Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
While I'm sure the Penguins would have loved to keep him I'm sure they realized over the past two playoffs that having a guy that one dimensional as your top defenseman simply isn't going to take you to the cup. The 2009 Cup team had Gonchar, Gill, Scuderi, Sydor. This year's team had Letang and a bunch of defenseman that would have trouble cracking the Flames top 4. They would be much better off with a guy in the mould of Suter as a franchise defenseman.
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Gonchar was one-dimensional and by your own reasoning was the top defenceman in 2009. Gill and Scuderi at their peak were #4 guys and Sydor by 2009 was not the Sydor of his prime. Plus he was in Dallas when Pittsburgh won the cup.
The difference in D between 2009 and 2013 isn't at the top end, where Letang and Martin played every bit as well as Gonchar and Letang this year.
The difference is that Gill/Scuderi/younger Eaton/younger Orpik was more capable then older-slower Orpik/older-slower Eaton/Niskanen/Murray.