Speculation: 2024-25 Roster thread

JonathnTaylorTavares

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Feb 4, 2019
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If they aren’t going to send Cutter down, at least switch him with Vatrano. Maybe a little easier matchup will help him. I still think he should go down to SD though.

Vat-Leo-Killorn
Fabbri-Mac-Z
Cutter-Strome-Terry
McGinn-Lundy-Leason
Load up the second line so Terry can have his own line

Vatrano-Leo-Killorn
Fabbri-Mac-Zegras-Cutter-Strome
-Terry-
McGinn-Lundy-Leason
 

ZegrassyKnoll

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Dec 2, 2016
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It was right in the middle of his "punishment" but not throwing Cutter out on the 5-on-3 seems like a mistake.

The only two guys out there who could hit a one-timer were Frank and McTavish, and McTavish was screening the goalie.
 

All Mighty

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It was right in the middle of his "punishment" but not throwing Cutter out on the 5-on-3 seems like a mistake.

The only two guys out there who could hit a one-timer were Frank and McTavish, and McTavish was screening the goalie.
To maximize the one timer potential you need a righty out there who can hammer it. Terry is unfortunately not that guy. Having both Vatrano and Gauthier out there doesn’t help much. I guess one of them could maybe play the point, but that would probably be awkward for them.
 

ZegrassyKnoll

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Dec 2, 2016
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To maximize the one timer potential you need a righty out there who can hammer it. Terry is unfortunately not that guy. Having both Vatrano and Gauthier out there doesn’t help much. I guess one of them could maybe play the point, but that would probably be awkward for them.
Yeah I forgot Cutter is a LH shot. Still I think I would have preferred him out there over Vatrano, could have been a good learning experience for him.

Oh well, we won so not a big deal I guess.
 

ZegrassyKnoll

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Dec 2, 2016
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I don't think it will make a huge difference but very curious to see what LaCombe joining the line-up does to the team.

I said it in the GDT but our biggest issue, even bigger than the PP, is exiting the zone. I'm assuming LaCombe will be replacing Zellweger and I think that has been one of Zelly's weaknesses so far (he and Gudas seem to keep passing it back and forth behind the net instead of moving it forward, even when the opportunity presents itself), which is disappointing because I always thought it was supposed to be one of his strengths.
 
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ohcomeonref

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I think Zell might need to go to SD just to get a jump-start. He looked very good towards the end last year, I’m not worried long-term but he might just need a spark or something.
It's funny that these qualifiers always need to be added in so people don't get upset. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE DOESN'T LOOK GOOD IT'S ONLY BEEN 4 GAMES?!@#@#!"
 

ZegrassyKnoll

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Dec 2, 2016
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I think Zell might need to go to SD just to get a jump-start. He looked very good towards the end last year, I’m not worried long-term but he might just need a spark or something.
I can't remember, who was he paired with last year? It might just be that he and Gudas aren't a good duo.
 

Dryish

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Dec 14, 2015
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It's funny that these qualifiers always need to be added in so people don't get upset. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE DOESN'T LOOK GOOD IT'S ONLY BEEN 4 GAMES?!@#@#!"
I once read an adage that I've taken to heart from a Finnish Vancouver-based NHL analyst and blogger who had tons of contacts around the league, especially among scouts and player development guys. He mentioned how some old defensive guru had directly told him that based on his decades of experience, a young NHL defenseman needs on average about 300 games before they've fully rounded out as D-men on this level. That's almost four full seasons.

We need a lot of patience with our kids.
 

FiveTacos

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I once read an adage that I've taken to heart from a Finnish Vancouver-based NHL analyst and blogger who had tons of contacts around the league, especially among scouts and player development guys. He mentioned how some old defensive guru had directly told him that based on his decades of experience, a young NHL defenseman needs on average about 300 games before they've fully rounded out as D-men on this level. That's almost four full seasons.

It's true. Chris Pronger was the most advanced 18yo D prospect coming into the league in my lifetime, and even he wasn't really what I'd consider fully reliable on both ends until he was about 21 or 22. For most mortal dmen it should be around 23-25.

Offense can come around sooner, but that isn't the same as handling pressure during breakouts, playing good position, and such. The few who are truly polished defensively in their early 20s ... it's truly remarkable.

I will say though, Mintyukov is looking like he could be one of those advanced ones.
 

ohcomeonref

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I once read an adage that I've taken to heart from a Finnish Vancouver-based NHL analyst and blogger who had tons of contacts around the league, especially among scouts and player development guys. He mentioned how some old defensive guru had directly told him that based on his decades of experience, a young NHL defenseman needs on average about 300 games before they've fully rounded out as D-men on this level. That's almost four full seasons.

We need a lot of patience with our kids.

Absolutely, goalies and defenseman take a lot longer than forwards typically. Although, this doesn't really change the point of what I was saying. People shouldn't get upset when people comment on players (good or bad), even if it's a small sample size. The comments will change when the player gets better, in the meantime what should we say? "Hey, at least he's trying out there!"

It's true. Chris Pronger was the most advanced 18yo D prospect coming into the league in my lifetime, and even he wasn't really what I'd consider fully reliable on both ends until he was about 21 or 22. For most mortal dmen it should be around 23-25.

Offense can come around sooner, but that isn't the same as handling pressure during breakouts, playing good position, and such. The few who are truly polished defensively in their early 20s ... it's truly remarkable.

I will say though, Mintyukov is looking like he could be one of those advanced ones.

I try not to get giddy like a schoolgirl thinking about the flashes #1D'esque play we've seen from Minty.
 
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Ducks DVM

sowcufucakky
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It's true. Chris Pronger was the most advanced 18yo D prospect coming into the league in my lifetime, and even he wasn't really what I'd consider fully reliable on both ends until he was about 21 or 22. For most mortal dmen it should be around 23-25.

Offense can come around sooner, but that isn't the same as handling pressure during breakouts, playing good position, and such. The few who are truly polished defensively in their early 20s ... it's truly remarkable.

I will say though, Mintyukov is looking like he could be one of those advanced ones.
I think Mintyukov is absolutely ahead of the curve offensively. Defensively, he’s right about where I think a player his age should be. I think Duomolin helps cover up some of his warts defensively.
 

ZegrassyKnoll

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Dec 2, 2016
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I once read an adage that I've taken to heart from a Finnish Vancouver-based NHL analyst and blogger who had tons of contacts around the league, especially among scouts and player development guys. He mentioned how some old defensive guru had directly told him that based on his decades of experience, a young NHL defenseman needs on average about 300 games before they've fully rounded out as D-men on this level. That's almost four full seasons.

We need a lot of patience with our kids.
Really illustrates the difficulty of getting out of a rebuild.

A good team can stay good by allowing a prospect enough time to develop before being added into an already-strong roster.

Meanwhile we have to give 4-5 players enough time to develop with the risk of waiting too long for them to not amount to anything.

If Steel and Comtois became the players we thought they would, we would have probably been able to just re-tool instead of rebuild and would be competing already. Alas.
 

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