Quote:
Originally Posted by Huntingwhale
I give GG a pass on most things since he improved the team in almost all metrics last season. But this, this GMG the most about him.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't give a flying #### about having a LD/RD on each pairing. Brodie on RD had one of the best backhand passes in the league. He was a top 20 D. Literally the DAY he changed sides, his game has gone down the crapper. Blame Wideman all you want. But even with Stone as his partner, something still seemed a tad bit off. We can point to the off ice issues all we want. But IMO the difference in Brodie can be isolated down to the moment he changed sides.
I don't care if the team has 6 RD or 6 LD. You put the player where he works best, in a spot he can flourish in. You don't assign him to play a certain side simply because you feel the need to have even LD/RD on each pairing. Sounds good on paper...but as the Flames prove every year, on paper means SFA come game time.
For some reason, forcing Brodie to play his opposite sides reminds me of Montreal only hiring french coaches. F finding the right person for the job, or putting the player in their best position. We do this because it's ''something we do around here"!
|
Switching sides can't possibly explain poor play down low in the D zone, bad pinches and being easily knocked off the puck. And you can't tell me that a guy that makes great backhand passes can't connect on a forehand pass to save his life.
RH/LH D pairings is not just a GG thing. Listen to Babcock talk about it.
Brodie's poor play not only coincided with switching sides - it coincided with playing away from Giordano. That, IMO, is a way bigger factor. Which just means that Gio was carrying Brodie a lot more than some people thought.