Reasonable Expectations: Andrej Meszaros and the rest of the Defense

Well, it is time once again for everyone to climb aboard the D-Train.

Just as we looked at the Flyers goaltending situation a few weeks ago, DGS is now taking a look at the defense corps. This time, we include best case scenario stat predictions for our Defensemen.

As in the Flyers defense, and this is a somewhat serious post as to what we can expect from our Flyers defensemen this year.

Once again, I have to make this perfectly clear: There is a huge DGS thank you to Don't Trade Vinny for his help with a lot of what you're seeing this week. I honestly could not have come up with all this without him.


Defensemen

3 Oskars Bartulis
6' 2" 184
Jan 21, 1987
Ogre, LVA


09-10 regular season stats

PHL: 53GP 1G 8A 9P 28PIMs

Review in a word: Ordinary
In a sentence: Bartulis didn't wow anyone, but for the most part, he also avoided major mess ups as well.

Forecast: he's gonna spell the 6 regulars and be the first guy inserted due to injury.

10-11 Numbers: 20GP 0g 5A 5P 10PIMs but plays solid D when we need him to


25 Matt Carle
6' 0" 205
Sep 25, 1984
Anchorage, AK, USA

09-10 regular season stats
80GP 6G 29A 35P 16PIMs

Review in a word: Suprising
In a sentence: Carle lived up this 3.437 cap hit and proved that he can be a future #2 NHL d-man.

Forecast: Can he repeat with improvements, Pronger and Timonen are both turning 36 this year, which means Carle and Coburn need to step it up and take on bigger minutes.

10-11 Numbers: 80GP 10g 35A 45P 20PIMs




5 Braydon Coburn
6' 5" 220
Feb 27, 1985
Shaunavon, SK, CAN

09-10 regular season stats
81GP 5G 14A 19P 54PIMs

Review in a word: Dissappointing
In a sentence: Coburn was horribly inconsistent during the regular season and honestly got way more than he should have on his contract.

Forecast: Like Matt Carle, Braydon Coburn needs to step up if the Flyers have a shot at repeating as Eastern Conference Champions.

10-11 Numbers: 80GP 7g 18A 25P 70PIMs

41 Andrej Meszaros
6' 2" 223
Oct 13, 1985
Povazska Bystrica, SVK


09-10 regular season stats (w/ TBL)
81GP 6G 11A 17P 50PIMs

Review in a word: Disaster
In a sentence: He can only go up, right?

Forecast: $4 million for #5 D-man, I swear, he better be good at something before Holmgren convinces Sutter to take Mesz for a first rounder

10-11 Numbers: 80GP 5g 15A 20P 50PIMs


6 Sean O'Donnell
6' 2" 237
Oct 13, 1971
Ottawa, ON, CAN

09-10 regular season stats (W/ LAK)
78GP 3G 12A 15P 70PIMs

Review in a word: Dependable
In a sentence: Solid proven winner with great leadership skills, enough said.

Forecast: Just needs to hold down the fort like he did in 2007 when the Ducks won the cup, I am not asking for much, just to be better than Ryan Parent.

10-11 Numbers: 70GP 2g 8A 10P 80PIMs


20 Chris Pronger
6' 6" 220
Oct 10, 1974
Dryden, ON, CAN


09-10 regular season stats
82GP 10G 45A 55P 79PIMs

Review in a word: Divine
In a sentence: Chris Pronger is awesome, divine and amazing.

Forecast: He turns 36, can he still keep it going.

10-11 Numbers: 80GP 7g 33A 40P 90PIMs




44 Kimmo Timonen
5' 10" 194
Mar 18, 1975
Kuopio, FIN

09-10 regular season stats
82GP 6G 33A 39P 50PIMs

Review in a word: Dependable
In a sentence: I love Kimmo, I do, but, at the same time, I'm reminded that Kimmo carries a 6.33 cap hit, then I don't love him so much anymore.

Forecast: He's old, and on the downside, this could be scary, or amazing.

10-11 Numbers: 80GP 5g 25A 30P 40PIMs






8 Matt Walker
6' 4" 215
Apr 7, 1980
Beaverlodge, AB, CAN

09-10 regular season stats (w/ TBL)
66GP 2G 3A 5P 90PIMs

Review in a word: Suck
In a sentence: It's Jimmy Vandermeer version 2.

Forecast: Should spend most of his time in the AHL.

10-11 Numbers: 30GP 0g 0A 0P 70PIMs







Other thoughts:

Meszaros's career numbers are like Coburn's so, I'm hoping that if the 2 of them get their stuff together then, good things will happen, if not, well, then I'm hoping we can pass them off to Calgary for something good.

Holmgren does have a habit of trading horrible defensemen for good things:

Case 1: Zhitnik for Coburn
Case 2: Downie/Eminger for Carle
Case 3: Tollefsen for Leino

Seeing the Brightside, A DGS look at the Gagne trade

I've waited to post this, mainly because I wanted to avoid an unoriginal and pathetic rant about how much I miss Simon. Quite honestly, for that, my Twitter feed to the right should have supplied plenty of that. (Ain't I right DTV?)

With that, I recently posted an analysis on Blades of Funny of some of Holmgren's trades, here's what I came up...reposted here for my loyal DGS-ers



Let’s take a quick look on some of Paul Holmgren’s odd moves

Case 1: Trading Alex Zhitnik to ATL for Braydon Coburn

Well, this was basically a steal for the Flyers

Case 2: Trading Peter Forsberg to Nashville for Upshall, Parent and 2 draft picks
Then trading the picks back to NSH for Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen

ok, so Parent’s back in NSH, Upshall got kicked to Phoenix for Carcillo, Kimmo and Harts are gonna end up killing our cap barring some more moves, but these guys did produce in Philly (except Parent in the Finals)

Case 3: Upshall to PHX for Dan Carcillo

I dislike Carcillo, no denials, but the fact is, Upshall wasn’t gonna see top line time as an RW with Joffrey Lupul and Mike Knuble ahead of him. Well, what if he stayed for 09-10 you say, and I say fine, where would Briere, Carter, Giroux, Lappy be moved to in order to find a slot for Upshall. I love Upshall, yes, but he wasn’t gonna fit in and so getting something for him was a good deal.




Case 4: Parent to NSH for a 7th rounder and Rights to Dam Hamhuis,
NSH 7th Rounder to SJS for Rights to Nabby
Rights to Dan Hamhuis to Pittsburgh for a 3rd Rounder

Wait, Ryan Parent, Ryan F-ing Parent for a third rounder from the Penguins, uhh, steal…duh

Case 5: Ole Tollefsen and 2nd rounder for Ville Leino

Tollefsen’s in the SEL, and Leino lit up everyone he saw in the playoffs, epic win enough said.





So, Holmgren has a knack for getting stuff done…trading Gagne and 2nd round pick for a 4th, Meszaros and Walker might just work out…if not, then my final example…

Case 6: Steve Eminger and Steve Downie to Tampa for Matt Carle…yes Homer has a way of moving Bad D-men out for good ones…



my pick for the 2010 edition

Andrej Meszaros and Dan Carcillo somewhere for a D-man who doesn't suck...guess that excludes Wade Redden, Tomas Kaberle, and Mike Green*

*-(Editor's Note: Why Mike Green made a list of DEFENSEMEN is beyond me)




I wish Gagne the best of luck but if he comes up gimpy in a game with the groin, or takes a Matt Cooke elbow…I won’t be surprised