ESNY’s review of the 2017-18 New York Islanders report cards continues with a review of hard-nosed defenseman Dennis Seidenberg.
With the next review of the New York Islanders players from this past season, I have selected veteran defensemen, Dennis Seidenberg. I review number four, using the same system I have used in previous reviews.
The Good
The 37-year-old German only played 28 games for the Islanders this season. He registered five points with no goals scored. Seidenberg main gift to the team was a result of his family taking on a border at the Garden City home. Mathew Barzal was the renter of Seidenberg’s basement, spending a great deal of time with the defenseman three children.
Seidenberg is known to be a strong veteran presence in the locker room and is an affable person to the media and fans.
The Bad
The 28 games played were not a result of injuries, but simply the lack of solid play. HE lined the pines for many games at a time. He did not play a game for over a month, allowing Doug Weight to give major playing time to players such as Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock.
He routinely averaged about 18 minutes per game, but you can see that age and lack of speed have caused Seidenberg to lose some of the desire to the team that he displayed the previous season.
The Ugly
The simple mistakes of bad passes and difficulty getting the puck through the neutral zone were glaringly obvious to even the non-studious hockey fan. To be fair, it looks like the game has passed him by.
The Grade
Seidenberg’s contract expired at the conclusion of this season. With the influx of defensemen that are on the road to Long Island, including Sebastian Aho, Devon Toews and Parker Wotherspoon, it would have been unlikely that Seidenberg would crack this lineup for the 2018-19 season.
It is probable, in this reporters opinion, that Seidenberg will be spending next season in Germany or somewhere else in Europe if he intends to continue his professional career. Seidenberg will be playing for Germany in the upcoming World Championships in Denmark.
As far as the grade is concerned, I really do not like o give players an F. But to be fair, his play, and inability to provide help to the team, causes me to make a grade as close to an F—without actually giving it.
Final 2017-18 Grade for Dennis Seidenberg: D-
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