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Early Season Worst Player
by PuckStopsHere on 10/26/08 at 06:02 AM ET
Comments (9)
Along with tracking the leaders for the NHL awards as we progress through the season, I like to track the worst player who is getting regular ice time. Generally at points early in the season it is a name player with NHL experience who is off to a very poor start. In time, either the player plays at the established levels that have made him an NHL regular or gets sent to the minors. Later in the season, usually the worst player getting regular ice time is an “energy player” who has impressed his coach with hard work but isn’t particularly good.
At this point in the season, the worst player with a regular shift has been Brett Lebda of the Detroit Red Wings.
Lebda has been playing regularly on the Detroit defence. He has no points and a team worst -7 +/- rating in 8 games. He has yet to be on the ice for a Detroit goal scored.
Lebda is an extra defenceman in Detroit who has been forced into regular use due to Chris Chelios and Andreas Lilja being injured. He is not doing a particularly good job. It might be time to get him out of the lineup in favor of Jonathan Ericsson.
There are reports that Detroit would like to trade Lebda, but given his current play it’s doubtful that a market exists.
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Tags: Brett+Lebda, Detroit+Red+Wings,
Comments
Really? Lebda, worst player.
How about Ryan Malone?
Posted by callmedrw from detroit, mi on 10/26/08 at 11:15 AM ET
Lebda to Tampa Bay for a late-round draft pick.
[snark]
Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 10/26/08 at 11:42 AM ET
Maybe statistically so far, (though I’m not sure what you are going off of) but he’s not the worst player in the league.
Posted by moore00 from Columbus, OH/Grand Rapids, MI on 10/26/08 at 02:52 PM ET
I’m afraid I have to agree with PSH. Lebda’s play has been abysmal. He’s making Lilja look like a keeper right now. Who woulda thunk it?
But not far behind Lebda (at least until Saturday night) was Nick Kronwal. I don’t recall one really solid hit he’s made in the first eight games. And it’s not because of Stuart, who has been steady from the get-go and more than willing to lay on the body.
Most puzzling of all, as Pharazon mentions, are Lidstrom’s gaffs. It likely has something to do with getting used to the new shield, but it’s downright disconcerting to see him get his pocket picked by a rookie.
It’s funny (and not funny ha-ha) that what we all thought was going to be a major strength for the Wings this year (team defense) is turning out to be a glaring weakness.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/26/08 at 05:39 PM ET
What exactly are you guys seeing? Is Lidstrom keeping his head down more often or what?
Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 10/26/08 at 05:47 PM ET
LOL, Lidstrom makes one real mistake through 8 games and “something is wrong”? Relax, people, he’s still on pace for 60+ points and a +70 rating, and the point total will only improve as the rest of the team re-commits to actually playing a little bit of D.
#5 and #28 have been solid, the other four have been jokes.
Posted by Nathan on 10/27/08 at 08:01 AM ET
lebda truly is terrible. he brings absolutely nothing to the team other than speed that he never uses for anything even remotely effective anyway. he’s the only defenseman that gets zero special teams time.
meech is bad too, but would anyone argue that meech wouldn’t at least have the potential to improve defensively if he got the regular playing time lebda does? could he be worse at this point?
Posted by lilja4mvp on 10/27/08 at 01:17 PM ET
All americans blow plus madano
Posted by lou from canada on 12/09/08 at 05:38 PM ET
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Lebda’s only really ever been worth a damn with Chelios, and his partners this year have been Lilja and Meech, it just isn’t working…
how the hell the wings are 6-1-1 i don’t know. They haven’t had a decent defensive performance this year. Kronwall and Stuart’s partnership is off, and even Lidstroms making some weird mistakes…
not to mention the fact that they’ve given up goals to 3rd period 5-3’s for 3 straight games….
they better pull themselves together.
Posted by Pharazon from England on 10/26/08 at 07:58 AM ET