Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov
If the Columbus GM was competent he should have given that contract to Big Z.
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When we won the division Gudbranson looked like the superior D for 90% of the season.
Gudbranson was on a great PK1 with Tanev. He blocked a bunch of shots. More often than not he was the one moving the puck up the ice on the Zadorov-Gudbranson pairing. That pairing didn't look worse with Valimaki on it. Z was also terrible to start the year, and he was very off on his passing, which resulted in Gudbranson covering for him. Moreover Gudbranson was the tough guy on that pairing, he fought some heavyweights that year, and he did well clearing the front of the net.
That said, Z was clearly the better D out of that pairing in the playoffs. He would've had an even better playoffs had he not cracked his ribs by crushing into the Dallas net and boards.