Quoting: Caniac2000
Except.... TDA's partner most of the time the game was 5v5? Jaccob Slavin... 1st pairing
1. To start the game, the Canes had TDA on the third pairing with Ian Cole.
https://twitter.com/Canes/status/1448784144947990532
2. TDA's EV TOI was 11:28 while Slavin's EV TOI was 17:08.
Not exactly the look of a 1st pairing or a match made in heaven even.
3. Skjei and Pesce are the only two defensemen on the Canes that got more than 20 minutes of EV TOI.
If Rod the Bod was looking for a 1st pairing to start the season for the Canes, this seems to be what he's settled on.
There's your 1st pairing.
4. Look, if TDA was a 3rd pairing defenseman this season and all he did was quarterback the powerplay, it could be a good redemption story.
At the same time, if he outshines both Bear and Pesce at both ends of the ice after a couple more games or so, I could see Rod the Bod promoting him to the first pairing.
That's also something I could get behind.
Especially if he stays out of trouble.
5. A spot on the first pairing is something that is earned based on merit, not entitlement.
Rod the Bod would attest to that.
Considering that he didn't just give TDA whatever TDA wants to start the season.
Best of luck on Saturday.