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Tribute to Sean O'Donnell |
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Today being St. Patrick's Day I feel it is appropriate to shine the spotlight on a member of the Anaheim Ducks who is not only of Irish descent (I assume) but also extremely underrated. That player is Sean O'Donnell.
O'Donnell has played in all 74 of the Ducks games this season (one of only three player to do so along with Francois Beauchemin and Chris Kunitz) and while he has just two goals and nine points on the year he has been without a doubt one of Anaheim's most consistent and reliable players.
Defensive defenseman in the NHL are much like offensive lineman in the NFL - fans only notice them when they screw up. In that vein it should be taken as a compliment to O'Donnell when I say that fans rarely notice him. While he may not be scoring goals, making highlight reel hits or even getting onto the ice during the power play O'Donnell has a significant role to play and he does it well.
O'Donnell is a +9 on the year and say what you will about that stat, with regards to defensive defenseman it's really all they can point to as proof of their value. The Ducks are not the highest scoring team in the league and for a large portion of the season O'Donnell was facing some of the opponents top forwards due to injuries to Mathieu Schneider or the semi-retirement of Scott Niedermayer. To have a +9 this late into the season is a sign that, more often than not, good things are happening for the Ducks when O'Donnell is on the ice.
Next time you watch a Ducks game take the time to look for #21 and appreciate the little things he does. Clearing the puck from the defensive zone, forcing an opponent to pass before he wanted to, tying up an opponents stick to prevent him from getting to a rebound, clearing traffic from in front of the crease to allow J.S. Giguere to see the shot, staying back and allowing his defensive partner more freedom to join the rush. These things, and many more, are examples of the types of plays Sean O'Donnell makes on a regular basis and are why he's a valuable member of the Ducks defense and organization.
Ducks fans, please join me in raising a glass in honor of Ducks defenseman, and Stanley Cup Champion, Sean O'Donnell.
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