Photo Credit: Any Irvin, The Hockey Writers
The Flyers have been playing great as of late (4-0-1 in their last five), especially with all the injuries and illnesses that have occurred to some of the team’s top players. Now, with Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere returning soon, it seems evident that Robert Hagg may just be the odd man out again on the Flyers blueline, but why?
Hagg may not put up a lot of points like Gostisbehere- with Robert totaling just one goal and eight assists so far this year- but he does not give up many either. Hagg is a plus seven on the year, (which means he is on the ice when his team scores more then when the other team scores). This is a stat that few hockey fans, coaches, and general managers even care to pay attention to anymore. The NHL has transcended to a point where they just want to see more and more players scoring, but what good is a defenseman that scores 65 points a year, if he is on the ice when his opponents score 90 and thus losing games?
Since being drafted in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Defenseman Robert Hagg has been anything but your current NHL status-quo offensive defenseman. Picked in the 2nd round, 41st overall, this 6’2″ 204-pound, 24-year-old Swede has a bit of an old soul. Robert tends to take pride in playing a more defensively-sound game and focuses more on things like: blocking shots, successfully killing penalties, fighting when needed to, and finishing his checks (a stat in which he not only tends to lead the Flyers every year, but also the NHL).
Hagg’s style of play could be most useful come playoff time in a seven-game series. The way he lays those board-rattling hits will leave star players like Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, and Steven Stamkos in excruciating pain after a game forcing them to stay just a little bit longer in that ice bath afterwards. Those hits will remind them to think twice next game before coming down along the boards when Hagg’s on the ice.
The Flyers are loaded with the 2020 version of defensemen. These offensive-first type guys like Philippe Myers, Shayne Gostisbehere, Ivan Provorov, and Travis Sanheim need a stay-at-home defenseman like Robert Hagg to allow them to do their jobs. So, just because you may not hear his name on the broadcast when sportscaster Jim Jackson announces the team’s goals, it doesn’t mean he’s not doing anything. Just think: Do you ever hear “Hagg didn’t get back in time” or “Hagg turned over the puck again” or “Hagg left his man wide open in front of the net”? The answer is NO!!!
You have to ask yourself: Do you want Shayne Gostisbehere to come back into the lineup even though he has the potential to post fifty points a year, but still was a minus 20 last year? Or would you rather have that same dynamic, defensive talent in Robert Hagg who has only helped the Flyers win their last five games (and shut-out both the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins in that time)?
I have always liked Haager and am really happy he’s had a chance to prove himself. I would hate to see him sit in the press room but I guess they have to let Ghost show his skill set. Maybe they’ll go back to alternating but it seems as though the D has been playing really well of late.
ghost needs to play so we can trade him