Sunday, February 11, 2007

The Enforcer

Last night on CBC's Coach's Corner, Don Cherry brought up the argument for keeping a true enforcer on a team's 4th line. He ran pieces on Zach Stortini in Edmonton and Colton Orr of the Rangers scoring their first goals of the season. He showed how they were throwing hits all over the ice to bring the physicality they're in the lineup for and how sometimes they can score goals too. He felt it was integral to keep young players away from the 4th line because then they'd only be playing 6-8 minutes a night. He was ripping the "experts" who don't want guys like Orr or Stortini on the 4th line.

Well Donnie boy, I disagree with you to an extent. I have no problem playing these "enforcers" on the 4th line for protection, but they need to do more than that. They're out there to protect the young players and the superstars from getting run. In the new NHL, however, you need to be able to have 4 lines that can score. Guys like Avery, Barnaby, and Neil are really the kind of guys you want on your team over the Stortinis and Orrs of the world. Orr hasn't even been fighting when he's gotten on the ice this season. If he's not fighting, then there's no point in having him in the lineup. You're better off with a guy like Barnaby, though currently concussed, who has ability to score some goals while being an enforcer as well.

I think playing the young guys on the 4th line is beneficial as long as the coach gets them ice time. If they get a regular shift and get about 8-10 minutes 5-5 ice time a game, they can adjust themselves to the speed of the NHL compared to the AHL, Canadian juniors, or college hockey. Then you can throw them on some specialty teams if you want to give them even more ice time. Look at someone like Jordan Staal. He started on the fourth line and played some PK to start the season. He got adjusted to the speed of the game and now he's on the 2nd line. I'd rather see young guys like him on the 4th line to bring energy and purpose then a stiff like Colton Orr, who should be embarassed he shares the same name as one of the game's greats.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

what's the argument; you can get rid of hooking and increase pugilism by eliminating sticks from the game altogether, da?

February 14, 2007 at 3:29 AM

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As a self-deprecating Ranger fan of twenty years, the team I've loved for so long is not making any progress quickly. Stuck with a lost coach, an MIA GM, and an egomaniac owner who knows less about hockey than Gary Bettman, it appears as though it will be another 41 years until we win another Stanley Cup. So, what are the short term options? To save the the Penguins and move them to the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn! The Penguins are poised to be the next dynasty in sports yet are potentially doomed to be moved to a hillbilly market that will further destroy the image and decrease the popularity of the already floundering NHL. What better for a league in thick turmoil than to move its marquee franchise to the #1 sports market in North America. Think about the profits that could be reaped with Sidney Crosby playing in the #1 media market? With all of Mario Lemieux's concerns in buidling a new arena, he should turn to Brooklyn-the new Nets arena, the Frank Gehry designed Barclays Center will be ready for business in three seasons when the Penguins biggest starts will only be still in their early 20s!Imagine the country's most promising franchise and one of hockey's most exciting teams ever playing in New York City in the most state of the art building in the country. The possibilities are endless.