lor@ucla-cs.UUCP (03/06/86)
In article <436@watdragon.UUCP> absary@watdragon.UUCP (Al Sary) writes: >In article <9301@ucla-cs.ARPA> rick@ucla-cs.UUCP (Richard Gillespie) writes: > >>An observation for the All-Star game: Paul Coffey has regressed this year. >>He may be going great guns on offense but he looks lost in his own zone. >>Two of the Wales' goals were scored when he didn't know what to do. I >>watched the Oilers on ESPN twice in the following week and he played >>poorly on defense *again* (although scoring some). > >Why, when did he ever play good defense? No doubt Coffey will win his second Norris Trophy this spring, but I wonder whether the Norris Trophy will ever be given to the right person again. When the trophy was initiated way back in the 50's, it was awarded to the best defenseman, who was supposed to be the BEST DEFENSIVE non-goaltending player. Since offensive defensemen like Orr and Potvin emerged and won the trophy, it changed the whole meaning of the trophy. Granted, Orr and Potvin were excellent defensive players too, but Coffey? Coffey fans may ask whether there is a better way to play defense by controlling the puck in the other team's zone. But that's not the point, playing defense is to stop the other team from scoring when the puck is in your zone. Coffey may be responsible for keeping the puck in the other zone 80% of the time, but in the other 20%, he doesn't excel. He may be good during the Stanley Cup finals, but not a consistently great defensive player during the regular season. As a matter of fact, the run and gun Oilers do not need one. In football and basketball, there are DEFENSIVE player of the year awards, as well as all-defensive team selections, why not in hockey? You can't tell me the Selke Trophy winner is the best defensive player. I hate to see the defensive excellence of Mark Howe and Rod Langley go unrewarded. I consider Coffey, with his offensive skills, is just a forward playing out of position. -- Eddy Lor ...!(ihnp4,ucbvax)!ucla-cs!lor lor@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU Computer Science Department, UCLA