Comments on: 2008 Final Grade: Jeff Finger

By: gabe

gabe — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:56:51 +0000

jeff has all the tools to be a solid defencemen for any team. sorry avs. see at the rail!

By: mutty

mutty — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:23:48 +0000

Jeff kicks ass!!!!

By: InYoFace

InYoFace — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:21:37 +0000

I think we should resign him just for the pure joy I get out of screaming, “Give em the Finga!”

By: David Driscoll-Carignan

David Driscoll-Carignan — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:01:41 +0000

“I think his upside is higher than Sauer.”

I’m a big Sauer fan, but I’d certainly take Finger over Sauer if I had to choose…

By: jibblescribbits

jibblescribbits — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:56:57 +0000

I completely agree on this one DD. Finger is solid. He is prone to some miscues, but overall I think he’s a solid defender.

Everyone knows that already though.

By: Dario

Dario — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:41:40 +0000

I think for his first full NHL season he did a fantastic job. The toughness we expected from Hannan never materialized and I think Finger filled a role that was sorely needed. No one else on the team played that kind of game, even Sauer with his bigger size plays a Hannan type of game is less about hits and more about sealing guys off the puck.

Doc, I disagree on Finger’s positional game being poor. I think he was better than most which contributed to his numbers this year. I can agree that his skating is not the swiftest on the team and in fact, next to Liles he probably looked even slower than perhaps he was. I see Finger as a Kronwall type of player who is a great fit as a 5-6 defenseman. I think there’s even more potential there for him to be better.

One thing I love about Finger is his attitude about the game. I talked to him during the 2003-04 rookie camp and he just loves playing hockey. I asked him if he regretted leaving college early and he laughed. He said he didn’t miss the school-work at all and just wants to play hockey. Things change of course but I got the feeling that he’s a pure rink rat and work ethic will never be missing from his game. The way that guy laughs when he got smoked on a few forechecks this year reminded me of that attitude. I think he really does enjoy the contact and could very well be a bit looney.

I find it easy to root for Finger and love that he’s part of the team. I sure hope he stays, I think his upside is higher than Sauer.

By: thedoctor

thedoctor — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:02:39 +0000

i’ll give you a flaw: on a team with some really slow guys (Sauer, Bruno, Skrastins, etc), he stood out as the slowest of the group. Finger is also not a super smart player positionally, which doesn’t mix well with being slow.

that said he did have a good year, and his (right handed!!!) shot was very valuable. He gets a B+ from me. I hope the Avs re-sign him, for 1 - 1.5 million, and that he won’t be pushed into top pairing minutes.