For anyone who thinks these two signings are bad, I actually think we are as deep as anyone on the back line.
We have no #1, but we have 4 top 4 Defensive minded players (Beauch, allen, Lydman and Sbisa) Everyone of these players are top 4 players, just not a Suter/Weber/Keith etc. We have 1 offensive minded player in Fowler and 1 specialist in Souray. We now have some size which was our #1 problem on Defense last year.
You may laugh, but I think Sbisa will be our best Defensive player this year. He is going to thrive in this system and will probably play with Allen as a top 2 pairing. He wont have the points that Fowler does, but he will have a career year. Also people forget, but Lydman was on our top pairing his first year. He should have a bounce back year.
Clark, Vatanen, Lindholm should be maturing right when these contracts are expiring, and there is no reason we cant make a trade if we need to at the deadline.
You're pretty bang on about being deep. I don't know if there's a team that can boast Toni Lydman as their 6th defenseman, let alone a bottom pairing of Lydman-Souray/Allen. Definitely don't have the superstar yet, or even a clear cut #1 yet, but depth wise, it shakes out pretty good.
We've basically got 6 second pairing defenseman (although Souray is more of a third pair guy who will be playing a lot of special teams.
I think the D is right now is marginally better than last year. Allen is a lot better than Brookbank but I would take Visnovsky any day of the week over Souray. If Fowler can evolve into a top pairing guy then it should be an improvement.
That would have been a great lineup if Visnovsky and Lydman hadn't had declined. Everyone was hoping for them to being the top pair again with Beauchemin and Fowler as 2nd pairing. Too bad that it didn't go as we thought. Fowler was forced to play a bit too much IMO and he had a sophomore slump aswell. I would say that only half of that defence had a good year (Beauchemin, Sbisa, Brookbank), and it's not like Brookbank overachieved but he rather was a good 3rd pairing guy and nothing more.
Next season's defence looks much more defensive minded than last season's. Souray hopefully can replace Visnovsky's shot on the 1st PP unit so that Fowler doesn't have to shoot. Allen sounds like a good shot blocking, physical stay at home -type of defender. I would take him over declining Visnovsky. Souray can hopefully stay healthy and keep people away from goalie's face. Sbisa and Fowler should keep growing as players while Beauchemin and Lydman should continue where they left off.
I think that this defence and healthy Hiller should really decrease the amount of goals let in. Almost every guy blocks shots and Hiller can make those game savers again. Maybe Murray could still sign one or two bottom 6 players who can play a solid two-way game.
i think BM has had a good FA, the FA this year was very very thin and i think BM looked at that and and realized the only thing he could fix in FA was the back end, and i think he has upgraded that area for us. we have gained size and grit and got more solid with the signings, both guys should help block shots and clear the crease which i think will help Hillsy get back to his form from before the vertigo, by help taking some of the pressure of him you cant expect your goalie to save 30+ shots a night every night,
My only concern, and it's probably an irrational one, is that Hiller is going to struggle out of the gate again.
Its certainly something to think about. You just never know with an injury like vertigo. He could comeback and struggle with it again, after not seeing any live game action for a few months, like he did last year.
Lets just hope he put everything past him, a healthy and on his game Hiller is essential this year.
I do like the fact that our defense is deeper and tougher than last season. I think the biggest question mark will be Lydman. He can't possibly play as poorly as he did last season, but will bounce back to his 2010/11 form? That would be a big boost to our back end and he IS in a contract year so there is some motivation.
If Lydman is in 2010-2011 form then, I dont think this is too homer to say, we have top 10 defense. I think we forget how good he actually was that year.
My only concern, and it's probably an irrational one, is that Hiller is going to struggle out of the gate again.
Using my Internet MD (IMD) I believe Hiller's poor start last year was more related to a lack of confidence brought on by the prior year's vertigo. I think he had doubts if he could return to his prior top form. Once he realized he was healthy, he got it together and it should, now, no longer be an issue.
who comes in when Souray gets inj because it bound to happen at some time is Guenin still the 7th guy, he always played well in the role and when need, but i know a lot of guys are high on Sami but i think he well spend at least the first half of the year on AHL
If Lydman is in 2010-2011 form then, I dont think this is too homer to say, we have top 10 defense. I think we forget how good he actually was that year.
Beauchemin-Fowler
Lydman-Sbisa
Allen-Souray
PK
Lydman-Beauchemin
Allen-Sbisa
PP
Fowler-Souray
Beachemin-Sbisa
i think/hope Lydman slump was due to shoulder problems and now with a whole off season to rest and heal it up he come back better, i think Allen-Souray is nasty pair both guys will let forwards know they there, i think if the forwards bounce back and Fowler regains his form that PP be deadly, and yes i think we that a top 10
Yeah I like our D this year, while it would be nice to have a #1, I think having 6 guys who are basically all 2nd pairing d-man can make up for it. Much, much prefer it to last years, that's for sure.
Hiller needs to be on form from the get go as well.
Yeah I like our D this year, while it would be nice to have a #1, I think having 6 guys who are basically all 2nd pairing d-man can make up for it. Much, much prefer it to last years, that's for sure.
Hiller needs to be on form from the get go as well.
The best two things about the defense last season were Sbisa evolving and Beauch just being Beauch. To Boudreau, Sbisa = Mike Green.
This year we got bigger in a hurry.
2011-2012 Season
Player
Height
Beauch
6'0"
Fowler
6'1"
Sbisa
6'2"
Lydman
6'1"
Vish
5'10"
Brookbank
6'1"
Guenin
6'2"
2012-2013 Season
Player
Height
Beauch
6'0"
Fowler
6'1"
Sbisa
6'2"
Lydman
6'1"
Souray
6'4"
Allen
6'4"
Guenin
6'2"
Replacing Vish and Brookbank with Souray and Allen makes a huge difference in size as well as grittiness. I also hope to see Fowler bounce back from the sophomore slump. Maybe Boudreau can imagine having two "Mike Green" types on the same team with Sbisa and Fowler! My hope is to have Vatanen become used to the NA ice with Norfolk for half a season and then brought into the fold so we have that PP specialist aside from Souray's bombs. But it's very nice to know we're not forced to rush anymore defensemen a la Fowler and Sbisa because we didn't have any talent better than those two at the NHL level.
If Fowler and Sbisa have good years the D should be playoff calibre. If not, it's gonna be another looooong season. I still think everyone is slotted one spot too high. Beauchemin isn't a #1, Fowler isn't a #2, Sbisa isn't a #3, etc.
This team won't do anything in the playoffs until they get a #1 guy, and I don't see Fowler or Sbisa making a jump like that this year.
i think it gives us a much more solid back end to take the pressure of forwards to have to outgun every one all the time, but i think unless RPG have BIG years we be playoff bubble team
So what if someones gets injured? What are our options? (trades/signings could still happen)
Nate Guenin #34 (Nathaniel Lawrence Guenin)
Age - 29
6`1 | 209
Shoots: R Last season: scored Ducks first goal in the season in Helsinki and also scored a game winner in San Jose on march 19. With 15 games with Ducks earned 2+0=2 points and remarkably +6. Averaged 11:09 on the ice. Earned 6 PIM, 26 hits and 17 blocked shots.
Capteined Crunch in 27 games, earning 5 asists, 16 PIM and -4. In 4 playoff games with the Crunch - no points, 14 PIM and -4. Special teams: averaged only 0:11 on the PK; 0:00 on PP Brings: character, size (somewhere listed as 6`2), toughness, can figt (didn`t in last season though)
Mat Clark #73
Age - 21
6`3 | 212
Shoots : R Last season: played 2 games, against Oilers and Canucks. Earned no points and no PIM. Was -2 (all minuses came in against Van), made 2 hits and blocked 2 shots. Averaged 11:01 on the ice.
In AHL continued his sound development, was one of the best Crunch DD, playing against top opposition. In 62 games earning 1+11=12 points. Was ''only'' -1 and earned 72 PIM. Fought 4 times last season: in preseason, offseason and 2x in regular season. Steped up in Calder Cup playoffs: in 4 games earned 1+1=2 points, earned 11 PIM and was +2. Special teams: 0:00 PK and 0:00 PP (NHL). If called up, could see some PK time this season. Brings: Size, toughness, character, DD ability, fighting
Sami Vatanen #45
Age - 21
5`10 | 176
Shoots: R Last season: in 49 games in SM-Liiga, earned 14+28=42 points, 40 PIM and was +11.
2 goals, 4 PIM and +2 rating in 4 PO games.
Suffered injury that ended his season so he didn`t played whole PO`s and in World Championship (lock in Finlands team). Special teams: didn`t played in NHL (yet). If called up, will see PP time. Brings: Speed, quickness, puck moving ability, PP ability
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Guenin is the most experienced one, so he maybe will be our #7 guy for the most part, if we wont sign any other.
With our salaries, (all, except Sbisa earns at least 3M) most likely no one of our Top6 will sit a lot on the bench (ecluding injuries).
Clark is improving remarkably every season, and could see some games in NHL next season.
Vatanen could cause a trade. If he shocks everyone (which he could be able to do) and our top 6 is healthy, someone with that salary will have to go. Could be used a lot if our ''giant 2012/13'' defense fails. With Sourays injury history, have a great chance to see some games anyway.
I do like the fact that our defense is deeper and tougher than last season. I think the biggest question mark will be Lydman. He can't possibly play as poorly as he did last season, but will bounce back to his 2010/11 form? That would be a big boost to our back end and he IS in a contract year so there is some motivation.
I'm fairly confident Lydman will bounce back, what concerns me more is how Beauchemin performs after the shoulder surgery he just had.
Souray Multiple injuries
Beauch Knee but very reliable
Fowler So far so good
Lydman vertigo + injuries
Vatanen development delayed by a few injuries
Sbisa Pretty solid
It seems a solid D group, but boy, and bad injury run and.....
Souray Multiple injuries
Beauch Knee but very reliable
Fowler So far so good
Lydman vertigo + injuries
Vatanen development delayed by a few injuries
Sbisa Pretty solid
It seems a solid D group, but boy, and bad injury run and.....
Lydman didn't have vertigo. Also I wouldn't be too worried about past injuries, they just need to be healthy when the season starts.
