GDT: Columbus at Pittsburgh | 9/21 4PM EDT | Preseason Game #5

[major major]

That's one of the reasons why I like pre-season.

On another note: Savard looks a lot better than last year, IMO. Melart hasn't really impressed me.

I agree completely. Savard looks like he's playing NHL calibre defence out there, and we already know he's got good skills at the other end.

 

[The Four Seven]

If you're not at the game (which makes sense, it being in Pittsburgh and all ), come join us in the Game Day Chat for the 3rd! (Also enter the nickname and hit GO as always)

 

[major major]

1 on 1. Johnson's gotta step up there. MUST get the puck out of the zone at our blue line. Almost put us down. Not even gonna say more.

The announcers are also dinging JJ for being too slow to cover Jokinen on the third goal. I think they're right. That play was about being slow to read and react, but I always wonder if JJ should trim down a bit, he's got about twenty pounds of extra muscle that I'm not sure is really helpful.

 

[Roadman]

Seems like Bob has a little rust to shake off. In top form he'll stop two of those goals and he has mishandled the puck around and behind the net a couple of times.

 

[aRussian]

Boone is making a case, definitely.

 

[Zarathustra]

Boone is playing better than MacKenzie and Foligno.

 

[bizzz*]

Boone is in-frikin-credible.

 

[major major]

Boone is playing better than most of our forwards.

 

[JKinCLE]

Boone is making a case, definitely.

making? his case has been made. He had a spot to lose coming into this season imo, hes just making a case to get top 6 minutes.

 

[cbjgirl]

For those of you watching. Is Boone playing LW with Dubi at center?

 

[aRussian]

making? his case has been made. He had a spot to lose coming into this season imo, hes just making a case to get top 6 minutes.

I don't question his positioning or ability to contribute to offense, I do question his ability to "work backwards". His passes to the point have been haphazard and I haven't seen enough to really judge his defensive forward abilities.

If I had to predict now, I'd say, like you said, it's his spot to lose

 

[Zarathustra]

making? his case has been made. He had a spot to lose coming into this season imo, hes just making a case to get top 6 minutes.

I'd disagree. We had enough regular players to fill our roster before Boone. Has he earned a spot after his showing so far? I'd say so. But I wouldn't say it was his to lose from the get-go.

 

[major major]

For those of you watching. Is Boone playing LW with Dubi at center?

Yup.

 

[Roadman]

I'd disagree. We had enough regular players to fill our roster before Boone. Has he earned a spot after his showing so far? I'd say so. But I wouldn't say it was his to lose from the get-go.

Agreed. Really thought he would go down and anchor the first line in SPR, and be first call up. But his performance has put him in a position for a roster spot at least, if not a top six slot.

 

[alphafox]

So...Johansen or Jenner which is the better young forward? Also what can we get for Foligno.

 

[aRussian]

I think only two players showed themselves as "needing improvement" before making the big roster

Skille: Seemed to lack the ability to pass up the ice crisply and it muddled a lot of offense when he was on the ice. Especially when under pressure. He would haphazardly toss it towards center ice into open space where both teams had to move to try to get to it.
Melart: Was unnoticed in many aspects (good, given his defensive d-man role) but was not good at getting the puck to a friendly man when the puck was dumped in by the other team. When it was a competition between two players (himself and a Pen) it usually ended up being tossed into open space or onto a Pen stick. Was decent outside this aspect.

Good game, I love how difficult the players are making it to predict "winners and losers"

 

[major major]

So...Johansen or Jenner which is the better young forward? Also what can we get for Foligno.

Where's that jump to conclusions mat? Foligno had a crappy game in the preseason.

And all I can say is that Jenner's been better than Joey in this preseason, but once again, we haven't started yet.

 

[Jaxs]

Glad the Jackets pulled that out. Jokinen trying to win that game single handedly. Bob made some nice saves to keep it a 4-3 win. Jenner will make the team if I had to guess.

 

[SuperGenius]

So...Johansen or Jenner which is the better young forward? Also what can we get for Foligno.

Is it ok to like both of them, or is there some kind of prize for which is the 'best'?

holy overreaction on Foligno. get ahold of yourself.

 

[bizzz*]

We should trade JMFJ and Tyutin as well. Cause pre-season means so much.

 

[Crede777]

Boone looks like he's already in his 30's.

 

[alphafox]

Where's that jump to conclusions mat? Foligno had a crappy game in the preseason.

And all I can say is that Jenner's been better than Joey in this preseason, but once again, we haven't started yet.

Not really a jump to conclusions thing with Foligno, more an issue of roster pressure and team roles. We saw last year that Foligno doesn't really belong in the top six, and we really don't need to pay him 3 million and change. Particularly with Umberger actually showing up in shape this year. At this point Jenner is pretty much a lock to to make the team and Horton is eventually going to make it back, thus eventually the forward group may look something like:

Atkinson-Dubinsky-Gaborik
Umberger-Anisimov-Horton
Jenner-Johansen-Calvert
Boll-DMac-Foligo
That's an awful lot of $ to pay for a guy who rates 4th line minutes on your squad.

 

[major major]

Not really a jump to conclusions thing with Foligno, more an issue of roster pressure and team roles. We saw last year that Foligno doesn't really belong in the top six, and we really don't need to pay him 3 million and change. Particularly with Umberger actually showing up in shape this year. At this point Jenner is pretty much a lock to to make the team and Horton is eventually going to make it back, thus eventually the forward group may look something like:

Atkinson-Dubinsky-Gaborik
Umberger-Anisimov-Horton
Jenner-Johansen-Calvert
Boll-DMac-Foligo
That's an awful lot of $ to pay for a guy who rates 4th line minutes on your squad.

You mean you saw that last year. Because I saw that Foligno "pushed the river" on every line he was on. He was good at everything except scoring. Tonight he was **** at everything, but its the preseason.

 

[alphafox]

Is it ok to like both of them, or is there some kind of prize for which is the 'best'?

I like both of them but there actually is a prize to a certain extent. Who plays center in the future. I would assume that one of Jenner or Johansen will end up being converted to wing. At this point Jenner is doing very well as a wing, but his natural position is center. I'm not saying we should drop either one, just wondering out loud. (And also marveling that a 31st pick that is a year younger can be this good)

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Jenner for Calder

Holy overreaction on Foligno