Quote:
Originally Posted by jeremywilhelm
From every game I have seen, Negrin was developmentally ahead of every other Heat defenseman. Poised, controlled in the defensive zone and strong in the offensive zone.
Pelech on the other hand made many a bonehead play.
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I see your point, Negrin is very offensively sound. He isn't afraid to shoot the puck, and quite often if he doesn't score from the point, a garbage goal will go in from one our many good garbage-goal-getter forwards.
However, I don't think we're seeing the same Negrin on defense. Besides his smooth skating (which he could utilize more often), he doesn't make the greatest defensive decisions. He gets caught out of position, which result in breakaway chances, far too often.
Nonetheless, that's what Playfair and the rest of the coaching staff is for. He's only 20, and he still has developing to do. It'll happen in due time.
As for Pelech, he does make boneheaded plays, as does Regehr and Sarich (who I compared him to). But overall, I'm thinking by next year he'll break the Flames defensive lineup with ease. Especially if Sutter has no need for the likes of Gio anymore.