During our winning streak, he's averaged 23-minutes per game, which is second to only Andrei Markov by a handful of seconds.
15-games, 11-points (1st among defenseman, 2nd highest on the team), +4 (1st among defensemanm, 3rd highest on the team), 20:15 TOI/G (3rd among defenseman and going up nightly) while playing some of the hardest competition in the league thus far.
I haven't noticed much, but does he still play on the PP with Markov with the return of Subban? Cause both were awesome to watch at the beginning of the season.
I haven't noticed much, but does he still play on the PP with Markov with the return of Subban? Cause both were awesome to watch at the beginning of the season.
He played there at the end of last game and the start of this game - but Subban came back later on tonight.
I think Subban and Diaz will swap all season depending on what's working.
I love Diaz, he isn't big but he always find a way to start the attack and is a workhorse defensively and he has great hockey sense !!!! The powerplay was even better when he was with Markov, he always tries to make a smart play rather than shoot.
I like Diaz’s hockey IQ, his positioning, his confidence, I want him on the first PP wave alongside Markov, he covers a lot of space... but... a top 4 that includes Markov, Gorges and Diaz seriously lacks size and toughness. I also think that Subban deserves (he brings a better overall contribution... as in toughness!) more ice-time than Diaz.
Long stroy short, imo Diaz is a keeper... for our 3rd pairing!
Why would you trade a guy who is young and improving every game when we aren't very strong at defense?
I don't want to trade him! I love Diaz, easily one of my favorites. Just saying that when an undrafted guy like that comes out of nowhere, it's a big asset. If we're in the trade market, you have to give to get, and like Kjehll just said, we're small and soft on D. Especially for our division, so you never know.
I wish Gorges was 6'3 225. We'd be pretty much set long-term on Defense.
you could see last year that despite looking soft and out of place at times (mostly due to the adjustments of playing here imho) he had tons of skills. Props to him for preparing the way he did in the offseason. He and Emelin have adjusted really well. I love how even if we are small on D, we make it hard for the other team to enter the zone ... I'm really surprised at the number of hits we throw at our blue line this year. great pairs.
Id trade him while he has value if I could improve the team. I think hes a good puck mover, but hes lucky to have all those points and id be surprised if he could do the same without Markov in our line-up. Yes they are playing on different lines, but Diaz got almost all his points while the General was on the ice. Too soft to be in our top4 longterm. In a package with the season hes having, we might be in business for a greater return.
I have to give it up for MT. this coach has done is homework while he was working on RDS. He looked hard at what each d-man the habs have and has brought a new defense system. Last year Martin was all about position and don't you dare leave you position. Puck goes to the corner, let one dman and the center go for the puck against the attacking forwards. if the other team has BIGGER forwards you would lose this battle 60-70% of the time and then your in trouble. Well that was last year. MT sees all this, knows the Habs Dmen are not huge but they are FAST. He now sends 3 players into the corners against two bad guys, well now as we can all see it's the Habs that come away with the puck 60-70% of the time and add to this a FAST out pass well this has changes the entire system. MT is now taking full advantage of the Dmen speed and great first passes. Make all the Habs dmen look great.
It been 15 games and the Habs are spending less then half time they used too in their own zone. Let the other team chase the Habs for the puck, not the other way round. Look what is going on. It looks like everybody is skating hard ALL THE TIME. It's a system just MADE for the Habs defense. Great Job Mr. Therrien.
Hilarious. On numerous occasions E or J Staal would be trying to work the boards and Diaz would forcefully pin them causing turnovers. He is not lucky, he is playing his game with confidence and I have no doubt that playing overseas with his countrymen and other NHL players helped a bit.
A d-man with high hockey IQ, and puck movement with sound defensive presence. Our D prospects are coming along, but as of right now that's all they are, prospects. I'm not bashing Tinordi, Beaulieu or Pateryn. Love em, but they are still developing. I really can't wait to see Tinordi next year in the AHL or NHL. I remember his first year with London, and I was all "oh no...." and then he learned the league and developed and the following year I was all "ohhh yeaah!". Anyways, enough caffeine rambles. Once they start forcing management to make roster moves down the road, then we can consider them a part of the equation.
