F Daniil Gushchin (2020, 76th, SJS)

[karltonian]

He pretty much styled all over a close to NHL rostered Vegas tonight and made it so that if he doesn't make the team it will look bad on the Sharks management lol

 

[Kshahdoo]

So it looks like the Sharks have a cunning plan for Daniil to play him 10 min on the 4th line for some games, then tell him he isn't NHL ready and send him back to the AHL...

 

[SoundAndFury]

I don't know about the second part but the Sprong kind of usage might be his best career path if he is effective enough. Also, he is no small reason why Blues' 3rd goal happened and he took a bad penalty in the 3rd. So it's hard to find arguments why he should get more minutes. You get those by playing well.

I understanding wanting more TOI for prospects when they deliver but asking for it after a so-so game at the very best, and probably flat-out not good if we were more objective about it, just gives boy who cried wolf vibes.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I don't know about the second part but the Sprong kind of usage might be his best career path if he is effective enough. Also, he is no small reason why Blues' 3rd goal happened and he took a bad penalty in the 3rd. So it's hard to find arguments why he should get more minutes. You get those by playing well.

I understanding wanting more TOI for prospects when they deliver but asking for it after a so-so game at the very best, and probably flat-out not good if we were more objective about it, just gives boy who cried wolf vibes.

You mean he lost battle along the board to 6'6 222 Toropchenko, and then Thrun couldn't clear the puck? Yeah, that's what 4th liners do, fight for the puck along the boards and in corners, exactly the role for Gushchin. Still that goal was mostly on Thrun.

 

[coooldude]

I don't know about the second part but the Sprong kind of usage might be his best career path if he is effective enough. Also, he is no small reason why Blues' 3rd goal happened and he took a bad penalty in the 3rd. So it's hard to find arguments why he should get more minutes. You get those by playing well.

I understanding wanting more TOI for prospects when they deliver but asking for it after a so-so game at the very best, and probably flat-out not good if we were more objective about it, just gives boy who cried wolf vibes.

You mean he lost battle along the board to 6'6 222 Toropchenko, and then Thrun couldn't clear the puck? Yeah, that's what 4th liners do, fight for the puck along the boards and in corners, exactly the role for Gushchin. Still that goal was mostly on Thrun.

I agree with @Kshahdoo here. He actually got the puck back to the D (Thrun) who carelessly fired it up the wall, which our D were doing all night. As I was live, I could watch his shifts pretty closely in person. He battled, he helped win some pucks, he had a nice few shots. The penalty seemed kinda fluky.

Overall I thought Gushchin showed decently well, but it was also a wake up call that while he did his job, he also didn't necessarily earn himself into the top 6 either. And he's not going to take a spot on the checking 3rd line from Kunin or Goodrow. So he's probably in the press box next game as Kostin or Grundstrom get a start. His best path to sticking is gonna be by impacting on the second PP and having more games where he does his job in 8-10 minutes on the 4th line, or injuries. I still think he'll get 40+ games.

Edit: warsofsky quote, maybe he gets a second game on Sturm's line, we'll see.

Warsofsky, on Danil Gushchin’s performance:

I thought he was a little inconsistent at times, trying some things. Had a good second period. I thought he was solid.

 

[SoundAndFury]

You mean he lost battle along the board to 6'6 222 Toropchenko, and then Thrun couldn't clear the puck? Yeah, that's what 4th liners do, fight for the puck along the boards and in corners, exactly the role for Gushchin. Still that goal was mostly on Thrun.

Battles along the wall is what every player has to do and the more they play, the more they have to do it. Yes, nobody is expecting him to win those board battles but that's exactly the reason why it's unreasonable to expect him to get significantly more 5v5 time.

Yes, I agree how things currently stand the goal is mostly on Thrun. If he was a better player nothing happens there. But if it was Goodrow and not Gushchin in that board battle, Thrun probably isn't under that much pressure to begin with.

Anyway, my point is Gushchin is what he is and has to work with what he has. He has to make positive offensive contributions that outweigh his defensive deficiencies. And 4th line is a completely reasonable place to start. This isn't the NHL of old where 4th line is a fighter, banger and center that can win faceoffs and nothing else. Now Gushchin is on the 4th line with a former 13th overall pick in Dellandrea, they can string a few decent attacks together.

 

[coooldude]

Battles along the wall is what every player has to do and the more they play, the more they have to do it. Yes, nobody is expecting him to win those board battles but that's exactly the reason why it's unreasonable to expect him to get significantly more 5v5 time.

Yes, I agree how things currently stand the goal is mostly on Thrun. If he was a better player nothing happens there. But if it was Goodrow and not Gushchin in that board battle, Thrun probably isn't under that much pressure to begin with.

Anyway, my point is Gushchin is what he is and has to work with what he has. He has to make positive offensive contributions that outweigh his defensive deficiencies. And 4th line is a completely reasonable place to start. This isn't the NHL of old where 4th line is a fighter, banger and center that can win faceoffs and nothing else. Now Gushchin is on the 4th line with a former 13th overall pick in Dellandrea, they can string a few decent attacks together.

I agree with most of this post but I think the only thing Gush could have done better on that play is getting the puck to Thrun harder. He kind of pushed it back rather than taking a half step to send it with pace, and that contributed to the pressure Thrun was under. However Gush DID win the puck back, and a couple other times he actually did well to put a body on guys like Parayko. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't but I thought he did his 4th line job while also generating at least one okay chance.