2015- 2016 Youngstars Tournament Roster

[Hockey Widow]

Whoa, whoa, whoa HW, settle down with regards to Smurf Subban. Let's not get your hopes up creating another Steve Kariya making like his bro Paul dream. Reality check

LOL
I was wondering how long it would take you to bite!

[2Fingers]

Just curious what people think the key points of a defender is?

- skating
- positional
- passing
- clearing net
- puck possession along the boards

When I look at the above does size really matter except for the last 2? Of course there a lot more than what I just wrote but if size was all that matter Subban would never had been drafted in the first place.

[Chef Boi RD]

The whole Subban love fest brings back a lot of those Brandon Reid love fest memories. Steve Kariya too

[Cousin Strawberry]

The whole Subban love fest brings back a lot of those Brandon Reid love fest memories. Steve Kariya too

For me it always reminds me of when topper wanted one for his porch in Belize

[Tciso]

When I look above does size really matter except for the last 2?

It's more than just perspective.

[Island Nucklehead]

Just curious what people think the key points of a defender is?

- skating
- positional
- passing
- clearing net
- puck possession along the boards

When I look at the above does size really matter except for the last 2? Of course there a lot more than what I just wrote but if size was all that matter Subban would never had been drafted in the first place.

A lot of it is actually defending. So stopping an opposing forward imposing their will on the game. So yeah, all that list is important, but at the end of the day when you have a Getzlaf, or a Kopitar, or a MacKinnon or whoever driving at you there needs to be some ability to separate them from the puck. And it's not like Subban will never be able to play in the NHL, it's just that much more difficult to make a long career out of it. They get exposed pretty quickly by other teams' scouts when you rely on tricks and personalized moves to dispossess defenders, as opposed to being a bigger guy with longer reach and more size to throw around.

I think, obviously there is a place for smaller d-men in the game, but they have to be head and shoulders above other guys in areas like skating or offensive ability. When guys at the highest level are so good, it just make more sense to take a guy that's 6'3 vs. a guy who's 5'9 if they're remotely close in talent.

If we're extremely lucky, Subban becomes a MA Bergeron for a couple years.

[Topper]

The whole Subban love fest brings back a lot of those Brandon Reid love fest memories. Steve Kariya too

For me it always reminds me of when topper wanted one for his porch in Belize

Waiting for Daniel and Henrik to give him a set of silks for their selky horses.

[KeyserSoze]

When I look at the above does size really matter except for the last 2? Of course there a lot more than what I just wrote but if size was all that matter Subban would never had been drafted in the first place.

I'd say size, strength, skating, puck moving, shot, and hockey IQ (which includes positioning) are the make up of a very solid Dman. Diminish any of these attributes and you have a very different player. Not to say that small Dmen cannot get it done, but what they lose in size they need to significantly make up in other categories (and even then will likely not be able to play shift for shift vs dominant forwards in the league). Even effective Dmen that you do not necessarily consider BIG STRONG players (Keith, Hamhuis, etc) are generally all still over 6' 200lbs.

[Topper]

When I look at the above does size really matter except for the last 2? Of course there a lot more than what I just wrote but if size was all that matter Subban would never had been drafted in the first place.

I'd say size, strength, skating, puck moving, shot, and hockey IQ (which includes positioning) are the make up of a very solid Dman. Diminish any of these attributes and you have a very different player. Not to say that small Dmen cannot get it done, but what they lose in size they need to significantly make up in other categories (and even then will likely not be able to play shift for shift vs dominant forwards in the league). Even effective Dmen that you do not necessarily consider BIG STRONG players (Keith, Hamhuis, etc) are generally all still over 6' 200lbs.

I had to look up Hamhuis after reading that. I saw him in the Smither's Safeway a couple of years ago and he is far from big, (6'1", 209) is what he's listed as on the Canuck site and I'd say that is a tad generous. He looks real thin in person, but I can well imagine wiry strength.

I'd say:
- skating
- positional
- strength
- passing

Ask yourself why Hamhuis made Olympic team Canada 2014? He can skate, he plays incredible positional hockey such that he occupies a large area of ice, he can pass and he has the strength to challenge forwards along the boards.

[Chef Boi RD]

They are also being generous in Subbans height and weight to. He looks more like 5-7 or 5-8

The small Tyson Barrie looks huge when compared to Subban and he's listed as 5-10 190lbs. Even Krug looks bigger and he's listed 5-9 180 lbs

[ukcanuck]

Did anyone mention the size of the fight in the dog?
seems to me before size, skill, strength and smarts comes will of conviction.

don't know if Subban has that, but he should have the chance to show what's in his heart before writing him off...

[BladesofSteel]

Looks can be a little deceiving Tops, especially with hockey players.

The legs are where a bulk of their weight is, more so than any other sport. Guys like Bure, Crosby etc who don't break 6' but have tremendous strength due to their massive tree trunks for legs. I suspect Hamhuis is no exception.

Virtanen is another kid with meh upper body bulk, but ridiculous trunks. There's a photo of him floating around from a few weeks past when he was doing media seasons for the rookies back East. He's wearing shorts and his legs are abmormally large, for a 19 y/o.

Apparently, Subban is nearing 200 lbs. For a young guy barely 5'9", that's a significant amount of weight. If he can play at that weight while maintaining his speed and mobility, he should be just fine.

[Chef Boi RD]

So he's gained 15 lbs from his listed weight of 185 lbs without gaining any height? Its most likely that all that off season weight gain bulking up goes away as the season grinds on as it always does unless you are a party machine booze hound like Blob McKenzie and Zach Kassian

[BladesofSteel]

Some guys continue to grow until their early 20's. Both Virtanen and Bo put on significant weight throughout the season last year, only to go back to refining their new weight in the summer. Apparently Subban was squatting over 300 lbs this summer.

All that aside, his size won't be what holds him back from making the NHL. He has high end vision, skill and mobility, but it's his play without the puck that will dictate is ultimate success.

[Topper]

Looks can be a little deceiving Tops, especially with hockey players.

Hamhuis was in shorts and a T-shirt, the guy is a wire but I know what you mean about legs, I once dated a figure skater who nearly broke my jaw.