I liked Barrie's hockey intelligence and overall play much more than Elliott's last season since Elliott looked outmatched on most nights (offensively and defensively), but it's hard to say since defensemen have a longer development curve than forwards.
Since I haven't watched either in juniors and barely any with the Monsters, I can only decide based off their NHL play. As a result it's Barrie, but my conclusion is not based on adequate data.
Elliott has more potential IMO but Barrie has a better shot at reaching his top potential.
This. Barrie also has a well-rounded game when compared to Elliott (at least from what I've seen), and is more aggressive. I've said it for a while that Barrie will likely be the first one to reach his potential, while Elliott will take much longer to do so. If Elliott ever does put everything together he'll be one of the best offensive-defenders in the league.
I'm more excited about Elliott but I expect more from Barrie.
Elliott has the better skillset and looks like a guy we could see some amazing highlights from down the line. Barrie seemed too reserved in the NHL and unless he opens up a little my hopes for him will start dialing back much more as the years go by. Both are far too offensive-minded to be effective defensively unless they go the Liles route and learn to play positional defense, so what makes them effective is to use their talents on a nightly basis.
There are a couple of factors I consider when contemplating this (as I listen to the LEM game on radio):-
+ In 2010 / 2011 Kevin Shattenkirk (an obvious offensive dynamo) had 0 goals, 0 assists in 10 games for LEM.
+ My personal opinion, is that Sacco, Quinn and Army may have told Chynoweth to ensure Elliott works solely on his DEFENSIVE game, as we all know how good Elliott is offensively. This "may" reflect his numbers?
+ Elliott had a very short stint at NHL level. What I saw was some defensive flaws that unfortunately stood out a little, BUT his numbers were outstanding. I mean 39 games, 13 points at +2 isn't a dead beat.
+ Barrie also seemed to do very well at NHL levels, and for mine, seemed very Shattenkirquest in his approach (my favorite NHL defensemen was and probably is Shatts - even got a signed puck from him )
I believe some of the LEM-folk have commented on Elliott a few times and keep saying the same thing, his defensive partner is always making mistakes. I have a feeling that Elliott isn't adjusting well to whomever he is paired with and it's causing his game to be thrown off to where he has to clean up the mess rather than play full throttle. But that's just a theory I've been working on.
I still see more potential in Elliott personally. You can't ignore he was the more creative of the two at the NHL level and looks like he has the tools to back up his playing style. Barrie looked outmatched to me and far too hesitant to use his offensive potential to its full potential.
Nothing is set in stone, but I still get chills watching some of Elliott's goals.
I believe some of the LEM-folk have commented on Elliott a few times and keep saying the same thing, his defensive partner is always making mistakes. I have a feeling that Elliott isn't adjusting well to whomever he is paired with and it's causing his game to be thrown off to where he has to clean up the mess rather than play full throttle. But that's just a theory I've been working on.
I still see more potential in Elliott personally. You can't ignore he was the more creative of the two at the NHL level and looks like he has the tools to back up his playing style. Barrie looked outmatched to me and far too hesitant to use his offensive potential to its full potential.
Nothing is set in stone, but I still get chills watching some of Elliott's goals.
I thought it was the opposite. Barrie looked much more comfortable at the NHL level and apart from the goals Elliott didn't really do much right. Even though he put up points early, I wanted him to be sent down for well over a month before he actually was.
I thought it was the opposite. Barrie looked much more comfortable at the NHL level and apart from the goals Elliott didn't really do much right. Even though he put up points early, I wanted him to be sent down for well over a month before he actually was.
I won't argue about how comfortable he looked and agree Elliott should have been sent down after he lost his confidence due to defensive lapses (something I still feel being partnered with Hejda could have fixed). But for someone so intelligent and offensive-minded, I can't understand why Barrie hesitated to display that almost at all in the NHL.
Barrie may have demonstrated better defensive play, but he's not going to be asked to play that role in the NHL. The best he can hope for is a Dan Boyle type career defensively where he is not a liability on the ice, to achieve that he needs to use his creativity and not hold back.
Granted he got less time in the NHL than Elliott, I'd just like to see Barrie display his talent before I place him above Elliott.
To be fair to both of them, they were here during bad stretches for the team in general and were asked to do too much. Both of them had problems defensively (Barrie was taking too many hits and Elliott didn't seem comfortable with the physical game).
I think both of them should still be considered long term projects and I guess that's why Avs signed all those marginal defensemen this summer. So we wouldn't have to recall Elliott/Barrie whenever a NHL defender got injured. If both of them spend a full season in the AHL, it's not going to hurt them.
Since the first time I've watched them play I've always been a bigger supporter of Barrie, and thought he didn't get enough credit around here (getting included in trade proposals, where Stef was untouchable). Glad to see him having a good start to his pro career and getting noticed.
His 3 hits in 39 games surely shows he has a lot of heart.
What is a "hit" anyways? Not asking but really what do the stat guys consider a "hit"? Something to think about. I've seen guys like Landeskog throw 5 or more hits in a game only to be credited with 2-3 hits that game. Elliott doesn't play a physical game and will not ever play that way. Can he take them to the outside and to the boards? Sure but he's rarely going to plant them into the boards hard enough to be considered a hit.
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