Lubomir and Jack

[Caporal]

Good morning, guys.

What\'s your take on Lubomir Visnovsky now that Johnson is in the house ? Do you think he\'ll keep on reaching big numbers for the next 3 or 4 years ? I\'d think so, since the young LA offense is getting more and more dangerous. Could Jack Johnson steal some his PP thunder, or is Lubomir still a safe bet ? I\'m asking you \'cause he could be a piece I\'d receive in a big trade I\'d make to get Stastny or Toews.

Is Jack Johnson good enough to hurt Lubomir\'s numbers : that, in fact, is my question.

Thanks.

Post edited by: CaporalRadulov, at: 2007/05/15 09:56

[Pete]

In 2 years, LA will have a kind of 1-2 punch like Toronto with Kaberle/McCabe or Detroit Lidstrom/Schneider.

In the new nhl, a team can have 2 good PP defencemen with over 40-45 points.

[Shoeless]

I am pretty much with Pete here - I don\'t see Johnson stealing from Lube more like complementing

[The Comish]

To answer the question. No Jack Johnson won\'t hurt Visnovsky\'s numbers. I really like Jack Johnson, but I don\'t see him on the 1st PP right away with Rob Blake and Visnovsky still in LA. More likely 2nd PP unit. They have the luxury of breaking him in slowly.

Both Blake and Visnovsky are UFA after next season. I don\'t see Blake playing anywhere else as he is quite settled in LA and will be 39 when his contract is up. What I see happening is Johnson being spotted on 1st unit PP to see how he handles it and then at or near the trade deadline, Blake goes as a rental player. LA then can spend some money and re-sign Visnovsky. If LA chooses to let Visnovsky go, maybe his numbers take a hit, but probably not. Offensive defencemen aren\'t exactly a dime a dozen in the NHL and Visnovsky should be manning a #1 PP unit on his new team while scoring 60-65 pts.