Comments for Detroit signs Carlo Colaiacovo at http://hockey.dobbersports.com , comment 1 to 2 out of 2 comments http://hockey.dobbersports.com Thu, 23 May 2013 10:18:54 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/columnistsarticles-mainmenu-77/19-nhl-deals/4899-detroit-signs-carlo-colaiacovo#comment-22553 sorry. but colaiacovo is not a defenceman that you use to play tough minutes unless he has a partner who is so dominant defensivley and at transitioning from defence to offence that a lot of the mistakes made by CC will be covered... becasue, believe me, there will be mistakes. detroit is a good fit for CC, he is suited to a puck possession system, but he is a borderline top-4 defender at best. Pietrangelo allowed CC to play to his strengths and that is why the pairing worked. It essentially allowed hitchcock to take a bottom pairing defender and move him to play "sheltered" top line minutes due to Pietrangelo's absolute dominance on the ice. There is not another player on the blues that CC could have been effective with in top line duties. It was also good for the team because it strengthened the bottom 2 pairings because CC wasn't on one of them... now, the blues top four is stronger than the wings, so it is conceivable that he finds his way into the top 4 in hockeytown next year (while healthy). i still think smith has better powerplay skills than CC, but detroit does seem to favor a veteran pressence over all else. anywas, i almost swallowed my tongue when i saw the word colaiacovo and tough minutes in the same sentence without the words pietrangelo, chara or weber involved... - InnocentBystander Fri, 14 Sep 2012 08:56:25 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/columnistsarticles-mainmenu-77/19-nhl-deals/4899-detroit-signs-carlo-colaiacovo#comment-22549 I think there's an argument to be made that this Colaiacovo signing helps Smith. One would assume it is in Detroits best interest to give Smith sheltered minutes (lower quality of competition) and PP opportunities. Colaiacovo played much tougher minutes than Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk did in St louis and this allowed AP and Shatty to be fresh for PP Duties and face easier minutes (although AP had some tough minutes too). With Colaiacovo playing the tough minutes against other teams top lines, this allows Babcock to put Smith into situations where his offensive skills can be better utilized. Colaiacovo will eat into some of Smith's PP time, but not nearly as much as Lidstrom did last season. Regardless, a very smart signing by Holland again. - robmyatt Fri, 14 Sep 2012 06:09:35 +0100