Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
Like I have said numerous times I appreciate Brodie's time with the Flames but it's time to cut him loose. If any 3rd pairing defensemen in the league committed as many gaffes as him they would be out of the league full stop. He's just too high risk of a player especially at a time when Flames goaltending is unsettled.
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You clearly don't understand the nature of his gaffes. Every D makes gaffes. Players are supposed to support the puck so that if one player loses possession, another can cover for them. With Brodie, the rest of the team, including Gio, are already up the ice. Gio is often high in the offensive zone, and frequently even behind the opposition's goal line. If Brodie makes a mistake, there's never anyone behind him to cover for the mistake, so it often ends up as a bad-looking goal. Brodie is the reason that Gio had a Norris-quality season. His numbers aren't even close with anyone else. Ras has good puck sense and is a good passer, but is slow-footed. Gio with Andersson over a full season will be more like he was with Hamilton. He wasn't able to be nearly as aggressive pushing the play up the ice, because he couldn't count on Hamilton to get back to cover for him.
This is not a criticism of Gio, and he well deserves his Norris nomination. But without Brodie as a partner, he would not be in the position he is, he would merely be in the top 10 nominees, as he was with Hamilton.