get where you might feel this is where the league is headed, but there's no data at this point. Top players have historically been better faster than their peers and for longer. Defensemen even moreso. A guy like Weber hanging on for another 4 years would actually be closer to the norm for a consistent Norris "contender" if we can call him that. Data shows that there are more "older" players competing for top spots in league scoring. If anything, they're in much better shape than ever.

That said, it's true that we might be looking at a correction there in the next few years with how fast the league is.

 

[Kriss E]

We still need to keep some vets in a rebuild process to help the young players become good professionals. If everything they say about Weber being a great leader and all that is true, I would keep him with the team. Like I would keep Gallagher.

Weber would be a good mentor for our future prospects we would acquire if we trade Tatar, Petry and Byron

You can get some good vets. I don't think it's difficult. Getting the return Weber would yield us, that's a rarity. So it all depends on what would be offered to us for me.
But, we know he ain't going anywhere anyways. I do hope they move Byron.

 

[The Great Weal]

You can get some good vets. I don't think it's difficult. Getting the return Weber would yield us, that's a rarity. So it all depends on what would be offered to us for me.
But, we know he ain't going anywhere anyways. I do hope they move Byron.

Weber is definitely not getting anytime soon imo. With that extension that Byron signed, I don't think he gets traded either. I think it was really stupid to extend him.

 

[Kriss E]

Weber is definitely not getting anytime soon imo. With that extension that Byron signed, I don't think he gets traded either. I think it was really stupid to extend him.

Ya definitely pointless..but his deal isn't so bad that it's immovable. I just don't think teams are interested in having a Byron locked to 4 years.

 

[The Great Weal]

Ya definitely pointless..but his deal isn't so bad that it's immovable. I just don't think teams are interested in having a Byron locked to 4 years.

The contract isnt an issue at all imo. But I just cant see Bergevin trading him after that extension.

 

[Kriss E]

The contract isnt an issue at all imo. But I just cant see Bergevin trading him after that extension.

I think Bergevin will stick with status quo or go for depth moves a la Drewiske or Ott, then try to sign free agents in summer.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

It's incredible he's played so well coming off the long layoff and carrying a partner who wasn't in the NHL to start the season. I'll be surprised even more if he doesn't hit a bit of a wall as the adrenaline of his return wears off and he has to regain his stamina

He relies on positioning and a hard shot, 2 of which are the last things a hockey player loses

 

[DangerDave]

It was a different game with pronger. He enjoyed being a dirty player. Now, you can't slash the player's gloves, and you can't hook and hold like before.

Chara is an interesting case though, because he's surviving in today's game. The thing is, Chara also has superhuman wingspan that we have never seen before.

Shea may only have a couple years left as a top defender for all we know.

True. Weber is a much better skater than either of those guys though. Not just speed but more agile and much better balance. He's more cerebral. Has his shot which is much better than either of those guys. Probably stronger than Pronger. Better puck mover.

I'd say he can maintain this level for a couple more years and then we'll see him decline slowly. Barring a huge injury, I see weber being effective for a while still.