One writer who's probably a great guy, usually writes well, and writes for a great place, wrote something mind-blowingly stupid this week. It happens.

He suggested that, in the wake of the non-trade of Tomas Kaberle, the defenseman should just move up front and center Phil Kessel and crew. 

Nnnnno. No, he shouldn't.

Yes, a defenseman can step up and play forward, and probably pretty easily. In fact, it seems silly that it doesn't happen more often.  He wouldn't that look out of place to the casual hockey fan, because to most people, forwards are free-for-all rovers anyway.

That look of rover may be legit where offensive creativity is allowed – as in, when you have the puck – but when you're trying to get it back, there's some method to the madness. Ballpark, your average D-man playing forward would probably stand out (negatively) to casual fans once or twice every five games, tops. But from the bench, from the coach's video, and from his linemates' eyes, he'd be a liability three times a game, minimum.

Both positions take years of practice to become not just a non-mess-up of a player, but to become a player that's great to play with. To become the type that would play with a Phil Kessel.

Still, with a little defensive coaching, a D-man could figure it out. He could "play" forward, even though he spent a lifetime seeing the ice from a different angle and would spend the transitionary period feeling like he's playing a game stuck on fast-forward after beer-bonging a 40 of malt liquor. He could do it.

The reality is that if Kaberle (or any defenseman) were better, or more comfortable at forward, they'd play forward.  Since Kaberle isn't a forward, he either doesn't prefer it or isn't as good at it – so, do you get to renegotiate his contract to pay him less since he's not as great at that position? Your $4 million a season is earmarked for your seasoned offensive defenseman. Your quarterback. Not a 34-year-old rookie at a position.

Further still, to think that a 34-year-old defensemen would/could/should play center, as opposed to being a wing – in the NHL – is guffaw-worthy.

And that's not to take away from how important good wingers are – I was a winger my entire life. (As an aside, my argument for being one: Wingers have the least defensive responsibility, but the most capacity for glory on the offensive side. Why choose anything else? Centers are blue-collar, hard-working Australian Shepherds, while wingers are unemployment-collecting looked-after English Bulldogs).

Everything you do is a reaction off your all-important center. He's taking those huge draws for you team; you're reacting. Once you're in your defensive zone, you don't have two defenseman, you have three. That's not an exaggeration – you literally rock three men down low in your own zone, and your center works and reads off the other d-men for coverages. He supports low for breakouts, swings behind the net if need be. He's the variable while four other guys have fixed positions.

And sure, Kaberle is used to covering guys in his own zone, but while the two defenseman are a simple hinge (one guy in front, one in the corner, switch!), he's never been the guy making all the reads and running ragged behind the net, before breaking up with his wingers to become a forward again.

With all his talent, Kaberle surely could have done it at some point in his career. Like had he made switch at 15, say. But now? As the best defenseman on his team, a 50-point, 34-year-old, league established all-star? Who was just publicly dragged through the mud by his playoff-missing squad for suggesting he'd like to remain a part of the team? For a fairly paid guy on a team that's near the bottom of 2010-11 Cup odds, that nobody's even bothered to extend that far? THAT'S the guy you're gonna ask to make the major on-ice adjustments? Nnnnno.

It's possible for a d-man to play forward. It takes time and experience. But the reality of it is, Tomas Kaberle is a defenseman, and is going to stay a defenseman. And he's one other thing, too:

Tomas Kaberle is a Toronto Maple Leaf. Still.

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