Quote:
Originally Posted by calgaryblood
And nobody here (other than The Scorpion) was talking about Stone as a potential UFA signing coming here.
He was even left off the UFA's available thread for next season and not a single poster mentioned Stone in that thread (aside from Scorpion) and he was even ridiculed by a few posters.
If he was on a similar level as Larsson didn't anyone notice before he became a Flame?
This argument sucks because now it looks like I don't like Stone which isn't true, I think he's solidified our back end and I hope we re-sign him.
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You are completely ignoring the fact that Stone had knee surgery which impacted his development/rise. If it wasn't for that injury who is to say where he would be right now in terms of impact? I don't think the Flames are anybody else for that matter could have traded peanuts for him, before that he was a mainstay on the Coyotes #1 D pairing.
Now you can make a argument due to that Larsson is the better player, but I wouldn't go so far as to say he is "way better". I think the tendency to move on from guys like Stone after such an injury is far more likely if they don't respond well to it due to where they were drafted (3rd round). Larsson not so much cause he was what a top 4 pick?
They are both very similar players that you can put in a shutdown role and neither would look out of place. Given the fact the Oilers gave up Hall for Larsson and the Flames gave up a pick for Stone, in terms of giving up assets to acquire the player, you take Stone every day. It's all relative even when factoring who you'd rather have.
and yes I do watch both of them play.