I think he's always had the capability year in and year out. I think he always needs at least one quality winger that is going to give and go to him though. He needs that one staple. He didn't have that with Hagelin or Kessel. Hags was just speed and forecheck and Kessel was interested in scoring...but if everyone else did the work. Geno's best performances are guys that basically say to him (in action) "Hey, we're here to make you better". Passengers so to speak...but good passengers. Talbot, Neal, Kunitz/Rust, and now Rust and Kahun. Those guys know who makes that line go and they have bought in...and they are all being rewarded. You wanna know why I'm happy Kessel is gone?
Wonder if ol Sylvester ever got good at actual boxing with all the training he did...?
It's like...something magically changed...or someone or something magically left that suddenly improved their relationship. It's like all those things a lot of us were saying in the summer finally manifested. Must have been the sage that one lady burned outside the arena. There's no other explanation.
I think it's because expectations are changed a little. When this roster is 100% healthy, I expect, nay...DEMAND...a win. A loss is a let down. But when you look at the current roster and there's a bunch of new young guys like Tanev, Kahun, McCann, Marino, Jarry, etc, if they lose, it's not as bad of a let down. Wins are earned. They mean more, to me anyway. So I agree...it's fun watching this team right now but I think it's because we've had Sid and Geno for 15 years and our expectations have been toyed with over those years.
I think it's also why Carolina fans always seem to be so happy and why Toronto/Edmonton fans always seem to be so sad.
Perhaps the decision could be made depending on who can bring in. Perhaps you can get Pageau on a good deal to be the 3C. Then you put McCann on the wing and swing for the fences and hope Jakes makes it back. Just spitballin.
I think it also depends on who they bring in. If it's a LW (say Saad), stick Simon on the RW. If it's a RW (say Toffoli), stick McCann on the LW. Stick Bjugstad at center or wing depending on who ends ups where. I couldn't hate trying a 3rd line of: Bjugstad-McCann-Horny because you're right, I do think McCann is a tad bit better at center than at wing but that's sometimes hard to judge when he's on Sid's LW.
Translation: Dude is making me a balla this year. I don't know how he does it all. Don't jinx it. ****.
I'll take "things we *****ed about the lack of in the 2019 playoffs" for $100 Alex.
Not to toot my own horn but over the off season while so many here were at obsession levels with Jack Johnson, I did point out that a new defensive commitment and structure were needed more than anything. You can rearrange the chairs on the Titanic all you want but if you have no support, no defensive zone awareness, and slow playing players...you're gonna go down whether you have 100 or 0 Jack Johnsons.