Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Fox is VERY far off from a top 10D don’t be ridiculous. He plays less than 19minutes a game and is fourth on his OWN team in terms of defenseman ice time.
But you’re right I’m sure the Rangers are just morons and were playing Skjei more than a guy who’s “not far off” from a top 10D for unknown reasons.
I have to congratulate you. You've managed to show an absolute complete lack of awareness about Fox's role on his team. I'm not surprised because there are many of your ilk who boxscore watch, and don't have a clue about his ability. It's your problem, not ours. He's played like a 1D this season for us.
Fox is a rookie, and started out with a minimal role. He hadn't played a pro hockey game prior to the season. Rarely do players make that jump immediately to the NHL, so he wasn't going to start out with anything other than a minimal role. He also plays on the same right side as two very good and established RHD, Trouba and DeAngelo. There are only so many minutes to go around, and Fox is the rookie of the three. Of course he's going to start out with the least minutes of the three.
Almost no one disagrees that he's the best of them now though. For the past 23 games, he's played 20:56 per game, which is second among defenseman. Fox plays second PP and only recently second PK, so his PP and PK minutes are lower. His minutes in those two strengths should only go up as he further cements himself. He's first on the team in ES TOI/G in that span, and his role has elevated to the nominal first pair because he's the best defenseman on the team. Therefore, telling me that he only played 17:08 in November is irrelevant to his role now.
And Skjei plays on the left side. He was competing for a role with Staal, Smith, Hajek and Lindgren before he was traded. Thats two borderline NHL'ers and two rookies, one of which sucks. The Rangers have not once this season played a right handed defenseman on the left side for a full game. This is basic stuff. Skjei is in a different minutes pool than Fox for minutes. Could you not even bother to check which way they shoot? Now Skjei is traded and Fox is our best defenseman, so it's also irrelevant that Skjei had more TOI/G.
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