Is Despres playing well for the ducks? #FireRutherford

[Algernon]

Haven't really been following his play, has anyone?

[Avyran]

He's been playing decently. Not being an MVP or anything, but certainly playing adequately enough & providing physicality. Playing on the Ducks' bottom pairing alongside Fowler (basically, what Lovejoy did).

Ducks' fans are much happier than Pens' fans are, mainly because he is playing like the player we hoped he'd be all season. Curious to see if his disinterested / less-than-stellar self shows up next year or not.

As of now, it looks like a horrible act of judgment by Guerin (who I believe was the one to push for the trade, maybe alongside Fitzgerald... I remember DK or someone saying Botterill was against it).

[Algernon]

Surprise surprise


I hate this organization sometimes

[shmenguin]

What good is all that on ice athleticism and physicality if he doesn't perform in the gym. Amiright?

[mikey]

Oh stop...

He's been good though, playing on the right side of Cam Fowler (the spot that Lovejoy vacated)...still prone to some real head-scratchers now and again, but overall he's been quite good...

[meow]

When the Ducks don't win the Cup, it will be precisely because Despres is a party animal and I'll come running in here to say I told you so. You'll see.

[shmenguin]

regardless of what issues he has off the ice, whether it's not being a gym rat (while maintaining a high level of athleticism somehow) or being a party boy...or even him not looking like he will live up to his potential - none of that has any impact on the fact that it was a lousy trade. he's better than lovejoy. that's really all that matters. once his contract is done, and you don't like him, feel free to let him walk. or if you can get something meaningful out of him now, go ahead and trade him.

but they got rid of him and got a pile of nothing in return. it was bad - no matter what theories there are about depres or what kind of strange logic is being applied to his fitness level.

with that said, depres wouldn't have moved the needle on this team. still too many flaws for them to have done anything without letang. but it's a head scratcher from a group of people who are largely in charge of this team's fate. it's worrisome.

[darkstar57]

regardless of what issues he has off the ice, whether it's not being a gym rat (while maintaining a high level of athleticism somehow) or being a party boy...or even him not looking like he will live up to his potential - none of that has any impact on the fact that it was a lousy trade. he's better than lovejoy. that's really all that matters. once his contract is done, and you don't like him, feel free to let him walk. or if you can get something meaningful out of him now, go ahead and trade him.

but they got rid of him and got a pile of nothing in return. it was bad - no matter what theories there are about depres or what kind of strange logic is being applied to his fitness level.

with that said, depres wouldn't have moved the needle on this team. still too many flaws for them to have done anything without letang. but it's a head scratcher from a group of people who are largely in charge of this team's fate. it's worrisome.

I agree with most of this post.

1. it was a lousy trade, doesn't matter what Depress did or did not do,
2. Depress was not going to move the needle on this team, he is a bottom pairing guy with 2nd pairing potential. If he he didn't have the "size" people wouldn't have cared that much about him.

Parts i disagree
3. While i don't think Lovejoy is a pile of return, he is a bottom pairing veteran defensemen who can help this team from that role, problem is you already had one of those in scuderi. (makes more sense if they move on from scuderi this offseason)
4. Bad trade yes, Worrisome not yet. too man injuries and trying to access this team on the fly was hard to do. Right after we made the trade with everyone healthy it looked like our lineup was set. They never counted on depress and by extension lovejoy to get that many minutes in the playoffs.

[meow]

Not this again

[Avyran]

You can thank Godric for bringing it up again.

Other good thing about Lovejoy is he is a very cheap player that is dependable. He is not a top 2 player (and fringe top 4), but he is a completely competent bottom 2 player that is also very good about mentoring younger players as well as being a great locker room presence.

He's basically a younger, better Scuderi at a vastly superior cap fee.

Hypothetical question: if it were Bortuzzo for Lovejoy & Cole for Despres instead, how much would perception have changed?

[columbia]

Shouldn't ownership (and I don't mean Morehouse) receive some attention, if they did indeed pressure GMJR to "win now?"

[shmenguin]

he is a completely competent bottom 2 player

he is a bottom pairing veteran defensemen who can help this team from that role

considering how he did in the playoffs, these 2 statements are, at best, hypothetical

[MR25]

?

He was playing a role above his head due to the fact 4 defensemen who would likely have been ahead of him on the depth chart were hurt.

[Avyran]

he is a completely competent bottom 2 player

he is a bottom pairing veteran defensemen who can help this team from that role

considering how he did in the playoffs, these 2 statements are, at best, hypothetical

? No, it's based largely on his play in Anaheim before this year. He was good with Fowler and helped his progression (or, conversely, helped cover Fowler's mistakes).

The guy's only 31, and does not play a physically-dependent game like an Anton Volchenkov. I don't think it's "at best hypothetical" at all.

[Jim]

When the Ducks don't win the Cup, it will be precisely because Despres is a party animal and I'll come running in here to say I told you so. You'll see.

Well, if they do win it people will be in here saying it was because of him and how horridly Rutherford got scammed... so it seems fitting.

[shmenguin]

he hasn't helped this team at any point, and was decidedly incompetent in the playoffs. hypothetical was kind, and i only used that word because he may have been burnt out from playing too many minutes.

[Jim]

How about... had we kept Despres someone would have skated around him like he was not even there and we would have lost the last game of the season and not made the playoffs at all! Groundless speculation based on oddball situations is fun

We would then have "won" the draft lottery and Edmonton would have gotten the #1 pick anyway.

[Craig]

Was despres getting out skated a thing?

[dodint]

Despres scored. Sorta.

[Jim]

Was despres getting out skated a thing?

I didn't say that he would get out skated.

[Craig]

Was despres getting out skated a thing?

I didn't say that he would get out skated.

You realize that your posts are permanently here right? People just have to scroll up 3 posts to read what you wrote.

[Jim]

Was despres getting out skated a thing?

I didn't say that he would get out skated.

You realize that your posts are permanently here right? People just have to scroll up 3 posts to read what you wrote.

Yes, and the problem for you is that I can do the same thing.

I said "..someone would have skated around him like he was not even there ..." That would be because he was often out of position, facing the wrong way, turning the wrong way, simply not paying attention, and any of the other many defensive errors that he did game in and game out.

Do you want to show me where I said that he gets out skated? Go ahead... take all the time that you need...

People have this odd memory of him being a solid defenseman. That is simply incorrect. Maybe in a few years, but not while he was in a Penguin's jersey.

[count2infinity]

Despres had the game winner last night...

[Gaucho]

The headline on NHL.com is "Party Fowl".

Hm ...

[Algernon]

Fire Rutherford

Seriously