James Tanner: PLUS/MINUS: World Cup, Who's Missing the Playoffs and Auston Matthews It's your gramma's favorite weekly hockey blog!

Cool

Always a fun read, even if I disagree with a lot of it.

Always a fun read, even if I disagree with a lot of it.
- Aetherial

Thanks. I think agreeing is overrated.

No mention of Gaudreau?

Scaring us Flamers a little.

This gets a passing grade because the white stripes frickin rule.

The underratedness of Jake Gardiner continues to be the most perplexing thing in the NHL.

Defensemen at $4 million cap hit or higher:

Player ------ Cap Hit per SAT For

Muzzin ------ 2567
Klingberg --- 2699
Josi -------- 2776
Hedman ------ 2867
Gardiner ---- 2982
Hjalmarsson - 3053
Martinez ---- 3135
Goligoski --- 3276
Bieska ------ 3503
Rielly ------ 3514
Emelin ------ 3550
Stone ------- 3633
Burns ------- 3711
Beauchemin -- 3729
Martin ------ 3739
Maatta ------ 3849
Scandella --- 3850
Brodie ------ 3869
Karlsson ---- 3878
Fowler ------ 3910
Vlasic ------ 3913
Doughty ----- 3937
Shattenkirk - 3946
Leddy ------- 3957
Straiman ---- 4043
Niskanen ---- 4206
Markov ------ 4314
Faulk ------- 4339
Sekera ------ 4344
Savard ------ 4355
Demers ------ 4360
Larsson ----- 4423
McDonagh ---- 4459
Dekeyser ---- 4505
Brodin ------ 4519
O.E.Larsson - 4519
Bowmeester -- 4557
Barrie ------ 4560
Hamilton ---- 4611
Tanev ------- 4655
Ericsson ---- 4691
Kulikov ----- 4705
Suter ------- 4765
Methot ------ 4767
Keith ------- 4770
Vatanen ----- 4775
J.Johnson --- 4788
Myers ------- 4791
Garrison ---- 4802
Pietrangelo - 4854
Giordano ---- 4971
Byfuglien --- 5060
Letang ------ 5091
Chara ------- 5112
Yandle ------ 5158
Bogosian ---- 5313
Enstrom ----- 5314
Greene ------ 5429
Staal ------- 5429
Boychuk ----- 5450
Kronwall ---- 5460
Seabrook ---- 5465
Green ------- 5469
Weber ------- 5653
Girardi ----- 5670
E.Johnson --- 5731
Phaneuf ----- 5947
Petry ------- 6643
Edler ------- 7052
Jones ------- 7162
Subban ------ 7223
Orpik ------- 7857
Wideman ----- 7955
Klefbom ----- 9492

YOUR GRAMMAR SUCKS! CHICAGO HAS ALL THE BEST PLAYERS! GARDINER IS A TERRIBLE D-MAN! YOU ONLY WRITE FOR CLICK BAIT!

Thanks. I think agreeing is overrated.
- James_Tanner

In a lot of circumstances it seems like the agreeing, and playing nice are more important than actually learning and progressing. This is especially true in the workplace.

YOUR GRAMMAR SUCKS! CHICAGO HAS ALL THE BEST PLAYERS! GARDINER IS A TERRIBLE D-MAN! YOU ONLY WRITE FOR CLICK BAIT!
- ChrisMS

oh

So Teemu talked to you about cunnilingus?

and no doubt hawks and ducks in for a big fight... both middle of the pack teams that could fall behind.

James,
What did you think about Toews standing up for Weber after the cheap shot?

Quick starts over Schneider because of what's in his trophy case! In the real world of professional sports, this is what matters!

Now I'm starting to see why hardly anyone likes this guy.

Taking shots at the Hawks for no reason.

Saying Matthews is the best without playing a single NHL game.

Talking poop about Riely and saying Gardner is the better play.

Can't see why someone could think 2 cup Quick might be better than Schnidner.

You say enough things and you are bound to get something right.

The underratedness of Jake Gardiner continues to be the most perplexing thing in the NHL.


Jake Gardiner is the perfect case of someone with all the tools just no tool box.

Now I'm starting to see why hardly anyone likes this guy.

Taking shots at the Hawks for no reason.

Saying Matthews is the best without playing a single NHL game.

Talking poop about Riely and saying Gardner is the better play.

Can't see why someone could think 2 cup Quick might be better than Schnidner.

You say enough things and you are bound to get something right.
- currphij

1. Don't conflate 5 guys in the comments section with the millions who read and love me.

2. There is a reason, they employ Kane.

3. Gardiner is better and it's unanimous among informed people.

4. Me neither because judging players by their championships is ridiculous. I guess Matt Murray is elite.

The underratedness of Jake Gardiner continues to be the most perplexing thing in the NHL.


Jake Gardiner is the perfect case of someone with all the tools just no tool box.
- sparky

What does that even mean? We're talking about a player who is just outside the top 15 defenseman in the NHL. I don't even get this analogy.

What does that even mean? We're talking about a player who is just outside the top 15 defenseman in the NHL. I don't even get this analogy.
- James_Tanner

What it means is he thinks Jake Gardiner has all the talent to be a top tier defenceman, but lacks the intelligence to augment his natural talent. Which is not an uncommon opinion of the player.

I would also like to see you present evidence that Gardiner is superior to Rielly. Please.

1. Don't conflate 5 guys in the comments section with the millions who read and love me.

2. There is a reason, they employ Kane.

3. Gardiner is better and it's unanimous among informed people.

4. Me neither because judging players by their championships is ridiculous. I guess Matt Murray is elite.
- James_Tanner

James I can't imagine even your mother loves you

James I can't imagine even your mother loves you
- DoubleDown

Well. Your mother loves him... That count!

Damn. That one was just set up to easy

I like this one James, not sure, no scratch that, pretty damn sure, I don't agree with a lot of it, but I like it.

Is "underratedness" actually a word?

What it means is he thinks Jake Gardiner has all the talent to be a top tier defenceman, but lacks the intelligence to augment his natural talent. Which is not an uncommon opinion of the player.

I would also like to see you present evidence that Gardiner is superior to Rielly. Please.
- BetterCallSaul

I have presented this evidence on numerous occasions. Compare their stats. Gardiner has elite defensive abilities

James I can't imagine even your mother loves you
- DoubleDown

Maybe maybe not , kind of a touchy subject. She'snot that happy about me blogging from her basement all the time.

3. Gardiner is better and it's unanimous among informed people.

James,
What did you think about Toews standing up for Weber after the cheap shot?
- tvetter

I personally enjoyed him getting drilled by Thorton the next game.