Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
Defence to me is a big mess now.
The "Top pair":
Giordano - lost a step. I don't think he is anywhere as bad as some people claim he is now. I still think he is this team's best 2-way defencemen. Maybe that's an issue on its' own, but he is still a very good defencemen.
Andersson - I don't see him as a top pairing guy. I see him more as a middling defencemen, or even a bottom-pairing defencemen with 'upside'. Look, he isn't very dynamic - his point totals show that. He has a good shot, and not much else. His skating is weak, and he gets walked too often. I don't hate him, but in my eyes, he is expendable. He is still young enough that you can hope he develops, but I don't see it right now.
The "middle pair" - some people call this the top pairing. I disagree. I would insist that they are your 'shutdown pairing' - if that's good enough for you to be considered a top pair, then I guess don't read any further. In my opinion, a top pair has to produce offence while also being good defensively. Strong 2-way play. We were blessed with having Giordano - Brodie for a few years that completely chewed up minutes and tilted the ice, and generated a tonne of offence. This middle pair of Hanifin and Tanev don't do that. They are a pair that you can throw out against anyone and they will stop those players from hurting you, but they don't really do enough to help you win. They don't generate enough offensively, I mean. I don't have an issue with them, but I don't think you can consider them a top pairing if they are not generating offence.
The bottom pairing(s) - let's just cover them all here.
Valimaki - some people don't see the upside any longer. That's fair. I am giving him a write-off this year based on his circumstances, and the team circumstances.
Nesterov - Liked him to start, still shows flashes of being a capable everyday defencemen, but nothing special.
Stone - I like him more than most people on this site, but let's face it - he is just going to be a 7th defencemen from now on.
Kylington - Wish he got the minutes - not just this season, but it makes me wonder if he was given more rope, if he would have taken a step forward. Instead, the Flames shoved Forbort and Gustaffson, and now Nesterov and Stone ahead of him. Did they stunt his development? Was his ceiling really low regardless? I don't know... but maybe if the Flames actually have him the minutes he needed to help him develop, we could have been able to see how he was developing.
Flames defence are weak IMO. Brodie departing has been hard on this team, as Andersson hasn't been able to replace him offensively or defensively. Giordano is getting older. Hanifin and Tanev are more 'defensive defencemen' that don't generate a lot, which hurts on a team that has trouble generating offence. Rest is just questionable at best right now.
I am not high on this team at any position right now, but defence needs to be worked out both short term and long term.
|