Jeff Petry

[dobiezeke*]

Well he is a top 1/2 defenceman on the Oilers. Not his fault though.

100 percent agreement with you. He is being placed in a position he has no ability to succeed at. He needs 3/4 minutes, and pp time. And a partner that doesn't allow him to carry the puck in his own end.

 

[gofafeads]

every defenceman on the oilers had turnovers last night for one simple reason: the break out was ****. Nashvilles forecheck was right on top of the passing targets so there was no where to actually go with the puck when they tried to break out. That leads to turnovers and scoring chances always. You can't just blame the D for that. The Oilers did not have a plan to handle a fast hard forechecking team and there was no separation by anyone to actually get out of their own zone.

I see this a lot too. Somehow a 1 man forecheck can pressure 2 oiler defenseman deep causing the puck to become a hot potato. Not sure if the problem is spacing, tactics, or the defense are incapable of reading and reacting at high speeds but it is unacceptable that 1 man can chase down the puck between 2 oilers.

 

[Oiltankjob Fail]

I think the sooner they move him the better. He does not want to be a Oiler why he only signed the one year to FA so his heart is not with the team.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I think the sooner they move him the better. He does not want to be a Oiler why he only signed the one year to FA so his heart is not with the team.

I'm not so sure that wasn't more on the team than it was on the player. The writing is on the wall though, he won't be back next season IMO.

 

[Horseradish]

I think the sooner they move him the better. He does not want to be a Oiler why he only signed the one year to FA so his heart is not with the team.

That's a buttload of uncorroborated assumptions.

His agent came to Edmonton recently to negotiate. Why would he do that if he had zero interest in re-signing?

I think it came down to MacT's insecurity over his potential and ability to reach it along with cap issues. For Petry, it was a no-brainer in that it gives him the upper hand in negotiations for his UFA years.

 

[Moose Coleman]

The bolded is a perfect comparison...he is exactly as inept at his game as Schultz. Both are weak defensively and sporadic offensively. Yet no one is claiming Schultz to be a top 1/2 defenceman.

Just the management team that plays him as such while touting his Norris Trophy potential.

 

[CupofOil]

He had a horrible game. But that is not a typical Jeff Petry night either. A typical Nikitin night so far, sure, but not Petry. A lot of people have the hate blinders on when it comes to Petry.

Perhaps but i think there are some who are blinded to his faults.
I still see this "Oilers best defenseman" stuff and am wondering where people are getting this from. I think it's pretty obvious that Fayne is now the Oilers best defenseman, i've rarely seen that guy make a mistake especially after the first few games. He's also very good at holding the blueline and keeping the puck in and actually gets his shot on net fairly consistently whereas Petry couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with his shot most of the time.

The bottom line is that this is supposed to one of the Oilers top puckmovers yet he only has 1 point in 14 games, how can anybody defend that? Even without a lot of PP time, that's awful for a player with his skillset.
Now, if he was compensating by being good defensively then the offensive production wouldn't be much of an albatross but he has been mediocre defensively as well. Blame Nikitin all you want but Petry has been regressing a bit for a few years now or at the very least stagnating no matter who he is paired with (Marincin actually covered for his mistakes last season). Is there any aspect of his game that is clearly above average outside of skating once he gets going?
There are times when Petry looks really good. He's a very good skater but his Hockey IQ fails him when he's looking to finish plays, kind of like Schultz in a way with the difference being that Schultz has a better skillset which allows him to score on occasion.

Sadly, he's still one of the Oilers best defensemen (probably their 2nd best Dman out of the current top 6) so i don't know if they can afford to trade him for mid round draft picks, but i honestly think that Klefbom or Marincin could step in and the Oilers wouldn't miss a beat and since this is a development year, might as well see what we have in one of those two rather than having them rot in the pressbox.

If it was up to me, i'd deal Petry to a team with expectations that is underachieving and looking for a shake up like Colorado or Dallas who have a need for a defenseman and see if I could get a center from one of those teams. I think something around Petry and Eakin could be fairly realistic with an add from the Oilers obviously.
I would then bench Nikitin, waive him or whatever, so that both Klefbom and Marincin get inserted into the lineup and lets try to build something with an eye to the future. It's not like either of these guys have been overwhelmed at the NHL level and would be rushed.

 

[TheRebuild]

Just the management team that plays him as such while touting his Norris Trophy potential.

He reminds me a bit of a "not good" Mike Green. He's Mike Green without any of the upside.

 

[Moose Coleman]

Perhaps but i think there are some who are blinded to his faults.
I still see this "Oilers best defenseman" stuff and am wondering where people are getting this from. I think it's pretty obvious that Fayne is now the Oilers best defenseman, i've rarely seen that guy make a mistake especially after the first few games. He's also very good at holding the blueline and keeping the puck in and actually gets his shot on net fairly consistently whereas Petry couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with his shot most of the time.

Then why does Petry have so many more shots than Fayne? Why does the team as a whole generate more shots with Petry on the ice than Fayne?

The bottom line is that this is supposed to one of the Oilers top puckmovers yet he only has 1 point in 14 games, how can anybody defend that? Even without a lot of PP time, that's awful for a player with his skillset.

Lack of PP time, D zone starts around 60% could explain it.

Now, if he was compensating by being good defensively then the offensive production wouldn't be much of an albatross but he has been mediocre defensively as well. Blame Nikitin all you want but Petry has been regressing a bit for a few years now or at the very least stagnating no matter who he is paired with (Marincin actually covered for his mistakes last season).

What's this based on? Certainly not the results on the ice.

Sadly, he's still one of the Oilers best defensemen (probably their 2nd best Dman out of the current top 6) so i don't know if they can afford to trade him for mid round draft picks, but i honestly think that Klefbom or Marincin could step in and the Oilers wouldn't miss a beat and since this is a development year, might as well see what we have in one of those two rather than having them rot in the pressbox.

This is silly. Depth is good.

If it was up to me, i'd deal Petry to a team with expectations that is underachieving and looking for a shake up like Colorado or Dallas who have a need for a defenseman and see if I could get a center from one of those teams. I think something around Petry and Eakin could be fairly realistic with an add from the Oilers obviously.
I would then bench Nikitin, waive him or whatever, so that both Klefbom and Marincin get inserted into the lineup and lets try to build something with an eye to the future. It's not like either of these guys have been overwhelmed at the NHL level and would be rushed.

And then we get a real shot at McDavid. Now I see where you're going with this.

 

[Beerfish]

Anyone that thinks losing Petry is going to appreciatively make this team worse is out to lunch imo. For all the good things he brings he also brings an equal number of ghastly errors. If he left tommorrow and marincin or klefbom took his spot we would hardly notice within about two weeks.

The Oilers should be looking to deal him right now. As others have stated look towards teams thought to be good are really underachieving. I think it is often a fable that value gets better at the trade deadline. At the deadline things are settle for some teams standing wise and guys that would be buyers are sellers and teams now do not pay what they once did for rentals.

 

[CupofOil]

Then why does Petry have so many more shots than Fayne? Why does the team as a whole generate more shots with Petry on the ice than Fayne?

Petry is more of an offensive minded defenseman so of course he's going to shoot more but IMO, Fayne's shot is more accurate. He doesn't wind up as much as Petry does, just tries to get it on net.

Lack of PP time, D zone starts around 60% could explain it.

1 point in 15 games for a defenseman with his skillset is putrid no matter how you look at it. Fayne has 4 points compared to Petry's 1, that should never happen even though it's a fairly small sample size. Fayne doesn't play PP or get a bunch of offensive zone starts either.

What's this based on? Certainly not the results on the ice.

What results would that be? He and Nikitin have been the Oilers worst pairing. Petry should own some of that. Would you consider him above average defensively? I don't see it but i suppose that's subjective. He is a pretty good PKer though so i'll give him that.

This is silly. Depth is good.

Sure but he's a UFA at the end of the season and they are going to likely lose him for nothing. I think you would agree that playoffs are unrealistic even at this early juncture so what exactly are they clinging on to by keeping him.
I also think that Marincin and Klefbom need to be given a shot. They have both proven to be capable at the NHL level. They are ready IMO.

And then we get a real shot at McDavid. Now I see where you're going with this.

Do you really believe that the difference between Niktin and Klefbom, Petry and Marincin is that large? Honestly?
I just don't see what some of you guys see in him. He's ok but certainly not irreplacable.

 

[Moose Coleman]

Petry is more of an offensive minded defenseman so of course he's going to shoot more but IMO, Fayne's shot is more accurate. He doesn't wind up as much as Petry does, just tries to get it on net.

So it's more of a style critique than anything to do with substance. I also don't know where you get the idea that Fayne is a stay at home D and Petry is a offensive D-man. Their career numbers are very similar.

1 point in 15 games for a defenseman with his skillset is putrid no matter how you look at it. Fayne has 4 points compared to Petry's 1, that should never happen even though it's a fairly small sample size. Fayne doesn't play PP or get a bunch of offensive zone starts either.

You're talking a difference of three points over one game played. Big deal.

What results would that be? He and Nikitin have been the Oilers worst pairing. Petry should own some of that. Would you consider him above average defensively? I don't see it but i suppose that's subjective. He is a pretty good PKer though so i'll give him that.

You tell me since you're the one saying Petry is regressing.

Sure but he's a UFA at the end of the season and they are going to likely lose him for nothing. I think you would agree that playoffs are unrealistic even at this early juncture so what exactly are they clinging on to by keeping him.

They get most of a season's worth of play out of him and a chance to bring their young players along a little slower. You did say it was a development year; well, that's how you develop young players.

I also think that Marincin and Klefbom need to be given a shot. They have both proven to be capable at the NHL level. They are ready IMO.

Are they ready or do they only look ready because Petry is taking the more difficult assignments?

Do you really believe that the difference between Niktin and Klefbom, Petry and Marincin is that large? Honestly?
I just don't see what some of you guys see in him. He's ok but certainly not irreplacable

Nikitin has been terrible, I think Klefa or MM could take his spot with no real drop off. But replacing two NHL D men with two young rookies seems pointless. The D is bad as is, you want to try making it worse. But I suppose, if we get these kids in the lineup now, we can start paving the way for trading them before they get to their prime because they are soft or make mistakes or whatever.

 

[CupofOil]

So it's more of a style critique than anything to do with substance. I also don't know where you get the idea that Fayne is a stay at home D and Petry is a offensive D-man. Their career numbers are very similar.

Of course Fayne is more of a stay at home defender. Petry has never been billed as a stay at home defender, he's supposed to be a puckmover that pushes pace.

You're talking a difference of three points over one game played. Big deal.

Big deal? Petry has 1 point in 15 games, that's awful no matter how you want to spin it.
My point was to illustrate that Fayne who doesn't have the offensive skillset of Petry's and also gets a lot of defensive zone starts and minimal PP time (less than Petry actually) has 3 more points this season. That just illustrates how ineffective Petry is as a puckmover.

You tell me since you're the one saying Petry is regressing.

Maybe regressing is a strong word but he certainly hasn't progressed the last few seasons and he's definitely not as physical as he used to be, don't know what happened to that aspect of his game.

They get most of a season's worth of play out of him and a chance to bring their young players along a little slower. You did say it was a development year; well, that's how you develop young players.

So Petry plays the whole season here, the Oilers finish in the bottom 10 (which i'm sure you will agree is the most likely outcome), the Oilers lose him for nothing in the offseason and Marincin and Klefbom either continue rotting in the pressbox or play a full season in the AHL, a league that will likely do little for their development at this point. Marincin and Klefbom aren't that young anymore, they have paid their dues in the AHL and have played pretty well at the NHL level. Why should they not be playing in the NHL at this point?

Are they ready or do they only look ready because Petry is taking the more difficult assignments?

Marincin took on the tough assignments last season and did fairly well with the responsibility.

Nikitin has been terrible, I think Klefa or MM could take his spot with no real drop off. But replacing two NHL D men with two young rookies seems pointless. The D is bad as is, you want to try making it worse. But I suppose, if we get these kids in the lineup now, we can start paving the way for trading them before they get to their prime because they are soft or make mistakes or whatever.

Again, they aren't really "kids" anymore. They have played pro hockey for a while now. I don't see anything that suggests that either would be overwhelmed at the NHL level or that much worse than Petry. MacT already brought in a vet to take on the tough assignments in Fayne so it's not like the team would be entirely dependent on Marincin and Klefbom to carry the D plus when the team is ready (hopefully) to set bigger goals going forward, they will be more experienced.

 

[Moose Coleman]

Of course Fayne is more of a stay at home defender. Petry has never been billed as a stay at home defender, he's supposed to be a puckmover that pushes pace.

But he's never put up offensive numbers that reflect that. He's an excellent skater who can move the puck, but that doesn't always translate to the scoresheet. Sounds like a case of skewed expectations more than it does a failure on his part.

Big deal? Petry has 1 point in 15 games, that's awful no matter how you want to spin it. My point was to illustrate that Fayne who doesn't have the offensive skillset of Petry's and also gets a lot of defensive zone starts and minimal PP time (less than Petry actually) has 3 more points this season. That just illustrates how ineffective Petry is as a puckmover.

No, it illustrates that Petry is not a big points producer. Which he's never been. Your insisting that things are otherwise doesn't make it true.

Maybe regressing is a strong word but he certainly hasn't progressed the last few seasons and he's definitely not as physical as he used to be, don't know what happened to that aspect of his game.

He's consistently been among the team leaders in hits. I'm not sure how you'd otherwise quantify that.

So Petry plays the whole season here, the Oilers finish in the bottom 10, the Oilers lose him for nothing in the offseason and Marincin and Klefbom either continue rotting in the pressbox or play a full season in the AHL, a league that will likely do little for their development at this point. Marincin and Klefbom aren't that young anymore, they have paid their dues in the AHL and have played pretty well at the NHL level. Why should they not be playing in the NHL at this point?

MM and Klefa are 22 and 21 respectively. How is that not young? As fro paying their dues, Klefbom's played 46 AHL games, Marincin 100. I agree they've shown enough to earn playing time in the NHL, but the idea that they have nothing to learn in the minors or that they should be gifted a spot on the team is simply counter to any sensible way of developing young players.

Marincin took on the tough assignments last season and did fairly well with the responsibility.

And who was he playing with again?

Again, they aren't really "kids" anymore. They have played pro hockey for a while now.

See above. They are green as grass.

I don't see anything that suggests that either would be overwhelmed at the NHL level or that much worse than Petry. MacT already brought in a vet to take on the tough assignments in Fayne so it's not like the team would be entirely dependent on Marincin and Klefbom to carry the D.

I just don't understand the logic of taking what is already the single weakest area of the team and making it worse.

 

[frag2]

That's a buttload of uncorroborated assumptions.

His agent came to Edmonton recently to negotiate. Why would he do that if he had zero interest in re-signing?

I think it came down to MacT's insecurity over his potential and ability to reach it along with cap issues. For Petry, it was a no-brainer in that it gives him the upper hand in negotiations for his UFA years.

I know someone who's related to an Oilers employee and he said the exact same thing though. Said Oilers tried but Petry didn't want any of it. You gotta wonder why bajillion rumors out there, especially reported by credible media like Friedman, have stated explicitly that Petry will be traded this year [unless MacT is dumb and just let him walk]. I know it sounds like mumbo jumbo but just reporting what I've heard. This same dude was the one who also pushed for Fayne and limiting Schultz's term to see what he's really worth. Also reported Oilers were tryign to get Perrault

Anyway, apparenty Petry was put in a position to fail and he doesnt like it. I caan't blame him since the Oilers as a whole sucked horribly during his tenure but he's also got himself to blame for not taking it to the next level.

 

[frag2]

Anyone that thinks losing Petry is going to appreciatively make this team worse is out to lunch imo. For all the good things he brings he also brings an equal number of ghastly errors. If he left tommorrow and marincin or klefbom took his spot we would hardly notice within about two weeks.

The Oilers should be looking to deal him right now. As others have stated look towards teams thought to be good are really underachieving. I think it is often a fable that value gets better at the trade deadline. At the deadline things are settle for some teams standing wise and guys that would be buyers are sellers and teams now do not pay what they once did for rentals.

Petry is weird player in that sense. I keep hearing how analytics and advanced stats make him out like a star yet, he tends to fail the eyeball test more often than not

 

[CupofOil]

No, it illustrates that Petry is not a big points producer. Which he's never been. Your insisting that things are otherwise doesn't make it true.

Not being a big point producer is one thing, being on pace for 6 points over a full season is quite another. He has no offensive instincts whatsoever which is too bad because the physical tools are there. I think it's inexcusable that he has only produced 1 point in 15 games. Not sure why this is even debatable.

He's consistently been among the team leaders in hits. I'm not sure how you'd otherwise quantify that.

Ah, the hits stat. One of more useless stats in hockey IMO. Doesn't measure the magnitude of the hits. Arcobello had a bunch of hits last season for reference and very few had any impact.
Petry is soft as sin and he wasn't always. He's painfully soft actually. People rag on players like Schultz and Eberle for being soft. Well, Petry is at that level of soft currently.

MM and Klefa are 22 and 21 respectively. How is that not young? As fro paying their dues, Klefbom's played 46 AHL games, Marincin 100. I agree they've shown enough to earn playing time in the NHL, but the idea that they have nothing to learn in the minors or that they should be gifted a spot on the team is simply counter to any sensible way of developing young players.

And who was he playing with again?

I'm saying that they aren't THAT young. It's not like they are 18 or 19 years old or Nurse who has never played pro hockey for more than a few games.
I think they've showed enough at the NHL level to prove that they can play at this level and handle their own and yes, Marincin played the tough minutes with Petry last season but Fayne is here now so he'll just play with Fayne this season instead.

I just don't understand the logic of taking what is already the single weakest area of the team and making it worse.

This is where we disagree. I don't think it makes the D worse, maybe slightly in the short term but nothing substantial. I think with this being a development year that the team needs to start developing this year. I think the best way for Marincin and Klefbom to develop is by playing in the NHL unlike Draisaitl who looks overwhelmed but that's another story for another thread.

I gotta run now and will respond later. It's an interesting debate, i could see both sides of the argument.
I guess it boils down to what one thinks of Petry, he seems to be a polarizing figure around here. I'm not a fan along with some others, while others are big fans of his so the opinions on the impact of his potential departure will vary.

 

[Stoneman89]

Then why does Petry have so many more shots than Fayne? Why does the team as a whole generate more shots with Petry on the ice than Fayne?



Lack of PP time, D zone starts around 60% could explain it.



What's this based on? Certainly not the results on the ice.



This is silly. Depth is good.



And then we get a real shot at McDavid. Now I see where you're going with this.

Had to laugh at this. Got news for you. We're going to get a shot at Connor McDavid with or without the illustrious Jeff Petry.

 

[Moose Coleman]

Not being a big point producer is one thing, being on pace for 6 points over a full season is quite another. He has no offensive instincts whatsoever which is too bad because the physical tools are there. I think it's inexcusable that he has only produced 1 point in 15 games. Not sure why this is even debatable.

It's debatable because it's such a silly critique. If we were talking about a PK Subban or a Drew Doughty or even a Justin Schultz, you'd have a point. But we aren't. The difference between one point and a couple of extra garbage second assists is easily accounted for by deployment and just plain old randomness.

Ah, the hits stat. One of more useless stats in hockey IMO. Doesn't measure the magnitude of the hits. Arcobello had a bunch of hits last season for reference and very few had any impact. Petry is soft as sin and he wasn't always. He's painfully soft actually. People rag on players like Schultz and Eberle for being soft. Well, Petry is at that level of soft currently.

I'm aware of the deficiencies of the hits stat. However, I'll take that over some guy deciding a player is "soft" which is one of those oft used terms that doesn't really mean anything.

I'm saying that they aren't THAT young. It's not like they are 18 or 19 years old or Nurse who has never played pro hockey for more than a few games.

They've combined for fewer than 200 games of pro hockey experience. That's raw.

I think they've showed enough at the NHL level to prove that they can play at this level and handle their own and yes, Marincin played the tough minutes with Petry last season but Fayne is here now so he'll just play with Fayne this season instead.

Other than handing a roster spots to a couple of kids, you still haven't explained why it's so imperative we blow a hole in the backend right now and put us a serious injury away from the Brad Hunt show.

This is where we disagree. I don't think it makes the D worse, maybe slightly in the short term but nothing substantial. I think with this being a development year that the team needs to start developing this year. I think the best way for Marincin and Klefbom to develop is by playing in the NHL unlike Draisaitl who looks overwhelmed but that's another story for another thread.

This despite ample evidence that playing in the AHL (you know, the actual developmental league) or picking up spot duty on the NHL roster doesn't hurt a player's development, while there exists the possibility that rushing a player can hinder them. Trading Petry is unlikely to fill any needs or bring much in return. It removes a proven NHLer from a team that is still short of such commodities. And by your own admission it doesn't improve the team. It's a bad idea. If anything, they should be talking extension. If in a year or two, Petry is your bottom pairing RHD, that's not a bad problem to have. I suspect he's gone at the deadline though, so the whole thing is moot.

I gotta run now and will respond later. It's an interesting debate, i could see both sides of the argument.
I guess it boils down to what one thinks of Petry, he seems to be a polarizing figure around here. I'm not a fan along with some others, while others are big fans of his so the opinions on the impact of his potential departure will vary.

For me it's less about being a big fan (though I appreciate his skillset) as it is that I find the arguments against him to be unpersuasive.

 

[Oiltankjob Fail]

That's a buttload of uncorroborated assumptions.

His agent came to Edmonton recently to negotiate. Why would he do that if he had zero interest in re-signing?

I think it came down to MacT's insecurity over his potential and ability to reach it along with cap issues. For Petry, it was a no-brainer in that it gives him the upper hand in negotiations for his UFA years.

Bolded 1 is perfect answer for bolded 2.

 

[knockoutpanda]

So they guy they pair people with to clam them down, get them ready for NHL compition and try and get them playing well is the the problem with our defence? When Marincin came in as a rookie they played him with Petry, when Aulie was being brought into the NHL this season he played with Petry, when Nikitin had bad games they tried playing him with Petry. If your skull is too thick to see what Petry brings and why this team needs him then that is your problem not mine.

Also Petry is the only defenceman we have that can carry the puck in cleanly into the offensive zone.

But yes we should get rid of him because the two guys we have in the press box for some reason can easily fill in for him. Even though they are both left shots and neither has really played right in their respective careers. Or that Nurse fellow will fill in oh wait he is also a left shot.

Next arguement just aquire a #1 defenceman. With Elliot Friedman stating defencemen are not moving even with a team with extras want to keep them rather than trade. Along with the fact that any one good enough has a NMC which will not waive to come to Edmonton means we are stuck with what we got and have to develope them.

 

[tinfish]

How about that rocket that got us a point tonight? What other defencemen on our team can do that? Don't blame Petry for Eakins stupid system. He was a good defencemen under Krueger and Renney.

 

[missinthejets]

How about that rocket that got us a point tonight? What other defencemen on our team can do that? Don't blame Petry for Eakins stupid system. He was a good defencemen under Krueger and Renney.

You see Petry hammer that pass home for the tying goal and I always wonder why they don't try the guy on the PP for once. It's a PP that seriously lacks a shot from the point so the first unit is Schultz and Arcobello or Eberle on the points? Come on now. You got defencemen like Petry and Nikitin who can shoot the puck hard why the **** aren't you using them on the PP? Hell PP is probably the only area Nikitin should be getting significant playing time anyway.

Eakins I think might be a good Xs and Os kind of coach but he is horrible at running a bench and putting guys in positions to utilize their strengths and mask their weaknesses.

 

[Vagabond]

How about that rocket that got us a point tonight? What other defencemen on our team can do that? Don't blame Petry for Eakins stupid system. He was a good defencemen under Krueger and Renney.

I've been harping on him for a couple seasons now and you're probably right.

Petry did have a solid game other than another brain fart in the first period. You take that out of the game and he is a solid d'man. And yes, that was an awesome rocket of a shot.

Every player was better under Krueger. If Krueger and Renney had this current roster, I bet this is a playoff team. Also, if Krueg/Renney had the maturity of the current Hall/Nuge, they'd be that much better as well.

 

[CupofOil]

So they guy they pair people with to clam them down, get them ready for NHL compition and try and get them playing well is the the problem with our defence? When Marincin came in as a rookie they played him with Petry, when Aulie was being brought into the NHL this season he played with Petry, when Nikitin had bad games they tried playing him with Petry. If your skull is too thick to see what Petry brings and why this team needs him then that is your problem not mine.

Also Petry is the only defenceman we have that can carry the puck in cleanly into the offensive zone.

But yes we should get rid of him because the two guys we have in the press box for some reason can easily fill in for him. Even though they are both left shots and neither has really played right in their respective careers. Or that Nurse fellow will fill in oh wait he is also a left shot.

Next arguement just aquire a #1 defenceman. With Elliot Friedman stating defencemen are not moving even with a team with extras want to keep them rather than trade. Along with the fact that any one good enough has a NMC which will not waive to come to Edmonton means we are stuck with what we got and have to develope them.

LOL. The guy has one good game, unleashes a rocket shot on net for the first time in years it seems and the "I told you so's" start coming out. Classic HF right there.

The way he played yesterday just reinforces the frustrations that some of us have with him. He clearly has the ability to be a consistently good defenseman but only shows it on occasion. He carries the puck well into the zone when he's not fumbling it in his own zone or outright passing it to the opposition.
Good on him for having a good game and scoring a goal and i sure hope that we see more of this from him, but it still doesn't change the fact that he has lots of brainfarts and is wildly inconsistent.