GDT: Devils vs. Blue Jackets - 5:00 PM MSG

[Cult of Hynes]

Prout is obviously a weaker skater but I actually like his play. I think he's smart but his skating holds him back.

Some summer power skating could help a bit.

 

[tr83]

Multiple guys have been checking out at various points.

Absoutely leadership issues in that locker room.

There have been for years.

Someone needs to get Langenbrunner'd

 

[Bleedred]

What's really sad is that I think we've almost tied all of last game for amount of minutes played in the offensive zone.

We've had a few shifts in the offensive zone, but none have really resulted in any dangerous scoring chances. At least not since the power play.

 

[Zippy316]

Prout reminds me a lot of White.

His footwork is slow, but he knows where to be, pinches well, makes the safe play to continue the offense, etc. Just simple steady defense.

 

[Bleedred]

I see chicken little has made multiple appearances in this thread already.

We should trade Hall. He isn't smiling enough.

If just literally one person is unhappy with Hall in this thread, we've got spies from Edmonton, lurking and patrolling this thread and licking their lips.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If just literally one person is unhappy with Hall in this thread, we've got spies from Edmonton, lurking and patrolling this thread and licking their lips.

Just report any outsider trolls. Don't engage them.

 

[Devils Dominion]

16 minutes in and nothing to get excited over. Low event defined.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Not really playing that bad. Not much is going to happen with only two NHL lines though.

 

[Blender]

16 minutes in and nothing to get excited over. Low event defined.

Would you prefer they try and play high event hockey and get torched by a much better team? At least that will be "exciting hockey" I guess.

 

[Bleedred]

Just report any outsider trolls. Don't engage them.

Will do!

We don't look as bad today, not sure if that's by design or because CBJ played yesterday too.

 

[Jets012]

Yea Hall is good. How often has Hall been playing with first liners this year? Never. He played with PAP who's a good middle 6 player at this point. He's been playing with a defensive minded 2nd line center in Zajac all year.

Hall has played fantastic for this team. His line is the only line that competes with other teams possession wise. If you give him just one more player that can keep up with him point production wise, Hall is going to look amazing next year. He's a wing that drives possession. There are not many of those guys in the league. Points will come as we add more up end talent.

 

[Edmonton East]

Multiple guys have been checking out at various points.

Absoutely leadership issues in that locker room.

Leadership issues, eh? If a team sucks for multiple years with only a dim light at the end of the tunnel, it doesn't matter if you have a group of great leaders. People will start to tune them out. I don't care who you are. How motivational you are. It doesn't matter. In the 4th year of complete suckage, you eventually tell Andy Greene or whoever to shut the **** up already or just nod and nod until he stops talking. Unless you are a young guy that is trying to make the roster, of course.

I love how people constantly ignore the human element of players. Just like people think Hall is happy here. You would have to be oblivious to think that under the circumstances.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Rooney, Stollery, Coleman, Noesen belong in the ahl.

Prob Lappin and Blender too.

 

[Bleedred]

Cory already bailing out one of the AHL guys.

It was probably the only great chance either team had this period though.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Zajac is playing very well but I don't think he is the best fit for Hall. Don't really have a RW that fits either.

Zacha is the one guy on the roster I think compliments Hall best, but it will take more development from him to be able to handle that assignment.

McLeod's speed down the line would be interesting too.

Ideally we can pick up a speedy RW for Hall's line and can spreads palms out to the other line in the offseason.

 

[The Wumpus]

I can't believe there's still a month left in the season. I'm sure the players can't either.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Rooney, Stollery, Coleman, Noesen belong in the ahl.

Prob Lappin and Blender too.

Blender definitely. Kid has potential but there are holes.

Still it doesn't matter right now so let them play and learn.

 

[Blender]

Hall is probably the only first line forward on this team. Can't see how he's the problem in that scenario.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

If I was on this team I would skate head first into the boards and give myself a concision to avoid playing out the rest of the schedule.

 

[Zippy316]

Rooney, Stollery, Coleman, Noesen belong in the ahl.

Prob Lappin and Blender too.

I'd give them some time. All of those guys do the little things well it just seems they have trouble making that extra move or creating enough separation to make a play right now.

 

[Bleedred]

Yea Hall is good. How often has Hall been playing with first liners this year? Never. He played with PAP who's a good middle 6 player at this point. He's been playing with a defensive minded 2nd line center in Zajac all year.

Hall has played fantastic for this team. His line is the only line that competes with other teams possession wise. If you give him just one more player that can keep up with him point production wise, Hall is going to look amazing next year. He's a wing that drives possession. There are not many of those guys in the league. Points will come as we add more up end talent.

He definitely had a very poor game last night, but he hasn't really underperformed from my expectations.

I did think he'd score more goals here than in Edmonton, as we have a lot of chest snipers and poor finishers here and maybe he'd score more goals and have fewer assists and it would be a wash. He has fewer goals and more assists though, which is still a wash.

He's producing at a 63-64 point pace per 82 games this season. What's really sad is that this team is so terrible at offense, yet it actually has a guy producing at a 60+ point pace.

 

[StvBroDan]

Multiple guys have been checking out at various points.

Absoutely leadership issues in that locker room.

OR Coaching. Its time to shake things up big time.

 

[Emperoreddy]

People tend to get very short term memories when things are going poorly.

Team is struggling and it is going to make everyone look a step lower than they most likely are.

 

[Zippy316]

Ideally, you'd want Hall in a Kane-like role on the second line.

Unfortunately we're forced to play him on our first line and he gets all the heavy match-ups offensively (and has to carry his line).

 

[Emperoreddy]

Considering the AHL D and AHL bottom 6 that wasn't too bad.