'08-'09 Season Review: Matt Walker
by McClure on Jun 11, 2009 2:03 PM CDT
in Season Reviews
10 comments
With the season now over after a return to the playoffs and the Western Conference Finals, we're looking back at each player who wore the Indian Head sweater for the 08-09 Season and grading their performance. Oh ballllllllllls, it's time for Matt Walker, isn't it?
Matt Walker
#8 / Defenseman / Chicago Blackhawks
6-3
214
Apr 07, 1980
Contract Status - UFA, 08-09 Cap Hit - $600K
The Good: Matt Walker was brought in as an inexpensive depth defenseman this offseason, who was expected to provide some toughness and size on the Hawks' blue line for cheap. Walker ended up posting career highs in every conceivable category while being bounced around the bottom two pairings, either with Brian Campbell or Cam Barker. Despite extremely limited offensive abilities, Walker turned in the shift of his life in the offensive zone, which led to Patrick Sharp's overtime game winner in Game 3 against Scum. And on the toughness front, he was willing to stand up for teammates, including memorably beating the fuck out of an arguably unsuspecting Ed Jovanovski during the early stages of the December March To The Sea.
The Bad: Walker was, is, and always will be a #7 or #8 defenseman, with minimal speed and skating ability, as well as questionable decision making and positioning. All of these reared their ugly heads during the latter part of the season, causing everyone even tangentially affiliated with this site to openly wonder what Walker had pictures of Joel Quenneville doing that allowed him to stay in the lineup over Aaron Johnson. And while he did have a career year numbers-wise, it's not a high standard of excellence that was surpassed when you have one career goal coming into the year. Above all, the eye test showed a defenseman that looked woefully out of place on a team built on speed and precision, and one that is a liability in all three zones, causing fans to hold their collective breath when handling the puck or defending against a forward with even marginal wheels.
Playoff Beard Strength: The large western Canadian boy certainly sported a beard that complimented his burly stature.
Nicknames: Big Country, Ralph
Related Photoshops: See Above (courtesy mjthor)
The Grade: As stated above, it's hard to dog a guy that completely overachieved beyond anyone's expectations offensively. But with the standard so low, and all of the warts in his game still readily apparent with a few major gaffes tossed in for good measure, I'm hard pressed to give him any more than a C. What say you?
0 recs |
10 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
With that said, seeing him come back with that dilapidated finger was pretty awesome.
by wlittle on Jun 11, 2009 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I gave him a D
It might be one of those things where he didn’t do enough good for me to be able to see past all the bad.
Having a Cam Barker year review right before Matt Walker’s shows me there is NO WAY we can resign Matt Walker and trade Cam Barker for an offensive player. Who would play in Barker’s place? Sopel? Ugh. I don’t think Walker’s play is going to improve much than what it was this year. The upside potential on Barker is through the roof.
by Sportsgal on Jun 11, 2009 2:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Barker is a restricted free agent. If a team signs him to a ridiculous offer sheet, the Hawks may have no choice but to walk away and take the cornucopia of picks.
Speaking of which….does anyone know if it’s within the NHL’s bylaws to trade compensatory picks acquired from restricted free agent poaching?
by McClure on Jun 11, 2009 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
According to the CBA, which has a lot of confusing lawyer talk,
Teams aren’t allowed to sign restricted free agents if they don’t have the draft picks to back them up. Any picks that said team has acquired via trade are also forbidden from becoming the compensatory picks.
Then once the team hands over the draft picks, the receiving team can do whatever they want with them. I’ve scanned over the section in the CBA a couple times and didn’t notice anything that says otherwise.
Perhaps I missed something but for now, go with: it’s allowed.
FifthFeather.com
by El Duque's Raft on Jun 11, 2009 8:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The biggest complaint I’d have about Walker would simply be him playing over Johnson, which obviously wasn’t his fault. I firmly believe he played to the best of his abilities, he never dogged it. And the comedic value of that video of his fucked up hand/finger was well worth some of the frustration of having to watch him play. He is who he is, and he’s a guy who earned his C-. C m-i-n-e-s!
by hawksfan21 on Jun 11, 2009 3:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Tangentially affiliated?
Im just new.54 yrs old,lifrtime fan and thought this was a cool site.Didnt know you had to be invited in here.Thought you were a lot better than the stuffed shirts at the Dailey Herald McClure.Dont worry i wont bother your fraterinity with comments anymore.
by idiot man on Jun 11, 2009 3:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m sorry that you took what I thought was an innocuous comment personally, Idiot man. That was in no way a jab at you, of course you are welcome here.
By “tangentially affiliated”, I meant that everyone that all three of us, everyone that posts here, and every other site in the Hawks blogosphere wondered the exact same thing – Does Matt Walker have pictures of Quenneville?
That being said, for future reference, jokes are less funny if they need to be overly explained like I’m doing now, and if I were to take a jab at you, it wouldn’t be in the most obtuse manner possible.
by McClure on Jun 11, 2009 3:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry
Im not the brightest star in the sky and im sorry.
by idiot man on Jun 11, 2009 3:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think we may give him too much crap
He was somewhat solid sometimes. Yes he has some bad decision making skills but all you have to do is tell him to put his body in front of the puck. He usually listens if you give him simple instructions. But really, who else could the ’Hawks have had to replace him?
by rthor on Jun 15, 2009 12:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
Related FanPosts on Second City Hockey
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
