Are these numbers adjusted for competition and ice time? I mean, I look at these guys and I see them being the 5th or 6th D on their teams and I remember how competent being on the third pair made guys like Lebda and Lilja look...until they got more ice time and bigger roles.
The truth is that we've added a bunch of third pairing D to this team who are now going to likely be getting some more minutes, some heavier responsibility, with less help from their teammates than they got in their previous situation and likely playing a system that doesn't exactly embrace the idea of shutting things down and limiting chances (maybe Blashill will finally adjust that, but I doubt it).
IT still is that maybe we have added three 3rd pair guys, but it also still is, that only one has to play at 2nd pair. One has to win the competition and then defence is fine. DeKeyser-Hronek in 1st pair, Nemeth + somebody at 2nd pair. Think it will be Stecher, he has handled toughest assignments (shut-down pair duties at 1st pair) mostly with Edler in the past. Merrill-Djoos on 3rd pair.
The key is that Ericsson-Daley-Cholowski-Bowey -mess is gone. All were bad defensive players. Three legit guys DeKeyser, Hronek, Nemeth are left. Then add partners for them.
Average Ice-times from last 2 seasons:
Hronek, 22:16
Nemeth, 22:02
DeKeyser, 21:59
Merrill, 18:00
Stecher, 17:46
Djoos, 14:40 (played 22:12 at ANA so there's some)
That's kind of normal minute distribution.
Think the usage goes like this:
Defensive Zone faceoff:
Nemeth - Stecher
Nemeth had huge load at last season in these, and is good on those situations, to force the puck out from the zone. We don't have to sacrifise Hronek there, and Stecher can come out with the puck. Nemeth can just clear.
Offensive Zone faceoff
Djoos - Merrill
This is how Djoos becomes a key addition. We would not have offensive player to Offensive Zone faceoff, other than Hronek. He gives another option, the sheltered one.
Hybrid Top pair (plays on both situations)
DeKeyser - Hronek
Plays on PP
1. Hronek
2. Djoos (this kid played 2:38 min PP at Anaheim, when Cam Fowler was injured. Was slotted straight to his role)
Plays on PK
1. DeKeyser - Nemeth
2. Merril - Stecher/(Hronek as spare option, if Defenceman causes the PK)
It slots pretty well, imo. If Marc Staal is at Top6, I don't know who goes to PP as another option. DeKeyser? Don't like that.