Matthew Monstar wrote:Profiler wrote:What do these defensemen all have in common? Pronger, Schneider, Niedermayer, Zhitnik, Havelid, Chara, Spacek, Lydman, Tallinder, Corvo, Aucoin, Sarich, Warrener, Foote, Hannan, Norstrom, Zubov, Boucher, Lidstrom, Rafalski, Souray, Staios, Salei, Van Ryn, Blake, Stuart, Preissing, Tverdovskiy, Johnsson, Markov, Hamrlik, Zidlicky, Martin, White, Sutton, Witt, Mara, Malik, Redden, Phillips, Timonen, Hatcher, Rathje, Jovanovski, Morris, Boynton, Gonch, Sydor, Rivet, McLaren, Brewer, McKee, Boyle, Kuba, McCabe, Kubina, Kaberle, Mitchell, salo, Ohlund, Poti, and Pothier.
Give up? They all make as much, or more than the "overpaid bum" Ryan Whitney. Now, you look at that list, and tell me you wouldnt rather have him RIGHT NOW over at least (if not more) half the guys on that list? Forget potential. Look at that list people! Sure, there are guys on there that are better, but come on. Zhitnik? Boynton? Derian freakin' Hatcher? I understand you guys get upset because he isn't Ulf Samuelsson in front of his net, and will never get over that he doesnt use his size. I get it. But to act like you can find a better defenseman for the $$$$ we are paying him....I mean seriously, we spent $2.5 on Sydor last offseason, and he is making just as much as Whits. Go ahead and try to tell me he is better. I know it is an isolated instance, but seriously.
I know I will get slammed that this isnt the thread that this should be brought up in, but since shot were taken here, this is where I am putting it. I will wait with baited breath for the rebuttal from the Whits haters.
Cant people state an opinion of whitney? Dont throw a hissy fit, calm down.
Oh, I get it. You are not allowed to state an opinion on Whitney unless it is negative.....okay, I will make a mental note
I know it was mentioned in aother response after my original post, and I am not sure if it was a general question or to me inparticular: but I dont have a lovefest with Whitney, and get annoyed with his play in front of the net too, but the criticisim of his game is just way more than is deserved a lot of the time. Hell, you could say the same about Gonchar too. Not every defensman in the league is physical, and stong at every aspect of the game. If they were, you wouldn't see stiffs like Gill making $2 million a year on the hope he can at least be respectable at the other phases of the game, just so he can "clear the net". Ask Toronto fans how happy they are with McCabe's play in front of the net, or Habs fans about Souray in the past, or Philly fans about Hatcher. The fact is, coplete players dont grow on trees. Hell, ever when we do get a guy that can clear the crease, we then complain about how they are too slow, or how they cant move the puck, or get beat wide all the time. Well ladies and gentlemen, there are only two guys in the league that clear the net consisently, and DONT get beat wide: Phaneuf and Pronger. Thats it, thats the list.
I guess this is just a long way of saying that, unless you are a Sid, or a Mario, you are going to have some weaknesses in your game. Whitney and Gonch have trouble in front (and by the way, so did Larry Murphy....that is HOF'er Larry Murphy.......I am just saying....), Orpik and Gill has trouble with speed guys, Sydor is starting to lose a step, but it isnt like these guys dont bring other assets to the table. I understand people are going to vent here, that is what is so great about a message board. I hated Melichar, but I have to even admit I got tired of reading the same things over and over about him too. If you want to complain about a guys play, fine, but dont act like Alex Goligoski is going ot be the answer to teh Penguins defensive woes, because if you think the "hulking" 5'11 D-man is the answer to the net clearing problems, you are sadly mistaken.
2-1 Ducks in third, but he's a one man wrecking crew and has the only goal for Calgary on the PP. Very spirited game.
