Can someone please explain to my how the trade for a depth hitting/blocking defenseman will block PMD like Clarke and Spence from making the team or getting playing time? These players don't play the same role on the team at all. Do people just think all defenseman are the same? It makes 0 sense to me.
Okay, I'll give it a shot.
Teams have three pairs of defensemen, one guy on the left side, one guy on the right. Now, there are statistically a larger percentage of defensemen who shoot on the left side of their body due to differing training techniques in countries with larger hockey communities.
Therefore, there are less guys, especially quality guys, who benefit from shooting on their right side. Kind of like left handed relievers in baseball. So, the guys that DO shoot right see a whole lot less time on the left side of the ice.
When you play in the best league in the world, one of the things that separates you from there and the lower leagues are your ability to process the game quickly. That skill can be inherent or learned, but it is honed thru repetition. You don't get enough time in those circumstances to be as efficient as a player who has more experience and physical proclivity to that role. Dog eat dog, RHDs on the left don't hunt.
Now, nobody is going to supplant Doughty. Spence had a solid rookie year, and Clarke is a blue-chipper who needs to play now so he is better sooner than later.
So that means if Burroughs is on one pair, Doughty is a lock, then either the two who would most benefit the team by gaining experience will be duking it out.
Or, we see the obvious disadvantages of playing four RHDS again.
Or, we see 7d again as an option, with its obvious disadvantages.
So, if you can't play both Spence AND Clarke, then one has to sit, and that one has someone road-blocking him. And that is what a lot us keep seeing with the kids. And we know that the vets have a ceiling that just isn’t Cup-able. And the best way to get back to that level is to bring in young, hungry, able talent who can contribute on their ELCs or 2nd deals while the vets ride out on their way. Spence and Clarke are those guys, and they are already here.
And they DO have a lot of guys who play the same version of one role: Anderson, Gavrikov, Moverare, Englund and Burroughs. Four of those guys are likely on the roster. They need some puck moving ability on the ice at all times in order to compete with the better teams.
I am perfectly willing to watch Burroughs, I have a soft spot for stay at home RHDs. It's how I view and think the game. But he is going into a big mix of players with different needs out of next season that looks misshapen.