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Will Anton Stralman emerge as the #4 defenseman this year?

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Crease said:
Thrilled to have a guy like him on the 3rd pair. The advanced scouts hit a homerun when they flagged him.
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No kidding. The guy was terribad in Columbus though. Considering Jersey didn't have the most spectacular defense I was shocked when they didn't offer him a spot (despite how bad he was in Columbus) and I was petrified when we signed him. However, he has been such a fantastic surprise. Considering how much Torts relied on the defense and he still played to the level he did, speaks volumes about how far he has come.
 
JCrusty said:
To join the Michael Del Zotto club, please call 1-888-MDZ-BEST to receive your complimentary key chain.
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KCJ4001.jpg
 
Most defensemen peak between 28-32. Del Zotto is 23. He's got plenty of time to put together his game. Whats funny is that whenever he approaches "I-want-to-grab-him-by-the-neck" levels, he makes a killer homerun pass that sends a guy on a breakaway.
 
Crease said:
Most defensemen peak between 28-32. Del Zotto is 23. He's got plenty of time to put together his game. Whats funny is that whenever he approaches "I-want-to-grab-him-by-the-neck" levels, he makes a killer homerun pass that sends a guy on a breakaway.
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So: there is a really good chance Strålman will be the better player for the next five years then.. :)
 
Crease said:
Most defensemen peak between 28-32. Del Zotto is 23. He's got plenty of time to put together his game. Whats funny is that whenever he approaches "I-want-to-grab-him-by-the-neck" levels, he makes a killer homerun pass that sends a guy on a breakaway.
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Agreed. He is definitely inconsistent, but when DZ is on, he's a better overall defenseman than Stralman.

In any sport, consistency is one of the best qualities to have with any player. Since Stralman is consistently solid, he's our number as of now.
 
I just think Del Zotto would be able to develop much more comfortably from the third pairing and 2nd PP unit, where the expectations are lower and he isn't facing top 6 forwards.

You get a good relationship with he and Moore going and it could work for a long time. Staal-Stralman and McD-Girardi are already proven tandems.
 
Fitzy said:
I just think Del Zotto would be able to develop much more comfortably from the third pairing and 2nd PP unit, where the expectations are lower and he isn't facing top 6 forwards.

You get a good relationship with he and Moore going and it could work for a long time. Staal-Stralman and McD-Girardi are already proven tandems.
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As a matter of fact I'd prefer Staal-Girardi and McD-Strålman.

(Healthy) Staal-Girardi works as well as McD-Girardi, but McD-Strålman was a lot better than Staal-Strålman.

If we disregard goal differentials due to sample size issues (although they speak heavily in favour of my argument) and only look at possession numbers this is how the pairings performed last year:

McD-Girardi: 51.1%
Staal-Girardi: 52.8%

Staal-Strålman: 55.5%
McD-Strålman: 60.9%

MDZ's results with McD/Staal for reference:

Staal-MDZ: 48.2%
McD-MDZ: 47.3%
 
I hope not, because that would show that Del Zotto is capable of playing the right side at a high level. Therefore, giving us one of it not the best D in the entire league with Moore/Stralman at the bottom pair.
 
So say we send John Moore to the right side this year

McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Stralman
MDZ-Moore

Or

McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Moore
MDZ-Stralman

Or

McDonagh-Moore
Staal-Girardi
MDZ-Stralman

?

The first seems the most likely of the three but the 2nd intrigues me.

Or will MDZ go right side and play with Staal?
 
I know it is the "it thing" around here these days to be in love with Stralman, but people seem to be missing the fact that there is just as much of a chance that Stralman becomes the #7 as there is that he becomes the #4.

He was a journeyman who was laughed out of some pretty bad defensive teams before getting here. He failed in every system he played in before Torts' simplified system. Torts is gone, and if Strals is going to be a #4 D, his sheltered minutes will be gone as well. I want to see if he can keep up his play. Did he develop (finally) or did he just find the system that suits his abilities? I honestly don't know, and it will be interesting to watch.

Finally, a LOT depends on Dylan McIlrath. If McI makes the NHL team as a regular at some point this season, you can bet your ass he's going to be parked right next to MDZ. It's why they drafted him. They've had visions of MDZ/McI being a (very VERY) poor man's Leetch/Beukeboom reincarnation since that draft.

That gives a D-Corps of:

Staal/Girardi/McD/MDZ/McI---and one more guy. Personally, I would think Moore would be that guy before Strals.

Bottom line--Strals (like Eminger before him) is more likely to be fighting to make the bench by the end of the season than he will be the 2nd pair.
 
smoneil said:
I know it is the "it thing" around here these days to be in love with Stralman, but people seem to be missing the fact that there is just as much of a chance that Stralman becomes the #7 as there is that he becomes the #4.

He was a journeyman who was laughed out of some pretty bad defensive teams before getting here. He failed in every system he played in before Torts' simplified system. Torts is gone, and if Strals is going to be a #4 D, his sheltered minutes will be gone as well. I want to see if he can keep up his play. Did he develop (finally) or did he just find the system that suits his abilities? I honestly don't know, and it will be interesting to watch.

Finally, a LOT depends on Dylan McIlrath. If McI makes the NHL team as a regular at some point this season, you can bet your ass he's going to be parked right next to MDZ. It's why they drafted him. They've had visions of MDZ/McI being a (very VERY) poor man's Leetch/Beukeboom reincarnation since that draft.

That gives a D-Corps of:

Staal/Girardi/McD/MDZ/McI---and one more guy. Personally, I would think Moore would be that guy before Strals.

Bottom line--Strals (like Eminger before him) is more likely to be fighting to make the bench by the end of the season than he will be the 2nd pair.
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"They've had", or, you've had?

Stralman plays a very simple game, he'd be fine in any system. He's not the kind of player you can anchor a defense around, but put him on a decent team (i.e. NOT past Toronto, Columbus teams.), and, well he'll succeed.
 
Last edited:
JohnC said:
So say we send John Moore to the right side this year

McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Stralman
MDZ-Moore

Or

McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Moore
MDZ-Stralman

Or

McDonagh-Moore
Staal-Girardi
MDZ-Stralman

?

The first seems the most likely of the three but the 2nd intrigues me.

Or will MDZ go right side and play with Staal?
Click to expand...
Staal should play right side, as he can't see out of his right eye.
 
aufheben said:
"They've had", or, you've had?

Stralman plays a very simple game, he'd be fine in any system. He's not the kind of player you can anchor a defense around, but put him on a decent team (i.e. NOT past Toronto, Columbus teams.), and, well he'll succeed.
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"They've had." I personally would prefer to see MDZ paired with a mobile defensive rock. McI will need someone to cover for him if he goes for the big hit--I think he would work best on a shut down pairing with someone like Staal. MDZ has always played his best hockey when lined up on the left side with a partner who could skate and focused on pure defense (see--MDZ/Sauer). If McD could play the right (has he ever been tried there? I can't remember seeing it), I would love to see MDZ/McD, Staal/McI, Moore/Girardi.

You say Stralman would be fine in any system. The problem with that is that he HASN'T been fine in any system. He's been awful in two systems, he couldn't even make the team in a 3rd system, and he was a great bottom pairing guy in Torts' system. None of those teams, including the Rangers, have ever tried to make him into an "anchor you can build a defense around." Not sure where you are getting that. My point is that people keep claiming he is this team's #4. He hasn't been that in his time here, and he's been far worse than that in his other NHL stops.

As I said, if an injury hits or if a couple of guys falter, he might get a chance to prove that he can be an NHL #4 D. I just think that it is AS likely that he finishes the season as the #7 if McI makes the jump.
 
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