Confirmed with Link: Conner, Megna, Despres Recalled

[Sivek]

Any chance Maatta gets sent back to London before the 40 game mark ?

Nope, he picked up his game after hitting a little snag for a stretch and is definitely one of the team's top-5 d-man.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah... rather unbelievably, Maatta has been a legitimate steadying presence on this blueline. Especially with all these injuries.

I would be shocked if he got sent back. I think he's assured that that ship has sailed.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Before the injuries I thought he might play in the WJC but now I think he's here to stay

 

[cashisking]

I hope we get killed tonight.

 

[The Tang]

You do know success only justifies in Shero's mind that Bylsma is the man for the job right? The unfortunate truth is, failure is the only way it will eventually sink in.

 

[mpp9]

Wrong thread.

 

[jmelm]

Honestly...that's one of the best pictures I've ever seen. Well done.

Any chance Maatta gets sent back to London before the 40 game mark ?

I think this answers this perfectly....

Yeah... rather unbelievably, Maatta has been a legitimate steadying presence on this blue line. Especially with all these injuries.

I would be shocked if he got sent back. I think he's assured that that ship has sailed.

Totally agree. No matter what role or on what pair Maatta has played in, he has been solid and never the weak link (and often, rather the strong one). I can't envision any way at this point that he gets sent back. Unless there's some absolutely massive 180-degree turn in his game (highly unlikely), it's just not possible. He's been one of our top 3 or 4 guys in every single game this year.

And indeed, he and Letang do form a good pair until Scuderi gets back, but I do look forward to Maatta being able to be on his own pair (whether it's with Bortuzzo, Engo, Nisky, etc.), so that Maatta can jump into the rush a little bit more as opposed to having to be the "shutdown" or "steady" guy on his line. He is certainly good enough to provide that element, but his real strength is in his 200ft game and his ability to jump into the play and use those great instincts he has.

It will be really interesting (and good) to see what our D-corps looks like when everyone is healthy and playing sometime in January. In the meantime, it will be a good opportunity for guys like Despres, and even hopefully for guys like Maatta and Bortuzzo to get into a variety of roles to gain experience going forward.

 

[cygnus47]

Honestly...that's one of the best pictures I've ever seen. Well done.



I think this answers this perfectly....



Totally agree. No matter what role or on what pair Maatta has played in, he has been solid and never the weak link (and often, rather the strong one). I can't envision any way at this point that he gets sent back. Unless there's some absolutely massive 180-degree turn in his game (highly unlikely), it's just not possible. He's been one of our top 3 or 4 guys in every single game this year.

And indeed, he and Letang do form a good pair until Scuderi gets back, but I do look forward to Maatta being able to be on his own pair (whether it's with Bortuzzo, Engo, Nisky, etc.), so that Maatta can jump into the rush a little bit more as opposed to having to be the "shutdown" or "steady" guy on his line. He is certainly good enough to provide that element, but his real strength is in his 200ft game and his ability to jump into the play and use those great instincts he has.

It will be really interesting (and good) to see what our D-corps looks like when everyone is healthy and playing sometime in January. In the meantime, it will be a good opportunity for guys like Despres, and even hopefully for guys like Maatta and Bortuzzo to get into a variety of roles to gain experience going forward.

I think our best lineup is one with all three of them in it.

It has to be:

Despres/Maatta - Letang
Maatta/Despres - Bortuzzo
Orpik - Niskanen

Unfortunately Orpik looks like he needs to be shielded at the moment.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I think our best lineup is one with all three of them in it.

It has to be:

Despres/Maatta - Letang
Maatta/Despres - Bortuzzo
Orpik - Niskanen

Unfortunately Orpik looks like he needs to be shielded at the moment.

This is not new for Orpik. This is season 3 of him needing to be shielded.

 

[cygnus47]

This is not new for Orpik. This is season 3 of him needing to be shielded.

He really needs an assignment. He played well man-to-man on Ovechkin ffs but he can't manage to stay in front of the net. I think the main thing that he is horrible at is tracking his own teammates, he tries to cover EVERYONE he can see instead of just doing his damn job.

 

[Ogrezilla]

He really needs an assignment. He played well man-to-man on Ovechkin ffs but he can't manage to stay in front of the net. I think the main thing that he is horrible at is tracking his own teammates, he tries to cover EVERYONE he can see instead of just doing his damn job.

He is just not smart. He can't make decisions in coverage and he can't make decisions with the puck. I definitely agree that he's better man to man.

 

[KIRK]

You do know success only justifies in Shero's mind that Bylsma is the man for the job right? The unfortunate truth is, failure is the only way it will eventually sink in.

Right there is precisely WHY Shero needs to GO. 'Success' can be defined in several ways. That Shero sees all that has transpired since June 2009 as 'success' is saddening (and sad).