Anyone else thinking Wideman might have something to prove this year?

[EVERLAST]

Dennis Wideman needs to prove allot sure.

Dennis Wideman will be this year's leader in the press box I think.

He's slow, bad when being hit or forechecked and teams are going to target him this year like mad.

Watching him last year was painful. Handled the puck like it was a hand grenade and made bad desperate decisions and then when he wasn't getting calls after hits he would have normally gotten out of the way for it started really showing.

What is the love affair with this guy all about ? We get so attached to certain guys we don't see the flaws?

I get it. But it is a slow spiral .....it was like watching Iginla 3 years before finally getting traded. Flashes of brilliance but mostly a guy who seemed broken down and turning into a perimeter player where he used to dominate.

Guys were and still do take runs at him now where that never used to happen.

I don't see Wideman on this team at the end of the year and really don't care to see him on the ice in place of every single up and comer.

This is what happens near the end. Period.

Hey , Go Dennis Go play well when you play but don't be a liability and don't be selfish and be above the team when you get targeted on the fierce forecheck you will see this year. It happens.

I watched it happen to Warrener, Regher, Smid, Ference, Aucoin, Macoun, all my favorite defenders warriors who played for this team.

Anyway, I admit to never being Widemans biggest fan and last year didn't help.

I hope he does well when he plays. I just don't want to make excuses for the guy like a few have done here.....yeah we had bad goaltending last year but......the team still has to play in 3 zones in front of the goalie so.

That's enough out of me.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

^ That was like a weird beat poem. Kudos.

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

What is the love affair with this guy all about ? We get so attached to certain guys we don't see the flaws?

Love affair? If we were to do a poll of "Which flame do you want gone from the team?" Wideman would surely be #1. There's a lot of optimism for him in this thread because we want him to do better, since that's better for the team. But he is probably the least-loved player among this fanbase. Most of us see him for what he is: an overpaid veteran defenceman who's best years are behind him.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by JTech780

He does have good shot. His break out passes are fine as long as there isn't a forechecker otherwise he turns it over. He is terrible PK and losses most board battles.

If he is still on this team to start the season then he should be sheltered on the 3rd pairing and only given offensive zone starts.

He has never been good defensively, and he is only going to get worse, at this point in his career he is a PP specialist only, with limited 5v5 ice time.

PK isn't that much about board battles, compared to normal D. It's his hands that are more valuable on the PK. And he's actually better at handling a forecheck than Engelland or Russell. Engelland tends to overplay, get caught and lose the puck. Russell just turns it over so he can make another block. Russell actually tended to throw it to Wideman who was covered when the better play was to a forward or just a dump out. leading to Wideman being in a bad spot and looking like he was the one not handling a forecheck well.