This isn't a tragic loss, but it defiantly takes away from our depth. With the loss of Franson and a possible inconsistencies with rookies/sophmores, this has me worried. Just means more icetime for Lebda.......oh god. Chris Campoli/Bryan McCabe anyone?
David Poile has two offseason moves that he almost always makes every year... bringing in a reclaimation project forward, and signing a low cost veteran defenseman.
I think he's just waiting to see how much money he has left after Weber.
I would have nothing against signing Sopel. I forgot he was still on the market. Shot blocking veteran with leadership. He can show the kids how you earn your spot.
I can't believe no one here is gonna miss SOB. This board is different than the others, that's for sure. Who else can clear the crease like him, show toughness, and PROTECT our young ones? Tootoo was doing better after rehab and started to produce offensively. And Stortini, no way. Playing 3 rook's on D after a season with the most success is not a great idea. However Poile did mention waiting and possibly picking up someone off of arbitration that didn't sign. This sounds exactly like Campoli.
I can't believe no one here is gonna miss SOB. This board is different than the others, that's for sure. Who else can clear the crease like him, show toughness, and PROTECT our young ones? Tootoo was doing better after rehab and started to produce offensively. And Stortini, no way. Playing 3 rook's on D after a season with the most success is not a great idea. However Poile did mention waiting and possibly picking up someone off of arbitration that didn't sign. This sounds exactly like Campoli.
For every good move SOB would make, he'd counter it with 1.5 bonehead moves. There's a reason he's signed with his 5th team in 6 seasons. Smart play with an edge is a good thing, unfortunately smart play isn't SOB's strong suit. The baggage isn't worth his few good points ... kind of like the decent looking date you know will give you an STD, just not worth it.
For every good move SOB would make, he'd counter it with 1.5 bonehead moves. There's a reason he's signed with his 5th team in 6 seasons. Smart play with an edge is a good thing, unfortunately smart play isn't SOB's strong suit. The baggage isn't worth his few good points ... kind of like the decent looking date you know will give you an STD, just not worth it.
I think if he didn't act like an ass in the first round of the playoffs, people's views would be different, just my opinion. Yes, he makes some boneheaded moves, but he is a veteran dman and was fun to have on our team.
I think if he didn't act like an ass in the first round of the playoffs, people's views would be different, just my opinion. Yes, he makes some boneheaded moves, but he is a veteran dman and was fun to have on our team.
He's an 8th round pick journeyman blueliner with a career long penchant for stupidity. He isn't Orr. He isn't even Witt or Markov.
We dont need to forget that Lebda did play for the redwings, and they rarely give roster spots to complete duds. Even though he sucked in toronto, a lot of players suck when they play in toronto. I think since we are on the hook for his salary regardless, he will at least get a shot at a spot
SOB and bonehead moves? Yet another board misconception. He had a rumor of doing that before he got here. He takes a few penalties, which guys do and all of a sudden he's a bonehead. Toots has certainly made his fair share of bonehead moves yet we love him around here. SOB was the only defenseman on a consistent basis to clear the crease and keep Rinne safe back there. To me, that's old school toughness that will be sorely missed. He wasn't bad with the puck, had a big body and stuck up for his guys. If I'm not mistaken he took one or two more minors than Weber and Suter each so I'm not really sure where the bonehead is in his play. He took some dumb ones against Anaheim in the first 4 games and Trotz told him to tone it down and he did and we won games 5 and 6 so he listened.
His toughness is going to be missed. The kids have more talent but a guy back there willing to stand up for his teammates is pretty valuable too. Weber and Klein will really be the only two back there able to handle that duty.
SOB and bonehead moves? Yet another board misconception. He had a rumor of doing that before he got here. He takes a few penalties, which guys do and all of a sudden he's a bonehead. Toots has certainly made his fair share of bonehead moves yet we love him around here. SOB was the only defenseman on a consistent basis to clear the crease and keep Rinne safe back there. To me, that's old school toughness that will be sorely missed. He wasn't bad with the puck, had a big body and stuck up for his guys. If I'm not mistaken he took one or two more minors than Weber and Suter each so I'm not really sure where the bonehead is in his play. He took some dumb ones against Anaheim in the first 4 games and Trotz told him to tone it down and he did and we won games 5 and 6 so he listened.
His toughness is going to be missed. The kids have more talent but a guy back there willing to stand up for his teammates is pretty valuable too. Weber and Klein will really be the only two back there able to handle that duty.
SOB and bonehead moves? Yet another board misconception. He had a rumor of doing that before he got here. He takes a few penalties, which guys do and all of a sudden he's a bonehead.......His toughness is going to be missed. The kids have more talent but a guy back there willing to stand up for his teammates is pretty valuable too. Weber and Klein will really be the only two back there able to handle that duty.
We've agreed on this all along, but like you, I don't understand why so many others undervalue what he brought to the ice. Trotz talked about last year's team being "tougher" along the lines of what he wanted out there especially during playoffs, and then the Preds decide to go in the opposite direction on D by apparently relying on a bunch of rooks on the back end who are more finesses types. While I recognize the overall upside and talent throughout the ranks of the Preds organization over what SOB's skills are, the Preds will still have to address the loss of SOB (or more accurately a literal S.O.B on defense) at some point. Whether through injuries or lack of performance they'll need help on D, and Poile will have a S.O.B. player on his radar when I think we already had that addressed with SOB. The loss of Cube (a player that I wasn't counting on anyway) probably doesn't help things because it looks like we may be wasting $1.35 mil. that could have helped in this area.
SOB's biggest issue wasn't his penalties. His boneheaded plays were tied to his penchant for taking the most indirect path to getting the puck out of the defensive zone. He could have a clear lane out if he was willing to pass, but would instead loop back deeper into the defensive zone, somehow ending up behind the goal when just moments before he had his supporting forward wide open with a clear lane. Also fond of trying to skate the puck 175 feet from end to end, usually resulting in a costly turnover.
When SOB was keeping it simple, he was pretty effective -- solid, but not spectacular. The problem was that he, all too often, tried to be fancier than his skillset would allow.
SOB and bonehead moves? Yet another board misconception. He had a rumor of doing that before he got here. He takes a few penalties, which guys do and all of a sudden he's a bonehead. Toots has certainly made his fair share of bonehead moves yet we love him around here. SOB was the only defenseman on a consistent basis to clear the crease and keep Rinne safe back there. To me, that's old school toughness that will be sorely missed. He wasn't bad with the puck, had a big body and stuck up for his guys. If I'm not mistaken he took one or two more minors than Weber and Suter each so I'm not really sure where the bonehead is in his play. He took some dumb ones against Anaheim in the first 4 games and Trotz told him to tone it down and he did and we won games 5 and 6 so he listened.
His toughness is going to be missed. The kids have more talent but a guy back there willing to stand up for his teammates is pretty valuable too. Weber and Klein will really be the only two back there able to handle that duty.
I think his off ice stuff had more to do with letting him move on than his on ice. Great locker room guy, great teammate, almost a perfect 3rd pair dman. and cheap. you don't let guys like walk unless something was wrong off ice.
I think his off ice stuff had more to do with letting him move on than his on ice. Great locker room guy, great teammate, almost a perfect 3rd pair dman. and cheap. you don't let guys like walk unless something was wrong off ice.
Trotz's favor of him seemed to wane as the season went on. He mentioned having to "sit down" with Shane a few times, late in the season. While the door was left open for pretty much everyone to return, they were pretty final in their statements about SOB not returning,as soon as the season ended.
SOB's biggest issue wasn't his penalties. His boneheaded plays were tied to his penchant for taking the most indirect path to getting the puck out of the defensive zone. He could have a clear lane out if he was willing to pass, but would instead loop back deeper into the defensive zone, somehow ending up behind the goal when just moments before he had his supporting forward wide open with a clear lane. Also fond of trying to skate the puck 175 feet from end to end, usually resulting in a costly turnover.
When SOB was keeping it simple, he was pretty effective -- solid, but not spectacular. The problem was that he, all too often, tried to be fancier than his skillset would allow.
I was going to post something along these lines. I like SOB's grit and toughness, and I think we definitely need some of that on the blueline next year. If somehow we could get Shane O'Brian to stop trying to force plays to happen he would be fine. As you mentioned, ignoring the easiest path out of the defensive zone happened entirely too much. Not only that, but he loved to pinch. The guy loved to skate the puck in deep in the offensive zone, and would often times carry it all the way behind the net. I have two problems with that. The first one is obvious. SOB is NOT an offensive minded player. There is rarely a reason for him to pinch. That brings up my second problem. He did it at seemingly random times. It was almost never a good time for him to pinch in, but there he was. Attempting to stick handle, jumping over players lying on the ice, probably pretending to be Bobby Orr in the Finals like he's a kid on a pond again.
I agree 100% that a SOB who simplifies his game is a very effective #6 defenseman. If he could play an entire season like he played the first half of last season I would welcome him back. I don't think it happens, though.
For every one of us accused of overstating his screwups, there is one of you overstating his good play.
Truth is, the jackwagon almost singlehandedly lost the anaheim series. Good riddance!
Um. What? I mean, I wasn't that big of an SOB fan myself ("AAGH WHERE THE **** DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING" "OH GEE THANKS FOR THE PK PRACTICE OPPORTUNITY"), but singling him out in the Anaheim series strikes me as being maybe a trifle extreme.
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Remember - when you're a hockey fan, it's not "reckless driving", it's "good forechecking".
"Viqsi, you are our sweet humanist..." --mt-svk on the CBJ boards
Thanks, Howson, for cleaning up MacLean's toxic waste. Welcome, Kekalainen; let's get good things built!
I see Ellis starting this year to help boost our PP. Why? Cause were not getting a forward till deadline day or around that time.
Weber Suter
Blum Klein
Ellis Josi
I have to admit I am not totally convinced that Ellis would have that large an effect on the Nashville PP - I really do think it's the forwards. But that's just me.
Um. What? I mean, I wasn't that big of an SOB fan myself ("AAGH WHERE THE **** DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING" "OH GEE THANKS FOR THE PK PRACTICE OPPORTUNITY"), but singling him out in the Anaheim series strikes me as being maybe a trifle extreme.
SOB takes the brunt of the blame for how close the Anaheim series was due to the fact that they scored on all but one of his penalties. It seriously was a guarantee for Anaheim to score if SOB went to the box. Funny... I never knew until then that SOB was our best PKer
