GDT: Around the League 2023-24: The Marathon Becomes A Sprint

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Are they really well coached though? I get that the Preds play predictable sets and that players are on board with what the schemes are. But playing prevent for whole periods is limited and idiotic and for instance why Preds always struggle against the Oilers top talent. Its just a bad idea in general to spend so much time in own zone. The current preds team isn't even that strong in NZ. They spend most of their defending in own zone and without elite goatending playing great that is doomed to failure in the playoffs.

Late in the game and Preds had 12 shots and had had only 8mins Ozone time. Worse, this is what their schemes have them do. Its untenable. The Preds play complete period collapse schemes as if they are on pk. Really frustrating team to watch.

I think Brunette's a good young coach. Solid apprentice time under Quennville including taking over when Q was banished. Nashville's a team in transition with Trotz flushing its veteran skill guys Duchene and Johannsen and resetting with O'Reilly and Schenn. Their style of play is also caught in the middle moving toward a high tempo skill game and roster which Trotz wants to foster. Brunette's rep is a player's coach but he took away the team's Bono cookie in Vegas to get their heads focused on winning. Let to a franchise record setting run.

Game plan against Canuckles seems solid. Keep their opponent's skill content to play outside perimeter and sacrifice to get in lanes, block shots and frustrate. Canuckles are doing alot to implode with only 4 shots on net to open game 2 at home with a rocking vibe. But Predator blocked shots and other hard area stats reinforce team buy-in to what their coach is selling to beat a division winning team.

It's a hard, sacrifice style against flash content to play in the safe areas.

 

[BlackDogg]

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think Brunette's a good young coach. Solid apprentice time under Quennville including taking over when Q was banished. Nashville's a team in transition with Trotz flushing its veteran skill guys Duchene and Johannsen and resetting with O'Reilly and Schenn. Their style of play is also caught in the middle moving toward a high tempo skill game and roster which Trotz wants to foster. Brunette's rep is a player's coach but he took away the team's Bono cookie in Vegas to get their heads focused on winning. Let to a franchise record setting run.

Game plan against Canuckles seems solid. Keep their opponent's skill content to play outside perimeter and sacrifice to get in lanes, block shots and frustrate. Canuckles are doing alot to implode with only 4 shots on net to open game 2 at home with a rocking vibe. But Predator blocked shots and other hard area stats reinforce team buy-in to what their coach is selling to beat a division winning team.

It's a hard, sacrifice style against flash content to play in the safe areas.

The Canucks biggest talent is at the blueline skating around essentially untouched. Preds would do better to cut the canucks off at the head, which is Hughes, which is where most of their offense stems from. They're giving Hughes all kinds of room, they are collapsing as if its constant pk. Its the weirdest thing.

Given the amount of time Preds are allowing Nucks to be in their zone its asking for some trouble. You don't get 4 wins playing this way. You rarely are leading a game 3-0 when you've only had 12 SOG and 8mins of Ozone time.

The game occurred, the result occurred. Preds need to establish more, and to have their share of possession and zone time to replicate.

 

[CupofOil]

Haha. Yup. Cup 1 Arrogant Guy 0. I expected a tight series but one where the Canucks would out power the Preds to win in 4 or 5 games. But all bets go out the window when a team loses a top 5 goaltender in the league.

I listened to Tocchet's post game presser and get the impression the news on Demko's injury is worse than announced but also that this team Great Leap Forward still has inexperienced top players struggling in the moment and shift to playoff grind. Having a four shot opening period after a big win and a jacked home crowd is a pretty big sign of nerves. I thought the floodgates would open after finding the way to win the opener. Still think the Canucks win this series and my hope for an Oilers revenge opportunity to correct an embarrassing season sweep.

. Credit to a well coached lunch bucket Predators team and for you in calling me out!

No need to take an L my friend it was just some friendly ribbing on my part, you made some good points as usual but I see this as an inexperienced Canucks team in terms of playoff experience going up against a team that was hot to end the season and plays a style also with a goalie that keeps games tighter than they should be so I didn't see the Canucks as a big favorite (like the Rangers over Caps for instance), a favorite but not a big one sort of like Oilers-Kings.

I still expect the Canucks to win this series because they're too talented not to but it's going to be a grind for them whether Demko was in net or not and if them and the Oilers meet, I expect the Oilers to fare much better than they did in the regular season Demko or not. Still plenty of work for both the Canucks and Oilers to get to that point though.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I agree but didn’t LA show this season that playing this type of hockey is the Canucks Achilles’ heel? Suffocate until a mistake then strike.

Yup, Nashville is taking a page out of the Kings book. I was at a Kings v. Canuckles game in March which was stifling. Slow down, frustrate Canucks skill and keep them outside. Their finesse guys are learning you can't fancy dan and dangle your way to playoff wins. Predators are sacrificing in the hard areas of the game required to win. Players like Petterssen and Boesser (definition of empty calorie finesse) among others are finding playoff hockey requires more than slick perimeter dangles and shooting.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I’m saying the L.A. Kings suffocating play style worked on the Canucks this year.

Agreed there. For the most part it worked because Nucks lack elite players that could exploit it. But Kings are stronger in NZ than Preds are. When Kings are working the 1-3-1 to full effect they are preventing entries and spending little time in their own end. When that bends and they are caught they don't look great.

Kings are generally faster, more mobile than the Preds and so their NZ puck pressure is better. Whereas Preds are better than Kings in ownzone because they have elite goaltending and Josi.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Nashvilles style of game is just not allowing the game of hockey to be played and then score a few out of the other teams frustration. Vancouver is a good deep team but that style of play is a good counter to deep teams that lack any game breakers up front.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Agreed there. For the most part it worked because Nucks lack elite players that could exploit it. But Kings are stronger in NZ than Preds are. When Kings are working the 1-3-1 to full effect they are preventing entries and spending little time in their own end. When that bends and they are caught they don't look great.

Kings are generally faster, more mobile than the Preds and so their NZ puck pressure is better. Whereas Preds are better than Kings in ownzone because they have elite goaltending and Josi.

I don’t disagree the Kings are better than the Preds but they laid out the blue print how the Preds can beat the Canucks.

I don’t think they can make the Canucks pay on mistakes like the Kings did but I also think they have a better goalie.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

The Canucks biggest talent is at the blueline skating around essentially untouched. Preds would do better to cut the canucks off at the head, which is Hughes, which is where most of their offense stems from. They're giving Hughes all kinds of room, they are collapsing as if its constant pk. Its the weirdest thing.

Given the amount of time Preds are allowing Nucks to be in their zone its asking for some trouble. You don't get 4 wins playing this way. You rarely are leading a game 3-0 when you've only had 12 SOG and 8mins of Ozone time.

The game occurred, the result occurred. Preds need to establish more, and to have their share of possession and zone time to replicate.

Didn't see much of Game 2 so have to caution my reply. Do agree about Hughes' role, ability & impact in driving Canuckle offence. You play with fire against elite skill with being too passive. But the Canuckles having 4 shots in opening period of game 2 defies belief to me. Huge momentum win in game 1, hype home crowd and they come out ... with 4 shots.

Canuckles win most of the stats results but two key stand out, an 0-4 PP and 31 Predators blocked shots. 3-1! Predators 4-1 Canucks (Apr 23, 2024) Game Stats - ESPN

Still believe the Canuckles win this series. But no Demko is big and, looking at shot totals for both games, the Predators have been successful in bending their opponent to play a low impact muddy track game. Solid road work. Can they do that to win 4? Not sure about that.

 

[oobga]

I don’t disagree the Kings are better than the Preds but they laid out the blue print how the Preds can beat the Canucks.

I don’t think they can make the Canucks pay on mistakes like the Kings did but I also think they have a better goalie.

I felt like the Canucks looked a lot like the Oilers that game when we are trying to stubbornly force long passes. Don't know if there is a pass disruption stat out there, but Nashville probably had 100 last night. Really hope it's a case where the Canucks had such a lucky season, where everything was just coming easy for them offensively, that they keep on stubbornly thinking they can create gold out of nothing with low percentage plays, and Nashville keeps shutting it down.

 

[McAsuno]

Lmao, one of the worst nuck fans on twitter already giving up despite claiming the preds would be a 1st round easy opponent. Such fragile loser mentality.

 

[K1984]

Lmao, one of the worst nuck fans on twitter already giving up despite claiming the preds would be a 1st round easy opponent. Such fragile loser mentality.

"Big * next to it because they were way better than the teams they beat in the playoffs!"

Just when I thought they couldn't get any dumber....

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

No need to take an L my friend it was just some friendly ribbing on my part, you made some good points as usual but I see this as an inexperienced Canucks team in terms of playoff experience going up against a team that was hot to end the season and plays a style also with a goalie that keeps games tighter than they should be so I didn't see the Canucks as a big favorite (like the Rangers over Caps for instance), a favorite but not a big one sort of like Oilers-Kings.

I still expect the Canucks to win this series because they're too talented not to but it's going to be a grind for them whether Demko was in net or not and if them and the Oilers meet, I expect the Oilers to fare much better than they did in the regular season Demko or not. Still plenty of work for both the Canucks and Oilers to get to that point though.

I deserved the poke. Think I have a blindspot for opposing teams in markets I live in (Vancouver and Calgary).

Canucks won a big game 1 with a B effort and what could have been a huge momentum driver farted away into a 4 shot game 2 opening period. Their inexperience is showing and adversity of losing Demko might have crashed the brakes on what they believed would be a deep playoff run ... or at least the overwhelming favourites to beat a wildcard overachiever. Still could be a 5 game series. But looking more like a longer series as your point is valid about Nashville imposing their style of play in the first two games.

Man I wished they all would have worn black suits and black ties.

 

[Oilhawks]

Lmao, one of the worst nuck fans on twitter already giving up despite claiming the preds would be a 1st round easy opponent. Such fragile loser mentality.

Reading that looney's entitlement and cope-tweets gives a great insight as to why their fanbase riots when they lose vs the normal reaction of 'sadly going home'

The way their fanbase celebrated winning the first game has 'will riot again if this team ever goes deep' written all over it

 

[oobga]

It was before Matthews hit 70. During the gameday thread.

Shame on those ppl if they weren't just joking around then lol

And unsurprisingly, zero mention of McDavid's cumulative regular/post season assists from Rogers/HNIC.

Lmao, one of the worst nuck fans on twitter already giving up despite claiming the preds would be a 1st round easy opponent. Such fragile loser mentality.

This kind of preemptive coping is just so hilarious to see.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Lmao, one of the worst nuck fans on twitter already giving up despite claiming the preds would be a 1st round easy opponent. Such fragile loser mentality.

lol coping like this when your 1st series is 1-1 is just pathetic.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[PuckG]

**** me...that's so brutal LOL.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Reading that looney's entitlement and cope-tweets gives a great insight as to why their fanbase riots when they lose vs the normal reaction of 'sadly going home'

The way their fanbase celebrated winning the first game has 'will riot again if this team ever goes deep' written all over it

there's a reason they don't have a "block party" near the arena like the rest of the Canadian cities

 

[K1984]

Bit of a rant here - but it is stunning to me how incredibly unaware people are that they are in fact made up of solid matter that can't be seen through and that people want to watch the game, not them. f***ing people standing up during play to go to the concourse, people leaning in their seats, people wearing dumb hats like this guy, morons with signs in the second deck of all places that put them up during play, people dogging it back to their seat while the play is on, etc, etc. Worst is when you tell these people politely to stop, they get their back up and act like 5 year olds.

Wish there was a disclaimer before every game that said "people paid a lot of money to watch the game, not your dumb ass. Wait for a whistle to get to get up, and sit back in your seat." This is in fact, a very simple thing that they could do (in less colourful language), but why do a simple thing to help improve fan experience when your paying fans can be frustrated instead?

 

[McShogun99]

Lmao, one of the worst nuck fans on twitter already giving up despite claiming the preds would be a 1st round easy opponent. Such fragile loser mentality.

Our path to the Cup could be Anaheim, San Jose, Chicago and Columbus and I wouldn't even care. Win is a win regardless of who you beat. Maybe the Canucks should have rested Demko longer instead of trying to get him into game 1.

 

[K1984]

Our path to the Cup could be Anaheim, San Jose, Chicago and Columbus and I wouldn't even care. Win is a win regardless of who you beat. Maybe the Canucks should have rested Demko longer instead of trying to get him into game 1.

I really, really, really hope that if we win the Cup that Leaf, Flame and Nuck fans arm themselves with the "doesn't count because you beat shitty teams!" narrative.

 

[bellagiobob]

Our path to the Cup could be Anaheim, San Jose, Chicago and Columbus and I wouldn't even care. Win is a win regardless of who you beat. Maybe the Canucks should have rested Demko longer instead of trying to get him into game 1.

Unfortunately for him he has a pretty significant injury history, seemed odd that the Canucks, knowing this, kept playing him and playing him until he finally broke down. He’s a guy that you really need a good 1B to go with.

 

[alanschu]

It was the Covid year when we had the all Canadian division. As funny then as it is now. A bunch of articles similar to this one:

Elias Pettersson is the best player in the NHL’s all-Canadian North Division

One thing sets Pettersson apart from the other stars for Canadian teams.

www.vancouverisawesome.com

One of those situations where maybe you need to examine your inputs. If you were to ask the author, even at the time, if he'd accept a Petterson for McDavid trade straight up, I suspect he twists himself into a pretzel trying to make it work.

Meh, I saw people talking about McDavid being at 105A now. Lots of Oiler fans too

The real story is when McDavid gets 100 assists these playoffs