What Happened to Andrew McDonald?

[boredmale]

When your best skill is shot blocking, it's going to catch up to you fast(injuries slowing you down). You could sort of see his usefulness going away a year or so before he became a UFA

 

[Curufinwe]

He hasn't actually blocked many shots as a Flyer, (only 1.8 per game) but old narratives die hard.

He was never good but got paid because GMs don't know how to evaluate defensemen

Yeah, it's easy to tell which dmen are crap, you just look at Corsi numbers. Take Andy Greene and John Moore for example.

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/rat...teamid=0&type=corsi&sort=PCTRelTM&sortdir=ASC

This chart clearly shows that they are terrible players.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

He fell off a cliff the year before he hit free agency, and then got paid as if that season didn't happen.

 

[isles31]

AMac was really a bizzare case. The guy was very solid two years before his fall off. Then the year before he became a UFA, he played big time minutes and huge situations...and he was good. Blocked a ton of shots, played sound defense...then it all fell apart. I have no idea what Philly was thinking with that contract, but most isles fans said to be weary of what you expect from him at that point. Not bc AMac was a bad dude or anything, but just that his play slammed into a wall and rolled downhill. I don't think theres really an explanation. Maybe he became complacent and figured he made money? I just don't see that though, he wasn't that type of guy...or didn't seem like it. Weird though, whatever the reason.

 

[Benedict Kovalchuk]

AMac is a fine bottom pair dman who can do second unit PK duties and step up into 2nd pair responsibilities when an injury occurs, but that's not worth his contract. His biggest flaws are that he lets guys enter his zone too easily and is not physical AT ALL in net front battles or in post-whistle scrums. Even when his linemates are trying to stick up for a teammate who just got cheapshotted, he'll either be standing to the side or just trying to hold a guy on the other team back from getting in on the scrum.

Is he still doing that? During the last leg of his tenure with the Isles I really started noticing how extremely easily he allowed the opposing team to gain the zone.

 

[Vikke]

Is he still doing that? During the last leg of his tenure with the Isles I really started noticing how extremely easily he allowed the opposing team to gain the zone.

Yes. I read that he's trying to be more aggressive so far this pre-season, but last season - yes.

 

[Tripod]

Is he still doing that? During the last leg of his tenure with the Isles I really started noticing how extremely easily he allowed the opposing team to gain the zone.

Yes...it's his biggest flaw. Not sure if it's a confidence issue from being scared to get beat wide of not. But it is an ongoing flaw. He has played very well in the pre-season so far though.

 

[Rebels57]

When your best skill is shot blocking, it's going to catch up to you fast(injuries slowing you down). You could sort of see his usefulness going away a year or so before he became a UFA

Why are you starting a thread on the Flyers #5 defensemen?

 

[GKJ]

What happened to Andrew MacDonald is that he wasn't actually that good, and the Islanders not only knew it was time to get rid of him but that Paul Holmgren was a stupid idiot

 

[Tripod]

Lol...just to share this from the Flyers board on tonight's game against the Rangers:

MDZ has a 71% CF%, Ghost 69%, Provorov 68%, Gudas 64%, Morin 56%......yet AMac had a 36% CF%?

 

[redbull]

Yes posters on HFboards know more than active GM's

Never change folks

HF is amazing for people to throw "i told you so" when they're right - and easily forget when they are dead wrong. It's a wonderful place.

There was a time when NOBODY in the media watched Isles games. It was obvious to Isles fans and how their players were described - specifically MacDonald, Moulson, Grabner, Boyes, even Mark Streit to a lesser extent.

a lot of these players were simply awful but especially after Tavares really elevated his game (season 3 - around 2011-12), a lot of big minute players (or those with good stats) started getting more attention in the media. Some were "okay" and some were truly awful.

I'd say MacDonald and Moulson were two players that Isles fans were happy to see go. Yet the media (especially the TOR media that I listen to always) were adamant that this was the Isles being cheap and how JT would never stay there if they didn't retain their top players, supporting cast, etc.

I'm sure it happens in a lot of smaller US markets as well, and on the west coast, since the Eastern media/CDN media doesn't spend much time watching a lot of teams. If players like Oliver-Ekman Larsson, Roman Josi, Hampus Lindholm played in TOR/MTL, they would be perceived much differently.

 

[Preisst*]

He sucked his last year and half with the isles too. Philly didn't ruin him he was already bad when he got there. They just gave him that unbelievable contract.

It's actually pretty odd what happened to him. He and Hamonic were once one of the better middle defensive pairs in the NHL. He was excellent with using his stick Defensively and very positionaly sound. Then out of nowhere he just became a turnover machine and stopped making impactful plays. Supper nice guy but not a good defenseman anymore.

He no good at breakfast?

 

[boredmale]

I'd say MacDonald and Moulson were two players that Isles fans were happy to see go.

Given the way Moulson went, I am not sure happy is the word. lol

All that being said I would have been open to resigning him, just at shorter term and AAV

 

[5 4 Fighting]

He played well tonight.

 

[bob27]

Peaked early.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I'm sure it happens in a lot of smaller US markets as well, and on the west coast, since the Eastern media/CDN media doesn't spend much time watching a lot of teams. If players like Oliver-Ekman Larsson, Roman Josi, Hampus Lindholm played in TOR/MTL, they would be perceived much differently.

Definitely, imagine the praise Josi and Ekman-Larsson would get playing in a big eastern market??

 

[holden57]

I don't even think it's the cap hit--because at 2.5 (re-entry waivers) I think he's worth it--and yep, I think he's capable of being a 4, and in my mind was the 2nd/3rd best Dman for Philly down the stretch and in the playoffs. What I think is the tougher pill to swallow is the fact that he has a backloaded contract for four more seasons. I don't think any team would want that longterm handcuff. If he was paid up front and was owed like a mil a year for the next few seasons he'd be having a solid career on a Carolina, Colorado, or Arizona blueline.

Uhm, what?

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

HF is amazing for people to throw "i told you so" when they're right - and easily forget when they are dead wrong. It's a wonderful place.

There was a time when NOBODY in the media watched Isles games. It was obvious to Isles fans and how their players were described - specifically MacDonald, Moulson, Grabner, Boyes, even Mark Streit to a lesser extent.

a lot of these players were simply awful but especially after Tavares really elevated his game (season 3 - around 2011-12), a lot of big minute players (or those with good stats) started getting more attention in the media. Some were "okay" and some were truly awful.

I'd say MacDonald and Moulson were two players that Isles fans were happy to see go. Yet the media (especially the TOR media that I listen to always) were adamant that this was the Isles being cheap and how JT would never stay there if they didn't retain their top players, supporting cast, etc.

I'm sure it happens in a lot of smaller US markets as well, and on the west coast, since the Eastern media/CDN media doesn't spend much time watching a lot of teams. If players like Oliver-Ekman Larsson, Roman Josi, Hampus Lindholm played in TOR/MTL, they would be perceived much differently.

I agree with a lot of what you said except the bolded. MacDonald, yes, although I remember thinking we could have gotten a 1st round pick, but we were pretty happy with getting a 2nd and 3rd from Philly.

If you recall, Isles fans were pretty upset that we traded Moulson. But, these were the ones that didn't see how much he deteriorated in those short few months. He was not very good in the lockout year, and really really really really bad in the 2013 playoffs. However, some fans couldn't believe we traded JT's best buddy, a 30 goal scorer, a guy who loves the community and the kids love him. I remember talking to a ticket rep, who said they got no calls after Vanek was traded to the Islanders. If anything, more people were upset that Moulson traded. Some moms were saying "Who's my kid going to root for now?" The superficial ones were not happy that Moulson was traded.

 

[KingsFan7824]

He was never good but got paid because GMs don't know how to evaluate defensemen

I'd say it's more to do with free agency acting the way the PA has always wanted it to, other than the existence of a hard cap. Few players are available in free agency at any given time. GM's need players. You take what you can get most of the time. Get two GM's desperate enough, and you're good to go.

If every player was a free agent every summer, we'd see guys get paid more along the lines of what they're currently worth. That's not the case though, and the cap comes calling for everyone eventually, no matter how smart you are.

 

[redbull]

I agree with a lot of what you said except the bolded. MacDonald, yes, although I remember thinking we could have gotten a 1st round pick, but we were pretty happy with getting a 2nd and 3rd from Philly.

If you recall, Isles fans were pretty upset that we traded Moulson. But, these were the ones that didn't see how much he deteriorated in those short few months. He was not very good in the lockout year, and really really really really bad in the 2013 playoffs. However, some fans couldn't believe we traded JT's best buddy, a 30 goal scorer, a guy who loves the community and the kids love him. I remember talking to a ticket rep, who said they got no calls after Vanek was traded to the Islanders. If anything, more people were upset that Moulson traded. Some moms were saying "Who's my kid going to root for now?" The superficial ones were not happy that Moulson was traded.

Vanek was another one that I'm glad got away. I hated his game even though he put up MONSTER points with JT/KO - best line in hockey (production wise) when they were together. Seeing a player every day, as a fan, sometimes/often gives more insight into a player than the general media and sportcenter highlights, the perception of the player.

One thing Garth's been really good about is knowing who to lock-up long term (Hamonic, Frans - last contract) and who to let walk (Moulson - though he was traded, JBlake, Boyes)

I think he got lucky with Vanek, though I'm sure he'd have been a productive player with Tavares.

Remains to be see how the Boychuk, Ladd contracts end up. It won't matter as much if the team can win 1-2 rounds this year!

Back on MacDonald, seems like he just got a bit slower as the game was getting a lot faster and suddenly started to look like a liability. Happened really fast. I'd say the same of Luke Schenn though I think he's been better in the last year or so - he seems to have grown as a dman and learning what works and what doesn't. He runs around less looking for the big Komisarek hit and plays within himself more.

Philly's in a great spot on defense though, mainly because of how they've drafted. Provorov looks amazing.