Faceoff Factor

Grading the Penguins' Defensemen

Mike Adams | Grade "A" Reviews

Jun 12, 10:03 AM | Hype this story!

Remember, these grades are versus expectations. That means it is much harder for a guy like Sidney Crosby to get an A than, say, Adam Hall. When I say “expectations,” I mean a combination of my expectations and fans’ expectations as a whole. You can also look at it as how well a player performed versus the role he was expected to fill.

Mark Eaton: C

Talk about a guy who “met expectations.” He played solid defense. He was good on the PK. He contributed little offensively. And he got hurt. This poor guy just can’t catch a break. Last year, his season was basically ended on a dirty hit by Jonathan Cheechoo. This year, a slew foot by Marco Sturm did the trick. Bottom line is, he is a decent defenseman, but I doubt the Pens try to resign him this offseason.

Hal Gill: A

The USS Gill really surprised me after coming over. I thought Shero had given up way too much for him, since I viewed him as nothing but a big stiff, a one-trick pony whose only trick was shutting down Mr. Dying Alive. But Gill is lots more than that. He is solid positionally, he plays a physical game, and is pretty adept at making a first pass. He just totally changed my opinion of him.

Alex Goligoski: I

I liked what I saw of him in his short stay in the NHL. He looks to be a solid puck mover, but he probably needs to gain some strength if he is going to be a regular in the league. I imagine he’ll be given a full shot in camp this Fall.

Sergei Gonchar: A

Has the earth stopped rotating on its axis? Has Hades turned to ice? That is the only logical explanation for my giving Sarge an A. That just can’t happen, can it? Well, yes it can. Just because a player enters my doghouse does not mean he is permanently confined there. Sarge fought his way out of it with his best season in the NHL. And I’m not just talking offensively. He was also solid, and sometimes even physical, in his own end. It was a new Gonch that we saw this year. He no longer played soff and scared. He hit people. He took hits to make plays. He just had a tremendous season and playoff run, and to give him anything less than an A would be a travesty. And I don’t do travesties.

Kristopher Letang: B

I had a tough time with this one. Letang was a far different player than I imagined. He was actually better defensively, but not as offensively dynamic as I had anticipated. But I think the latter was more Therrien’s doing. I really think he put the leash on him so he could learn his defensive responsibilities. He played a solid, and physical, game in his own end. He seemed to wear down toward the end of the playoffs. I expect to see a better, more confident, Letang next season.

Alain Nasreddine: I

Thankfully, this is an I. I’m glad he didn’t play enough games for me to have to grade him. Nothing against him, but if guys like this are regulars, you aren’t in very good shape.

Brooks Orpik: A-

The one “candy shift” alone against Detroit probably raised his grade into the A category. What an amazing turnaround for a guy who wasn’t trusted with any heavy lifting last year or most of this year. Therrien gave him little penalty-killing time or play against top opponents. But things sure changed when both Eaton and Rob Scuderi went down with injuries. Orpik was the only option to pair with Gonchar. And it might have turned his career around. He let the play come to him much more than he ever had. He covered for Gonchar. He became a hitting machine in the playoffs. And, in doing so, he probably priced himself right out of a job with the Penguins.

Rob Scuderi: B

Here is a defensive defenseman who keeps getting better. Most had him run out of town after last season, but Shero brought him back. He is a solid penalty killer who uses his stick very well, and is as sound positionally as any defenseman. But he lacks mobility, and any modicum of offensive talent, including the ability to make an outlet pass. He is a decent sixth defenseman, but that’s about it.

Darryl Sydor: D

He was a disappointment after coming over in free agency. He just never seemed to fit into Therrien’s system. He made numerous mistakes in his own end, and didn’t contribute much offensively. He was most certainly not worth the $2.5 million Shero gave him. I look for him to be dealt in the offseason, to the highest bidder.

Ryan Whitney: D-

And speaking of disappointments, Exhibit A is right here. What an awful season he had. I started the season defending him against unreasonable attacks, but I had turned on him by the start of the playoffs. He didn’t play physical, which didn’t bother me too much. But his positional play was putrid most of the year, and he had far too many giveaways for a defenseman of his ilk. His power play production dwindled, and he was eventually yanked from the top unit. He seemed to improve some in the playoffs, and the epic three-overtime game where he played 50-plus minutes probably saved him from an F. It is possible, though unlikely, that he could be dealt in the offseason. I see next year as a make or break year for him, in terms of how his career is going to go. He could become, oh, Mathieu Schneider. Or he could become Tom Poti. The jury is still out.