Grading the 2009 Flyers: Luca Sbisa

by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 25, 2009 8:58 AM EDT in Grading the Flyers Comment 1 comment

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Grade: B

2008/2009 Salary: $0.875 million

2008/2009 Cap Hit: $0.875 million

2009/2010 Status: $0.875 million, RFA after season

Linemates: 22.2% Braydon Coburn, 21.0% Andrew Alberts

Depth Chart Ranking: #6 Defenseman

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	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	TOI/G	PP/G	Hits	BkS	GvA	TkA
08/09 Regular Season	39	0	7	7	-6	36	17:28	1:45	46	48	29	7
08/09 Playoffs	1	0	0	0	0	2	5:37	0:00	0	0	0	0

By making the Flyers out of training camp, the 18-year-old rookie surprised many. As the year began, the team had four injured defensemen (Derian Hatcher, Mike Rathje, Ryan Parent, and Randy Jones) leaving only three from the team that made the Conference Finals the year before. Adding to Kimmo Timmonen, Braydon Coburn, and Lasse Kukkonen were new-comers Ossi Vaannanen and Steve Eminger. With such a mediocre top 5, it was no surprise the Flyers kept their recent #1 pick with the club for the NHL-allowed 10 games. He had 5 assists and was a -2 through those 10 games, where he impressed many with his skating, hitting, vision, and confidence. He hung around into January, but once Parent and Jones returned, ice time was hard to find. He ended up playing four games at wing, including one in the playoffs, and went both 2 weeks and 3 weeks between starts on defense. Finally, Holmgren sent him back to his WHL team where he was an integral part of their push to the playoffs, playing up to 35 or 40 minutes a game before returning to Philadelphia.

It is pretty obvious that Luca Sbisa has a future in the NHL. His play in the first half of the year was very good for an 18 year old kid who is undersized. (Only Ryan Parent weighs less) Andrew Alberts is the only unsigned defenseman from last year's team, leaving Sbisa to be the likely final piece. If the team goes out and gets a defenseman as so many are clamoring for, that may change. Even then, many would rather see Sbisa in the lineup than Randy Jones, myself included. So, as it is right now, he's the #6 defenseman. But some time in Adirondack (that's strange) could only help his development and his time there probably wouldn't last long.

Going forward, the Flyers look solid on the blueline for a long time. With Braydon Coburn, Matt Carle, Ryan Parent, Luca Sbisa, and Kevin Marshall all 24 or younger, there is no shortage of talent. Now about that free agent defenseman...

After the jump, some highlights.

Luca Sbisa vs. Dominic Moore (via chaosof99)

Luca Sbisa Levels Scott Glennie & Drop Gloves w/ Schenn (via iamlightning)

Up next in our Grading the Flyers Series: Darroll Powe

Poll

How would you grade Luca Sbisa's 2009 season?

A

33 votes

B

56 votes

C

20 votes

D

1 votes

F

0 votes

110 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 1 comment |

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Comments

Sbisa is definitely an exciting player and I really do look forward to him as a staple on the Flyers blueline for many years to come. He was definitely impressive in his time with the Flyers in the beginning of the season. We really could not have asked for more from the 18 year old Italian/Swiss national. He jumped into the best hockey league in the world and filled in quite nicely considering all the injuries and the horrible start the Flyers had. I was impressed that he was willing to throw his body around being a smaller, European player. That will always garner support from me.

With that said, he definitely has room for improvement (as an 18 year old obviously would). The kid has so much damn potential its incredible. Watching him play live was a treat because he is a great skater. If he can learn how to position himself and really use his speed he will be a great addition to our defensive outlets and powerplay and not be a defensive liability. I don’t want him to be a Mike Green type (not that Luca will ever put up numbers like Mike Green). Green is fast, skates and moves the puck well but is a terrible defender and is a defensive liability. His positioning is horrendous and depends on his speed to make last minute poke checks after getting himself out of position. In the playoffs, mainly against the Penguins, he injured his leg and really couldn’t skate hard or push off to get the speed he was used to. He was completely ineffective defensively and once that happened, and wasn’t producing offensively, he was nothing more then drift wood. I think Mike Green, as a complete hockey player, is extremely overrated [not to take away from his 30(!) goals this past season as a defenseman].

Luca must be more then that. He needs to focus on being better defensively and shutting down opponents with his speed and positioning and then show his offensive side. I am very optimistic about Luca. I gave him a “C” in the poll only because he is 18 and I see him turning into a crucial piece to the Flyers puzzle eventually.

by flyrsfrk05 on Jun 25, 2009 1:01 PM EDT reply actions

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