Best Defenseman In The NHL?

[pi2000]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Thompson played about 160 games b4 his breakout season. 

Power is already at 250+ games. He's never in college or the NHL used his body. He's not skinny and he's plenty strong. You can't train away the issues Power has. 

At 28, Tage has only very recently begun to us his size and strength to his advantage.     He's driving the net, finishing checks, literally throwing dudes around the rink like they're ragdolls.

At 23 he was strictly a finesse player.

Power will figure it out.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

Thompson played about 160 games b4 his breakout season. 

Power is already at 250+ games. He's never in college or the NHL used his body. He's not skinny and he's plenty strong. You can't train away the issues Power has. 

Not completely, you can't.  But, they could get him to be effective in his own end.  He will, at times, use his body to keep players from getting past him along the boards.  This is something he pretty much didn't do at all in prior years.  He isn't looking as lost in front of the net as he has in the past.

How much better he can get at these is the critical question?  

When he came into the league, he would only shoot if he got the puck in the slot; now he will actually shoot from the point when there is a screen.  He still looks to pass 1st, but he doesn't automatically pass.  Expect that is a function of him finally feeling "storng."  Expect the improvements in the D-zone are also because he's more comfortable that he won't bounce off the opponent should he decide to engage.  At his age, he'll still get stronger.  In theory, he'll be more comfortable using his body for positioning.

He's never going to be a hitter.  But, if he gets in people's way AND he continues to get better with his stick, he can be effective without adding that other tool, which isn't in his nature, into his tool box.

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

At 28, Tage has only very recently begun to us his size and strength to his advantage.     He's driving the net, finishing checks, literally throwing dudes around the rink like they're ragdolls.

At 23 he was strictly a finesse player.

Power will figure it out.

He IS figuring it out.  But whether he fully gets it remains to be seen.  And whether he does or doesn't will make his contract either be a slight overpay or a huge bargain.

And don't expect he'll ever ragdoll people.  That was beaten out of him at a very young age.

[pi2000]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Idk, let's say he develops another 15%, how good would that make him. 

You're right, he's always been a finesse player.. in the USHL and at Michigan.  

He has the size, but he doesn't have man strength yet... for most that comes in your mid-late 20s.

I believe he'll be a dominant physical player when he reaches his prime, combined with his offensive instincts the sky is the limit for him.   

[irregularly irregular]

2 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

You're right, he's always been a finesse player.. in the USHL and at Michigan.  

He has the size, but he doesn't have man strength yet... for most that comes in your mid-late 20s.

I believe he'll be a dominant physical player when he reaches his prime, combined with his offensive instincts the sky is the limit for him.   

The problem is, when will that be? And what is he doing now to play better and elevate this team? 3 or 4 years to go before we see him figure it out? That hurts. 

I put some of it on coaching, but most of it on Power. What do you think would happen if Torts was suddenly named head coach? Could Power survive that?

[PerreaultForever]

He's definitely the Sabres best D this year and last night (and some other games) he was their best player on the ice. 

[pi2000]

Just now, irregularly irregular said:

The problem is, when will that be? And what is he doing now to play better and elevate this team? 3 or 4 years to go before we see him figure it out? That hurts. 

I put some of it on coaching, but most of it on Power. What do you think would happen if Torts was suddenly named head coach? Could Power survive that?

It's not a problem, that's just the normal developmental path for NHL defenseman.   

The actual problem here is expectations.

First, he was drafted #1 overall so everyone expects him to be a difference maker at 20 years old.  Matty Beniers who went #2 overall has 3 goals this season.   Power was the unanimous #1... that said, maybe he goes 4 or 5 in a better draft year, that's just how it is some years.   Power was the right pick.

Second, he's big... therefore everyone expects him to be physical.   I, for one, believe he'll get there (with the right coaching).    But it takes time, Tage is finally figuring out at 28.    Part of that is physically developing, man strength, and part of it is confidence.    Power will get there, he's a hockey nerd, he knows the knocks on hom and he'll figure it out.

[Broken Ankles]

5 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

🤷‍♀️

 

 

If you told Mule was playing at this level, coupled with trading Kesselring and Timmons for Joki and Clifton and the goals against would be worse than last year through 23, I would be like….

 

Keep making me look foolish Glass. 

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, Broken Ankles said:

If you told Mule was playing at this level, coupled with trading Kesselring and Timmons for Joki and Clifton and the goals against would be worse than last year through 23, I would be like….

 

Keep making me look foolish Glass. 

How many empty netters did they give up to this point last year?  They've given up 9 so far this year.  Almost an extra 0.4 GA/game to this point.

How many OTL's last year?  4 this year.  Not nearly bumping up the GAA like the ENs are, but still, they didn't lose many in OT the past few seasons.

[LGR4GM]

Remember when Tyler Myers became a dominant physical? 

Neither does anyone else. 

[#freejame]

13 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Remember when Tyler Myers became a dominant physical? 

Neither does anyone else. 

Yeah but how much of that was due to his marfan? 
 

/s