Assume a tough guy

Yes, that’s right. Imagine the Canucks had one.

Now, what are his talents?

1. He’s big and strong.

2. He’s got a menacing look.

3. He talks a lot of smack.

4. He’s lauded for his ability to wear down the opposition.

Oh wait…isn’t that this guy?

Or if you really want, you could have this guy:

The thing to remember about both Eager and Carcillo? They are the ones who can skate. There are plenty who can’t.

You want tough guys? You’re going to accept a fair amount of stupidity. Dan Carcillo gives you stupidity. Ben Eager gives you stupidity.

Your fourth line guys chew up 6-8 minutes a night. You want them mostly not to screw up while your quality players are getting a rest. If they pot the odd goal, that’s a bonus, but not really why they are there.

A tough guy screws up. A lot.

Fear the Fin wrote a good piece in June on Eager. He’s big, strong guy who can play a bit but is prone to moments of egregious stupidity.

Oh, and the argument that a tough guy serves as a deterrent? The Leafs had Colton Orr dressed that night. He didn’t deter Eager from anything. Instead the Leafs took the 5-minute powerplay and scored FOUR goals. Oh an he’d already taken a double-minor in the game, which the Leafs turned into another goal.

Guys like this bring chaos. Chaos feeds our emotions. But emotions are not how decisions should be made. Who will win you the most hockey games is how you make decisions. Sometimes that means picking the guy who screws up the least.

Tough guy? No thanks.