BobbyClarkeFan16 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I had a discussion with a co-worker about Del Zotto. I strongly believe that Del Zotto has become a number one defenseman and that he could play the top role on any team in the league and not look out of place. My colleague said that the Flyers defense is so poor that Del Zotto only looks like a number one defenseman because he's the only guy on the blueline that has any sort of skill to speak of. I mentioned that Gostisbehere, Streit, Medvedev and Gudas are all plenty skilled, but the colleague maintains that if they were on any other club, they'd all be bottom pairing guys or healthy scratches. So my question to the faithful on here is a two parter - first has Michael Del Zotto become a number one defender and two, is the Flyers defense as bad as some think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ8812 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I don't think he's a #1. He's more suited in the #2/3 role, but could step up to #1 for a short period of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilsFanDrew Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 He's not a #1 but he's filling in quite admirably this season. He's a 2nd pairing guy on a good team, 3rd pairing guy on a stacked team. All players have some sort of skill(s) that they bring to the table. To me a true #1 defenseman is someone who can contribute offensively while neutralizing the best players and best lines for the opposition. Ghost has great offensive skill but he would get exposed playing a lot of top minutes against an opponents best lines. Gudas can hit and won't be muscled off of many plays but outside of that his skills are limited. Medvedev is an economical skater, makes decent outlet passes, has some offensive ability but can easily get knocked off the puck. Del Zotto is a good skater, can contribute offensively, adequate outlet passer. does okay in 50/50 puck battles, and generally keeps himself in good position. He doesn't do any of these things spectacularly but he is the #1 right now because he is the only D-man on the roster that possesses such a wide range of skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 1 hour ago, BobbyClarkeFan16 said: I had a discussion with a co-worker about Del Zotto. I strongly believe that Del Zotto has become a number one defenseman and that he could play the top role on any team in the league and not look out of place. My colleague said that the Flyers defense is so poor that Del Zotto only looks like a number one defenseman because he's the only guy on the blueline that has any sort of skill to speak of. I mentioned that Gostisbehere, Streit, Medvedev and Gudas are all plenty skilled, but the colleague maintains that if they were on any other club, they'd all be bottom pairing guys or healthy scratches. So my question to the faithful on here is a two parter - first has Michael Del Zotto become a number one defender and two, is the Flyers defense as bad as some think? I don't think Del Zotto is a #1 other than on a mediocre-poor D. I'm not knocking him, as he's turned out to be a solid addition for little cost. As for the rest, I think Ghost has a bright future even if it's only as an offensive weapon. And with his speed he may end up just fine defensively. Streit to me is a trade chip. Medvedev can stay or go. I don't want to just get rid of him, but Dmen at the deadline are valuable commodities. Same goes for Gudas. Before someone says we can't get rid of ALL our dmen, I somewhat agree. But if someones offering something more valuable going forward...cya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 2 hours ago, BobbyClarkeFan16 said: I had a discussion with a co-worker about Del Zotto. I strongly believe that Del Zotto has become a number one defenseman and that he could play the top role on any team in the league and not look out of place. My colleague said that the Flyers defense is so poor that Del Zotto only looks like a number one defenseman because he's the only guy on the blueline that has any sort of skill to speak of. I mentioned that Gostisbehere, Streit, Medvedev and Gudas are all plenty skilled, but the colleague maintains that if they were on any other club, they'd all be bottom pairing guys or healthy scratches. So my question to the faithful on here is a two parter - first has Michael Del Zotto become a number one defender and two, is the Flyers defense as bad as some think? Well i hope you bitch slapped that person sounds like it was long over due....hopefully it will slap some sense in them...they certainly are missing some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbulb Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I personally don't think MDZ is a true #1-2 Dman on a good team. I think he fits nicely into a 3-4 role that qb's the 2nd pp unit. While we're lucky that he's played/produced as well as he has, it isn't good that he's considered our #1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 From an outside-the-fanbase POV, I like many on here, don't think MDZ is a true number one guy, however, he sure can play like one at times, and even on an overall contender, would still likely be a solid 2nd pair guy. True, he stands out against the crop of current Flyers D-men, but that doesn't make him a number one, but rather, a guy who has given an opportunity to play like one (and he has many times this season), and he is taking full advantage of it using his still considerable skill set. Guys like Gostisbehere may one day be a number one, Gudas likely won't, but may make a career solid 2nd or 3rd pair guy, the rest will have to come from the Flyers' system as guys like Schultz, Streit, MacDonald are just there till Philly finds better pieces that can play everyday at the NHL level. I am taking NOTHING away from MDZ. He is finally playing like the guy the Rangers and Predators before, thought he should play like. The guy hits, the guy skates, the guy covers reasonably well, and he has a scoring touch with a bit of a mean streak too. He DOES leave areas of the ice too open at times, jumps in at the worst possible times occasionally, and will leave himself wide open after a missed hit (things that knock him down from being a complete number one D-man), but his overall game this year, really, no Flyers fans should be complaining about. Whether he can continue to do that beyond this year is another thing he will have to prove, but for the here and now, he IS the default number one D-man, but don't be surprised if he stays on with the Flyers that some other young buck passes him up for that in short order. Good, good season for MDZ though. I am happy for him, as I rooted for him when he was a NYR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlaskaFlyerFan Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 The number one defenseman on any team gets the top minutes. I haven't looked at his minutes however, I did hear that he played 26 minutes in the last game against Boston. That tells me he is the number one defenseman for the Flyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 6 minutes ago, AlaskaFlyerFan said: The number one defenseman on any team gets the top minutes. I haven't looked at his minutes however, I did hear that he played 26 minutes in the last game against Boston. That tells me he is the number one defenseman for the Flyers. He's averaging 24:1 minutes a night the next who is closest in minutes is Streit at 21;49 followed by Gudas at 20;52 so yeah technically he is a #1. But once the prospects arrive that will be sorted out and he may be already moved out of town by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 45 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: Philly finds better pieces that can play everyday at the NHL level. There in the system just yet to arrive when all is said and done Provorov will more than likely be the #1 and Sanheim the #2 and Ghost will slot in just fine at #3 and Morin falling in at #4 and Hagg once ready will be a sufficient #5 #6 could be either Friedman or Myers by then but the whole youth movement on the backend should be close to being ready in 2-3 years tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ8812 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 18 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said: He's averaging 24:1 minutes a night the next who is closest in minutes is Streit at 21;49 followed by Gudas at 20;52 so yeah technically he is a #1. But once the prospects arrive that will be sorted out and he may be already moved out of town by then. Even once they arrive, it will take a few years (at the best) for them to develop. You can't just expect Provorov or Sanheim to come in, play their rookie season, then jump straight into the #1/2 role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 4 minutes ago, RJ8812 said: Even once they arrive, it will take a few years (at the best) for them to develop. You can't just expect Provorov or Sanheim to come in, play their rookie season, then jump straight into the #1/2 role. I never said they would go straight to the #1 spot they will earn it. Provorov will be a Flyer next year and by mid season lead the team in ice time. Sanheim will be a Phantom and could very well by a little more than midseason force his way onto the Phantoms time will tell but Hexy will make the right choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Here is the #1.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 27 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said: I never said they would go straight to the #1 spot they will earn it. Provorov will be a Flyer next year and by mid season lead the team in ice time. Sanheim will be a Phantom and could very well by a little more than midseason force his way onto the Phantoms time will tell but Hexy will make the right choice. I hope he makes the Flyers and leads the team in minutes...but I sure don't expect it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilldoc Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 @OccamsRazor Watched some of the highlights from the WJC. At times he was simply the best d-man on the ice. His skating ability is jaw dropping. It will be fun to watch him grow in O&B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 9 minutes ago, flyercanuck said: I hope he makes the Flyers and leads the team in minutes...but I sure don't expect it. It won't happen out the gate but i could see it happening by mid season...i hope by then the likes of Streit and Schultz are just a memory...but even if he isn't i wouldn't call him a bust or failure. But he also doesn't have the hardest of competition either sadly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJgoal Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I wouldn't call MDZ a #1, 2/3 sure. He has grown the defensive side of his game, so he could certainly mature a bit more in the next few years. I don't expect to see Provorov anywhere but back in Juniors next year. Too many roadblocks. If the Flyers make some moves to open up spots it could happen, but dominating at the CHL and WJC level is a far cry from being NHL-ready. And Hextall has been nothing if not consistent in erring on the side of letting guys develop more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murraycraven Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 If MDZ is your true #1 your defense is not that good and won't win a cup. Very good 2 or 3 but not a franchise #1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 14 minutes ago, AJgoal said: I don't expect to see Provorov anywhere but back in Juniors next year. He will be a Flyer next year go ahead and let it sink in that way you won't be that upset when it happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyerrod Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Is it just me or is Hakstol starting to balance the ice time across the board on both offense and defense. Granted, he still is limited with what he can do as long as Schultz is still an everyday player but I think that is part of the reason you are seeing better overall performance from the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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