Sentence examples for linchpin player from inspiring English sources

Bill Belichick's successful defenses in New England have always had a linchpin player like Ted Washington or Vince Wilfork to control the line of scrimmage.

The Rangers and Ryan Callahan, their linchpin player of the future, agreed to terms for a contract extension Wednesday afternoon, only hours before a scheduled salary-arbitration meeting in Toronto on Thursday.

■ Three linchpin players — Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan and Carl Hagelin — become restricted free agents July 1.

Posada was an important part of that run, but he cannot be considered as pivotal as those linchpin players because his fellow catcher Joe Girardi was on three of the championship teams.

October 5 2012 October 6 201212 Oct. 5-6: Mainstream-jazz piarests are not the rarest of species in this city, but a visit from the veteran stylist George Cables, a former linchpin support player with Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper, is always welcome.

Discovering jazz turned him into a double-bass player, the linchpin of any band.

Durant's evolution from practice player to USA Basketball linchpin is what Colangelo envisioned when he began four years ago.

Although he is not among the Celtics' flashiest players, Perkins is a linchpin for their defense, a thick-chested, 6-foot-10 player who fills the lane, contests shots and sets hard picks.

But the Germans continue to funnel their play through their offensive linchpin, Birgit Prinz, 33, a three-time world player of the year and the World Cup's leading career scorer, with 14 goals.

Cabrera hit.346 with 11 homers and 60 runs batted in for the Giants this season, was the All-Star Game's most valuable player and had been the linchpin in what has at times been a thin Giants offense.

JAPAN PLAYER Homare Sawa, Japan's midfield linchpin, has combined smart movement, pinpoint distribution and goal-scoring instinct to devastating effect this summer.