Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
Certainly not taking a stiff out and adding a speedster, but Hanifin is off the charts for zone exit and entry rates in his third season.
A skill that has to be defended differently if you scheme around it.
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For sure the change in systems and how aggressive D-men are allowed to play will in quick measure show the Flames much better off than they would have last season.
Looking back at the Flames 2nd and 3rd pairings under Hartley, and I don't think anyone is going to say that those D had wheels. However, they moved the puck quickly.
Hanifin will hopefully add a similar dimension to what Brodie was doing a few seasons ago, and that is to just become so difficult to forecheck against due to the lightning-quick turnaround thanks to the elite-level passing and skating. Like I stated after the trade, I would rather keep a Brodie than a Hamilton, and it looks like the Flames acquired another Brodie-type so to speak (and why I am extremely high on Kylington as well).
Gulutzan slowed the defencemen down, and I do think that if he was still here, we would not be seeing Hanifin's wheels and fast transition ability on display.
The Flames looked very slow last season, but there weren't many slow players on the team at all. Funny how a system can totally alter a team right down to its' perceived strengths.