GDT: Columbus @ Carolina | 3/29 7:00PM EDT

[blahblah]

This is probably the strongest thing you've posted tonight. This happens too much in the offensive zone as well. It's like our team is a Ford F-150, but we WANT to be a Porsche 911.

Actually it's the least subtle, most obvious thing I've said.

 

[NotWendell]

Definitely won't disagree with your observation about the neutral zone.

When I refer to forechecking, I'm not talking about deep in the offensive zone. I'm talking about just inside the blue line as well.

On a separate but complementary topic, what doesn't work for us, but seems to work well against us, is stacking four guys across the defensive zone blue line.

 

[NotWendell]

Actually it's the least subtle, most obvious thing I've said.

And hence, be being the least subtle, it's the strongest.

P.S. And yeah, I have to edit and re-edit things to keep some sounding like a complete d*** at times. It's all good. We won tonight. I'm happy.

 

[blahblah]

When I refer to forechecking, I'm not talking about deep in the offensive zone. I'm talking about just inside the blue line as well.

Just inside our blueline (offensive zone)? Not sure I follow. The forecheck starts with the first man in deep; normally on a dump-in. That's where the pressure on the puck starts. The forecheck implies that you are trying to establish puck possession (puck retrieval). You either go in with one or two men. Hitch was more of a one man deep.

If you don't get that d to turn their back; the puck is going the other way.

I don't see what you are talking about with just inside the blueline. That's more of a carry-in and transition play. That forecheck really doesn't start until that forward gives up the puck.

What we don't do a lot in transition; give and go with center drive. Our center drive is almost non-existent.

 

[EspenK]

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[MoeBartoli]

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Gee, Espen....Now that's an interseting way to build up your post count.

 

[EspenK]

Gee, Espen....Now that's an interseting way to build up your post count.

And here's another. Good response. Actually I started out to recap the blah and lee discussion with my comments inserted but I botched the editing so I just gave up.

Thought it was a good back and forth with me agreeing that we need better playmaking from our centers, adding Stastny would be beneficial, a scoring winger would be a great addition, 100% forechecking all season long will ultimately wear us down and is not good as our only offensive strategy and buying out Umbie with an amnesty wouldn't be a bad idea.

Onward to 5k posts and beyond.

 

[Nanabijou]

Good win, and those 2 points are great to put in the bank.

Missed large chunks of the game due to other commitments, so I'm not going to comment on the overall play.

However, seeing as HCTR seems to be taking a lot of slag around here lately, I'll voice my support for him here. Yes, he tries to balance the lines, but that is the identity he has tried to go with the CBJ and it's worked pretty well. I don't always agree with his lines or scratches either, but I respect his ability to coach this team. Our 8-games in 12 days is coming up, so hopefully there is a carousel of healthy scratches where they use the plug-in-and-play strategy for the 3rd and 4th lines to keep the players hungry and fresh.

The offense is sometimes anemic, but his Jackets can get the job done more often than not even if they don't have a Vezina-caliber goalie in the net or a former 40-goal scorer on the team.

Onwards and upwards.

 

[punk_o_holic]

Just finished re watching the goals on nhl.com and they used the Canes feed. That Anisimov goal was such a perfect shot. I don't think I saw a replay last night from the Blue Jackets feed but I saw replays of it in the Canes feed. The puck went in between the post and Khubodin's pad/skate. An inch to the left and it's off the post, inch to the right and it's stopped.

 

[SuperGenius]

This thread doesn't have nearly enough McElhinney love. Aside from a 60 second stretch against Pittsburgh, I think he had an outstanding weekend stepping up in a pressure situation to keep the CBJ in games and ultimately get 2 of 4 points.

I'm not his biggest fan, but he's been a serviceable backup despite the worry of nearly everyone here. Should the CBJ get into the playoffs, an argument could be made that his performance has been one of the key elements (and most surprising) of this season.

 

[NotWendell]

This thread doesn't have nearly enough McElhinney love. Aside from a 60 second stretch against Pittsburgh, I think he had an outstanding weekend stepping up in a pressure situation to keep the CBJ in games and ultimately get 2 of 4 points.

I'm not his biggest fan, but he's been a serviceable backup despite the worry of nearly everyone here. Should the CBJ get into the playoffs, an argument could be made that his performance has been one of the key elements (and most surprising) of this season.

But then we'd hafta admit we might have been overly critical of him! (gasp!) Since I'm one of those critics, he was terrific last night. Best game I've seen him play in Union Blue.

 

[The Jones Zone]

This thread doesn't have nearly enough McElhinney love. Aside from a 60 second stretch against Pittsburgh, I think he had an outstanding weekend stepping up in a pressure situation to keep the CBJ in games and ultimately get 2 of 4 points.

I'm not his biggest fan, but he's been a serviceable backup despite the worry of nearly everyone here. Should the CBJ get into the playoffs, an argument could be made that his performance has been one of the key elements (and most surprising) of this season.

I agree.....after watching the Highlights he played even better than I thought last night after the game....multiple quality saves. Couldn't of asked for much more. Only negative thing I can say is I don't think He's a very good puck handler, makes me nervous when He does, and He plays the puck outside the net more than Bob

 

[Nordique]

This thread doesn't have nearly enough McElhinney love. Aside from a 60 second stretch against Pittsburgh, I think he had an outstanding weekend stepping up in a pressure situation to keep the CBJ in games and ultimately get 2 of 4 points.

I'm not his biggest fan, but he's been a serviceable backup despite the worry of nearly everyone here. Should the CBJ get into the playoffs, an argument could be made that his performance has been one of the key elements (and most surprising) of this season.

CMac had a great week, outstanding week actually. I think he's making big strides towards establishing himself as a legit NHL backup goalie.

10-10-1
2.7 GAA
.910 sv%

Not bad numbers on the season.

 

[EspenK]

CMac had a great week, outstanding week actually. I think he's making big strides towards establishing himself as a legit NHL backup goalie.

10-10-1
2.7 GAA
.910 sv%

Not bad numbers on the season.

His numbers are not in the same category as many of the top back-ups but very respectable.. I think if the plan was to have him play on a scheduled basis rather than only in emergency situations he might have been slightly better but who knows for sure.

 

[Heinze 57]

This thread doesn't have nearly enough McElhinney love. Aside from a 60 second stretch against Pittsburgh, I think he had an outstanding weekend stepping up in a pressure situation to keep the CBJ in games and ultimately get 2 of 4 points.

I'm not his biggest fan, but he's been a serviceable backup despite the worry of nearly everyone here. Should the CBJ get into the playoffs, an argument could be made that his performance has been one of the key elements (and most surprising) of this season.

Don't forget that he also held Detroit to only one goal in two periods of relief last Tuesday.

 

[blahblah]

His numbers are not in the same category as many of the top back-ups but very respectable..

Meh, most of his numbers came when we were **** in our own end. His splits in March are every bit as good as Bob's.

I'm not saying that he's as good as Bob; McBackup gives up a lot of juicy rebounds. What I am saying is that the "top" backups tend to be on top teams. They are sometimes inexperienced (not really backups). An example might be Anderson with the Ducks. How much better are McBackup numbers on the Kings, Blues, or Bruins?

Bob's numbers aren't anywhere close to tops in the league. His March has came a long way int moving him up a bit but he's barely a top 20 goal tender in GAA and he's 13'th in save pct. There are some backups screwing with those numbers; but taking those goalies out really doesn't help those numbers a lot.

Bob's overall body of work this season put's in him around that 6-10 range. If he hadn't let in so many softies he would be in the top 3 or 4.

 

[EspenK]

Meh, most of his numbers came when we were **** in our own end. His splits in March are every bit as good as Bob's.

I'm not saying that he's as good as Bob; McBackup gives up a lot of juicy rebounds. What I am saying is that the "top" backups tend to be on top teams. They are sometimes inexperienced (not really backups). An example might be Anderson with the Ducks. How much better are McBackup numbers on the Kings, Blues, or Bruins?

Bob's numbers aren't anywhere close to tops in the league. His March has came a long way int moving him up a bit but he's barely a top 20 goal tender in GAA and he's 13'th in save pct. There are some backups screwing with those numbers; but taking those goalies out really doesn't help those numbers a lot.

Bob's overall body of work this season put's in him around that 6-10 range. If he hadn't let in so many softies he would be in the top 3 or 4.

to the first bolded point, I did a quick, non-scientific exclusion of backups & guys with low numbers- I had Bob 15th gaa & 9th save %

to the second point- does this mean you'd pay him more? Top 3 or 4 guy has to go for at least 6 for 6 yrs, if not more. Of course he did let in the softies so maybe not.
n

 

[blahblah]

to the second point- does this mean you'd pay him more? Top 3 or 4 guy has to go for at least 6 for 6 yrs, if not more. Of course he did let in the softies so maybe not.
n

If he's really one of the best in the league; I have no issue paying him. Right now he's not. He has some work to do next season before I'm ready to say that I'm comfortable with us throwing that kind of contract to him.

I'd argue he's not even justifying his current deal. Had he played like a previous Vezina winner; we're over 90 points right now and our playoff lives isn't a conversation. We're probably #2 in the division.