Q: How do you fix a soft blueline?

[photomike]

ORPIK, enough said!!!! would love to those little bitches Perry and Kunitz cross our blueline with their heads down with this guy in a Kings uniform

[maddenjohn]

This is my main concern every off-season. The Kings have had a soft blueline for a long time, and all our young offensive talent will go to waste for the next couple years if the Kings cannot bolster the defensive corps. I wish Boston hadn't locked up Chara until 2011/12, because he would qualify as a guy that would immediately bolster any weak blueline. Orpik would be good, but any other suggestions?

[BDTR]

Originally Posted by maddenjohn

This is my main concern every off-season. The Kings have had a soft blueline for a long time, and all our young offensive talent will go to waste for the next couple years if the Kings cannot bolster the defensive corps. I wish Boston hadn't locked up Chara until 2011/12, because he would qualify as a guy that would immediately bolster any weak blueline. Orpik would be good, but any other suggestions?

Commodore isn't the monster that Orpik is, but he's definitely not soft. Jason Smith is also tough as nails but I'm going to assume Philly will try their best to retain their captain.

[ryan]

Originally Posted by BDTR

Commodore isn't the monster that Orpik is, but he's definitely not soft. Jason Smith is also tough as nails but I'm going to assume Philly will try their best to retain their captain.

Not according to a number of their fans. There are quite a few wishing good riddance and calls being made to re-invest the cap space he took up to acquire a puck moving defenseman.

For example...

I think it is positive for flyers if Smith goes to Jersey.There is plenty of bluelines there he can trip over. maybe Briere can score a 5 on 5 goal with Smith on ice.

Good he is a shell of his former self.

there is no room on this team for a 2 million dollar third pairing defenseman........playing kukkonen and gauthier could easily make up for smith leaving.

not gonna lie, smith has been the biggest disappointment for me this season.

I'd rather have Hatcher for one more season than to resign Smith for 2 or 3. Gauthier can probably do everything Smith can, minus a few intangibles, of course.

I say goodbye to Modrey & Hatch & Smith, you can time these guys with an hour glass going blueline to blueline.

[ryan]

For comparison's sake here are some numbers:

 Free Agents

Brook Orpik		Age: 26		239 Hits	122 Blocks (77 Games)
Jan Hejda		Age: 29		142 Hits	 86 Blocks (78 Games)
Jason Smith		Age: 33		142 Hits	200 Blocks (76 Games)
Mike Commodore		Age: 27		138 Hits	 94 Blocks (65 Games)
Aaron Ward		Age: 34		136 Hits	116 Blocks (63 Games)
Andreas Lilja		Age: 31		129 Hits	109 Blocks (77 Games)
Jim Vandermeer		Age: 27		124 Hits	 67 Blocks (73 Games)
Jeff Finger		Age: 27		121 Hits	115 Blocks (71 Games)

Kings Defense

Rob Blake		Age: 37		 92 Hits	140 Blocks (69 Games)
Jack Johnson		Age: 20		 84 Hits	136 Blocks (74 Games)
Lubomir Visnovsky	Age: 30		 59 Hits	117 Blocks (80 Games)
Kevin Dallman		Age: 26		 40 Hits	 25 Blocks (32 Games)
Jon Klemm		Age: 37		 31 Hits	 20 Blocks (20 Games)
Tom Preissing		Age: 29		 21 Hits	 42 Blocks (75 Games)
Peter Harrold		Age: 24		  6 Hits	 12 Blocks (23 Games)

[Goon Squad]

Kevin Dallman 40 Hits (32 Games)
Jon Klemm 31 Hits (20 Games)
Tom Preissing 21 Hits (75 Games)

Ok, some guys are hitters and some aren't, but 21 hits in 75 games as a defenseman? Dallman has double the hits in less than 1/2 the games???? Dallman.

I hate to say it Doughty lovers, but he's not the D we need. If we don't draft Bogosian, we better hope Kidd and Bagnall have what it takes.

[The Fly]

Tom Preissing Age: 29 21 Hits 42 Blocks (75 Games)

Interesting. I've said all along that TP is a pussy and it looks like the numbers prove it.

Anyone know of some sort of stat that could give a good indication/stat of hits and blocks per game or something like that for comparative purposes? One could argue that a hit or a block could be more valuable than the other (plusses and minuses favoring each), I'm just thinking there is probably some sort of "ideal" mix. You know, you don't have to hit a lot to be effective as long as you are blocking a good number of shots or you don't need to necessarily block a lot of shots if you are crushing guys and being intimidating (to force turnovers, to which a block can certainly contribute).

Part of a weak defense is either lack of hits and/or blocked shots and the numbers for the Kings certainly don't lie. Yuk! Kings need more guys who enjoy contact with either an opponent (not the Selanne kind of "steam room" contact!) or the puck. These numbers won't make anyone fear the Kings D (until JMFJ is turned loose by the Crow). Soft hockey is for girls and squirts.

Intimidation (hitting or the fear thereof) is a HUGE factor in the game and is tangible enough for it to be included/measured as a Strat-O-Matic factor so you CAN put a value on it. So DL, start putting some value on it and get a set of D that adds this because being soft gets you beat. Have any soft teams made a serious playoff run in the last 50 years?

[Butch 19]

How do you fix a soft blueline?

The year after you have a first-year starting goalie that wins 31 games behind a terrible D (and it's still pretty bad), and you have the #11 pick - you pick the best D available, period.

Ty Wishart or Mark Mitera? I don't know...? Either of those guys could be playing here next year, and we could still have Ersberg... (and JLB, and...)

[RagBone]

Easy: Stop using so much Downey!

[PowrrrPlay]

Originally Posted by The Fly

Tom Preissing Age: 29 21 Hits 42 Blocks (75 Games)

Interesting. I've said all along that TP is a pussy and it looks like the numbers prove it.

Anyone know of some sort of stat that could give a good indication/stat of hits and blocks per game or something like that for comparative purposes? One could argue that a hit or a block could be more valuable than the other (plusses and minuses favoring each), I'm just thinking there is probably some sort of "ideal" mix. You know, you don't have to hit a lot to be effective as long as you are blocking a good number of shots or you don't need to necessarily block a lot of shots if you are crushing guys and being intimidating (to force turnovers, to which a block can certainly contribute).

Part of a weak defense is either lack of hits and/or blocked shots and the numbers for the Kings certainly don't lie. Yuk! Kings need more guys who enjoy contact with either an opponent (not the Selanne kind of "steam room" contact!) or the puck. These numbers won't make anyone fear the Kings D (until JMFJ is turned loose by the Crow). Soft hockey is for girls and squirts.

Intimidation (hitting or the fear thereof) is a HUGE factor in the game and is tangible enough for it to be included/measured as a Strat-O-Matic factor so you CAN put a value on it. So DL, start putting some value on it and get a set of D that adds this because being soft gets you beat. Have any soft teams made a serious playoff run in the last 50 years?

So then, your favourite hockey team is the NY Giants?

[KINGS17]

How do you fix it?

Let Blake walk. Trade Cammalleri plus the Dallas' 1st for a bonafide top 4 defenseman in the 23-26 age range. Then go out and sign 2 UFAs. Guys like Orpik, Smith, Hainsey, and Hejda hold the most interest for me.