As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

[YabaDabaDoo]

What do you need to do to get any respect!!! Forwards get their goals and assists, goalies have their save percentages and shutouts, but as a D "I can't get any respect"

Just kidding, my goalie ALWAYS makes it clear that she couldn't do it with out us! But player of the week patty Kaz and most awards elude us?
What do we need to do?

 

[123kidd]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

Change positions, learn to skate forward with the puck, shoot high and hard, take a cross check to the back instead of giving one, and get yourself double digit number.

 

[Call It]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

The solid stay at home D-man never receives the respect they deserve. The awards even go to the "D" that put up points. Does +/- not mean anything? Not to many people care about a D-man creating a turnover and making a great first pass that allows your team to breakout, even if it's against the Gophers 1st line. Often times I see coaches match their "scoring line" vs the Gophers "scoring line", it hasn't worked very well in recent years. There are players that do everything very well except score, coaches need to recruit them too. Look at the way NHL teams create a team, it's not with 12 Alex Ov forwards.

BTW, great topic.

 

[WIrinkrat]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

If, as a D, you're playing this sport to get recognized for your own individual accomplishments, my first suggestion is to find a new sport to play. Probably soccer or basketball would be a good place to start.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Be the next Bobby Orr.

 

[SeymoreHockey]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

It's almost as bad to be the parent of a D. You have to listen to all the talk about how great and prolific certain forwards are...meantime, it was the D who got them the puck in the first place. Remember, championships are built on defence first. Most recent example was on the Canadian men's team at the Olympics. Remember Babcock to the media....."Who won the scoring title at the Olympics? Anyone know? Who won the Gold Medal? See ya." End of press conference.

 

[DelayedOffside]

If, as a D, you're playing this sport to get recognized for your own individual accomplishments, my first suggestion is to find a new sport to play. Probably soccer or basketball would be a good place to start.

Don't necessarily agree Rinkrat. Regardless of the position, most players would like and deserve some recognition for a job well done. Positive reinforcement and encouragement goes a long way in developing young players, especially on the girls side.

 

[WIrinkrat]

Don't necessarily agree Rinkrat. Regardless of the position, most players would like and deserve some recognition for a job well done. Positive reinforcement and encouragement goes a long way in developing young players, especially on the girls side.

And getting those things from their teammates, their coaches, their parents, their friends and anyone else who cheers for them should be enough. If you're playing this game just for individual awards and accolades you're here for the wrong reasons and will fit in better with the culture of other sports

 

[DelayedOffside]

The solid stay at home D-man never receives the respect they deserve. The awards even go to the "D" that put up points. Does +/- not mean anything? Not to many people care about a D-man creating a turnover and making a great first pass that allows your team to breakout, even if it's against the Gophers 1st line. Often times I see coaches match their "scoring line" vs the Gophers "scoring line", it hasn't worked very well in recent years. There are players that do everything very well except score, coaches need to recruit them too. Look at the way NHL teams create a team, it's not with 12 Alex Ov forwards.

BTW, great topic.

The way I see it, the D has 3 options when they gain control in their own end: 1/ if you have open ice, skate! 2/ if forwards are open and breaking, make a solid first pass and 3/ if all covered, just get it out. I love a D who can quickly recognize the options and make the right choice, especially making that first pass. Very important part of the game that does not get enough credit!!!

 

[DelayedOffside]

And getting those things from their teammates, their coaches, their parents, their friends and anyone else who cheers for them should be enough. If you're playing this game just for individual awards and accolades you're here for the wrong reasons and will fit in better with the culture of other sports

Oh, I agree, it's not about the awards but, as you said, the recognition from peers is nice!!! I think we're on the same page here.

 

[D2D]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

The way I see it, the D has 3 options when they gain control in their own end: 1/ if you have open ice, skate! 2/ if forwards are open and breaking, make a solid first pass and 3/ if all covered, just get it out. I love a D who can quickly recognize the options and make the right choice, especially making that first pass. Very important part of the game that does not get enough credit!!!

Great points, just too bad that so many fans don't recognize the skill that's required to consistently make the best possible decision in each circumstance.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

The way I see it, the D has 3 options when they gain control in their own end: 1/ if you have open ice, skate! 2/ if forwards are open and breaking, make a solid first pass and 3/ if all covered, just get it out. I love a D who can quickly recognize the options and make the right choice, especially making that first pass. Very important part of the game that does not get enough credit!!!

.. This !!!!

 

[Eeyore]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

Does +/- not mean anything?

No, it doesn't.

 

[Call It]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

No, it doesn't.

When can I play your team?

 

[Call It]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

And getting those things from their teammates, their coaches, their parents, their friends and anyone else who cheers for them should be enough. If you're playing this game just for individual awards and accolades you're here for the wrong reasons and will fit in better with the culture of other sports

The title is RESPECT not Awards. However the awards don't go to the D-man thus a lack of respect exists. Bobby Knight used to get so made at ESPN for always showing dunks. He said dunks mean nothing in the game, it started with 5 guys working together. A goal is usually a natural finish to a 5 man unit work together. Does the 1st pass have less value than the player who taps in a puck for the goal? Everyone has their own $0.02 on this. Remember when you lost (even with the much better Forwards) because your D-man couldn't get you out of the zone, the value might be greater than one might think. Especially if you have bad D.

 

[WIrinkrat]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

The title is RESPECT not Awards. However the awards don't go to the D-man thus a lack of respect exists. Bobby Knight used to get so made at ESPN for always showing dunks. He said dunks mean nothing in the game, it started with 5 guys working together. A goal is usually a natural finish to a 5 man unit work together. Does the 1st pass have less value than the player who taps in a puck for the goal? Everyone has their own $0.02 on this. Remember when you lost (even with the much better Forwards) because your D-man couldn't get you out of the zone, the value might be greater than one might think. Especially if you have bad D.

Sorry but the OP uses awards to justify respect. If that is the criteria, then you know what other team is not successful? One that has a group of D...or sometimes even just 1 D...who is concerned with winning awards as a means to justify that they are respected.

You know who is successful? A team where the defensemen are appreciated in the locker room and where they play with a chip on their shoulder because other people may not recognize their contribution. Who cares about awards? Who cares if someone on another team or in another city or cheering for another school doesn't respect them and outwardly shower them with praise? If the people in their room do, that is ALL that matters.

 

[DedicatedFan]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

As the parent of a stay-at-home defenseman, I understand the frustration, both for the player and the parents. So …

In MY perfect world, there would be separate conference and national awards for forwards, defensemen, and goalies. They all play a very different, distinct and important role on the team, and players should be compared to their peers playing the same position. Also in MY perfect world, film of all games at all college levels would be reviewed and stats corrected and posted after each game, including goals, assists, plus/minus, shots on goal, and blocked shots. I too often see where stats are incorrect, which impacts how a player looks on paper. And, let’s face it, if we want to see how well a player is doing, we go and look at her stats.

Now, as far as the academic awards go, I don’t have a problem with the various conference awards. I do think how the Academic All-American awards are given out should be revised. At present, it is a very subjective nomination and review process. Sports such as women’s hockey are limited in the amount of players a school can nominate, and I don’t think a player with a 3.30 (B) GPA should receive an Academic All-American award over a player with a 3.50 (A) or higher GPA. Again, in MY perfect world, the bar would be set at 3.80 cumulative GPA. If a player meets that grade requirement and is a contributing factor on the team, no matter what sport she plays, she should receive the award – THAT would be meaningful and would be a concrete goal for a player to try to achieve in her college career.

Now, … back to the real world ...

 

[Eeyore]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

Bobby Knight used to get so made at ESPN for always showing dunks.

And lord knows Bobby Knight's anger is always justified.

 

[Watson Rink]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

The cruelest moment in a D's career happens only to males...it's in the twilight of their careers, when they first play in an over the hill no-check beer league, see some pesky little forward who's been skating rings around them get into an exposed position, the D's eyes light up. he salivates, there is a new bounce in his step...and then he realizes omg, this is no-check, I can't clock this guy, what do I do to stop him, what do I do?

(Of course, his gf would know what to do)

 

[gojackets]

Re: As a Defenseman "I can't get any respect"

Or better yet...if I'm a good player on a crappy team, how do I get any recognition?

For example...Colby's goalie...15th in the country in save % with .933...yah Aveson had a .971 save % but Wheeler faced 315 more shots than Aveson...I'm will to bet that if Wheeler played for a better team she'd have better numbers.

I don't like how the best stats always win the awards. I'm not saying Aveson doesn't deserve the awards and recognition that she got, but being on a great team makes you look better.

I completely disagreed with Houle getting coach of the year. He took a bunch of great players that played well. No one expected Lake Forest to win the NCHA, no one expected St. Thomas to win the MIAC, no one expected Williams to do what they did, Mandigo benched 3(or 2?) players because it was the right thing to do and it ended their season...Should the coach of the year go to the coach that has the best players that performed the best or should it go to a coach who took lower level players and did the unexpected and made them great?

You know that defensemen don't get credit for anything...its like being an offensive lineman in football. You do all the work so the running back can have a hole to run through and the running back gets all the credit for his great run.