GDT: Free Agency Day 1: You're from Boston? Come on down

[Jag68Sid87]

PP improvement > No. 1 LD. And it is not even close.

We would have made the playoffs, and comfortably, had the power play performed to expectations (and talent).

They need a threat on the left side. Malkin shoots from the opposite side but teams can easily over-commit to his side. Also, what are we doing with Crosby? Shouldn't you utilize your best player more on the PP? Like, have set plays for him, etc?

The only time we see Crosby on the PP is when he pulls a rabbit out of his hat, like a re-directed point shot angled to perfection. You can't expect that every man advantage.

We finally have a presence and a pest in front of the net again, now go get a right shooter.

 

[Victor Z]

PP improvement > No. 1 LD. And it is not even close.

Yeah, sure.

But I'm referring to things that our *GM* needs to do to improve the team -- we have no #1 LHD at all, so we need to find one elsewhere even if it's not a "real" #1 and just someone who can eat minutes, skate and chew gum at the same time without falling down, and someone who knows his role (which is DEFENSE first) and fills it.

A team with 87, 71, EK or 58, our new net-front god Michael Bunting, and whoever on the top unit just needs to figure it out. Maybe Sully's new mini-me standing next to him on the bench will help with that. In any event Dubas doesn't NEED to tinker around and find some 1-dimensional PP specialist to turn things around.

We have the PP talent, last year's dismal percentage was a bad fluke which isn't likely to be repeated no matter what.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

This is how I feel, too. Just because the players we acquired are not big names entrenched in the lineup, that does not mean Mike Sullivan will prefer them over the kids. If you give the man a choice, he chooses wrongly. Dubas had one job this summer: do NOT give the coach a choice.

We showed some promise down the stretch last season largely because Sullivan ran out of options. He had no choice but to play Jack St. Ivany, and we discovered a third-pairing defenseman. Puustinen played more because he had no choice. Puljujarvi was not as fortunate. He is probably toast now. O'Connor looked good next to Crosby because Sullivan ran out of options.

So, if the plan was to bring in shitty players because they won't block the kids, then we will be left with shitty players, Kyle. It is the Sullivan way.

We need a top-six winger. That was our biggest need of the off-season and it is the biggest priority now. Not because we need a left-winger for Crosby, per se. Not to block the kids. The kids are blocked anyway. It is to FIX the MFing power play!

If you don't acquire a right-shooting winger, then Bryan Rust is on PP1 (on top of his role as PK1 and L1).

Does that sound like a recipe for success?

Someone sticky this post - it's spot on.
You have to idiot proof the roster. That means NOT employing Jeff Carter so Sully isn't even tempted. That means not having a Harkins even on the roster.

Sid adjusted just fine by not having Jake stapled to him. The sun came up the next day and dare I say we were a more well-rounded team without these pacifiers around.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

View attachment 892479So what happened to this kid? He was great in NYI, extremely annoying to play against and young. He’s still young, so why did he fall off a cliff?

Hopefully a change of scenery and a shot at playing top 6 gets him going here this season!! Could end up being a nice return in a trade at the deadline

 

[Gurglesons]

And a slow as shit release.

Wild that you're skeptical about Koivunen, who has outperformed Puustinen at every age level and outproduced him in every league where they played a similar amount of games. Yet you're complaining about critiques of Puustinen's game.

Because Puustinen has proven he can play a role in the NHL?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

View attachment 892479So what happened to this kid? He was great in NYI, extremely annoying to play against and young. He’s still young, so why did he fall off a cliff?

He was at his best when he was a buzzsaw. He's not the most gifted shooter, and he's not a playmaker. So when his effort/consistency went down, his overall effectiveness went down because he didn't have the natural talent compensate.

He's like a Jason Zucker but without Zucker's motor.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Because Puustinen has proven he can play a role in the NHL?

52 games, 5 goals, and 20 points is enough to prove he can play a role in the NHL? Because Matt Nieto, who gets crushed on here regularly, had 10 goals and 24 points in his first 66 games in the NHL. Hell, Radim Zohorna has 9 goals and 18 career points in 68 NHL games and he sure as hell doesn't look like he's proven anything at the NHL level.

 

[Gurglesons]

52 games, 5 goals, and 20 points is enough to prove he can play a role in the NHL? Because Matt Nieto, who gets crushed on here regularly, had 10 goals and 24 points in his first 66 games in the NHL. Hell, Radim Zohorna has 9 goals and 18 career points in 68 NHL games and he sure as hell doesn't look like he's proven anything at the NHL level.

I get it. You are now taking the love of Mike Sullivan to a new level and criticizing young players rather than being happy we've seemingly pulled a forward that may actually develop into something.

Nice bit, I'm impressed.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I get it. You are now taking the love of Mike Sullivan to a new level and criticizing young players rather than being happy we've seemingly pulled a forward that may actually develop into something.

Nice bit, I'm impressed.

No, I'm trying to understand how Player A magically is above criticism while Player B is a "lotto ticket" despite out-performing Player A in the same leagues at a younger age.

I think if Hextall or Rutherford acquired Ville Koivunen, you'd be all over him. But since Dubas acquired him for Guentzel, he's a longshot.

 

[Gurglesons]

No, I'm trying to understand how Player A magically is above criticism while Player B is a "lotto ticket" despite out-performing Player A in the same leagues at a younger age.

I think if Hextall or Rutherford acquired Ville Koivunen, you'd be all over him. But since Dubas acquired him for Guentzel, he's a longshot.

Nope. I wasn't high on Puustinen as a pick at all.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I, jokingly, wasn't high on Puustinen as a pick at all. Like I'm going to know anything about any player who isn't 1 or 2 OA.

 

[Ryder71]

No, I'm trying to understand how Player A magically is above criticism while Player B is a "lotto ticket" despite out-performing Player A in the same leagues at a younger age.

I think if Hextall or Rutherford acquired Ville Koivunen, you'd be all over him. But since Dubas acquired him for Guentzel, he's a longshot.

Very good post, and what you're saying makes a ton of sense. However, you're dealing with someone who's trolling. He's not trying to make sense. He's just stirring the pot. There's no logic behind his posts.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Yeah, sure.

But I'm referring to things that our *GM* needs to do to improve the team -- we have no #1 LHD at all, so we need to find one elsewhere even if it's not a "real" #1 and just someone who can eat minutes, skate and chew gum at the same time without falling down, and someone who knows his role (which is DEFENSE first) and fills it.

A team with 87, 71, EK or 58, our new net-front god Michael Bunting, and whoever on the top unit just needs to figure it out. Maybe Sully's new mini-me standing next to him on the bench will help with that. In any event Dubas doesn't NEED to tinker around and find some 1-dimensional PP specialist to turn things around.

We have the PP talent, last year's dismal percentage was a bad fluke which isn't likely to be repeated no matter what.

We have two future HOFers on the right side. We have a very solid Marcus Pettersson on the left. Is he Gustav Forsling or Mattias Ekholm? No, but he is solid.

David Quinn is not fixing this power play. Without a threat on the other side of Malkin/Crosby, it simply won't work. Kessel changed everything, including the PP, when he came aboard.

And he too was one-dimensional, and Sullivan couldn't stand him, but won WITH him.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Hmmm well... they COULD do that.

But how does Kevin Hayes on the top unit grab you, instead?

(laugh if you want... I bet they do it)

 

[Gurglesons]

Very good post, and what you're saying makes a ton of sense. However, you're dealing with someone who's trolling. He's not trying to make sense. He's just stirring the pot. There's no logic behind his posts.

Wow, what a tremendous post on HFBoards! Really fantastic, believe me. This user really knows their stuff, just incredible insight. Many people are saying it's one of the best posts they've ever seen. Great job!

 

[Pancakes]

I'm glad the Joseph brothers are getting a chance to play together and I hope POJ does well in St. Louis. Always seemed like a good kid.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm glad the Joseph brothers are getting a chance to play together and I hope POJ does well in St. Louis. Always seemed like a good kid.

I don't know that POJ would have ever panned out HERE but I think they got a decent player now with some real potential to still get better down the road at a sub million dollar short term deal. Think he was definitely worth that.

 

[Pancakes]

I don't know that POJ would have ever panned out HERE but I think they got a decent player now with some real potential to still get better down the road at a sub million dollar short term deal. Think he was definitely worth that.

I don't think he was that great or really any better than the other crop of "meh" bottom six d that we're running with (Ludvig etc).

I think he's got a higher ceiling than all of the guys we kept though because of his exceptional skating.

Ludvig is just too limited skills-wise to ever pan out to much. St Ivany also I think. Shea sucks. Aho is probably better than all of them but he's also 28.

I am glad that Dubas is going cheap with the third pair at least.

 

[Tom Hanks]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809304969310511570

 

[Tom Hanks]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809270137264173264

 

[Sideline]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809304969310511570

Nice to see a good cap friendly replacement

 

[Gurglesons]

That Sabres trade is so bad.

 

[canadianguy77]

They should be a better forechecking team next season. JC being gone is going to improve the flow of the game. Not sure why Acciari remains. Maybe they think he’ll be better without JC?

 

[Tom Hanks]

Nice to see a good cap friendly replacement

There will be another one called Stanley Cap. I don’t think it’s up and running yet

 

[Tom Hanks]

That Sabres trade is so bad.

The “please fire me” trade