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CarltonTheBear said:[tweet]715916683228143617[/tweet]
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:Marchand with a career year. Congrats Brad. Go have a Mai Tai hahaha.
herman said:I really agree with the premise of this, but I'd also like to add that when you are helping put the puck in the other team's net at a rate outpacing most forwards, that's really a good indicator that your defense is doing well.
A Norris winner ought to be someone who drives play the right way and helps finish the job without compromising on keeping the puck out of his own net. Defense is, thankfully, no longer just about standing in front of your net, hitting people, and blocking shots.
Karlsson's only failing stats-wise is his Goals Against rating, which is more a measure of the team he is on (and the goalies they play), than his individual efforts. Doughty has the benefit of better structure, better teammates, better goaltending, but his number still fall shy of Karlsson's.
Nik the Trik said:All teams have to work shorthanded. Penalty Kills, I think we'd agree, are important situations. If Karlsson's puck carrying abilities were such an effective alternative for traditional concepts of defense, why would't a team as bad as the Sens were on the PK use him there? They were desperate for a playoff spot, they had one of the worst PKs in the league and the "best defenseman in the league" was nailed to the bench when they were down a man. Are you familiar with the robot expression "does not compute"?
Woodguy @Woodguy55
"McLellan did a very good job. Structure etc in place to play like you need to, to make the playoffs. etc.Initial stages done" - Chia
Nik the Trik said:Except I think you're falling into the trap of confusing how Karlsson is used with how effective he is.
Hockey is a team game. No matter how good an individual is, a great deal of the play is determined by what other players do. A lot of the time the puck is in your end, a lot of time the other team has it. How a defenseman plays in those situations, how good they are at getting the puck from the other team or effectively covering opponents without the puck in a defensive situation is a huge part of what goes on even if they were the second coming of Bobby Orr when the puck is on their stick.
All teams have to work shorthanded. Penalty Kills, I think we'd agree, are important situations. If Karlsson's puck carrying abilities were such an effective alternative for traditional concepts of defense, why would't a team as bad as the Sens were on the PK use him there? They were desperate for a playoff spot, they had one of the worst PKs in the league and the "best defenseman in the league" was nailed to the bench when they were down a man. Are you familiar with the robot expression "does not compute"?
Ah, but the offense at even strength makes up for it right? Karlsson's 5v5 GF% was under 50. That can't simply be attributed to his terrible teammates because it's not true for Marc Methot, Cody Ceci, Chris Wideman or Patrick Wiercoch. Of all of Ottawa's regular defensemen they scored the lowest% of even strength goals with Karlsson on the ice.
Karlsson is an incredible talent but giving him the Norris this year would be a joke. There are great two-way defensemen in the league. Karlsson is not one of them.
CarltonTheBear said:Woodguy @Woodguy55
"McLellan did a very good job. Structure etc in place to play like you need to, to make the playoffs. etc.Initial stages done" - Chia
Uhhh, we're talking about the same team that was still trying to learn how to back check last week, right?
WhatIfGodWasALeaf said:Brian Burke doing the rounds this morning telling everyone that Calgary will be looking for size in the upcoming draft.
Never change Brian, I'm kinda upset that he didn't get Carlyle to coach again.
CarltonTheBear said:I wonder what they do at #6 then. Odds are, Tkachuk and Dubois will be picked before then. That leaves them with Nylander, one of the defencemen, or a slightly more off-the-board pick. They do have a few smaller forwards already, and their D is in pretty good shape. Maybe this is where 6'6", 220 lbs Logan Brown comes into play.
Nik the Trik said:For Tkachuk and Dubois to be off the board, wouldn't that mean Edmonton would have to either trade their pick or take another forward?