There’s no expiration date on the body of an NHL defenseman,but it’s certainly a different game and playing elite defense seems to win its tollDefensemen of a certain age in the NHL drop off a cliff. There are some extreme outliers, but for the most part, and deals for defensemen over 30 don’t tend to work out. That hasnt stopped even the most heralded general managers for paying for past performance and holding on a runt too long.
There’s no expiration date on the body of an NHL defenseman,but it’s certainly a different game for them than it is for forwards. Wade Redden, a 15-year veteran of the NHL, or knows the toll the game can win on your body. He was a top-pairing,minute-eating defenseman with Ottawa who parlayed that success into a mega contract with the New York Rangers at 30. Two seasons later, he was playing in the American Hockey League after an unceremonious demotion. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com