Quote:
Originally Posted by triggrman
Again, if that happens we are in trouble. You might like Bouillion but the fact is, he's 35 and has never even come close to 18 minutes a night much less 20. He is a bottom pairing defenseman that can eat 15 minutes and not kill you, that's about it, he's not getting better at 35. Hell just playing a full season without being a healthy scratch is new to him.
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That's actually inaccurate. Bouillon's TOI per game, from 2003-04 onward:
2010 - 19:18
2009 - 16:29
2008 - 17:31
2007 - 18:18
2006 - 20:46
2004 - 19:39
Those numbers were really surprising to me. If we had a really strong #3 defender, we could definitely do worse for a #4 guy than Bouillon...
... but Klein has not shown the capability to be a strong #3. Despite being a fantastic skater, good open-ice hitter, and moderately skilled puck-handler, he makes mental error after mental error after mental error.
If we have a shot at Willie Mitchell or a similar player for a reasonable amount on a one-year deal, we need to do it. It would, barring any serious injuries, resolve any major question marks about our defense.