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Player Review: Anthony Bitetto

I honestly do not have a lot to say about Anthony Bitetto. I certainly have less to say about him than Paul Maurice does praising him. The Winnipeg Jets sure do love their seventh/eighth defensemen.

Bitetto seems like a good guy off the ice and he can happily sit in the press box for long stretches and then fill in for the odd game when there is an injury and a call up cannot make it up in time. Except Bitetto played 51 games this year which is far more than those circumstances which leads me to ask the age-old question: WHY?!?!

Bitetto’s problem as a player is not him, but how he was used. Bitetto is fine in the press box. He can play the odd game. When he becomes a regular, the Jets are in trouble.

This chart says “Anthony Bitetto is who we thought he is and the Minnesota Wild have some magic in the water or something” and nothing more. Bitetto is a 7/8 defenceman or an AHLer. He should not be in the lineup regularly.

I expect the Jets to walk away from Bitetto as they can find players like him on the market, but if they keep him in a reduced role, I will have no issue as he seems like a fun guy.

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