GDT: #17 – Jets at Sabres – Tue Feb 19 – 7:00PM ET – TV: MSG-B – Radio: WGR-AM

[joshjull]

So get him some time on the wing. It's better than not playing him at all.

Nevermind the fact that he may not be comfortable as a winger. Play him on what line?

The 3rd line has been used as a defensive line, he doesn't belong there. He isn't a better option than the top 6 wingers we have so he doesn't belong there either. He doesn't fit anywhere unless there are injuries.

 

[Myllz]

Nevermind the fact that he may not be comfortable as a winger. Play him on what line?

The 3rd line has been used as a defensive line, he doesn't belong there. He isn't a better option than the top 6 wingers we have so he doesn't belong there either. He doesn't fit anywhere unless there are injuries.

Considering Kaleta's on the second line now, the "doesn't fit" argument doesn't really work. Besides, you said yourself in the other thread about the lines who cares what they do considering not much is working.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Nevermind the fact that he may not be comfortable as a winger. Play him on what line?

The 3rd line has been used as a defensive line, he doesn't belong there. He isn't a better option than the top 6 wingers we have so he doesn't belong there either. He doesn't fit anywhere unless there are injuries.

Quebec used him on the RW on the PP regularly from what I saw. Stafford had a rough start to the season, and Ruff apparently just now decided to "hold him accountable" for that, so why not try Grigs on Ennis' RW? I'm almost certain that couldn't be worse than throwing Kaleta there.

Ennis has been producing all season despite not getting much help from his wingers, so I doubt it hurts him, and maybe the 2 have some chemistry or Ennis can kickstart Grigs, or something. We don't really have much to lose.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

I'd give it a shot.. What can it ruin if he gets more ice time... Chances to produce offensively on a good line

 

[CrazyPsycho]

"Ruff is quickly ruining Grigorenko". Is this statement more knee jerk drama and unrealistic? Or very accurate and not based on opinion AT ALL?

I ask because I don't know...

What other 18-19 year olds who were supposed to be very good in the NHL
at that age, but because of the NHL coach they had were quickly "ruined" and never had a good or great career? It was solely the coaches fault.

Certainly didn't help Connolly or Pyatt playing on bad teams in NY. Connolly was -25 that first season, Pyatt -17.

 

[ZZamboni]

Certainly didn't help Connolly or Pyatt playing on bad teams in NY. Connolly was -25 that first season, Pyatt -17.

The question was ...

What other 18-19 year olds who were supposed to be very good in the NHL at that age, but because of the NHL coach they had were quickly "ruined" and never had a good or great career? It was solely the coaches fault.

I look at Connolly as having a good career. Not great.

I look at Pyatt as having a good career. Not great.

Neither player was "quickly ruined" as an 18-19 year old.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Quebec used him on the RW on the PP regularly from what I saw. Stafford had a rough start to the season, and Ruff apparently just now decided to "hold him accountable" for that, so why not try Grigs on Ennis' RW? I'm almost certain that couldn't be worse than throwing Kaleta there.

Ennis has been producing all season despite not getting much help from his wingers, so I doubt it hurts him, and maybe the 2 have some chemistry or Ennis can kickstart Grigs, or something. We don't really have much to lose.

Especially because if any of the above doesn't happen, you have Stafford at the ready, can argue that he "paid his dues and we needed a kickstart" after he finishes a check or wins a few battles or something and bench Grigs like you're going to do with the fourth line anyway.

 

[Paxon]

Certainly didn't help Connolly or Pyatt playing on bad teams in NY. Connolly was -25 that first season, Pyatt -17.

You can't say it hurt either. It may well have and perhaps even probably did, but it's utter speculation.

 

[indigoo]

Leopold finally sits. Thank the heavens high above!

 

[joshjull]

Quebec used him on the RW on the PP regularly from what I saw. Stafford had a rough start to the season, and Ruff apparently just now decided to "hold him accountable" for that, so why not try Grigs on Ennis' RW? I'm almost certain that couldn't be worse than throwing Kaleta there.

Ennis has been producing all season despite not getting much help from his wingers, so I doubt it hurts him, and maybe the 2 have some chemistry or Ennis can kickstart Grigs, or something. We don't really have much to lose.

I'm not talking about the PP and I hope you understand the difference between playing a position on the PP and playing it in a regular shift.

And yes he can be worse than Kaleta.

The Grigs mafia is as relentless as they are oblivious to his play to date.

 

[JThorne]

Nobody is saying "ruining" but come on, it isn't like Ruff is giving the kid some room to grow.

 

[ZZamboni]

Nobody is saying "ruining" but come on, it isn't like Ruff is giving the kid some room to grow.

Then you're definitely not reading all the posts if you think nobody is saying Ruff is "quickly ruining" Grigorenko.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

I'm not talking about the PP and I hope you understand the difference between playing a position on the PP and playing it in a regular shift.

And yes he can be worse than Kaleta.

The Grigs mafia is as relentless as they are oblivious to his play to date.

If there were 12 forwards that were better than Grigs, then I agree. It's the whole John Scott thing that is frustrating most folks, me included. And I agreed 100% with sitting him against Boston.

I see nothing wrong with a McCormick-Grigs-Stafford line.


And as for the Connolly/Pyatt thing, they were put in a position to fail as 18-19 year olds, and they did. I would much rather they put Grigs in a position to succeed (juniors), than being forced to watch them lose consistently from the press box.

 

[joshjull]

If there were 12 forwards that were better than Grigs, then I agree. It's the whole John Scott thing that is frustrating most folks, me included. And I agreed 100% with sitting him against Boston.

I see nothing wrong with a McCormick-Grigs-Stafford line.

I see nothing wrong with that line either. I just don't care that Grigs isn't playing.

And as for the Connolly/Pyatt thing, they were put in a position to fail as 18-19 year olds, and they did. I would much rather they put Grigs in a position to succeed (juniors), than being forced to watch them lose consistently from the press box

Me too

 

[joshjull]

Considering Kaleta's on the second line now, the "doesn't fit" argument doesn't really work. Besides, you said yourself in the other thread about the lines who cares what they do considering not much is working.

Fair points.

But my position is the kid isn't ready and the team needs wins. You and I may think its crazy they are trying to make the playoffs but its not crazy the head coach wants to.

In that vein, Grigs doesn't bring anything right now so he doesn't play

 

[Myllz]

Fair points.

But my position is the kid isn't ready and the team needs wins. You and I may think its crazy they are trying to make the playoffs but its not crazy the head coach wants to.

In that vein, Grigs doesn't bring anything right now so he doesn't play

I get Ruff is doing what he needs to in order to try and get into the playoffs, but if Grigs isn't going to play he's got zero reason being here at all. If an attempt at using him isn't even going to be made, he needs to go back to juniors.

 

[joshjull]

I get Ruff is doing what he needs to in order to try and get into the playoffs, but if Grigs isn't going to play he's got zero reason being here at all. If an attempt at using him isn't even going to be made, he needs to go back to juniors.

I completely agree with you

 

[joshjull]

With all the Grigs talk I'm somewhat surprised more posters aren't fired up for our other rookie, TJ Brennan, to get more of a chance.

He's gone the typical development route; couple seasons in juniors after his draft year, then some years in the AHL. He improved each year in the AHL and was an AHL all star this season and is 23 years old.

If he isn't going to get a chance to play a regular shift on arguable the worst defense in the NHL. When exactly will he get a chance here? And why did they bother to even re-sign him and keep him if they think so little of him as a player (in terms of his NHL prospects).

He has 5 games to Grig's 15 and doesn't get much more ice time per game, even as a dman. (Grigs 11:14 to Brennan's 14:08)

 

[Duddy]

Probably because Brennan is on Grags level, basically useless. I doubt he'll ever be a regular in the NHLer, good AHLer but no future in the bigs.

 

[HockeyH3aven]

With all the Grigs talk I'm somewhat surprised more posters aren't fired up for our other rookie, TJ Brennan, to get more of a chance.

He's gone the typical development route; couple seasons in juniors after his draft year, then some years in the AHL. He improved each year in the AHL and was an AHL all star this season and is 23 years old.

If he isn't going to get a chance to play a regular shift on arguable the worst defense in the NHL. When exactly will he get a chance here? And why did they bother to even re-sign him and keep him if they think so little of him as a player (in terms of his NHL prospects).

He has 5 games to Grig's 15 and doesn't get much more ice time per game, even as a dman. (Grigs 11:14 to Brennan's 14:08)

The difference of expectations between Grigorenko and TJ Brennan are immense, and for good reason.

 

[joshjull]

Probably because Brennan is on Grags level, basically useless. I doubt he'll ever be a regular in the NHLer, good AHLer but no future in the bigs.

Even if thats true (I believe its the case) Grags had WAY more of an opportunity to show what he could do, or in his case couldn't do, than Brennan has.

Btw I'm not a fan of Brennan but I've have been baffled by what they've done with him.

 

[joshjull]

The difference of expectations between Grigorenko and TJ Brennan are immense, and for good reason.

Not talking about expectations. I'm talking about one player has gone as far as they can in the minors and are at the age when they make the jump or fall on their face. But that guy never gets in the lineup. I don't get it. Why keep him? Asset management for its own sake?

As for expectations, I had zero for either of them (for very different reasons) and both have lived up to them.

 

[JonathanWashington]

The chemistry could be better but Grigs normally gets one great scoring chance per game. It really sucks about leino.

 

[Criispen]

Send Grigs to Rochester, give him Lukeys jersey and some makeup. Grigs get playtime he deserves in a league he would be good in, Adams value goes up, we trade him for ROR. Man the profit is unbelievable.

It could work, aye?

 

[Duddy]

Even if thats true (I believe its the case) Grags had WAY more of an opportunity to show what he could do, or in his case couldn't do, than Brennan has.

Btw I'm not a fan of Brennan but I've have been baffled by what they've done with him.

And I still don't know why Ruff kept feeding him those opportunities.

They should try to put TJ in a position to succed to at least see if there is something but I won't hold my breath on a) Ruff doing that and b) him having any kind of success in the NHL.