[Signing] Flames sign Josh Healey to 2 yr ELC starting next yr. Goes to Stockton on ATO.

[polak]

If there's one thing that Wideman has shown us is that we as Flames fans have incredible patience for slow D with marginal skillsets.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Robbob

looking at that video with the "headshot", it looks more of a shoulder is contacted first and the head is barely contacted. I would be pretty pissed if that was the play that suspended me.

the NCAA has a different standard for head shots:

The NCAA ice hockey rules committee used the current rules cycle "Points of Emphasis" section to focus on contact to the head. It's an area of the game that must be improved, the section says. Here are some excerpts from the rule book:

Contact to the head

… The committee is concerned about violent contact that has occurred in the game and caused injury. To make this rule clearer, any time a player targets the head or neck area of an opponent, it must be a major penalty and a game misconduct penalty at a minimum.

Indirect contact to the head

When the initial force of the contact is through the body of the opponent and then slides up to the head or neck area, the committee believes this type of indirect contact to the head action may still be penalized, at the referee's discretion, as another minor penalty.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Oh God. If he really is the next Scott Stevens, 75% of the people on this site would have a mental breakdown after watching his first game.

Scott Stevens couldn't play in today's NHL.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Scott Stevens couldn't play in today's NHL.

Of course he could, he just couldn't be as mean and reckless with his hits. He was still a high IQ defencemen with fantastic awareness and positioning.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Of course he could, he just couldn't be as mean and reckless with his hits. He was still a high IQ defencemen with fantastic awareness and positioning.

Well sure he's not in the HOF for his hits alone but a big part of his game was intimidation and he wouldn't have that now because most of his big hits would be considered suspension worthy. He's one of a small few in the top 15 all time penalty leaders that wasn't a goon. He got in the heads of forwards and that played a big role in his success. Chris Pronger is probably the last defenseman to play close to that style and even he was getting singled out at the end of his career and I simply think it's a style of play that's possible today. Perfect defenseman for the 80's and 90's but not possible today. This kid isn't being compared to Stevens for his offensive prowess.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Of course he could, he just couldn't be as mean and reckless with his hits. He was still a high IQ defencemen with fantastic awareness and positioning.

I saw Scott Stevens as a colour analyst on an American broadcast last season. He demonstrated, using a stick and another broadcaster also with a stick, how to prevent someone from scoring in front of your net. He showed how to do it today vs. how it used to be done in his day. All the while, he showed how to defend without taking penalties. It was one of the best segments I've ever seen. I wondered why the Flames didn't hire him as a defensive coach; then the Wild did. He's a very sharp, analytical guy and not just a "headhunter".

[SuperMatt18]

He also had 908 points in 1635 NHL games.

Since he is most remembered for being the feared big hit d-man he was in the second half of his career, people forget he had 11 40+ point seasons and was good offensively for the first half of this career.

[SuperMatt18]

He also had 908 points in 1635 NHL games.

Since he is most remembered for being the feared big hit d-man he was in the second half of his career, people forget he had 11 40+ point seasons and was good offensively for the first half of this career.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Somebody better tell guys like Niklas Kronwall and Karl Alzner that old-school physical shut-down defencemen can't play in the modern NHL.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

He also had 908 points in 1635 NHL games.

Since he is most remembered for being the feared big hit d-man he was in the second half of his career, people forget he had 11 40+ point seasons and was good offensively for the first half of this career.

He sacrificed offensive output to play a more rounded, better defensive game in the back half of his career.

[ClubFlames]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

I wondered why the Flames didn't hire him as a defensive coach; then the Devils did. He's a very sharp, analytical guy and not just a "headhunter".

Minnesota hired him as an Assistant Coach.

[Vulcan]

He sounds to me like another Sieloff.

[Toonage]

He has it out for Clarke MacArthur too?

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by ClubFlames

Minnesota hired him as an Assistant Coach.

OOPS. I was thinking of stevens' playing days.

[David Struch]

Sort of in the mold of a Alexei Emelin or Anton Volchenkov'?

[CliffFletcher]

Open-ice hitting has almost disappeared from the game. Players are just too fast and aware, and the consequences of a defenceman taking himself out of position too severe. I'm all for a big hit when the stars align and it happens. But a young defenceman better bring a lot more than that to his game if he's going to make it in the NHL.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Open-ice hitting has almost disappeared from the game. Players are just too fast and aware, and the consequences of a defenceman taking himself out of position too severe. I'm all for a big hit when the stars align and it happens. But a young defenceman better bring a lot more than that to his game if he's going to make it in the NHL.

Not only that but the player delivering the hit now gets immediately jumped by multiple opposition players and ends up having to fight and take a 5 minute penalty. Drives me nuts.

In my opinion, if it's a clean hit that doesn't result in a penalty, any player from the other team that jumps the hitter should be given the extra penalty every time.

[sureLoss]

FWIW, I asked someone who has seen Healey play as to which current NHLer Healey is most comparable to. The answer was Radko Gudas.

edit: just a disclaimer, this is one man's opinion, no more or less valid than anyone else's on this board. Also that is not a projection that Healey will be as good as Gudas, but just a style comparison.

[Stanley]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

FWIW, I asked someone who has seen Healey play as to which current NHLer Healey is most comparable to. The answer was Radko Gudas.

Who?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Who?

Radko Gudas