Throwdowns > Closed

YODA said 06/21, 04:20 PM
NOTE: Per tourney rules, "Big Buff" is excluded from this Throwdown. (You can't spell Dustin Byfuglien without the "FUGLI")


Here are my 5 guys:
(listed in reverse alphabetical order by last name)


1. Shea Weber: Exceptionally well-rounded player. A leader with no major weaknesses in his game.


2. Lubomir Visnovsky: A dynamic and experienced D-man. He's blossomed into a top contributor by continuing to round out his skill set year after year.


3. Nicklas Lidstrom: A great leader with a wealth of experience that includes several deep playoff runs. This ultimate team player even has a legitimate case to be called the #2 or #3 D-man of all-time.


4. Drew Doughty: Mature well beyond his years (21 yrs old). Strong and energetic. The Kings are poised to make some serious noise in the West these next few seasons; this young guy's a key reason.


5 Zdeno Chara: A lethal combination of size, skill, physicality, and smart decision making.


I'll expand on the reasons for my choices (including stats and so forth) in the next args based on which guys you decide to swap out.


Good luck, BlueJackets.

YODA said 06/23, 02:19 AM
No problem with overlap picks as there's never enough space to debate too many changes.


Positions:

I agree Chara is a force in front of net. But I want him clearing out those bodies in his own end (like he did masterfully during the B's Cup run). A backend of Chara and Lidstrom is virtually impenetrable.
That gives me Lubomir up front centering 2 young energetic wingers. Weber has the size (6'4", 235) and edge to stir it up.


Lidstrom:

Given his age, your reservation about a possible slowdown deserves exploration. But the more I explore it, the more impressed I am with Lidstrom.

Nick played a full 82 gms.
Among D-men, he tied for 4th (league-wide) in goals. The more offensively-minded Letang tied for 28th.
Nick's excellent decision-making was also evident; he gave the puck away just 33 times. (Letang: 52 GvA)

In the playoffs (our most recent sample of play), Nick tied for 2nd overall in D-men goals - despite playing just 2 series!
11 GP, 4 G, 4 A, +8. He's still got it.


The 7 time Norris winner has seen every imaginable type of game scenario. On this team stacked with captains, Nick is the ideal Admiral of the Fleet.

YODA said 06/24, 04:17 AM
You make a valid point about Chara's size; he could likely make an impact at any position. However, given that Chara just achieved the ultimate NHL goal in captaining his team to Stanley Cup glory, I can't see enough upside in tinkering with his natural position. I think the best move is to keep his skillset and intimidation factor as-is on D.

You're right that Lidstrom has benefited from being part of a strong org in Detroit. But Lidstrom is an instrumental reason why the Wings have been so consistently productive to begin with. He's the worthy successor to Stevie Y and makes everyone around him better. Even elite guys like Weber and Doughty stand to benefit from Lidstrom's wisdom.

Letang did impress this season. But it's a little misleading to say that he was able to raise the bar without Crosby.

Here are Letang's splits (NHL.com):

1st Half (with Sid): 7 G, 28 A, plus 21
2nd Half (no Sid): 1 G, 14 A, minus 6
Quite a dropoff.

Letang IS solid and he's made nice improvements to many aspects of his game...but he still has a step or two to climb.


Thanks for the TD...and congrats on your team picking up Carter (Nash must be lovin' it).