Niklas Nevalainen signs for Steelers - Confirmed

[SteelerBlade]

The fact that he is an offencive defender is an obvious Fox Style signing but I am hoping we have a big brick house stay at home defender lined up also. Looks a great pick up and loved his line about he is a pass first defender mentality.. Offencive defenders can be a great addition, but when they frequently forget there core duties aka.. Ben O'connor you get a player you can love or ate in equal measure..

Jayboy

This quote from Fox suggests big D aren’t in his plan, although we probably already knew that.

“You don't see teams that have big, heavy, hulking defencemen playing a physical game any more because if they are that good they are probably not in our league!”

To be fair outside of Mark Louis I don’t see any other big D in the league yet.

[Jayboy]

The fact that he is an offencive defender is an obvious Fox Style signing but I am hoping we have a big brick house stay at home defender lined up also. Looks a great pick up and loved his line about he is a pass first defender mentality.. Offencive defenders can be a great addition, but when they frequently forget there core duties aka.. Ben O'connor you get a player you can love or ate in equal measure..

Jayboy

This quote from Fox suggests big D aren’t in his plan, although we probably already knew that.

“You don't see teams that have big, heavy, hulking defencemen playing a physical game any more because if they are that good they are probably not in our league!”

To be fair outside of Mark Louis I don’t see any other big D in the league yet.

It doesn't mean we shouldn't aspire to find one... i would also say, I would sacrifice some attributes to get a defender who can actually defend his own zone and crease over lightening speed or superb vision..

[BontSteeler]

The fact that he is an offencive defender is an obvious Fox Style signing but I am hoping we have a big brick house stay at home defender lined up also. Looks a great pick up and loved his line about he is a pass first defender mentality.. Offencive defenders can be a great addition, but when they frequently forget there core duties aka.. Ben O'connor you get a player you can love or ate in equal measure..

Jayboy

This quote from Fox suggests big D aren’t in his plan, although we probably already knew that.

“You don't see teams that have big, heavy, hulking defencemen playing a physical game any more because if they are that good they are probably not in our league!”

To be fair outside of Mark Louis I don’t see any other big D in the league yet.

Josh Batch
Dallas Erthadt

Both decent size D men imo...

[SteelerBlade]

The fact that he is an offencive defender is an obvious Fox Style signing but I am hoping we have a big brick house stay at home defender lined up also. Looks a great pick up and loved his line about he is a pass first defender mentality.. Offencive defenders can be a great addition, but when they frequently forget there core duties aka.. Ben O'connor you get a player you can love or ate in equal measure..

Jayboy

This quote from Fox suggests big D aren’t in his plan, although we probably already knew that.

“You don't see teams that have big, heavy, hulking defencemen playing a physical game any more because if they are that good they are probably not in our league!”

To be fair outside of Mark Louis I don’t see any other big D in the league yet.

Josh Batch
Dallas Erthadt

Both decent size D men imo...

Forgot Batch had re-signed he’s in that category with Ehrhardt who have the size but play a more mellow game using their size for defensive effect rather than overdoing it like Louis and the early days Ehrhardt did.

[kgw]

Dallas Ehrhardt is less physical than Ellerby.

[Joesteeler]

Dallas Ehrhardt is less physical than Ellerby.

Nonsense. I don’t rate either player but Mr Tash is far more physical than Ellerby.

[Morpheous]

The fact that he is an offencive defender is an obvious Fox Style signing but I am hoping we have a big brick house stay at home defender lined up also. Looks a great pick up and loved his line about he is a pass first defender mentality.. Offencive defenders can be a great addition, but when they frequently forget there core duties aka.. Ben O'connor you get a player you can love or ate in equal measure..

Jayboy

This quote from Fox suggests big D aren’t in his plan, although we probably already knew that.

“You don't see teams that have big, heavy, hulking defencemen playing a physical game any more because if they are that good they are probably not in our league!”

To be fair outside of Mark Louis I don’t see any other big D in the league yet.

Gagnon signed for the panthers, hope we’ve someone to answer when he comes knocking, and he will.

[Jayboy]

The fact that he is an offencive defender is an obvious Fox Style signing but I am hoping we have a big brick house stay at home defender lined up also. Looks a great pick up and loved his line about he is a pass first defender mentality.. Offencive defenders can be a great addition, but when they frequently forget there core duties aka.. Ben O'connor you get a player you can love or ate in equal measure..

Jayboy

This quote from Fox suggests big D aren’t in his plan, although we probably already knew that.

“You don't see teams that have big, heavy, hulking defencemen playing a physical game any more because if they are that good they are probably not in our league!”

To be fair outside of Mark Louis I don’t see any other big D in the league yet.

Gagnon signed for the panthers, hope we’ve someone to answer when he comes knocking, and he will.

Well this is partially was i was alluding to on other threads about Fox statements and attitude and this one about having a player that can use his size and presence to lay a decent back check, sit a player on his arse, clear the crease and answer the bell if needed...

Not and enforcer, not a goon, a proper big guy who can play old time NA style hockey.
Aaron Fox doesn't like this type of player its clear and is therefore reluctant to clear enough of the budget to find us one.. or he doesnt have the type of NA contacts he needs to find one,he has basically said as much...
As coach thats his option and we back him, but saying they are not out there is rubbish in my opinion..

The fans in Sheffield know what they like and over the years the fans have been proven right time after time after time..
I see some fans saying we are not pushed about and hey look we came second or we won this and that, well there is an element of truth to that, but the simple fact is, since we lost Guillaume Desbiens and Zack Fitzgerald we have not had the same physical presence on the ice and many of the fans miss it. I know I do..

[BontSteeler]

The fact that he is an offencive defender is an obvious Fox Style signing but I am hoping we have a big brick house stay at home defender lined up also. Looks a great pick up and loved his line about he is a pass first defender mentality.. Offencive defenders can be a great addition, but when they frequently forget there core duties aka.. Ben O'connor you get a player you can love or ate in equal measure..

Jayboy

This quote from Fox suggests big D aren’t in his plan, although we probably already knew that.

“You don't see teams that have big, heavy, hulking defencemen playing a physical game any more because if they are that good they are probably not in our league!”

To be fair outside of Mark Louis I don’t see any other big D in the league yet.

Gagnon signed for the panthers, hope we’ve someone to answer when he comes knocking, and he will.

Well this is partially was i was alluding to on other threads about Fox statements and attitude and this one about having a player that can use his size and presence to lay a decent back check, sit a player on his arse, clear the crease and answer the bell if needed...

Not and enforcer, not a goon, a proper big guy who can play old time NA style hockey.
Aaron Fox doesn't like this type of player its clear and is therefore reluctant to clear enough of the budget to find us one.. or he doesnt have the type of NA contacts he needs to find one,he has basically said as much...
As coach thats his option and we back him, but saying they are not out there is rubbish in my opinion..

The fans in Sheffield know what they like and over the years the fans have been proven right time after time after time..
I see some fans saying we are not pushed about and hey look we came second or we won this and that, well there is an element of truth to that, but the simple fact is, since we lost Guillaume Desbiens and Zack Fitzgerald we have not had the same physical presence on the ice and many of the fans miss it. I know I do..

It's those type of players (Vial, Allison, King, Fitzgerald, Desbiens) that people will pay to watch, it those type of players that put you on the edge of your seat when they are on the ice, I certainly miss those type of players, dont get me wrong, I love the speed of Latel, the grit of Jono, the goalscoring of Dowd but when it comes down to it, give me a player who will stand up for his team, get in opposing teams faces, clear that zone & protect our netminder.

At the end of the day, this game is going in a different direction to what I prefer to watch & in a way (personally) it doesn't have me wanting going back week in, week out but I won't ever stop supporting the Steelers.