I will argue that Giordano stirs the drink on any pairing. He literally does it all, and does it all at a very high level. I also believe that Giordano has been incredibly underrated around the NHL. He is a beast out there, and he is a beast in all zones out there.
With that being said, one only has to look at Dougie's age and his accomplishments - or better yet, just watch him play! - and conclude that he is already a very effective defencemen and is progressing in his development really well.
Repeat - he is NOT a finished product, and NOBODY knows what that finished product is. If he completely stops developing right this instant, you are left with a very good #2 D on any team.
If he continues developing, and his progression takes him to where I think he will finish off at, he will not just be a #1 defencemen, but a damn good #1 defencemen.
I just don't understand how someone can conclude that Hamilton isn't a #1 AND WILL NEVER BE a #1 when you factor in his age, and when you factor in that right before your eyes he is getting better and better. You actually see him improving, no? You can not tell me that the first half season of Hamilton when the Flames acquired him from Boston is the same Hamilton that you see before your eyes.
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