He’s in the twilight of his career for sure, but he was pretty solid for Florida for a couple of years.
- prock

His contract suggests he was supposed to be better than "pretty solid" which is what I was trying to say. Either way Yandle>Campbell.

No i'm not at all saying that.

Then how do you read those stats? Cause to if players have same amount of points then they are tied are they not?
- SJSharks39

There are 40 players with 10 or more points. Therefore Yandle is 41st and tied for 41st along with any other defenseman that has 9 ES points.

His contract suggests he was supposed to be better than "pretty solid" which is what I was trying to say. Either way Yandle>Campbell.
- uf1910

Contract aside, currently, I'd agree. A couple of years ago, it was a lot closer. I'd give the edge to Yandle a couple of years ago as well, but I think you're underselling Campbell.

D-man like Yandle are extremely important b/c they make plays to get the puck out of the d-zone. That is why his stats show he is such a good player b/c when Yandle is on the ice he doesn't get pinned in the d-zone. Defensively is he in the class of the Weber's, absolutely not. Offensively is he in the class of Karlsson? Of course not. But he is absolutely NOT a defensive liability and to say he is means you haven't watched him play. He is a solid top pair d-man or at worst a significantly above average 2nd pair d-man. If he plays on the top pair is he there to shut down the other team's top line? No. He is there to get the puck out of the zone and into the offensive zone where the rest of his guys can pin the other team's top line in their d-zone and at the same time keep them from scoring b/c, well they are stuck in their d-zone.

Either way I believe he will get dealt by the deadline and the package the Yotes receive will probably raise a few eyebrows. Why? Well there are too many teams in need of D and on top of that very few true sellers and even fewer with legitimate top 4 d-man who can help a team in the playoffs.

Even strength points
1st-Gio 25 2nd-Carlson 20 3rd Subban 19 4th Brodie 18
5th Burns 16
Weber
Pietrangelo
Ekblad

6th Barrie 15
Hamilton

7th Suter 14
Doughty
Keith
Josi

8th Streit 13
Franson
Johnson
Fowler
Green
Lindholm

9th Wideman 12
Leddy
Schultz
Braun
Ellis

10th Letang 11
Faulk
Muzzin
Klien

11th Shattenkirk 10
Vatanen
Seabrook
Kronwall
Markov
Daley
Garrison
Goligoski
Russell
Stralman
Emelin

12th YANDLE 9
- SJSharks39

It doesn't work like that.

D-man like Yandle are extremely important b/c they make plays to get the puck out of the d-zone. That is why his stats show he is such a good player b/c when Yandle is on the ice he doesn't get pinned in the d-zone. Defensively is he in the class of the Weber's, absolutely not. Offensively is he in the class of Karlsson? Of course not. But he is absolutely NOT a defensive liability and to say he is means you haven't watched him play. He is a solid top pair d-man or at worst a significantly above average 2nd pair d-man. If he plays on the top pair is he there to shut down the other team's top line? No. He is there to get the puck out of the zone and into the offensive zone where the rest of his guys can pin the other team's top line in their d-zone and at the same time keep them from scoring b/c, well they are stuck in their d-zone.

Either way I believe he will get dealt by the deadline and the package the Yotes receive will probably raise a few eyebrows. Why? Well there are too many teams in need of D and on top of that very few true sellers and even fewer with legitimate top 4 d-man who can help a team in the playoffs.
- uf1910

Best post in the blog so far, outside of the Harry Nillson. I got to say, you sir are the Paul McCartney of posters. Also, are you sure you don't just want to hang around and argue semantics for an hour or two?

Contract aside, currently, I'd agree. A couple of years ago, it was a lot closer. I'd give the edge to Yandle a couple of years ago as well, but I think you're underselling Campbell.
- prock

When Campbell was with Chicago I would agree. But when he left Chicago we all found out just who he was. He was sheltered on a deep and talented Hawks team, and even moreso in the defensive depth chart he was sheltered by Keith and Seabrook which allowed him to make his impact jumping in on offense. Defensively he was always average at best. Heck, even look at Big Buff in Chicago. He was sheltered enough to be a legitimate NHL d-man but ever since leaving has been just above awful on D to at times a forward. Don't get me wrong, I really liked Campbell and thought he was going to continue his progression until age caught up, but IMO he never came close to duplicating his on-ice impact with the Hawks.

If 10 people run a race, and one person runs in 10.3 seconds, 5 people run in 11.1 seconds, I run it in 12 seconds, and the rest of the people are slower than I was...I did not come in 3rd place.

Best post in the blog so far, outside of the Harry Nillson. I got to say, you sir are the Paul McCartney of posters. Also, are you sure you don't just want to hang around and argue semantics for an hour or two?
- James_Tanner

Thanks. Not much into semantics arguments and I sure as hell don't want to argue whether he is top whatever in NHL defenseman scoring either.

I would LOVE to see Yandle play in Tampa's system and actually I see a match for a deal. I just wish he were right-handed and if so I would think the deal would have already been done. To me in years past Yandle has been held back playing in the Yotes defensive system. This year they are such a mess I can't put much stock in anything they have going on. But Yandle in a system like Tampa would be nothing less than awesome. Leafs fans are crazy to think he wouldn't make them better but that's just my opinion and I sure as hell don't want to argue with them.

D-man like Yandle are extremely important b/c they make plays to get the puck out of the d-zone. That is why his stats show he is such a good player b/c when Yandle is on the ice he doesn't get pinned in the d-zone. Defensively is he in the class of the Weber's, absolutely not. Offensively is he in the class of Karlsson? Of course not. But he is absolutely NOT a defensive liability and to say he is means you haven't watched him play. He is a solid top pair d-man or at worst a significantly above average 2nd pair d-man. If he plays on the top pair is he there to shut down the other team's top line? No. He is there to get the puck out of the zone and into the offensive zone where the rest of his guys can pin the other team's top line in their d-zone and at the same time keep them from scoring b/c, well they are stuck in their d-zone.

Either way I believe he will get dealt by the deadline and the package the Yotes receive will probably raise a few eyebrows. Why? Well there are too many teams in need of D and on top of that very few true sellers and even fewer with legitimate top 4 d-man who can help a team in the playoffs.
- uf1910

You're forgetting the fact he starts more shifts in the offensive zone than he finishes.
http://www.behindthenet.c...7+58+59+60+61+62+64+65+66

When Campbell was with Chicago I would agree. But when he left Chicago we all found out just who he was. He was sheltered on a deep and talented Hawks team, and even moreso in the defensive depth chart he was sheltered by Keith and Seabrook which allowed him to make his impact jumping in on offense. Defensively he was always average at best. Heck, even look at Big Buff in Chicago. He was sheltered enough to be a legitimate NHL d-man but ever since leaving has been just above awful on D to at times a forward. Don't get me wrong, I really liked Campbell and thought he was going to continue his progression until age caught up, but IMO he never came close to duplicating his on-ice impact with the Hawks.
- uf1910

Nah, he was pretty solid his first couple of years in Florida. Not spectacular, but solid.

Buff isn't terrible either. Not good mind you, but not terrible either. They didn't move him to wing because of defense problems. He's always played both positions.

No i'm not at all saying that.

Then how do you read those stats? Cause to if players have same amount of points then they are tied are they not?
- SJSharks39

If there are 5 guys tied leading the league with 50 points, the guys with 49th are tied for 6th.

I think its fair to say that Keith likely wouldn't as offensively impressive on the Coyotes (as opposed to on the hawks) and likewise Yandle would likely be more impressive offensively on the Hawks (as opposed to on the yotes). I think playing for the Hawks also probably has a positive impact on Kieths defensive stats as they are a strong possession team.

Not arguing who is better than who but i do think that the argument that Yandle plays for a terrible team does impair his ability to show his full potential. I think nearly every player that was mentioned as better than Yandle would show much more poorly on the Yotes versus their current team.
- DirtyDozen

Sure, sure. But . . .

Keith>>Yandle

It's just not even close. Keith does things few players in the league can do—at both ends.

You're forgetting the fact he starts more shifts in the offensive zone than he finishes.
http://www.behindthenet.c...7+58+59+60+61+62+64+65+66
- Antilles

Does he STAY in the offensive zone or a more pertinent question is does he get pinned in the defensive zone? In today's NHL the puck can go from one end to the other in seconds so a starting point is just the tip of the stats iceberg shift to shift. Regardless of where it starts the most important part is where it ends. That being said I personally don't put much stock in stats, as I'm sure you noticed I didn't refer to one single stat in my post. Today's NHL is a speed generated game and outside of a handful of Weber type defenseman the most important defenseman in the game are players who get the puck out and keep the puck out of the zone. They do this with puck retrieval in the corners and making a good first pass. Yandle has decent to above average straight-line speed but even better short-distance quickness which is key to retrieval. His passing is significantly above average. Both are factors that lead to his good Corsi or whatever stats on a terrible team that can't stay in the offensive zone b/c their forwards quite frankly suck.

Welcome to the 2010-2011 season! "You base everything on reputation." Yandle leads all player in history in possession right? In fact he has the puck so much that he was a -23 last year. That means that while he was on the ice at evens, the opponents scored 23 more times than his own team. How is this possible when he is the only player carrying the puck when he's on the ice? Is he shooting into his own net? Its looking like he might be close to -20 again this season. Offensive defencemen may be better than strictly defensive players, but there can be no doubt the most valuable guys are strong defensively and offensively. Guys like Keith, Subban, Chara, Suter, Weber, Seabrook, and Doughty will always be better than guys like Yandle. Also, stop comparing Yandle to Weber and Keith. Yandle's comparable is someone like Letang.
- sniper11

This has been my feeling, Yandle seems to have dropped off a bit. Good post overall.

The Hawk defensemen are not so highly thought of because the team is good, if not great. The team is great because of them. The Hawk system really starts with their blue liners. Yep, 88, 81 and 19 are great players. But I will always make the argument that the Hawks live and die by their defensemen, three of which are top pairing guys on most other teams.
- John Jaeckel

That is how the Sabres are currently trying to build their team.

While many of the fans would be very saddened if they do not get a top 2 pick, a top 4 like the following for the next 5-10 years would be fun to watch.

Myers - Hanifin
Ristolainen - Zadorov

Chill man. You've called him an "idiot" twice, "dumb" once, and even threw in a "coward" for good measure. Do you realize that actually reflects more on you than him?

I think he's overvaluing Yandle but I don't need to resort to name-calling in my disagreement...
- --Lamp--

A-greed. Thank you.

There are 40 players with 10 or more points. Therefore Yandle is 41st and tied for 41st along with any other defenseman that has 9 ES points.
- rangerdanger94

You make no sense, how can you say and i quote "There are 40 players with 10 or more points . Therefore Yandle is 41st and tied for 41st along with any other defensman that has 9 ES points.

so only Yandle can be tied at 41 with every other defensman with 9 ES points ......... but nobodys tied inthe top 40 right which would bring Yandle tied at12th. You can't say ttop 40 and then say Yandle's tied for 41st along every other defensmen with 9 ES points

If there are 5 guys tied leading the league with 50 points, the guys with 49th are tied for 6th.
- prock

That's not how i read stats

When Campbell was with Chicago I would agree. But when he left Chicago we all found out just who he was. He was sheltered on a deep and talented Hawks team, and even moreso in the defensive depth chart he was sheltered by Keith and Seabrook which allowed him to make his impact jumping in on offense. Defensively he was always average at best. Heck, even look at Big Buff in Chicago. He was sheltered enough to be a legitimate NHL d-man but ever since leaving has been just above awful on D to at times a forward. Don't get me wrong, I really liked Campbell and thought he was going to continue his progression until age caught up, but IMO he never came close to duplicating his on-ice impact with the Hawks.
- uf1910

Campbell was what Johnny Oduya is today from 2008-2011: the 3rd or 4th (after Hjalmarsson showed up) defenseman in Chicago.

Byfuglien could play the point on my power play any day, after that, not so much. Lateral mobility issues have always been a problem for him. I prefer him as a RW, where if he would settle in and play the position, he could be All-Universe.

That's not how i read stats
- SJSharks39

You might autistic. Not even kidding.

Thanks. Not much into semantics arguments and I sure as hell don't want to argue whether he is top whatever in NHL defenseman scoring either.

I would LOVE to see Yandle play in Tampa's system and actually I see a match for a deal. I just wish he were right-handed and if so I would think the deal would have already been done. To me in years past Yandle has been held back playing in the Yotes defensive system. This year they are such a mess I can't put much stock in anything they have going on. But Yandle in a system like Tampa would be nothing less than awesome. Leafs fans are crazy to think he wouldn't make them better but that's just my opinion and I sure as hell don't want to argue with them.
- uf1910

Based on the Leafs being the worst possession team and Yandle being one of the best possession players, I think there is no other player in the entire league they should pursue more. I agree about the argument though, worst thing I've seen on here maybe.

You might autistic. Not even kidding.
- rangerdanger94

I told you before about saying that to people. It's incredibly offensive, you can say what you want about me, I don't care and I won't try to ban you no matter what you say, but making fun of autistic people is off limits. 100%

It's not funny, it's not appropriate.

You might autistic. Not even kidding.
- rangerdanger94

(frank) OFF

IMPORTANT


I just wanted to say that I was accused of providing out of date stats a few pages back and so I did my homework, checked with some sources and I can tell you this:

I am 100% confident in the stats I provided for this article and throughout the comments section. The stats come from the reputable site Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com and are not, as has been said, two months out of date.

They are up to the minute and they are accurate.

The discrepancy between those stats and NHL.Com in relation to the 5v5 stats comes from the fact that NHL.com does not account for 4v4 play, Empty nets, etc.

Anyways, just wanted to say that.
Thanks.