[Trade] Russell to the Stars for Jokipakka, Pollock & 2nd (becomes 1st if conf finals)

[BigFlameDog]

Originally Posted by heep223

Russell has his warts but skating is not one of them. His first three steps are elite, his quickness and pivots are excellent. That said he only has above average top speed. He also has pretty good stick and body positioning.

Kind of weird that you don't notice his skating tbh, watch his first three steps to get to loose pucks

I disagree with the bold. He was walked around/over out of the corner more than any other D on the flames. Lost most of his board battles as well....could not contain or box out, being a small guy he needed to be much better at that, agree his skating was good.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Odd you think Wideman is the better skater.

Very odd to be honest.

I don't think that's what he meant. I think he meant Wideman was always being and chasing because he's slow

[heep223]

Originally Posted by BigFlameDog

I disagree with the bold. He was walked around/over out of the corner more than any other D on the flames. Lost most of his board battles as well....could not contain or box out, being a small guy he needed to be much better at that, agree his skating was good.

Fair enough on the body positioning, or maybe he was just too small to contain. But I disagree with your disagreement of the stick positioning. Watch AC's vid from last season, good stick work. Basically his skating and stick allows him to overcome his size deficiency, which makes a lot of sense, but size will continue to hold him back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WW_0c-8HnU

[BigFlameDog]

Originally Posted by heep223

Fair enough on the body positioning, or maybe he was just too small to contain. But I disagree with your disagreement of the stick positioning. Watch AC's vid from last season, good stick work. Basically his skating and stick allows him to overcome his size deficiency, which makes a lot of sense, but size will continue to hold him back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WW_0c-8HnU

Fair points but he has never actually overcome his size deficiency...that is the problem IMO. Always thought he would have made a great winger.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by BigFlameDog

Fair points but he has never actually overcome his size deficiency...that is the problem IMO. Always thought he would have made a great winger.

Yeah, I meant overcome his size deficiency to become a 4-5 defender in the NHL. He won't be more than that. Anyways he is a great skater, let's all agree on that except for that one random poster I guess.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by BigFlameDog

Fair points but he has never actually overcome his size deficiency...that is the problem IMO. Always thought he would have made a great winger.

Then why is he a sought after NHLer...

I really don't understand how some of you think and arrive at these ridiculous conclusions. What is your thought process behind saying this?

[Displaced Flames fan]

One of the best things about this trade is the fact that I will be saying Jyrki Jokipakka a lot more moving forward.

How fun is that?

[Rjcsjc62]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

It was kind of interesting watching the two shows yesterday.

On TSN, they were pretty universal in thinking that Hamhuis was the better player - some by a wide margin.

And on Sportsnet, they were more in agreement that Russell was the better player. I think it was John McLean that said: it isn't really close.

Very polarizing.

I think it was Doug MacLean, and yeah, he has always had a love for Russell. I suspect they are connected from his days in Columbus.

John McClane on the other hand is greater than all of them. Who would you want to stop the terrorists at Nakatomi Tower? Hamhuis? I don't think so.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I don't think that's what he meant. I think he meant Wideman was always being and chasing because he's slow

Yeah exactly.

Totally get that Russell was a heart and soul player but he just looked like a number 6 dman playing 2nd pairing minutes and I'm very relieved he's not on the team.

Say he is on our team next year making 4.5 and we get into the playoffs. Does a 170 pound dman with little to no offensive upside belong on the second pair? How many teams will ice a number 3 that is that small and easy to take advantage of?

I just didn't see how he fits on the second pairing, he seemed like a 3rd liner that was in an incredibly shallow dcore always barely keeping up. Could be wrong I just think any team that sees him on the 2nd pairing is going to take advantage of him routinely. Dump, chase and lean a few shifts his effectiveness divebombs

[Burner]

really like the fact that Jyrki Jokipakka is considered an option for the #4 D position on the Finnish WC team

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by AcGold

Yeah exactly.

Totally get that Russell was a heart and soul player but he just looked like a number 6 dman playing 2nd pairing minutes and I'm very relieved he's not on the team.

Say he is on our team next year making 4.5 and we get into the playoffs. Does a 170 pound dman with little to no offensive upside belong on the second pair? How many teams will ice a number 3 that is that small and easy to take advantage of?

I just didn't see how he fits on the second pairing, he seemed like a 3rd liner that was in an incredibly shallow dcore always barely keeping up. Could be wrong I just think any team that sees him on the 2nd pairing is going to take advantage of him routinely. Dump, chase and lean a few shifts his effectiveness divebombs

Quite impressive for a #6 d-man to take over the #1 spot and help lead a rebuilding team into the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Russell isn't worth what he's asking for, but he's a 2nd pairing defensemen and there's no reason to sell him short.

[InglewoodFan]

My son's theory - Jokipakka gives Puljujarvi someone to talk to after we draft him.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

My son's theory - Jokipakka gives Puljujarvi someone to talk to after we draft him.

your son is a genius.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

All you've got to do is look around the league to see what NHL calibre defenders on ELCs are returning in trades to see how huge of a return this is for Calgary.

Fair point but Jokipakka isn't on his entry level deal.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

Quite impressive for a #6 d-man to take over the #1 spot and help lead a rebuilding team into the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Russell isn't worth what he's asking for, but he's a 2nd pairing defensemen and there's no reason to sell him short.

Wideman was part of that top pairing that took over and he isn't looking like a top end guy. The Flames also had a number of miracle come backs, lucked into the Canucks in the first round, and had an overall unlikely season. The point is I wouldn't base a whole lotbon last season.

No question that he is a character guy willing to go through a wall. One of the disadvantages of advanced stats is that they miss that. It's also one of the advantages. They remain objective and look at results and only results. Not a complete picture for sure. But an untarnished one.

[Hack&Lube]

Did you guys know that Kris Russell has an identical twin brother Ryan Russell?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Russell

That's so strange. It must really suck to be the identical twin that's playing in europe. I wonder how far off their development and opportunities were from each other. Could we just sign him and see if he's like his brother?

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Wideman was part of that top pairing that took over and he isn't looking like a top end guy. The Flames also had a number of miracle come backs, lucked into the Canucks in the first round, and had an overall unlikely season. The point is I wouldn't base a whole lotbon last season.

No question that he is a character guy willing to go through a wall. One of the disadvantages of advanced stats is that they miss that. It's also one of the advantages. They remain objective and look at results and only results. Not a complete picture for sure. But an untarnished one.

Doesn't that make Russell's play even more impressive? Wideman was crap defensively this year as well as last year. He was given a pass last year though due to actually scoring a lot.

While Brodie was carrying Engelland, Russell was carrying Wideman and playing the most minutes on the team.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Did you guys know that Kris Russell has an identical twin brother Ryan Russell?

I passed him on the concourse last year in the playoffs. Confused the hell out of me for a minute until I remembered Kris had a twin.

[Hackey]

Probably pretends to be Kris at local bars.

[Hatter]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Did you guys know that Kris Russell has an identical twin brother Ryan Russell?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Russell

That's so strange. It must really suck to be the identical twin that's playing in europe. I wonder how far off their development and opportunities were from each other. Could we just sign him and see if he's like his brother?

When they were in the WHL, Willie Dejardins lined Kris up at centre so they could scrap at centre ice. It was pretty awesome.