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First off, I admit I changed this blog after realizing I blamed Bryan Murray for making "His worst decision ever" when he was NOT the GM at the time of the decision below. It was John Muckler.
I am an idiot. Mr. Murray I am so sorry.
Sometimes in the NHL I agree with a move a GM makes completely and it turns out we were both HORRIBLY wrong. One move which, at the time, I praised GM John Muckler endlessly for is the move I consider "The worst decision a GM ever made regarding a defenseman."
It was a move (at the time) I professed to be "a tough decision, but the obvious decision. The only way to go."
What move was it?
(the answer to come)
On Doughty and Schenn
Camps are now between 24 and 72 hours from opening. Myers has signed. Tavares has signed Both happened this morning and both moves are huge.
And yet we all are still waiting on two key players, two huge defensemen, Drew Doughty and Luke Schenn, to officially agree to contracts.. I don't think either is about money at this point, and I fully believe by the time camps open both will be.
But why has it taken this long? Why is it so hard to evaluate the value of a defenseman in the NHL? Why does no one seem to know exactly what a young defenseman is worth?
What would you pay Doughty or Schenn?
Back to my Defense Question.
What was the one move I agreed with GM Muckler on that turned out to be the worst move of his NHL career? I am sure many of you agreed at the time as well. I wrote a blog at the time and over 60% felt they would do the same thing that Muckler eventually did.
Answer: The decision to keep Wade Redden over Zdeno Chara.
At the time both were UFAs and the Sens were coming off a great season. They had to deal with Heatley and Spezza contracts...They kept Redden and let Chara go.
So what's my point?
We hear it often said that it is hard to evaluate defensemen in the NHL when they are young. That it takes time for them to develop into what they will become. That often a guy who struggles on one team surfaces on another as a star. This was never more apparent to me than standing 5 feet away on the ice and watching Dennis Seidenberg raise the Stanley Cup.
But Redden and Chara weren't young. At the time the Sens let Chara go he was what many felt to be "established." As was Redden.
My point here is maybe it isn't all about age when it comes to evaluating potential on D and figuring out how much to pay a guy like Doughty or Schenn...maybe it'ss a little more than that. Maybe the situation/system a defenseman plays in is also a HUGE factor.
As the Sens struggled, so did Redden. As the Bruins flourished, so did Chara.
I am heading down to the Flyers/Caps rookie game at the Wells Fargo Center. The game starts at 5pm, doors open at 3:30. Admission is FREE, but you need to print out a reservation to bring with you. If you are in the Philly area this is a great chance to bring your kid to a game.
Reserve your FREE tickets HERE
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