RodTheBawd
Registered User
- Oct 16, 2013
- 5,529
- 8,604
I think it's more of the home crowd than it is the 2nd change/matchup dependency. Once we were out, the last few hundred fans stopped showing up
It's true that a direct comparison is impossible, but I don't think the guys we sold off were the sort of high-impact players who change matchups at home and on the road.
We just had a run of good home games. It was fun, but it didn't mean much.
I'm not sure how much it will help with TT. Problem is, you gotta WANT to play like Lindholm and Aho play, and I don't think TT does. He wants to be a perimeter player who doesn't engage physically. Adding a little bulk and strength isn't likely to change that.
Even when Lindholm wasn't very strong, he still didn't shy away from engaging physically, he just wasn't strong enough to do it. Now, Lindholm is having more success doing it, but also gaining confidence playing that way, which is leading to even more of that type of play. Aho, already engages physically and frankly, plays with a little edge at times. I just don't see that ever happening with TT. Don't get me wrong, extra strength and conditioning can definitely still help (make him harder to push off the puck, a more powerful first step, etc...) just that I don't see that tiger changing his stripes.
It's true that a direct comparison is impossible, but I don't think the guys we sold off were the sort of high-impact players who change matchups at home and on the road.
We just had a run of good home games. It was fun, but it didn't mean much.
I've noticed that the last month of games, Peters has focused less on getting the matchups he wants than on just rolling 4 lines, which may have something to do with the evaporated home ice advantage.
But I think the biggest factor is Ward going from sub 2.00 GAA for a month and a half, back to a bottom 5 starter.
Can't we just enjoy what we have? Lindholm is playing the best hockey of his career and is on pace for 50 points (82 games) after a terrible start. He's taken the step we wanted him to take so lets enjoy it and hope he continues to progress.
Can't we just enjoy what we have? Lindholm is playing the best hockey of his career and is on pace for 50 points (82 games) after a terrible start. He's taken the step we wanted him to take so lets enjoy it and hope he continues to progress.
Well, sort of. He's also on pace for like 9 goals.
I wouldn't know if he's improved or not, but I *can* say that there's absolutely no reason to get uptight about the way he's playing right now. His current play absolutely passes the eye test, so hope for status quo as next season begins.
He's due to hit a wall though.
full Tank mode?Tonight: Aho runs into wall, sidelined with concussion
Your reliance on personal GA to determine that Lindholm "isn't good defensively" is troubling. It's heavily reliant on luck/sv%. It's true that Staal's GA goes way up with Lindholm, but it's also true that Rask's goes way down. It's also true that Lindholm has spent significant time on a very good PK.If you saw earlier, the Lindholm stats with Jordan really sent the GA/60 skyrocketing for that line. (from like 1.8 to 3+) Aho-Jordan-Elias is a scoring line now, not a shutdown line. They have no real effective defensive lines at this point.
I predict great things for Lindholm. Probably comes after we trade him++ for Tanev.
I thought it was Aho for Tanev. Now we are including Lindholm too?
Your reliance on personal GA to determine that Lindholm "isn't good defensively" is troubling. It's heavily reliant on luck/sv%. It's true that Staal's GA goes way up with Lindholm, but it's also true that Rask's goes way down. It's also true that Lindholm has spent significant time on a very good PK.
It's funny, because your argument last year that Lindholm sucks and is a borderline NHLer and that Riley Nash (lmao) is better was that players goals *for* got worse with Lindholm. You're now noting that Staal's GA skyrocketed with Lindholm while completely ignoring that his GF also skyrocketed--oh and that Rask and Skinner also have better significantly GF with Lindholm than without. It's almost like you have some irrational hate for Lindholm and are cherrypicking stats. Is Derek Ryan still better than him or have you gotten over that delusion?
Also, are you watching the games? Because it doesn't appear so. Aho-Jordan-Lindholm have maybe played like one game together over the past month.
I like Lindholm with Skinner and Rask as a 3rd line that cherry picks the opposition. It seems like it's the right level of competition for them. It's one of the reasons I was sad to see Eric go. Staal's eat up the tough matchups, then they swoop in against competition they can dominate.
full Tank mode?
Gotta balance that salary somehow. Tanev makes 4.45$ million per year. We could always include skinner and retain a bit if you think that's better?
I didn't rely on GA against. I also see the lapses in coverage that make me think "That seems to happen a lot", then I go check the stats, and see GA against is high.
Lindholm wasn't very good for much of last year. If your stats are comparable with Riley Nash at even strength, or Derek Ryan anywhere, something is wrong. Last year, he reminded me of a college QB making his first pro start, and he sees receivers that are open by College standards, but at the Pro level, they aren't because of the speed of the game. He was forcing passes through passing lanes that just weren't open.
And I didn't ignore Staal's goals for skyrocketing with Lindholm. I said the number was way up, and that Lindholm with Staal made it a scoring line, but I don't think you want Elias out there against Crosby's and OV's.
As a playmaker, Lindholm has obviously developed. But I still think he's a supporting role distributor, (winger), rather than the guy who carries the play and makes something happen.
I like Lindholm with Skinner and Rask as a 3rd line that cherry picks the opposition. It seems like it's the right level of competition for them. It's one of the reasons I was sad to see Eric go. Staal's eat up the tough matchups, then they swoop in against competition they can dominate.