Quality signing by Phoenix at a good price. He's a good player, if put in the right role. Has to keep his game simple and not try and do too much with the puck.

Tanner ty yet again for a great read! Whether your right or wrong your not scared to share your opinion and that's great.

Didn't read the blog just the title? As much as I like former Rocket defenceman and there's been a lot of really good ones! Luc Schenn is not a top 2
He might have been but the Leafs rushed him to the NHL stunting his development.
I think this is a solid signing and wish the Flames had the dough to sign him.

DeAngelo.....a second pair dman, no question about it?

You are kidding, right? No doubt? He was a healthy scratch 8 times last year in the AHL. He has had major issues with coach after coach and isn't liked in the room. He was dealt by an intelligent organization who is going to have cap issues in the near future and could use a cheap second pairing dman.

Tanner....I haven't ever said this before, but I can't hold back any more....

You sir, are moronic. Laughable, actually.

It's low risk, but also little to no reward. Even his defensive part of his game is sketchy. Our of position. Bad angles. And although he'd make an okay first pass here and there, I cringed watching him with the puck on his stick.

But like you said, he's 26. RHD and built like a truck. Maybe he can turn his career around.

That's ridiculous. I will never understand why people say more stupid and insulting things to me in one given day online than cumulatively in my entire real life.
- James_Tanner

To be fair James, the amount of people you can interact with daily on this site, is much greater than all the people you see everyday from your parent's basement.

For the Coyotes, who do you think they will eventually stick with OEL for the first pairing? Murphy, Schenn, go double up lefties with Goligoski or a different D man?

You bash Gudbranson calling him a 6th dman, then herald schen as the next coming top pairing defenceman....ahh hyperbole for the win.

Well written article James. I thought Jason Lewis also wrote a good blog on Luke Schenn as well, pairing him with a bonafide puck-mover allows him to play a simple game working to his strengths.

You will see during the year though, when the Luke "one too many moves" Schenn comes out and he tries to move the puck up the ice to no avail, usually leading to a turnover. However, there will also be a few times when Luke Schenn looks like the best defenseman, not named OEL, on the ice and throws a great hit or scores a clutch goal.

Overall a great signing, I still think he is a 4/5 on average, but can definitely slot up in the line-up without looking too lost. 'Yotes should be pleased with what he brings to the team.

DeAngelo may be ready offensively but from what I understand defensively and from a character standpoint he has a long way to go before be should be in the NHL let alone a top 4 option. He's done nothing to improve the defensive side of his game and wouldn't listen to the coaches in the AHL that tried to help him with that leading to multiple healthy scratches. He could be a top 4 and a damn good one. Right now he's an offensive specialist who will be digging a lot of pucks out of his own net.

Well written article James. I thought Jason Lewis also wrote a good blog on Luke Schenn as well, pairing him with a bonafide puck-mover allows him to play a simple game working to his strengths.

You will see during the year though, when the Luke "one too many moves" Schenn comes out and he tries to move the puck up the ice to no avail, usually leading to a turnover. However, there will also be a few times when Luke Schenn looks like the best defenseman, not named OEL, on the ice and throws a great hit or scores a clutch goal.

Overall a great signing, I still think he is a 4/5 on average, but can definitely slot up in the line-up without looking too lost. 'Yotes should be pleased with what he brings to the team.
- PVL29

He is miserable. I had hoped for the best when we traded JvR for him. Thought it was a terrible move then, but I hoped he would turn things around. He is slow. His foot work is slow. If a player gets the outside edge on him he is toast. His shot, while being a righty, has an extremely slow release which leads to him "pump faking" multiple times before actually firing the shot off. His shot does have some pop to it however. He is good at one thing- hitting people- but even that leaves him out of position most of the time. He every one in a blue moon will make a nice breakout pass, but most of the time is looks like he is carrying a greased watermelon. Seems like a good dude, and will never be questioned about how hard he works, but just a verrrrrry inconsistent average 3rd pair d-dman.

James Tanner: Luke Schenn: Top Pairing Defenseman (It's Not as Crazy as It Sounds)
Thinking creatively, the Coyotes may have just solved their greatest problem: no partner for OEL.
- James_Tanner

Dear James, I disagree that Schenn is other than a bottom pair d-man. Please don't report me and continue the great work.

He is miserable. I had hoped for the best when we traded JvR for him. Thought it was a terrible move then, but I hoped he would turn things around. He is slow. His foot work is slow. If a player gets the outside edge on him he is toast. His shot, while being a righty, has an extremely slow release which leads to him "pump faking" multiple times before actually firing the shot off. His shot does have some pop to it however. He is good at one thing- hitting people- but even that leaves him out of position most of the time. He every one in a blue moon will make a nice breakout pass, but most of the time is looks like he is carrying a greased watermelon. Seems like a good dude, and will never be questioned about how hard he works, but just a verrrrrry inconsistent average 3rd pair d-dman.
- jak521

Schenn is a better player than that. You're describing a player who shouldn't be in the league. Schenn can give a team like Phoenix solid minutes, and help out on the PK.

I agree on Schenn. Very low risk. Now I really think they need a center. They can't put together a roster, Then five games in have Hanzal get injured for 45 games. They can trade Stone, hanzal plus a prospect might get someone good. I just don't know who.
- Gomey

They are desperate for a centre. You can't count on Hanzal and Vermette is terrible. (Though hilariously misinformed people who make way more money than I do have referred to him as a top six centre this summer).

They can dress Dvorak, Strome, Keller maybe if they wanted to go nuts, but I think they basically need 1 maybe even 2 more centres who are good. I think Bozak would be a nice bridge between now and the future, wouldn't cost much.

Also, they have Stone and Murphy to trade so you could someone decent for one of them.

you whined about it, so it must hurt sometimes.
- the_eye

Can you even read? Serious question. To be honest though, it's really just frustrating - you wouldn't believe some of the poop people have said/done to me. Though I've talked to some women who do the same job and they have to take 100000 times worse than I do - people when anonymous are horrible.

Tanner ty yet again for a great read! Whether your right or wrong your not scared to share your opinion and that's great.
- Mr.FunFacts

Thanks/.

You bash Gudbranson calling him a 6th dman, then herald schen as the next coming top pairing defenceman....ahh hyperbole for the win.
- rune_74

First, I am not sure you know what hyperbole means.

Second, the Coyotes didn't trade anyone for Schenn - who is probably closer to Gudbranson than should be possible for a guy who was traded for first round centre who's 19 and already proven effective in the NHL.

Third, I don't in anyway think Schenn is a top pairing defenseman. I think the best way to shelter him and get the most out of him is to not play him like all his other coaches have played him, and to put him in a position to succeed.

Despite playing top competition, playing him with OEL will actually shelter him quite a bit.

DeAngelo may be ready offensively but from what I understand defensively and from a character standpoint he has a long way to go before be should be in the NHL let alone a top 4 option. He's done nothing to improve the defensive side of his game and wouldn't listen to the coaches in the AHL that tried to help him with that leading to multiple healthy scratches. He could be a top 4 and a damn good one. Right now he's an offensive specialist who will be digging a lot of pucks out of his own net.
- jbs32

It is my experience that players who are great at offense and terrible at defense are scouted terribly. Also, when guys are bad in the room, it's usually BS. In hockey, if you have a personality at all and don't obey your orders like a robot, then you get labeled bad in the room. It happens so often I dismiss 100% of it.


The Coyotes are weak on D so Deangelo will get a shot to make the NHL. Maybe he doesn't. Who knows at this point?

First, I am not sure you know what hyperbole means.

Second, the Coyotes didn't trade anyone for Schenn - who is probably closer to Gudbranson than should be possible for a guy who was traded for first round centre who's 19 and already proven effective in the NHL.

Third, I don't in anyway think Schenn is a top pairing defenseman. I think the best way to shelter him and get the most out of him is to not play him like all his other coaches have played him, and to put him in a position to succeed.

Despite playing top competition, playing him with OEL will actually shelter him quite a bit.
- James_Tanner

So ergo, you think Schenn can be a #2 d-man. Good luck with that. Continue the great work, James.

Marc Bergevin says hi!
- Bruiniak

Sweeney... not even close

James - can you write a blog on the current state of NHL general managers and rate them from top to bottom? Boy that'd be a doozy of a thread!!

There has to be some criteria for measuring though, such as, it's hard to measure a GM who's only been on the job a year or two.

James - can you write a blog on the current state of NHL general managers and rate them from top to bottom? Boy that'd be a doozy of a thread!!

There has to be some criteria for measuring though, such as, it's hard to measure a GM who's only been on the job a year or two.
- LeftCoaster

Easy.
#1 Chayka
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#30 Chiarelli.

That's ridiculous. I will never understand why people say more stupid and insulting things to me in one given day online than cumulatively in my entire real life.
- James_Tanner

In real life, would you talk about your "training in critical thinking" when referring to university?

Easy.
#1 Chayka
#2 Leafs Brass
Tied for #30 Every other GM.
#31 George McPhee
- tomburton99

Fixed it for you

Easy.
#1 Chayka
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#30 Chiarelli.
- tomburton99

Fixed it for you
- mlindsay

Accurate. That's my fault.