Todd Bersnoozi wrote:Island Nucklehead wrote:Well it's pretty tough to be hard on Hamhuis when you claim you want Phaneuf. If you think Hamhuis is mistake-prone or overrated then you'd tear your eyes out watching some of Phaneuf's blunders.
The sad thing (for Phaneuf) is, Babcock wanted an even Left-Right handed split. So Hamhuis and Phaneuf (both lefties) were competing for the same position. It says a lot when a team without salary cap constraints picks Dan Hamhuis as a better d-man.
Yes, I admitted as much that Dion will make his share of mistakes, I compared him to Jovo (million dollar talent, 2 cent brain). As far as the olympics goes, it's a different game, much more skating and open ice. Round robin, one game and u could be out. It's apple and oranges.
I'll state this again, if I'm going into the NHL playoffs and I'm getting ready to play the Kings, Sharks and Ducks in a grueling 7 game series, I'd take Dion to patrol to my blueline anytime. He's physically stronger and he can play the tuff minutes logging a ton of ice time. Hammer on the hand struggles against bigger doods and struggles if he's over-worked like he is now; he's really better as a 2nd pairing guy. Plus, lots of great players didn't make the olympic squad, like Lucic and St. Louis. Personally, I'd take Lucic and St. Louis over half those forwards that made Team Canada. That's just my opinion, u are welcome to disagree.
Give your head a shake Toddler, and next time go look at some stats and recaps so you actually have half a clue about what you are talking about.
Since the Christmas break Vancouver has played 6 games, 4 of them back-to-back, the most recent being against LA and Anaheim, two of the toughest teams in the league. During those games Hamhuis has been very good, certainly not mistake free, but he's played well and he's played BIG minutes. Scuttlebutt was that it was during these games that the final decisions regarding team Canada were made, but I digress, Take a look.....
@ CGY: 29:22 and a +1
vs PHI: 32:30 and a +1
vs TB: 29:29 and even
@ LA: 27:38 and even
@ ANA: 31:32 and even
vs PIT: 26:53 and -2
The last 3 games were against 3 of the best teams in the league, and all of the back-to-backs involved at least one game on the road.
Maybe we should look at Toronto's schedule since the break too.....No? Ok, we will anyways.....
vs BUF: 25:56 and -1
vs CAR: 22:55 and +3
@ DET: 28:24 and +2
vs NYR: 22:13 and even
vs NYI: 23:34 and -3
None of Toronto's games were back-to-back. In fact, the leaves had 2 nights off between every game except the first two. None of those opponents are top teams, Buffalo is the last overall, Carolina sits 21st, Detroit is barely staying afloat and a single point above the leaves, the Rangers are in the final playoff spot by a nose, and the Islanders sit 26th, and other than a couple of players on the Rangers, none of those teams are going to come in and physically impose themselves on their opponents.
And Phaneuf still fucks up left and right.....but you're right Toddler, it's because he's playing the "tuff" minutes and logging tons of ice time.
I don't even know how you bring Phaneuf into the playoff argument here either.....he's never gone beyond the first round, and he's a career minus-18 when he gets there. Minus fucking 18!!!!! His mistakes last year, in what is surely the most epic series deciding game 7 meltdown of all time by any team, were hilarious.
Keep it up Toddler.