Pre-Game Talk: Countdown thread to 24-25 Season (T - 6 hours)
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Naslundforever
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I miss Kostopulos much more. Last hab to systematically try and score with his face.
About Pezz not being a heavyweight - then he should not be a goon, period. It’s a criteria. It’s like saying the scorer does not score because he does not have a good shot.
let's not exaggerate things. I mean, we arent in the 90/00 area witch is sad imo, but all the team in the league have soft top6 and soft top4. The league is soft and sadly, having Xhekaj, donkey andy and pizzaboy on the same roster will put you in the upper echelon in term of toughness.Look at our top six and then our projected top 4 Dmen in particular.
Softest in the league?
This is a far cry from having a Weber or an Edmundson or a Chiarot ready to step in.
Personally I think it won't work like at all.
Cernak and Sergachev are both SOB's
I'm talking about guys who will go in and headlock or face wash players who are stirring shit up.
Most of the stuff is going to happen when your skilled players are on the ice they get the most ice time.
I'd love it if a Struble or a Xhekaj were good enough to be in the top two pairings.
Like I said before this isn't about fighting it's about preventing teams from harassing our stars.
I know what my game plan would be facing this club. Our PP being so anemic doesn't help either.
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xX SEYF Xx
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Yeah, their main roster will face us Saturday, the callups were for detroit
It's even far beyond that. They won the cup with Kucherov, Point, Stamkos, Palat, Johnson, Gourde, Cirelli, Shattenkirk, Hedman, Sergachev, McDonagh, Paquette. None of these players are particularly known for their ability to punish.
Most of their grit (Coleman, Goodrow, Bogosian) were added at the deadline. The Bolts didn't start the season off with the level toughness they ended up with during the playoffs. Before those three additions, the only real tough players on Tampa were Maroon, Killorn, Cernak.
But Tampa was also at a very different organization stage. They weren't a rebuilding team. They added grit as their cup window opened.
I am very comfortable in saying that Arber, Struble, Dach, Slaf are every bit as gritty as Maroon, Killorn, Cernak. Anyone including Sergachev and Hedman in that category should then be including Guhle and Anderson.
As the habs advance in their rebuild and space in the bottom 6 opens up due to expiring contracts, they will get more robust.
First of all I'm not exaggerating.
Toughness on the bench does not help your skill players from getting harassed or leaned on or accidentally bumped etc.
I'm talking about players who can react in real time or who can act as deterrents when the temperature starts rising.
Our top six and top four Dmen aren't cut out for it. I like Slaf and Dachs size but I sure as hell don't want them involved in scrums.
Very skilled teams with decent powerplays can get around this to some extent but we aren't there yet.
About the current discussion, I find it amusing people are calling Kucherov "soft" so soon after he pulled Davies from behind to sit him on his ass right after that mid-ice hit on Hedman.
LOL they had grit on just about every shift because of their top 4 D.
Even Hedman had a mean streak. Comparing what they put out on the ice to us is a joke.
Gally will never live up to that salary, but if we’re relatively healthy and have him and Anderson on the 3rd, I can see them contributing. Anderson might even be tradeable at the deadline with retention. He certainly can’t be any worse.
We all know he's a POS I've also seen Hedman lose it when he gets run into too often for his liking.
Tampa have the added bonus of having a devastating PP which is the very best deterrent.
MarkovsKnee
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WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
There's no way that a team will keep 11 million in the press box for long periods of time. We are stuck until Gallagher goes on LTIR on that end.. and then we need to move Anderson when he has 1 year left on his deal.
Reality of the business, the final parting gifts from MB.
Sergachev isn't tough but he will engage.
But we know that Slaf will engage physically.. Dach has handedly won both his fights. Guhle is tough and will get involved and hit. Reinbacher isn't dirty but he will not shy away from physical altercations.
We've got Tuch coming, Florian Xhekaj, we just drafted Thorpe. We have Arber and Struble.
I don't think we are done adding toughness and size. But that's certainly not one of my concerns with the roster, there's more than enough f*** you on the roster.. the only real soft players are Caufield and Hutson long term but they are our most offensively gifted guys up front and are very small, so we know thats not in their game.
I agree. This isn't an element they aren't wanting to add. They know it's important and the size of Slaf and Reinbacher are things that weighed into their decision to draft them.. not to mention someone like Beck is a bit of an agitator and likes to play physical, as well.
Not me, we got too many guys coming up. We know Armia dogs it too often.. at best I'd give him 1 year contracts and trade him as soon as it's clear that all the young guys are better. No term for him, at all.
You do realize I'm talking about top 4D men specifically.
Top 6 forwards with the complete package are rare.
Boston have a very stout top 4. Florida to a lesser extent but they have it up front.
Toronto this year are going to have a much tougher top 4.
All those teams have the added bonus of having good to very good PP's.
Of our top ten players six forwards and 4 Dmen who is even remotely close to having a mean streak.
Some say it doesn't matter and I completely disagree.
Top 4 had a mean streak? Again, if Sergachev, McDonagh, and Hedman are considered to have a "mean streak" then the definition is quite wide. Struble, Arber, Guhle would all meet the definition.
And who on toronto and boston are you considering tough with a mean streak?You do realize I'm talking about top 4D men specifically.
Top 6 forwards with the complete package are rare.
Boston have a very stout top 4. Florida to a lesser extent but they have it up front.
Toronto this year are going to have a much tougher top 4.
All those teams have the added bonus of having good to very good PP's.
Of our top ten players six forwards and 4 Dmen who is even remotely close to having a mean streak.
Some say it doesn't matter and I completely disagree.
So tanev, with 2 career fight and who average 40 hit a season is tougher than Guhle or Savard?
Forget it. I've said all along this isn't about fighting.So tanev, with 2 career fight and who average 40 hit a season is tougher than Guhle or Savard?
If I'm coming in to Montreal I have a handful of players names up on the board I'm looking to take off their game.
Most of the time it's with stuff after the whistle like digs bumps face washes etc.
Xhekaj and Pezz are not going to looking to fight over that shit and will usually be on the bench when it happens.
If they go after anyone they'll get the two ten and a game routine.
Slaf and Kirby will have some push back but I don't see anyone else in that group stepping in or up and I'm not keen on them doing it.
It's not like we haven't seen this very movie on numerous occasions in the past.
It's rare we are going to see incidents like these past couple of pre-season games where a POS check will bring out the fireworks.
What isn't rare is teams looking to bully us by taking advantage of our lack of grit on the ice.
EveryDay
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