Potatoe1 wrote:Edler is a no1 guy, he's just not a superstar no1 like Weber / Pronger / Chara.
Labeling him a no3 is absolutely laughable and really shows that you are entirely clueless when it comes to the rest of the league.
I like how saying someone is a very good top 3 defenseman means I label him a number 3. A top 3 means he can slot anywhere in the top 3. Doesn't necessarily mean he is a number one guy though. Just that he can be used in that capacity in a pinch. Again, I go back to the consistency. I said in a different post/reply to someone else, he can dominate the rink when he brings what he has the potential to bring. But he often brings his B+ game and sometimes his C- game. I just don't see Edler's A game enough to be satisfied with him as the anchor on the blueline.
Pot wrote:Just to put it perspective meds lets do a little exercise.
Set asside the canucks and look at the rest of the conference (given you might actually have seeen some of these guys play). Give me a list of the defenseman you believe are clearly better then Edler.
Here let me get you started
Weber
Suter
Keith
DD
Ummm
Maybe Seabrook, Yandle, and Boyle,,, maybe.
Whats the average salary of that group?
For starters I can't stand Doughty. I think he's the most overpaid defenseman in the NHL. Right now he has 4 points and is a minus-10. I would take Edler over him. When you stack up the best game that each of them can bring I think Doughty edges Edler on skating and puck control but gives up a bit on physical strength and checking. $7M a year for what a guy MIGHT bring to the ice? No thanks.....I'm already unhappy with Edler's inconsistency.
As for salary, I initially balked at the extension and was pissed that we gave him that much. It was pointed out to me the comparable salaries in the league and since then I have had no issue with his $5M. In fact I already said in this thread that if not for the warts on Edler's game that UW pointed out, Edler would likely have gotten a contract in the $6M range.
When someone talks to me about a defenseman being a number one guy, I'm framing that as a guy who would be the defensive corps anchor on any team. There are plenty of teams out there that have top pairings comprised of defenseman who are really not much more than 2's and good 3's. Since you are so hung up on salary I will agree with you that Edler's extension does land him in a group of other defenseman who are now brutal overpayments when stacked against Edler. There are even some $6+M defensemen out there that are not as good as Edler. I think they are badly overpaid and if they were playing here for the same cash I would be just as disgruntled with them.
Look at all of the players that are on my shit list. They are all pretty much good players that other teams wouldn't mind having, but they are all guys who just mail it in on a given night. Raymond, is the first one that comes to mind right now. He's off to a great season here, but I've watched a skilled player who has amazing speed simply phone his game in on any given night and not play the way he is capable of playing. Don't care how much he's being paid. Anyone who makes close to the money these guys make doesn't have the luxury of taking a day off at the office.