Blueline Is Bigger – But Will It Be Better?
Somewhere over the course of the last year or so, Thrashers general manager Don Waddell seems to have bought into the theory that bigger is better when it comes to an NHL team’s defensive corps. Since opening night last fall, the D-line has indeed seen considerable growth in its physical size and weight. When the Thrashers handed the Capitals a 7-4 defeat to open last year’s campaign, the six defenders wearing blue that night were Nic Havelid, Ron Hainsey, Zach Bogosian, Garnet Exelby, Tobias Enstrom and Mathieu Schneider. Two of those players were under six-feet tall…Enstrom, (5′-10″) and Schneider, (5′-11″)… and that unit averaged 6′-0 1/2″ and 199.17 pounds. The man in the press box that night, Nathan Oystrick, goes at 6′-0″ and 210 pounds.
Even though we celebrated John Anderson’s first ever NHL victory that evening, the defense surrendered 4 goals and 43 shots. That’s right…forty-frickin’-three.
By the time early January rolled around, Atlanta’s defense was allowing teams an average of 32.6 shots on goal and 3.65 goals per game. One of the main problems was that the lack of size on the blueline was allowing opposing team’s players to camp out in front of the net and many close-range shots were being taken.
It also didn’t help matters that the 6′-2″, 200 pound Zach Bogosian was out for most of that time with a leg injury. However, when Zach went down, the 6′-7″, 240 pound Boris Valabik was called upon to fill the void and, depending on whether he or Oystrick was playing, the average size of the blueline grew about an inch…to about six-one.
As the trade deadline came and went, gone where the 5′-11″, 195 pound Schneider and the 6′-0″, 200 Nic Havelid. The defensive corps got younger…and it got bigger as well. When the Thrashers walloped the Lightning 6-2 in the season finale last April, the starting defenders in that game…Hainsey, Bogosian, Exelby, Enstrom, Oystrick and Valabik…averaged 6′-1.83″ and 208.33 pounds.
Those primary players, sprinkled in with nine games by the 6′-1″ Anssi Salmela, helped the Thrashers defense play much more respectably in the closing months of the year. The team that was allowing 3.65 goals per game was now only surrendering about 3.15…and finish the year with an overall total GA/G of 3.40. Also, the team penalty kill went from a putrid 73.9% effective at the mid-point of the season to 76.0%…still not great, but better.
Although the average shots-per-game stat really did not shrink, (32.7 SA/G season overall), to me it appeared that less of the time Kari and Moose were facing shots from point-blank range.
While its true, “team” defense includes the input from the forwards, I have always contended that good defense begins with good defenders. And as the defense got bigger, it seemed to get better.
Now, after the Exelby for Kubina deal this summer, the Thrashers blueline…much like what Johnny said of Leon…. is getting lar-r-r-r-ger!
As such, if you consider an opening day lineup that could include Hainsey, Bogosian, Enstrom, Kubina, Valabik and Salmela, you would see a defensive lineup that had only one player, Enstrom, under 6-feet tall and averages 6′-2 1/2″ and 211.67 pounds.
That’s an overall average gain of two inches and almost twelve pounds since last season’s opener.
Hopefully, the “bigger defenders = better defense” trend will continue.
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231 comments Add your comment
R. Stroz
July 28th, 2009
10:24 pm
WBF & Everyone Else:
I wonder if Burke will rename the team the Toronto Maple Chiefs?
World Be Free
July 28th, 2009
10:54 pm
Stroz-Dickie Dunn broke that new name last week. Brian Burke just doesn’t realize that the days of brawling are over. The Leafs are going to resemble some of those teams I saw in the 70’s in the North American Hockey League, which produced the several players for the Charlestown Chiefs (again, back to the Chiefs).
Link on Taylor Pyatt; I was down on this possibility before. So many of you have pushed improving our penalty kill, that Pyatt may now come into play. I still think a guy 6′4″/230# should be banging people around, but he may be an option.
EOB-Mickey Rats made the finals list-spent many a night there and heard “last call, 4AM” many time – “last call, 4AM” is on the list too. This isn’t easy and I am so attached to WBF.
R. Stroz
July 28th, 2009
11:30 pm
WBF – Well crap, I thought I had something entertaining and original with The Toronto Maple Chiefs idea.
How about the Toronto Scraple Chiefs?
stendec
July 29th, 2009
12:04 am
Hi Rawhide. Hope all is well with you and yours my friend. I concede. Saw glorious photo on Thrasher page. Nice shot. Energetic looking player. I am sure he will do well this season. Seems to possess a world of potential. Surgery or no surgery. Voted for Kari Lehtonen (even spelled his name right gol durn it) in poll. Know how much of a fan favorite this netminder is. Potential star if ever I saw one. Fans got what they by God wanted. Hockey intellectuals these fans! Hope these same folks will not be too disappointed when team fails to reach playoffs. Falcons will be there. Some solace. Thrashers will probably average around three goals per game but other teams will score at a 4.5 goals per clip average. Defense does win championships and equates to playoff appearances. Oh well. Sports is not life. I really do not give a LaLa Land petunia. Have officially switched allegiances to Pittsburgh Penguins! Should be another fantastic WINNING season. God bless. Peace. Amen. Good night.
Hockey Biltong
July 29th, 2009
12:29 am
Going to the left,going to the right. Stand up, sit down, fight fight fight. I think I need a moral team compass for I am truly a lost fan….whose band wagon should I jump on now???? Perchance to dream……of a bloody Penguin….you can have those little short defecators….please pass the pipe after I snort some meth….
LAC
July 29th, 2009
4:00 am
I was surprised to see Tampa sign EX-Thrasher Kurtis Foster… Always had a BOOMING shot from the point as I recall.
World Be Free
July 29th, 2009
6:06 am
Foster is another one that should not have gotten away in the first place.
Sara
July 29th, 2009
7:38 am
LAC IIRC they clocked him at 103 mph in a skills competition in either juniors or the AHL or something. It was while he was still one of our prospects.
World Be Free
July 29th, 2009
7:41 am
Sara, with those numbers we still let him get away. He’s not the only one (back to Kunitz again).
Viking
July 29th, 2009
8:25 am
A Swedish newspaper is reporting that Ilja is becoming NHL’s highest paid player. $11.36 million per year!!!!!!!!!!
Viking
July 29th, 2009
8:31 am
Ilja is “close to an agreement” with the Thrashers. The money equals the salary ceiling. No mention for how many years.
They are saying the reports are coming from Russia.
Viking
July 29th, 2009
8:38 am
Another source is calling it a “Ilja Kovalchuk rumor”, so let’s just consider it as such.
Viking
July 29th, 2009
8:46 am
By the way, it will lead to the same pronounciation, why is Kovy’s name spelled “Ilja” over there and “Ilya” here?
R. Stroz
July 29th, 2009
9:31 am
Even though keeping Kovy is priority number one, the question is at what cost? If the Thrashers pay Kovy the cap max, doesn’t that handicap the team in the future, especially with the likelihood that the cap will drop in the 2010-2011 season?
PUTTING ON THE FOIL
July 29th, 2009
9:32 am
Ink Kovy before season + recent additions = 94 point season.
GaVaHokie- Satan might fit nicely in Anderson’s system. 1 year deal of course.
Pam on Weck
July 29th, 2009
9:37 am
WBF – You could always go for “Terrapin Station” or “The Aud”.
Smoothie
July 29th, 2009
9:48 am
Viking, I’m pretty sure that Swedish newspaper is just picking up the false (okay, not so true rumor) premise from the Russian sports news that Ilya is going to get cap max pay. The source for the report was the Jeff Schulz essay in which our esteemed columnist wrote about how Ilja’s salary could not exceed 20% of the cap or $11.36 M. There has been no report or source close to the negotiations asserting that the offer was for max salary.
Anyway, read anything on our beloved Toby Enstrom’s recovery / summer?
Viking
July 29th, 2009
9:50 am
Smoothie, No news on Enström’s recovery that I can find in Sweden. The closest I found was that Karsums (Tampa), that injured him, is rumored to be heading to KHL.
Also, he is mentioned by many as a player for the Olympics.
Smoothie
July 29th, 2009
9:56 am
Stroz, I agree that paying Kovy top dollar for any length of time could hamstring the franchise’s ability to compete for FA should this “youth movement” fail over the next 4-5 years. I wouldn’t mind seeing a front-loaded deal in which the avg salary was $9.5 M or so with a couple of years at the $11.36 M limit as a gesture to Kovy that says “we’re serious about keeping you for the rest of your career and building a champion around one of the best players in the world” kind of thing.
A deal that looks like this over 7 years perhaps ($66.5 M):
1) 11.36 2) 11.36 3) 10.5 4) 10.5 5) 9.5 6) 6.64 7) 6.64
The biggest problem with paying Kovy $3 M more in cap hit will mean that Kozlov could become a casualty unless he is willing to give the ASG a serious “hometown” discount. If Kozzy manages to put up a 60+ point season, he will be worth $3.5-4 M easy on the open market.
Smoothie
July 29th, 2009
9:59 am
Thanks Viking. In the second part re: the Olympics, I’m assuming you mean Enstrom? Of course, Latvia’s depth is such that they might need Karsums sorry butt on their team. Did Latvia even qualify for the Olympics? I’m thinking that they didn’t despite moving up to the “elite” pool of teams in the IIHF’s pecking order.
World Be Free
July 29th, 2009
10:01 am
Pam-very good one!
Viking
July 29th, 2009
10:09 am
Smothie, I noticed my unclarity the moment I hit the submit button.
Commonly Enström is paired with Oduya for the Olympics, who I would have liked to see in a Thrashers sweater this season.
Viking
July 29th, 2009
10:11 am
Enter your comments here
Jerret
July 29th, 2009
10:17 am
Well good article and I believe that the D is getting better. It is nice to see Boris in the line up being he was a first round pick. Now if we can get some puck control we would be great. I think the Thrash displays quality goalies and decent blue liners in the past but puck control is what we need. I dont think you can blame the Blue liners and Goalies on everysingle shot on goal. Forwards have to be part of the 40 shots the goalie sees on a daily basis.
Smoothie
July 29th, 2009
10:28 am
Viking, Enstrom with Oduya…droooooool! Although I’m pretty happy with Bogey and Toby. Having Oduya in Thrasher blue would have been nice, but we’d be smallish again especially if you pair the two Swedes right?
Jerret, good to see someone coming out of the weeds to post! You are right, the defensive improvement will be the result of better team play (thru a better team concept) and a more consistent control of the puck. Puck possession *should* improve with the additions of Antropov and Kubina in theory considering who they are replacing (Perrin & XLB).
Rawhide
July 29th, 2009
10:34 am
Jerret – Welcome…and well said. Chime in more often!
The Earl of Bud
July 29th, 2009
10:52 am
Kurtis Foster? He has 186 NHL games in 8 years. I’ll take Havelid over him anyday.
World Be Free & Pam on Weck, Mickey Rats and Terrapin Station made me chuckle, but the Aud is just too obvious.
“Forwards have to be part of the 40 shots the goalie sees on a daily basis.”
Jerret you are correct. Why shouldn’t we look at the forwards when we are facing 50 shots a night? I mean it can’t be defense alone that allows us to face 60 shots a night. The forwards definitely have something to do with those 75 shots we face every night. If they can backcheck and do something about those 90 shots we face every night, we will be allright. And I don’t want a repeat of last year when we faced over 100 shots every night!
Please folks, Hedberg played 33 games for us last year and only faced 26 shots a night. Of the 44 goalies who played at least 1,500 minutes last season, he was 39 out of 44 for most shots faced per game. Yes Lehtonen was in the top five with 32 shots a game, but that’s because of the rebounds he gives up. Enough of this “40 shots a game our goalie faces every night”.
Smoothie, I am extremely confident that Kovalchuk is signing, but I can’t wait to see the breakdown of the contract. It almost has to be extended to lower the cap hit.
Smoothie
July 29th, 2009
11:00 am
Hey, did the blog get sucked into a black blogospheric hole over the last 45 minutes? Where’s my post addressing Viking and Jerret?
Trixie!
A2B
July 29th, 2009
11:13 am
So San Jose just admitted they are shopping Patrick Marleau and Jonathan Cheechoo. I say forget about all these other names and trade Todd White and a Dman (excluding our top four Bogo, Kubina, Hainsey, Enstrom) so that they get cap space back and we get a number one center. If we could pull this off, we could have some freakishly talented scoring lines.
World Be Free
July 29th, 2009
12:19 pm
EOB + Pam-where are your BUF roots, North-South-E-W? City of suburbs?
The Earl of Bud
July 29th, 2009
12:34 pm
World Be Free, northtowns that a mile up the street from me you can see Toronto across the lake on a sunny day. Remember, I just went out to the Porter Cup.
A2B, it’s always fun to dream, but I wouldn’t want Cheechoo right now. Also, Marleau is an UFA after this year so we could lose him for nothing.
Pam on Weck
July 29th, 2009
1:32 pm
WBF – Would love to compare our Buffalo histories, but I don’t want to beleaguer the blog readers too much. Heh. Email is jajunk017@yahoo.com if you (or anyone) want to say hey. And I’ve been using ‘017′ since before Kovy. Ironically, it was originally in honor of another sports figure.
The Earl of Bud
July 29th, 2009
3:01 pm
We may just get MM instead of Detroit after all. While he is said to be at the top of their list here – http://www.freep.com/article/20090727/SPORTS05/907270360/1053/Former-Red-Wings-might-fill-multiple-vacancies
SN just said that Detroit just made an offer to Williams. But their site keeps timing out on me.
dwayne
July 29th, 2009
3:25 pm
MM ????? Mickey Mouse???
Thrashers Recaps
July 29th, 2009
3:46 pm
Bigger = better?
I’ve been thinking about doing a league-wide analysis on this to see if defender height/weight correlates with shot differential, goal differential, or any meaningful metric other than hits because I’m skeptical. With bigger guys you can end up with slower speed and more penalties…
GaVaHokie
July 29th, 2009
3:53 pm
dwayne… Manny Malhotra
The Earl of Bud
July 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
“With bigger guys you can end up with slower speed and more penalties…”
cough Valabik cough
The SN link is up now and it does say that Williams got a one year offer from Detroit. So we’ll see if that makes them less likely to sign Manny. Also, when I said “he” is at the top of Detroit’s list, I meant Williams, not Malhotra who is 4th or 5th on that list.
Lee
July 29th, 2009
4:35 pm
excellent article!!!!! this is what i have been waiting for and it is also my concern too. i think the same thing. what i think was the worst trade was exelby for kubina. WHO IN THE HECK WOULD TRADE EX FOR KUBINA???? KUBINA SUCKS!!! now, antropov will make a difference, but kubina, uh no. if the thrashers would really want to boost their lineup, they are gonna hav to trade cuz those cheepo owners sure aren’t gonna get an expensive player. I CAN”T STAND THOSE OWNERS!!! we are like 20,000 under our sal cap and we haven’t spent a dang cent on a good player. i mean come on!!! im sick and tired. oh yeah, fire waddy and hire dudley. i have notin ‘gainst waddy, but i think we need a change!
(lehtonen went to my hospital)!!!
Lee
July 29th, 2009
4:38 pm
just cuz kuby is bigger dosen’t mean he’s better, it just mean he commits more penelties.
hey im new into bloggin!!
World Be Free
July 29th, 2009
6:40 pm
Lee, first of all, welcome to the blog, good to have yet another opinion on board.
I think most of us believe we need add another body, probably a 2-way forward to help out on the penalty kill. Maybe add another depth defenseman, 2 way contract possible.
Not sure I agree with you on Kubina. He played well in Tampa, got slammed for being a JFJ guy in Toronto. I think he will do well here, because he will be asked to play his game. He’s not a no. 1 guy here, so let him come and play, see where it goes. I think Duds has alotta input here and that’s a good thing.
Don’t be shy-not that you have shown that so far.
Sam
July 29th, 2009
7:51 pm
thx, and i guess ur right. i guess i really haven’t sat down and just watched kuby. i just looked at his stats from last year and he wasn’t the best player in the world, but im sure hes good if we traded ex
lee
July 29th, 2009
7:53 pm
sry, my name isn’t sam, i accidently typed it in!!
World Be Free
July 29th, 2009
9:34 pm
Lee, remember he played for the Maple Loafs last year. Let’s hope Anderson can utilize his strenghts better than Toronto did last year.
World Be Free
July 30th, 2009
8:22 am
Another day waiting for Malholtra-now Carolina wants him too
GaVaHokie
July 30th, 2009
9:09 am
This will be the 2nd time in two years that Jason Williams has had to replace Marian Hossa on a team.
Pam on Weck
July 30th, 2009
9:21 am
GaVaHokie said: “This will be the 2nd time in two years that Jason Williams has had to replace Marian Hossa on a team.”
And sadly, he’s not even a poor man’s Hossa.
lee
July 30th, 2009
10:08 am
i anderson can do somthin to change kubina. i think anderson has done a fine job coaching.
I am very concerned for malhotra, i want to see what he will do.
im excited for antropov, i think he’ll be great.
The Earl of Bud
July 30th, 2009
10:33 am
Williams isn’t going there to replace Hossa though. Franzen will take Hossa’s top line RW spot with Datsyuk. Cleary will be the 2nd line RW. That leaves Williams going there to replace Samuelsson (free agent to Vancouver).
LAC
July 30th, 2009
11:54 am
They are WHINING now in “canada” over Phoenix not moving to “canada”.
Just WHY do these “canada” fans think they own the game of professional Ice Hockey ? It is an International game played all over the world.
What gives THEM ownership over the NHL ??? They are CRAZY !!!
They blame the commissioner, they blame America, the want Phoenix,Atlanta, Nashville etc… But where did Quebec City Go and Winnipeg ? These “canada” WHINERS need to shut the HELL up. The NHL is not “their” league and how many fans here would want to live in edmonton ???? ZERO !!!!
Let’s face it “canada” fans, GROW UP, stop acting like little babies
every time a team does not move to “canada” I always liked Canada, butafter seeing how these WHINER fans act, the hell with “north of the border” At least they did not start another futile attempt to include Atlanta !
Hockey Biltong
July 30th, 2009
12:39 pm
200th?