Flames Defensive Core: Best since '04? Better?

[TheScorpion]

The 08/09 group was awesome before Giordano and Regehr got hurt, opening the door for Anders Eriksson to play playoff games.

[Gemnoble]

Giordano was the most overrated defenseman in the history of this organization.

He was a fine player, but not the messianic figure that he was built up too. I find it telling the second he isn't captain this team stops being a complete on ice mess. So glad he's gone.

[BoLevi]

Let's not forget the Brennan Evans era.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Gemnoble

Giordano was the most overrated defenseman in the history of this organization.

He was a fine player, but not the messianic figure that he was built up too. I find it telling the second he isn't captain this team stops being a complete on ice mess. So glad he's gone.

Giordano in his prime was an absolute stud at both ends of ice, and the perfect guy to hold up as an example to the rest of the team that one can be aggressive offensively without sacrificing defense, after a time when we had one-dimensional offensive players in conflict with one-dimensional defensive players. Don't let age slowing him down make you forget what he was.

And the Flames turn-around is quite obviously due to Sutter arriving, not Giordano departing.

[GreenLantern2814]

This is how a defense should be built. Four mobile puck movers, and two to administers of pain.

[Roof-Daddy]

I didn't think the team could be this good with a D that lacked a clear #1 and/or high end point producer. They've really spread the offense around nicely though.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Gemnoble

Giordano was the most overrated defenseman in the history of this organization.

He was a fine player, but not the messianic figure that he was built up too. I find it telling the second he isn't captain this team stops being a complete on ice mess. So glad he's gone.

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Ya, no.

Agree, looked ugly.. but some of that could have been due to injuries and Mike Keenan. Regehr and Gio were both out that 09 series vs chicago.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Gemnoble

Giordano was the most overrated defenseman in the history of this organization.

He was a fine player, but not the messianic figure that he was built up too. I find it telling the second he isn't captain this team stops being a complete on ice mess. So glad he's gone.

Haha

If anything, Gio spent the majority of his career being vastly underrated.

Wow. What a bad take.

[sketchyt]

Originally Posted by Gemnoble

Giordano was the most overrated defenseman in the history of this organization.

He was a fine player, but not the messianic figure that he was built up too. I find it telling the second he isn't captain this team stops being a complete on ice mess. So glad he's gone.

LOL. Wins Norris trophy.

OVERRATED.

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by SebC

Giordano in his prime was an absolute stud at both ends of ice, and the perfect guy to hold up as an example to the rest of the team that one can be aggressive offensively without sacrificing defense, after a time when we had one-dimensional offensive players in conflict with one-dimensional defensive players. Don't let age slowing him down make you forget what he was.

And the Flames turn-around is quite obviously due to Sutter arriving, not Giordano departing.

Other factors- yes, but zero playoff round wins while he was here & the one year he was injured.. we won.. and now look at us.

Yes, i know other factors but just didnt seem destined to win with him here. Glad we moved on.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Andersson and Hanifin were 22. Kylington was 21.

That's half the D core barely old enough to have a beer.

No chance you're going anywhere in the playoffs with a D that young

Unless Darryl Sutter is your coach. These rosters aren't quite as young as the 18-19 Flames d-core was, but it's close in NHL experience in a lot of a cases.

2003-2004 Flames Playoff D
Ference - 24
Regehr- 23
Leopold - 23
Commodore - 23
Montador - 23

2011-2012 Kings Playoff D
Martinez-24
Voynov - 21
Doughty - 21

2013-2014 Kings Playoff D
Doughty - 23
Voynov - 23
Muzzin - 24

Sutter mentoring young d-men has long been a successful combination.

I would have loved to see what Sutter would have done in 18-19 with this young but skilled d-core at his disposal.

Giordano - 34
Brodie - 28
Hamonic - 28
Hanifin - 21
Andersson - 21
Kylington 21
Valimaki - 19

[blankall]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

2010: Bouw/Phaneuf*/Regehr/Gio/Sarich...Pardy (24 yo Phaneuf traded mid season; Gio and Bouw were both ~age 26, Regehr 29. Gio's first full season...Darryl might deserve a little bit more credit for seeing that Gio would make Phaneuf expendable, trade execution notwithstanding).

I remember the feeling when we acquired Bouwmeester. He was the 3rd Team Canada level d-man joining the team. On paper, that was supposed to be the best d-core in the NHL....didn't work out that way.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Gemnoble

Giordano was the most overrated defenseman in the history of this organization.

He was a fine player, but not the messianic figure that he was built up too. I find it telling the second he isn't captain this team stops being a complete on ice mess. So glad he's gone.

LOL. Gio was a beast when he came back from Russia. He was way better than Phaneuf ever was and my favorite dman. Super underrated. and then he sold his soul to the devil to win a deserved Norris.

and then Satan took away his offensive skills the past 3 years leaving him a crumpled shell of what he once was. and the Kraken still took him! lol.

Leadership was always suspect and i'm sure Tkachuk can vouch for that no matter how many compliments he pays him during interviews this year.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

U
I would have loved to see what Sutter would have done in 18-19 with this young but skilled d-core at his disposal.

Giordano - 34
Brodie - 28
Hamonic - 28
Hanifin - 21
Andersson - 21
Kylington 21
Valimaki - 19

Not much. You can't get much softer than that......

[Roof-Daddy]

Speaking of Giordano supposedly being overrated (lol), I remember when the Flames had arguably the best D on paper going into the 2009/10 season, due to them signing Bouwmeester that off season.

Phaneuf, Bouwmeester, Regehr, Giordano all in their primes plus solid depth like Aucoin, Sarich and Pardy. Sutter dumped Stralman in the preseason that year because the D was so deep.

Anyways, who would have guessed that by the time the dust settled on those 4 Dmen's careers, Gio would not only have the most career points, but also be the only one of those guys to win a Norris?

Career points:

Giordano - 531 (and counting)
Phaneuf - 494
Bouwmeester - 424

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Speaking of Giordano supposedly being overrated (lol), I remember when the Flames had arguably the best D on paper going into the 2009/10 season, due to them signing Bouwmeester that off season.

Phaneuf, Bouwmeester, Regehr, Giordano all in their primes plus solid depth like Aucoin, White, Sarich and Pardy. Sutter dumped Stralman in the preseason that year because the D was so deep.

Anyways, who would have guessed that by the time the dust settled on those 4 Dmen's careers, Gio would not only have the most career points, but also be the only one of those guys to win a Norris?

Career points:

Giordano - 531 (and counting)
Phaneuf - 494
Bouwmeester - 424

The coach killed us! and there is no White if there is Phaneuf.

I still have no idea why Sutter dumped Lydman and Stralman for nothing.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Regehr
Phaneuf
Bouwmeester
Giordano
Sarich
Pardy

That’s an Olympic-calibre top 4, plus Cory Sarich who was no slouch himself.

And arguably the best defenceman to ever come out of Bonavista, Newfoundland.

That team utterly collapsed due to “issues”, but on paper was one of the best defence rosters I’ve ever seen.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Regehr
Phaneuf
Bouwmeester
Giordano
Sarich
Pardy

That’s an Olympic-calibre top 4, plus Cory Sarich who was no slouch himself.

And arguably the best defenceman to ever come out of Bonavista, Newfoundland.

That team utterly collapsed due to “issues”, but on paper was one of the best defence rosters I’ve ever seen.

The rumors were always that Darryl wanted to fire Brent but ownership wouldn't let him fire his brother 6 months into a 3 year contract.

So instead he went and traded Phaneuf and Jokinen in two horrible deals.

I've long wondered what that team looks like if they like Darryl fire his brother and return behind the bench like he wanted.

That team was 23-12-5 with a .638 points percentage on December 31st 2009.

The team went 5-8-3 from Jan 1st to Jan 30 and the rumours were Darryl wanted to fire Brent.

Darryl made the cardinal sin of GMing and make trades from a position of weakness in the middle of the slump, traded Dion and Jokinen, and the team just spiraled the rest of the season.

His time in LA and now again in Calgary shows that had they just let him go back behind the bench it likely would have cured what ailed that team.

Crazy to think that on Dec 31st 2009 we had that good of a record and things looked to be trending well, one year later on Dec 28th 2010 Darryl stepped down as GM of the team.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by PuckSlap

The best part is, we didn’t go into this season hearing all about how great they were gonna be. Allot of individuals playing their best, with what roles they are given.


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I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with the defensive efforts from everyone to say the least. For me, the size factor of the 3rd pairing makes a huge difference. I'll bet that it'll be the difference between this year's playoffs vs previous years.