[A] Blackhawks Sign Sheldon Brookbank

[the canadian dream]

Not as slow as Scott or O'Donnell so still technically an upgrade.

100% correct.



He's even a faster skater than Olsen. Don't get me wrong I like Olsen and see him as a future roster player even next season but talk about a slow skater.



Not every blueliner is going to be Bobby fucking Orr on skates. Good ones know their flaws and work their game around their stronger areas. Brookbank isn't a dumb player and he is a stay at home guy. Never knew stay at home blueliners had to be the winners of the fastest skater skills comp. One of the best stay at home blueliners of his generation just helped the Kings win a cup and he has never been anointed a great skater ever through his career.



But when Brookbank makes his first mistake on the ice or goes through a bad skid as all players do the fans here will rip him apart and call for his head or play the I told you so game.

 

[Samurai]

Several years ago, many whined about Sopel's wheels.



Just saying.

 

[R K]

Several years ago, many whined about Sopel's wheels.



Just saying.

wasn't too long ago people were ripping Soaps for his skating ability.

 

[EspoForever]

Slow, slow, slow.



Slow.

Yeah...maybe slow but a plus player on a crappy team.



Scoring more than your opponent is important to me.

 

[bookjones]

Several years ago, many whined about Sopel's wheels.



Just saying.

So then all you had to do was make a split decision to only take seriously those who may have whinged for bitching's sake versus those who whinged about his wheels being a liability but who also understood that all the heart and all the effort and the literal sacrifice of the body to blocking shots was immeasurable and gave him his due credit.

 

[the canadian dream]

Sopel still has bruises from the cup run. Those ******* aren't healing ever. Never seen a guy take so many rough blocked shots in a playoff run. The puck had eyes for the areas where it hurts most. He should have just played without pads.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

That's because Sopel was slow. His positioning was what kept him in the play.



Bollig, Mayer, Shaw, Carcillo, Brookbank.



Sounds like the Hawks finally have a bit of physicality.

 

[roshinaya]

I doubt Bollig sees much ice time.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

With how the roster is now, there is no room for him. I doubt some of the guys we have will still be here come start of the season.

 

[LordKOTL]

With how the roster is now, there is no room for him. I doubt some of the guys we have will still be here come start of the season.

Not a problem for me.



Right now we have 3 righties on D: Seabs, Monty, and Brookbank. Last year we only had 2 total and one out for a considerable about of time.



Brookbank may not have wheels (neither did Sopes), but he hits, blocks shots, kills penalties, and was a plus.



In other words, he is what Hammer was supposed to be and just made one of Hammer, Leddy, Oduya, and Monty expendible (Olsen can get more seasoning in the A)



I wouldn't mind seeing Hammer moved into a FWD asset--it would balance the D.