by Lyse, AllHabs.net
with special contribution from Swisshabs
Québec, QC – It was quite a surprise when the Canadiens announced the acquisition of Swiss D-man Rafael Diaz. It was reported (via Nicola Berger) that the agreement was for one year two-way contract which would reward the player $810 000 in the NHL.
Since we know so little about the Swiss player, I thought I’d ask my friend Swisshabs to tell us more about him. So here goes:
At only 25 years of age, Rafael Diaz has rapidly grown into the best D-man playing in Switzerland. A franchise player in the making, he spent time in the EV Zug in the junior ranks before graduating to the Swiss league A in the 2003-2004 season where he became a asset at the blue line on the same team ex Habs player Glen Metropolit joined last summer. He was first selected on the national team in the 2008 WHC held in Québec City, but really started to attract the attention during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, seizing the spot left vacant by Mark Streit. Moreover, during the present WHC held in Slovakia, he was the most used player on the Swiss national team.
Born from a Spanish father and Swiss mother – his official given name is Raphael but he prefers to write Rafael – he spent most of his life in Zug. A soccer fanatic, he has been known to show his latin heritage with his temperament, at least with his opponents on the ice…
Until we can have a closer look at Rafael, possibly during training camp, here is a video of him:
Lyse,
Gauthier seems to have made another nice and smart, low risk signing and Diaz, at worst is great depth for Bulldogs.
Which may allow for the final clearing out of Carle (who seems to keep getting passed over)from Bulldogs in a trade package on draft day or July 1st (instead of dangling Weber in a trade deal). And if Diaz has more upside and can prove himself next fall, maybe he will slide behind Nash as the 8th or 9th d-man.
I like how he seems to be an intelligent shooter when he does shoot on net (head up, actually aims, often goes for the planned bank shot instead of the old head-down-fire-blindly on net). Will be interesting to see how he adapts to the smaller ice and more aggressive opposition though. Love the Swiss Misters!
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