In Defense of Daymond Langkow

This one's for you, RO.

5 months ago Kent Wilson 11 comments 0 recs |

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Thanks Kent. Though my article was only partly spurred on by Steinbluh, I’ve been meaning to write it for a long time and it applies to just about every perception of every player in this league.

by R O on Mar 9, 2010 11:07 AM PST reply actions

Combined with Higgins and Kotalik (to cast-offs from the Ranagers) Langkow has been deployed in a shut-down role the last few weeks

Which brings up something I’ve been wondering the past few weeks… why is Ales Kotalik being used in that way? He hasn’t been a disaster at it, if I’m being honest, but if Lanks and Higgins are going to be used this way I’d rather they switch out Kotalik and Moss. I trust David Moss a whole lot more in that sort of situation then I do Kotalik plus I think Moss would be more complementary from an production standpoint.

by Parallex on Mar 9, 2010 11:30 AM PST reply actions

I honestly don’t have the foggiest notion. I’d even swap Dawes for Kotalik, personally.

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by Kent Wilson on Mar 9, 2010 12:10 PM PST up reply actions

As would I, really I’d rather they just not made the Ranger trade period.

Kotalik has exceeded my expectations thus far (but it would have been hard not too) but he’s no defensive own-zone wizard and his best production quality is his RH point shot which is hardly useful if they have to spend most of their time gaining own-zone control of the puck, moving it into the opposition zone, setting up a cycle before he can deploy it. Put Moss in there and I think at worst you have a wash on the shutdown role along with with gaining his skill as a screener/deflector/garbage goal scorer… which compliments the other two better since they’re getting shots on net… it’s just that none are going in.

But yes, Lanks, folk clamoring to get rid of him should give their head a shake. Lanks is still quality.

by Parallex on Mar 9, 2010 12:55 PM PST up reply actions

The Ranger trade is more and more baffling to me.

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by Kent Wilson on Mar 9, 2010 1:18 PM PST up reply actions

Sather is stupid enough that he would have traded Joker for Higgins, right? Or is Sutter even more stupid to agree to take Kotalik?

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by Justin Azevedo on Mar 9, 2010 1:58 PM PST up reply actions

I don’t think he had the cap space to trade just Joker for Higgins, if that’s what you’re asking. If he did, then he probably would’ve been willing to do so.

by SmellOfVictory on Mar 9, 2010 2:14 PM PST up reply actions

Correct. Had the Flames kept their powder dry, they likely could have had Higgins this past Wednesday for a song, as in less than Joker, and not been stuck with Kotalik at all. Slats was just about ready to give Higgins away from what I’ve heard.

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by Robert Cleave on Mar 9, 2010 2:16 PM PST up reply actions

That would’ve been interesting. Stajan, Langks, and the Joker/Backlund as the top 9 centres. I don’t think I mind Jokinen doing 3rd line work much at all, especially when his contract is kaput at the end of the season.

by SmellOfVictory on Mar 9, 2010 2:30 PM PST up reply actions

Especially if he was on a third line with Hagman and Moss (rather than Nystrom and Sjostrom).

Jokinen’s underlying stats improved significantly when Sutter moved him off the tough match-ups. He would have been fine in that position for a remainder of the year probably (although had he been moved for a real return, I wouldn’t have complained either).

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by Kent Wilson on Mar 9, 2010 2:37 PM PST up reply actions

Maybe Olli WAS that bad in the room…

by RossCreek on Mar 9, 2010 3:50 PM PST reply actions

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