GDT: Canes at Bruins: The Inappropriate Celebration Edition

[Blueline Bomber]

Caroline want return a 9th

After years of the basement, I'll take 9th

 

[The Faulker 27]

I'm not sure I could be more excited about this team while knowingly missing the post season.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Next: miracle lottery win.

 

[Roboturner913]

awesome win, I'll just be on the main board getting myself banned now.

 

[raynman]

Next: miracle lottery win.

So you have the Draft Lottery GDT, right?

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Not to be lost in this:

Ward played really well tonight.

 

[The Faulker 27]

OT losses are my main concern for next season. It's good and bad, because holding teams to OT has been partly due to their excellent PK and defense (including goal tending) since early December. Also, if you look at where they'd be if they had converted on half of the 16 OT losses, it's very encouraging. However, Ward is historically bad in shootouts, and we just don't have the offense needed to get over the hump. I hope they can add some serious offensive talent up front in the off season. I feel pretty confident given the current prospect pool, and countless draft picks that RF can get it done.

 

[Wolfpuck]

Not to be lost in this:

Ward played really well tonight.

It's games like tonight and against the Flyers that show that he still has something in the tank. He's just not consistent enough, which is why I'm frustrated that Lack hasn't shown more.

I don't envy Francis the task of deciding our goaltending for next season.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

That's why they're on a two year plan.

In two years, you have J. Staal, Nestrasil, Nordstrom shutdown line, then Skinner, Rask, Lindholm, PDG, and two of Aho/Wallmark/Tolchinsky/Roy/Terry/McGinn/Free Agent playing two scoring lines.

In addition to the dynamite defense of Slavin/Faulk and Hanifin/Pesce. American top-4, I'll call it that Slavin/Faulk will be the new Keith/Seabrooke.

 

[The Faulker 27]

That's why they're on a two year plan.

In two years, you have J. Staal, Nestrasil, Nordstrom shutdown line, then Skinner, Rask, Lindholm, PDG, and two of Aho/Wallmark/Tolchinsky/Roy/Terry/McGinn/Free Agent playing two scoring lines.

In addition to the dynamite defense of Slavin/Faulk and Hanifin/Pesce. American top-4, I'll call it that Slavin/Faulk will be the new Keith/Seabrooke.

Not to mention they may grab an immediate contributor from a draft pick, OR leverage draft picks for getting a current NHL-er, or to move up in the draft. Lot of options on the table.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

And I can't say this enough, but Tolchinsky was dynamic as hell. I was afraid he was going to be another Chris Terry when I saw that Terry had a better overrager year in the OHL than Tolchinsky in the QMJHL, but Tolchinsky just oozes talent every single time he touches the puck.

 

[Roboturner913]

Tolchinsky is one of those guys where I'm afraid my eyes deceive me. Sometimes that kind of skill doesn't necessarily translate to being productive, or at least not consistently productive. Would be really nice if he's ready to make the jump next year along with Aho, and give you some legitimate 2nd-3rd line scoring options.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

we win gaem

 

[RodTheBawd]

Krejci worked Faulk that whole shift.

I miss old Faulk. He was a monster d-man in his prime.

He has not been good since he's been back. Slow mentally and physically.

OT losses are my main concern for next season. It's good and bad, because holding teams to OT has been partly due to their excellent PK and defense (including goal tending) since early December. Also, if you look at where they'd be if they had converted on half of the 16 OT losses, it's very encouraging. However, Ward is historically bad in shootouts, and we just don't have the offense needed to get over the hump. I hope they can add some serious offensive talent up front in the off season. I feel pretty confident given the current prospect pool, and countless draft picks that RF can get it done.

Ward has been fine in SO's this year, hard to win them when he's lucky to even get 1 goal from his team.

It's games like tonight and against the Flyers that show that he still has something in the tank. He's just not consistent enough, which is why I'm frustrated that Lack hasn't shown more.

I don't envy Francis the task of deciding our goaltending for next season.

Ward has ALWAYS let in "softies". Even in his prime, he made most saves look pedestrian, then would let in a goal or two that made you say "what the **** was that?".

And **** man, I love Tolchinsky already, shiny new toy syndrome be damned. Had me nervous every time he had the puck, wondering if he was going to pull off something crazy or get completely demolished.

 

[RodTheBawd]

And sorry for the double post, but reading that BOS postgame thread makes me all tingly inside. Sucks we gave them a point at all. I love how they're *****ing about Krug over Marchand in the SO... Marchand, who is a career 22% in SOs...

 

[Roboturner913]

Faulk seems unsure of himself. Probably not mentally back from the injury. He does looks slow. Krejci made him look foolish on that one chance, just waltzed right into point-blank range. Guess that's why he's still only getting 2nd pair minutes.

 

[Vagrant]

Tolchinsky is one of those guys where I'm afraid my eyes deceive me. Sometimes that kind of skill doesn't necessarily translate to being productive, or at least not consistently productive. Would be really nice if he's ready to make the jump next year along with Aho, and give you some legitimate 2nd-3rd line scoring options.

Tolchinsky, down to the number, reminds me of a slightly less toolsy Maxim Afinogenov. I'm not certain it will translate wholesale, but he can carve out a decent career if he sticks with it in North America. Like Afinogenov, who at one point drew Bure comparisons, turning pretty plays into points might be the challenge. That end to end rush last night was a beauty, but the chance itself was incredibly soft. If he keeps his head up there and finds out where all the guys watching him missed a coverage, that play perhaps turns into points. It's something he hopefully learns to start watching for as time goes on.

I agree so decisively with the folks that are talking about how much our 3 on 3 needs to improve. I think we have some ideas that not many teams are using that are helping us, but we're missing the skill guys to get it done. Using 2 defenseman is safe. Safe is death in 3 on 3. There has to be a philosophical adjustment. It's the difference between us being a bubble team and a playoff team. We have to have the killer instinct not to decide to accept low percentage scoring chances. If it's not there, regroup and start over. There's so much ice out there you could play keepaway with good positioning for the better part of the period until something comes up worth attacking. I do like that we use our goaltenders more than other teams. Making it a 4 on 3 advantage by incorporating the goaltender has much such a huge impact for us in retaining possession. We just haven't done anything to capitalize on that. That's an idea that you'll see more teams adopt as time goes on. Systems for 3 on 3 don't exist and what we're seeing right now are a lot of willy-nilly adjustments on the fly and no real consensus about how to approach it. That needs to be rectified. For all the good Peters has done, that's a failure to adjust on his part..

 

[ONO94]

And I can't say this enough, but Tolchinsky was dynamic as hell. I was afraid he was going to be another Chris Terry when I saw that Terry had a better overrager year in the OHL than Tolchinsky in the QMJHL, but Tolchinsky just oozes talent every single time he touches the puck.

When did Tolchinsky play in the QMJHL?

 

[Roboturner913]

OHL

The really encouraging thing about him is he's taken a nice step forward each year, statistically anyway. 51 points his first year, 91 his second year. Then 95 his third year but went from a -9 to a +41. I won't claim to have seen any Greyhounds games but that looks pretty good on paper.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

So you have the Draft Lottery GDT, right?

Saturday April 30th. On my calendar.

 

[bleedgreen]

I thought Lindholm looked night and day more comfortable as a center. He should never play wing again. He was great defensively. He just looked more at home to me.

Tolchinsky is a huge question mark. Great skill and speed but he's reckless and a little out of control, which to some extent is to be expected at this point. If he can't take care of the puck consistently and can't win battles I don't know that Peters will trust him. Be interesting in camp for sure, I'm not sure both Aho and Tolchinsky can have a spot out of camp.

I hate two defensemen for 3 on 3. With a fiery passion. It's a white flag. It didn't win enough games either.

 

[VAcaniac]

Ward has been fine in SO's this year, hard to win them when he's lucky to even get 1 goal from his team.

I think this year has been Wardo's best year in the SO. He has been so much more patient this year and isn't really letting himself get deked out of his pants like he did in years past.

 

[HisIceness]

Always nice to play spoiler and beat Boston at their place.

 

[NotOpie]

If they paired Hanifin and Slavings with Skinner, I have no problem with team using two defense men. Heck having Pesce and Hanifin withSkinner would be fine as well. Those guys are fast and have good offensive instincts.

But overall we are a more dangerous team when we have the two forwards out there.

 

[StormCast]

If they paired Hanifin and Slavings with Skinner, I have no problem with team using two defense men. Heck having Pesce and Hanifin withSkinner would be fine as well. Those guys are fast and have good offensive instincts.

But overall we are a more dangerous team when we have the two forwards out there.

Agreed it all comes down to the combinations more so than the positions. Just as long it isn't Hainsey, Gerbe and Terry.