Whitney- What the Hell?

After having a breakout year the previous season, Ryan Whitney seems to be having just the opposite this year. Last year Whitney began to show the kind of poise and decision making that was expected of the 5th overall pick, but this year has looked extremely skittish.

Whitney’s shortcomings were always apparent, but the problem is they are getting the best of him this year. Always reluctant to be hit, he seems to be looking to outright avoid it now, even if it means moving off the puck and letting the other guy get it. In your own zone, that is really dangerous. And really Ryan, you’re 6’4, you’re big enough to absorb a hit here and there.

But getting hit isn’t Whitney’s only fear. Equal if not greater is his fear of shooting the puck. He is always looking to pass to someone more offensively gifted, and unless going for a back door shot cannot be counted on to take a shot on the power play, instead always passing back to Gonchar, Crosby or whomever else is available. Last night against Phoenix he showed he is nowhere close to ready to anchor the power play, which is a serious concern as he is our next Gonchar.

His play in his own end has also failed to progress any. It’s one thing when you keep putting up the points that you are allowed a bit of a reprieve for lackluster defensive play, but when you fail to put up points you better be playing well in your own end. Whitney continues to avoid contact and have sub-par coverage of the forwards.

Now, I’m not trying to say Whitney isn’t going to get any better or that he should be given up on. Anyone who says that is an idiot and you should automatically disregard anything they say. But a quarter way through the season Whitney has only shown he has regressed from last season and isn’t showing any signs of improvement thus far. That is concerning.

-Jordan