2019-20 General Lightning Discussion

[Discipline]

Is Hedman concussed? Seems like during the Pens game he had that look when the camera panned on his face.

And he was day to day before the home opener.

Then again it's my wild speculation. But I really dont want Hedman to aggravate anything and then miss a lot of time.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Cernak's not looking too good, not sure what happened in summer because he looked fantastic in the WC after playoffs

 

[JoVel]

Cernak's not looking too good, not sure what happened in summer because he looked fantastic in the WC after playoffs

He has done a Dotchin.

 

[DFC]

He has done a Dotchin.

Nah. He still looks like an NHLer, and a solid one. He's taken a step back from the guy who could be the best player on the ice any given night, but he's nowhere near playing (...or, well, eating) his way out of the league.

I think a lot of players are still getting used to some changes in structure between last year and this. Some guys have adapted more quickly than others.

 

[JoVel]

Nah. He still looks like an NHLer, and a solid one. He's taken a step back from the guy who could be the best player on the ice any given night, but he's nowhere near playing (...or, well, eating) his way out of the league.

I think a lot of players are still getting used to some changes in structure between last year and this. Some guys have adapted more quickly than others.

Yeah that was a joke more than anything. It's clear that Cernak is an actual skilled defenseman while Dotchin was only good at not f***ing up when playing with Hedman.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Yeah that was a joke more than anything. It's clear that Cernak is an actual skilled defenseman while Dotchin was only good at not ****ing up when playing with Hedman.

Eh I dunno, Dotchin looked very promissing in his first season with us. Style kinda similar to Cernak's last season but just not as good. And then he fell off a cliff. And drowned.

 

[DFC]

Eh I dunno, Dotchin looked very promissing in his first season with us. Style kinda similar to Cernak's last season but just not as good. And then he fell off a cliff. And drowned.

I don't think he ever looked promising. His biggest strength was doing nothing special. It just happened to make him click with Hedman, because all Hedman needed, at least that season, was a guy to stand watch while he went beastmode. That's still probably the best we've ever seen Hedman play in the regular season.

 

[LightningStrikes]

I don't think he ever looked promising. His biggest strength was doing nothing special. It just happened to make him click with Hedman, because all Hedman needed, at least that season, was a guy to stand watch while he went beastmode. That's still probably the best we've ever seen Hedman play in the regular season.

Yeah, Hedman had his best two seasons of his career so far during the Dotchin era. I think you're selling Dotchin a bit short here though. Yes, Hedman did bail him out at times, which is to be expected as Dotchin was a rookie at the time. But Dotch kept it simple, played a consistent game and kept opponents honest via physical and positional sound play and good skating ability. This way, Hedman could do what he wanted to do and eventually have career season(s). Dotch did not crumble, played his 18 to 20 minutes a night and allowed us to evenly spread our defensive weapons over all three pairings. Of course it wasn't a Weber/Suter kind of pairing but as I said he came close to what I'd consider a "2018-19 Cernak light".

And then he decided to piss it all away in off-season 2.

 

[Felonious Python]

 

[Master P]

I hope they figure it out soon.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

I'm going to take a different tack than most posters (not just posters here but elsewhere on HF boards and in the media).

I think we have talent issues. Yeah, yeah, I know that everyone (Bolt fans and others) take it for granted that we are a team of Superior Talent, likely the 'Most Talented Team' in the league, but I don't buy it. Sure, our 5th best player is probably better than any other '5th best player' in the league, but our 10th? No. Our talent level drops off considerably after 5 or 6. I can name several teams (Columbus last spring was one) that have 12-15 players more talented than out best 10. Our top 15? Again, no. Far from it.

We overrate our talent. We weren't as good as 62 wins last year talent-wise and we don't have the depth of talent to expect to out perform all other teams.

Coaching? Effort? Systems? Hmmm... maybe we're just not that great.

trade alert

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

Are we actually gonna keep witkowski in the lineup when Paquette comes back? Don't think many stanley cup winners have such terrible players on their rosters.

garbage lol come on every team has some guys somone hates or considers lesser or even a scrub so your saying witkowski who has been working his azz off hitting everything in sight is hurting us? probably 6-8 hits a game in 10 mins? lol


so spoiled so let me get this right hedman has a concussion? cernak has fallen off so looks like hes a bust... 8 games right???? fanbase needs a shrink for sure.... oh yes my favorite point is still injured... you guys and gals and fanbase in general do get a guy is hurt he might look great coming back for a day or two then body settles in and doesnt have the same jump for a week???? it happens they aint cyborgs lmfao.....

cernak is fine id say mcd was the problem till last 3 games... now he is playing like mcd again dont think will be long till they are together full time again.... mcd is beasting so cernak can now do his thing lets serge and shatty split time with hedman which is good

 

[DFC]

Yeah, Hedman had his best two seasons of his career so far during the Dotchin era. I think you're selling Dotchin a bit short here though. Yes, Hedman did bail him out at times, which is to be expected as Dotchin was a rookie at the time. But Dotch kept it simple, played a consistent game and kept opponents honest via physical and positional sound play and good skating ability. This way, Hedman could do what he wanted to do and eventually have career season(s). Dotch did not crumble, played his 18 to 20 minutes a night and allowed us to evenly spread our defensive weapons over all three pairings. Of course it wasn't a Weber/Suter kind of pairing but as I said he came close to what I'd consider a "2018-19 Cernak light".

And then he decided to piss it all away in off-season 2.

I don't think he ever skated overly well. He kept it simple, yeah, but that's really not what Cernak did last year. I mean, stylistically, they're similar, but Dotchin wasn't close to Cernak in terms of talent.

 

[Rschmitz]

Dotchin wasn't agile enough to keep up with forwards in the defensive zone, he also was a notch or two below Cernak in the smarts department. To me, those are the biggest differences. Cernak is strong, but I don't think he was stronger than Dotchin, the difference is Cernak can lean on forwards because he could keep up with their speed.

 

[Felonious Python]

an example of our boys doing a battle drill from a few weeks ago:



they're game-like situations where the guys can generally bump each other.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Cernak is noticeably a better skater than Dotchin was. Not that Cernak is a great skater but for D he is ok for his size. I think his skill set is better than Dotchin ever had. Dotchin just played an effective physical style that meshed well with Hedman even though he wasnt a great D in his own right. That physicality slowed things down enough for Hedman to clean things up. Thats why I think it looked effective at first. I think in the beginning you try to keep things simple. Which I think Dotchin and Cernak did well in their initial time here. I think where Cernak and Dotchin differ again is I think Cernak can evolve past just being the physical guy and actually be a decent D. Dotchin could never evolve past that.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Guys, that’s why I said in both my posts that Cernak is obviously better than Dotchin was.

 

[DFC]

Guys, that’s why I said in both my posts that Cernak is obviously better than Dotchin was.

We're just comparing and contrasting now. :p

 

[DFC]

Cernak is noticeably a better skater than Dotchin was. Not that Cernak is a great skater but for D he is ok for his size. I think his skill set is better than Dotchin ever had. Dotchin just played an effective physical style that meshed well with Hedman even though he wasnt a great D in his own right. That physicality slowed things down enough for Hedman to clean things up. Thats why I think it looked effective at first. I think in the beginning you try to keep things simple. Which I think Dotchin and Cernak did well in their initial time here. I think where Cernak and Dotchin differ again is I think Cernak can evolve past just being the physical guy and actually be a decent D. Dotchin could never evolve past that.

The main difference is, as Rschmitz pointed out, the skating. That opens up a lot more for Cernak as a physical defenseman. He can keep up with guys and play the body. It also gives him a few offensive tools, which Dotchin obviously never had. Dotchin, when he was effective, was capable of a solid, positional game. Cernak does that, but it's sort of like, that's only the "core" of what he does. He adds a lot to it, when he's playing well. He was our best player a handful of times last year.

 

[Felonious Python]

 

[DFC]

Translation: "NOBODY HAS QUIT ON ME!!!! SERIOUSLY! STOP SAYING THAT ****!"

 

[Felonious Python]

Talking about practice.

The battle drills should help the decision-making a little. They're not pure mechanical drills so everyone has to make quick reads.

 

[DFC]

Talking about practice.

The battle drills should help the decision-making a little. They're not pure mechanical drills so everyone has to make quick reads.

Gotta start somewhere.

 

[ccman68]

Just a reminder that for some reason we are giving ice time to one of the worst players in the league. He has a lot of hits though so it’s fine.

 

[JoVel]

View attachment 269291

Just a reminder that for some reason we are giving ice time to one of the worst players in the league. He has a lot of hits though so it’s fine.

Rutta hasn't gotten any ice time.