Simon Despres is a pretty good hockey player

[meecrofilm]

I think Morrow will spend the majority of next season in WBS as one of the top dogs.

Dumoulin, by the way, has already been filling that role this season. I think he's got the best chance to be up next season should it come to that.

[saints11]

If Despres is scratched tonight it is because Columbus wants to see Bortuzzo, by the way, that is why I think Jeffrey is in the line-up for Bennett tonight.

[mikey287]

Reading a lot into Jarmo Kekelainen being there I see...Columbus seems pretty happy with their D, in fact, even a pretty good youngster like David Savard is having trouble cracking their lineup regularly. I'm not sure I see the Jackets adding a d-man, without subtracting two first. They might see Jeffrey as Letestu 2.0, a player that has flourished in Columbus on both sides of the puck. Or...he's there to see Tampa Bay's players...

If we could get the pairing of Tyutin-Nikitin from them to be our shutdown pairing, I'd be pretty pumped, but that would never happen...

Despres-Letang
Orpik-Martin
Tyutin-Nikitin

That's some hot buttered popcorn right there...let's see Bylsma screw that up, amirite or amirite?

[joopen]

Reading a lot into Jarmo Kekelainen being there I see...Columbus seems pretty happy with their D, in fact, even a pretty good youngster like David Savard is having trouble cracking their lineup regularly. I'm not sure I see the Jackets adding a d-man, without subtracting two first. They might see Jeffrey as Letestu 2.0, a player that has flourished in Columbus on both sides of the puck. Or...he's there to see Tampa Bay's players...

If we could get the pairing of Tyutin-Nikitin from them to be our shutdown pairing, I'd be pretty pumped, but that would never happen...

Despres-Letang
Orpik-Martin
Tyutin-Nikitin

That's some hot buttered popcorn right there...let's see Bylsma screw that up, amirite or amirite?

Problem #1: Despres would be scratched IMMEDIATELY for Engelland.

[mikey287]

Well played.

[joopen]

:lol: Well played.

I wasn't joking

[sjnhiils]

like what despres has done for the most part. my only concern is that he seems to have trouble dealing with a strong forecheck and he loses his balance a lot. It is nice to see someone other than letang generate some offense from the back end. It will take some pressure off the forwards and open up the ice a little more for them

[Rocco]

the only thing i can think of is this...

the team is committed to depres and to a lesser extent some of the players below him like morrow and pouliot. they are NOT necessarily committed to bortuzzo. so before next year (also a contract year), they need to decide if there's a place on this team for him. we're in the "data collection" phase of that process.

though this theory kind of falls apart when mark freaking eaton starts bumping them off the depth chart.

If there were trying to collect data, shouldn't they, I don't know, play him so there's data to collect?

[guiner]

How do I know Despres is a top 4 defenseman.
Because he usually is either the best or 2nd best defenseman many of the nights he plays.
He is usually no worse than 3 or 4th, and very rarely 5th or 6th 'best to worst" player.

[farnham16]

Despres looked the part again tonight. He's getting better each time he plays, which is why he needs to keep playing. He has been one of the most consistent guys on defense all season. He brings a lot to the table. Skating, transition, offense, and he is throwing is body around to boot.

He should NOT be benched again. This kid is ready now.

[Nizzy]

Despres looked the part again tonight. He's getting better each time he plays, which is why he needs to keep playing. He has been one of the most consistent guys on defense all season. He brings a lot to the table. Skating, transition, offense, and he is throwing is body around to boot.

He should NOT be benched again. This kid is ready now.

13-4 with Despres in the lineup.
2-4 without Despres in the lineup.

Can you just start using logic Bylsma?

Letang - Despres, don't touch it.

[DontToewsMeBro]

Despres looked the part again tonight. He's getting better each time he plays, which is why he needs to keep playing. He has been one of the most consistent guys on defense all season. He brings a lot to the table. Skating, transition, offense, and he is throwing is body around to boot.

He should NOT be benched again. This kid is ready now.

13-4 with Despres in the lineup.
2-4 without Despres in the lineup.

Can you just start using logic Bylsma?

Letang - Despres, don't touch it.

They weren't even paired together tonight. Letang-Orpik looked horrible from start to finish, though Letang made up for it for the most part. He should have had a goal or two to go along with that beautiful assist. Hopefully Despres doesn't catch the virus Letang has in his brain though

[Luckybreak]

Despres looked the part again tonight. He's getting better each time he plays, which is why he needs to keep playing. He has been one of the most consistent guys on defense all season. He brings a lot to the table. Skating, transition, offense, and he is throwing is body around to boot.

He should NOT be benched again. This kid is ready now.

13-4 with Despres in the lineup.
2-4 without Despres in the lineup.

Can you just start using logic Bylsma?

Letang - Despres, don't touch it.

It just works so well I don't understand how they aren't together but the thought of pairing a rookie with our top D = Bylsma puke.
Right now I'd drop Brooks to the 3rd pairing, he's been beyond abysmal without Martin.

[Nizzy]

Despres looked the part again tonight. He's getting better each time he plays, which is why he needs to keep playing. He has been one of the most consistent guys on defense all season. He brings a lot to the table. Skating, transition, offense, and he is throwing is body around to boot.

He should NOT be benched again. This kid is ready now.

13-4 with Despres in the lineup.
2-4 without Despres in the lineup.

Can you just start using logic Bylsma?

Letang - Despres, don't touch it.

It just works so well I don't understand how they aren't together but the thought of pairing a rookie with our top D = Bylsma puke.
Right now I'd drop Brooks to the 3rd pairing, he's been beyond abysmal without Martin.

Isn't Nashville playing Weber with that semi-rookie/2nd yr guy in Josi?

you have a good point though.

[Luckybreak]

Isn't Nashville playing Weber with that semi-rookie/2nd yr guy in Josi?

you have a good point though.

I'm all for the Letang-Despres pairing, brings out the best in both their games. IMO if it works then stick with it, don't revert to the 'how to develop a rookie handbook' on reduced minutes, earning a spot etc. If the talent is there then run with it. This is a good team, Despres might make mistakes but shouldn't be benched/stuck with Engelland, that seems counterproductive to his development.

[RxBandit66]

Despres will make rookie mistakes but he will also make spectacular plays. He's moving faster along the curve than many thought he would. Right now, he makes less mistakes than Orpik, who has been brutal for two seasons now, and the reality is that the game may have passed him by. He's completely lost the edge he once had. Despres and Letang will give up goals against at times, but those two guys plus Martin have been great for the most part all season. They need to replace two of the other three guys (Orpik, Nisky, Engelland) with players who can actually play hard physical defense.

[joe icepick]

Not sure I like a Despres for JJ?

[scals37]

Not sure I like a Despres for JJ?

I just started hearing this rumor, is it a possibility? I thought Jack Johnson was supremely overrated

[joe icepick]

He is, i don't know of anyone that interests me from Columbus.

[Gaucho]

He is, i don't know of anyone that interests me from Columbus.

What about Tyutin, Nikitin, Anisimov, Umberger, Dubinsky, or Foligno?

[Idoit40fans]

Dubinsky is probably the most useful and also the last one I would want on the Pens.

[joe icepick]

They need scoring, so i'm thinking a forward for one of there dmen.

[Godric]

I'll lose it if we trade Despres

[joe icepick]

I don't know of the salary numbers for the Blue Jackets, I do know JJ makes 4 mill until 2018. Shero likes to have control of his players for more years. Maybe Its Dorsett for Jeffery?

[Gaucho]

I'll lose it if we trade Despres

What if we trade him for Tyler Seguin?