Toews

[Variable]

Fair enough.

Except when he actually won the Selke he had the godlike defense of Patrick Kane on his line that season.

 

[PatrickShart]

He's the number 5 defenceman on the team. He's also 2nd on D in hits and blocks alot of shots. While you may not like physical play, it's a necessity in the game. When teams pay as many players as they do 5+ mil....it's gotta take away from somewhere.

Not sure you watched games back then, but Sopel wasn't the fastest. Matt Greene on LA isn't very quick. Several cup winning teams have Dman that may not be fast, but are veterans that know how to play the game.

 

[PatrickShart]

And Kane has his puck on his stick more than most. And guess what - when you have the puck...you don't have to play defence

 

[PatrickShart]

And that was the strike shortened season. Aren't you the one crying that Handzus was Kane's center that year?

 

[LordKOTL]

Even if Hossa's lost a little step, Toews is still not at his level defensively--and that's not a knock on Toews. Hossa is one of 2 players synonymous with "Defensive Forward" (The other being Datsyuk). Toews is synonymous with "Franchise Captain"

 

[TCD]

The thing is Rozisval is done, he's spent at the NHL level, way too slow. He shouldn't even be a bottom pairing d-man, even being a 7th is stretching it...and he's still getting nearly 17 fucking minutes a game. That's ridiculous.

No other options. Timmo cant play those minutes and sure wont be able to now. Tvr isnt playing and stan shipped out all other capable young blueliners the last two years who could possibly have taken some of those minutes. Im not an ahl fan boy so i dont know what the hogs have to offer but it seems pretty late in the season to be picking off the ahl roster.

But at the same time although rozi is sucking this year he did have a good playoffs last year so its still a bit of a wait and see with him as far as playoffs this year go. Im sure every bad play he makes will be highlited by myself and other fans.

 

[Variable]

And that was the strike shortened season. Aren't you the one crying that Handzus was Kane's center that year?

No, that was the season after, where he was absolutely godawful and another player who was in the league one year too long on the Hawks and played in a role way beyond his capabilities. Just like Rozi this year. He's not a guy you give 17 minutes a game to. Its not just because he's slow, it's because he isn't a NHL caliber d-man anymore. Those other guys you listed can still play, and even they don't get as much ice time as Rozi does.

 

[Variable]

No other options. Timmo cant play those minutes and sure wont be able to now. Tvr isnt playing and stan shipped out all other capable young blueliners the last two years who could possibly have taken some of those minutes. Im not an ahl fan boy so i dont know what the hogs have to offer but it seems pretty late in the season to be picking off the ahl roster.

But at the same time although rozi is sucking this year he did have a good playoffs last year so its still a bit of a wait and see with him as far as playoffs this year go. Im sure every bad play he makes will be highlited by myself and other fans.

I understand he's going to be played, they dug their own hole with that by giving him a multi year contract. But don't give him THAT kind of ice time. That's just asking for more problems.

 

[TCD]

It has to be spread though. Dont want an LA situation where Doughty is playing a burnt out season due to logging all the heavy minutes. Guys like Keith Nd Seabs need to remain somewhat fresh through the season going into playoffs. Oduya and hammer to the same extent esp hammer whos primary job in the playoffs again will be to sacrifice his body every shift blocking shots with his face two times on one shift.

Lets wait until the playoffs start to see what Rozis minutes will be. Bit too much emphasis on regular season minutes with Rozi as i am sure they will drop when the top 4 blueliners are used more.

 

[Variable]

Regular season or not, theres really no defending playing a guy who shouldnt be in the NHL that kind of minutes. You can spread it out better than having to lean on him 17 minutes a game. Doughty was getting the same kind of minutes Keith was until they lost Voynov. That was a big loss for them.

 

[TCD]

And thats another thing with Toews when you compare him to other nhl centers. toews logs minutes..and not safe pretty skate the perimeter minutes like the Stamkos guys and Tavares guys (but Tavares is getting away from that more and more). Toews minutes are physical minutes and grinding minutes. There is the biggest kicker. His minutes are harder than a lot of other NHL centers and he isn't that big of a guy to begin with.

 

[PatrickShart]

2013 was the strike season. Kane played with Bolland most of the year, then Handzus at the end. The only time they played together was towards the end of the playoffs..but there's a good chance thats when you started watching hockey.

And now Roszival isn't an NHL defenceman...ok.

I don't know why I even entertain this idiot

 

[Adun]

The thing is Rozisval is done, he's spent at the NHL level, way too slow. He shouldn't even be a bottom pairing d-man, even being a 7th is stretching it...and he's still getting nearly 17 fucking minutes a game. That's ridiculous.

Wrong thread, dude

 

[LordKOTL]

No other options. Timmo cant play those minutes and sure wont be able to now. Tvr isnt playing and stan shipped out all other capable young blueliners the last two years who could possibly have taken some of those minutes. Im not an ahl fan boy so i dont know what the hogs have to offer but it seems pretty late in the season to be picking off the ahl roster.

But at the same time although rozi is sucking this year he did have a good playoffs last year so its still a bit of a wait and see with him as far as playoffs this year go. Im sure every bad play he makes will be highlited by myself and other fans.

No he didn't--Brookbank out-played him by a order of magnitude last year's playoffs. Rosival was a bonafied liability out there--where you couldn't even trust him to go out there and not shoot himself in the foot.

That's why the injury to Timmo Kimmonen worries me--At least with Runblad his little upside masks his little downside to the point of it being near nul--and at least he's not Cullimore-slow. Rosival--you have to shelter his minutes like mad.

I do agree though that it's better to have Rosival soak up time now rather than in the playoffs, but come playoff time Rosival's leash needs to be very short. If he does well by all means kep him there, but if he fails to take his man and can't keep up then you find someone who's at least invisible, rather than a liability.

I also agree that Toews is not afraid to go into key areas and work stuff lose or chrash the net if needs be. It's what makes Toews synonymous with "Franchise Captain." He tends way more often than not to do what it takes to put the team on his back or give other guys the tools they need to succeed.

 

[PatrickShart]

Brookbank was swimming. He didn't out play anyone

 

[ClydeLee]

Yes Brookbank vs St. Louis and when he mainly was paired with Duncs looked better in his games than Rozi paired with Leddy... But viewing things in a bubble isn't very beneficial to anything. Rozi was also fine against St. Louis, it was against aggressive Minnesota and LA forechecks that made him have to act quickly when the puck came to him that he was really struggling.

 

[TCD]

errr no Rozi played really well for a depth blueliner in playoff hockey. Nick Leddy was actually the blueliner that played like a sack of shit and who was one of the worst blueliners last year in the playoffs. I liked Leddy and still do but he has never shown to be a playoff blueliner yet in his young age. He was a puck turn over machine all through the playoffs and was horrible on the defensive end. Remember the benchings Leddy took throught games? He was horrible. You guys can rag on guys like Rozi and Brookbank all you want and I will join in most of the time lol but man...Leddy last year...horrible. Rozi actually had to pick up a lot of Leddys slack. Leddy was also horrible in the lock out cup run..really bad actually those benchings were outstanding and record breaking!! Complete liability in that years playoffs.

Rozi also played well in the lockout cup run.