Captain Phaneuf
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Peter D. said:
but that was also when he was not a number one pair in Calgary. He had less ice time and was able to use that extra energy to throw those hits... also not being against the other teams top lines allowed him to be able to go after the big hits and not worry so much about leaving open a scoring opportunity. Right now, he is re-establishing his game as a number one defenceman and I think he has being doing much better than his stats suggest. He is still hitting although not so many 'big' hits but was still 7th in the league last season in hits.
pnjunction
New member
crowlster said:
I checked the stats and Schenn was 7th, Phaneuf was 22nd.
Both those numbers have me wondering about that stat though.
Wouldn't a d-man be laying many more hits if his team were a turnover machine and he spent all his shifts tied up in his own end? Meanwhile guys who can move the puck out (and play with better d partners and forwards) wouldn't spend as much time in their own zone hitting opposition puck carriers.
By definition the other team has to have the puck for a player to make an 'official' hit, it's going to be easier to make that happen more often if the opposing team has the puck all of the time.
Hypothetical shift: Hit -> turnover -> hit -> turnover -> hit -> turnover -> opposition scores. Great way to rack up the hit stats while losing games.
Rebel_1812
New member
pnjunction said:
I know schenn and komi have consistently high in the hit stats. However, I don't think the hit stat takes only big hits into play. As such I would rather have a guy that can lay someone out like Phaneuf then someone that padds their hit totals with light body checks.
Britishbulldog
Active member
Nik Pollock said:
Phaneuf got that HUGE contract coming off his ELC by the Flames GM. Most in the hockey media were shocked. He could shoot the puck and throw the occasional bone crushing hit but seemed to have glaring holes...like defensive zone coverage and not a very high hockey IQ.
What salary should Phaneuf be making based on his ability based on other defense men in the league? Do you folks think his next contract will correct his salary like Dustin Penner's did last year?
Phaneuf.....Too many glaring mistakes in def zone. Plays like he is on a fishing expedition in his own zone. Plays like he might be a good lacrosse player especially the way he carries his stick in front of the net. Being a captain he's doesn't seem to have the ability to make that big play to rally this team. Great at missing the net in the offensive zone.....not worth the $$'s The positive is he can hit and some of them are huge. With all the ice he is getting maybe Norris is shopping him around the league...Oh well the Leafs haven't made any significant changes that would have got us out of these many years of misery so until that happens we are going to be enduring another season of mediocore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2hfR3CR-k8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2hfR3CR-k8
OldTimeHockey
Active member
Rebel_1812 said:
I actually prefer the opposite. I'd like a guy that can rub someone out and gain control of the puck. I could care less if there's a big, booming hit. I mean I enjoy it, but far too often, the big hit leads to a dman being out of position due to throwing it.
Until that player is gone does Leaf Nation appreciate what they had, When Mats was the Captain it was story after story about how hes not a good captain and other players should take it away from him. Once he left everyone's story has changed to he was a class act and great leader. Dion is doing fine, no one see's what happens behind the scenes yet the teammates are always showing respect towards him in interviews and giving him prop's for helping someone along.
Strangelove
New member
Captain Dion on Keon and the 1963 championship team:
I wish he wasn't such a blockhead.
I wish he wasn't such a blockhead.
Heroic Shrimp
Active member
Strangelove said:
You tell him, Charlie Brown.
Fred Wesley
New member
Strangelove said:
Honoured and championship were probably the biggest words he could think of.
x.jr.benchwarmer
New member
Phaneuf actually made a good play in the game against the Sens when he made a shot/pass in the direction of Bozak which resulted in the 2nd goal. It has been the first time that I can remember at least that he actually made a heads-up hockey play, and doing something that the opposing team wasn't anticipating. But then he took that really bad penalty towards the end of the game, which could have resulted in a one goal game with a couple of minutes to play.
Phaneuf is basically not going to get any better than what we've seen over the past 3 years, IMHO. He makes many defensive mistakes, he lacks agility, doesn't have a quick first step, has historically had a bad shot on the power play, telegraphs virtually every pass and shot, takes bad penalties because of his slowness in his own end, and has a bad plus-minus. But he is the captain, (perhaps because Brian Burke said it was so), and is the anchor of the power play and the penalty kill, and as loyal Leaf fans, we'll just watch this play out again this year, and have faith in the Leaf coaching staff and management.....
Phaneuf is basically not going to get any better than what we've seen over the past 3 years, IMHO. He makes many defensive mistakes, he lacks agility, doesn't have a quick first step, has historically had a bad shot on the power play, telegraphs virtually every pass and shot, takes bad penalties because of his slowness in his own end, and has a bad plus-minus. But he is the captain, (perhaps because Brian Burke said it was so), and is the anchor of the power play and the penalty kill, and as loyal Leaf fans, we'll just watch this play out again this year, and have faith in the Leaf coaching staff and management.....