This ragging on his defensive play because of a lack of speed is annoying. He won a Selke because he is a slow stiff on defense. Got it.
He's a big dude with long strides and a huge reach with his stick. He covers a lot of ice even if he is not a speed demon. Then there is his IQ where he sees the play as it's coming and gets to the right spots ahead of time.
Little of this criticism of SC's defensive play was out there until Tortorella started to make a deal of it last season. The jealous little twerp with the goatee just couldn't stand the fact that someone was liked more than him in the room and was going to get a C on his sweater. He's such a small person.
He's 32. Couts isn't going to get any faster, but the league has the last few years.
At wing, you don't skate as far, and that makes it easier for him to play near the net like a PF.
G moved from center to wing and that has helped extend his career.
