Quote:
Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers
I really don’t understand the D hate.
Rasmus was supposed to take #1 power play spot last year, and be a solid top 4 guy. Goes double for this year and I don’t doubt that he can do it.
Hanifin took a step last year and I don’t see any reason why he won’t take another this year. They have Tanev as the glue to hold them together.
They didn’t ‘replace Gio’ with the bottom pairing guys… they developed and promoted from within (Hanifin and Andersson), which is exactly what most Flames fans want. Or at least it’s posted about constantly. It’s what is supposed to happen.
“Can’t believe they replaced Gio with Gudbranson and Zadorov” is just more mindlessly negative bitching.
|
Last years top 4: Giordano, Tanev, Hanifin, Andersson
This years top 4: Tanev, Hanifin, Andersson, Zadarov
That's a significant downgrade. It's unlikely Hanifin or Andersson are as good or better than Giordano was last year, so the top-end is potentially worse - and then the #4...I generally think Zadarov is awful, so there's my take on that. He should be a 3rd pairing defenceman/penalty killer to deny chances when pinned in his own zone on the PK.
I don't think it's mindless negative bitching, it's more just an analysis of what has taken place. The hope is that Hanifin/Andersson are as good/better than Giordano, that Zadarov at 26 becomes significantly better than he has been in his career to date, and that Darryl Sutter on the bench continues to see the structure of the team's play improve.
The defence is worse at the top-end (and if Gudbranson plays, the bottom-end). This team generally lacked top-end talent, and we saw what top-end talent we did have erode with the loss of Giordano. Whether it was Gio leaving in expansion or Father Time catching up to him, the Flames were going to need Hanifin and/or Andersson to take over as top dog at some point, so I guess we see how that plays out this season - but the hit we take in that #4 spot because those two have moved up, that's a problem.