Ghost has 7 giveaways to Hronek’s 10 despite averaging 5 less minutes per game and against lesser competition.
Hronek isn’t carrying a pair and transporting the puck right now. That’s a major, major difference. Quinn does almost all of that. Where Ghost does “carry the pair” with Maatta. Same exact position Hronek was in during his successful run last year. The other thing Gostisbehere does better is… he recovers much better.
That’s a real comparison. Two players, playing in the exact same position, with the exact same partner. Gostisbehere has been even better than Hronek was during his great first 30 or so games last year. That’s just reality.
We can’t ignore that there’s a major difference between carrying a pair and being a role player on D. Especially one playing with an elite talent like Quinn. I guarantee people would be calling Jake Walman a star too, if he was playing with Quinn every night.
Did you just watch Hronek out there with Friedman? It was a mess. There’s a major difference when he’s not with Hughes.
It comes down to this, when deciding to pay him $6.5-$7.5 million per. Can anyone honestly say Hronek would be as successful as he is right now, statistically, if he was playing with any other dman on the Canucks? We all know that answer.
I’ve been one of Hronek’s major supporters on this site for along time. I’m on record saying I believe he can carry a pair IF he changes a couple of things. I’ve said it for 2-3 years. He’s maturing as an NHL dman. That’s the reason I think he still has a chance to be that player. Thinking he’s becoming smart enough to change his game.. Detroit didn’t think he could anymore. They gave up on him ever being that player.
Right now, Hronek has been no different than a player like Justin Schultz. Looks great when he’s not the player carrying the pair, playing with a great partner, but struggles when he’s asked to carry the play, and given more responsibility.
It’s a heck of a lot easier playing the game when you’re playing with Quinn. Nobody can deny that.
It’s ok to say he’s been playing really well, but we also need to be honest about why that is, and also honest enough to admit that’s not why he was brought in. He was brought in to carry that second pairing.
Bottom line is, he’s not being asked to do the things top dmen are asked to do.. That’s good on Tocchet. It means he’s putting him in a position to be successful. It scares me though, because why is Tocchet playing him in a supporting role, when they desperately need a second dman to carry a pair?? Has he also already given up on Hronek being able to do so? It’s a question all Vancouver fans should be asking.
If that’s the case, they can’t pay him that kind of money. It could end up being an anchor of a contract real quick. He’ll go from posts like this, to Myers type posts overnight.
I find it hard to believe, we won’t see them split up for an extended period of time, before the Canucks decide to give Hronek a big contract, or just what equates to top dollar for a supporting role dman. Around $5 million. If there wasn’t a cap or they had a 3rd dman who could carry a pair in a 7 game series, I’d be all for giving him whatever they wanted.
You just don’t send the 17th and 43rd pick in a strong draft, and then pay him $7 million per, for a guy to NOT be given the responsibility of carrying a pair. Especially when you only had one to begin with.
