GDT: Game 10 | Columbus @ New Jersey | 2 PM EST

[Halberdier]

Congrats, That’s like being the tallest ant.

Yes, that was easy one since rest of the team was pretty bad. Still I found your take quite interesting.

This was the first game that was genuinely bad for Johnny, so I think your take about the chemistry was quite hot.

No. It’s not Laine’s fault the team blows

But it might be Laine’s fault that Gaudreau looks lethargic and not elite. He looked fine without him

Johnny looked perfectly fine also with him other games than this one.

Yes, they didn't score against other teams, but at least they had dozens of great scoring opportunities... until this NJ game when they got only a handful of those.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

They've played 3 games together

And have been split up

 

[VT]

 

[Marioesque]

They've played 3 games together

With C changing several times.

 

[VT]

Let's keep it short. Laine is an AHL player whose value is a sack of potatoes. With that, we can end the discussion.

 

[summer tooth]

Watched the highlights and it seemed like Elvis was really hung out to dry. He should've been pulled as a mercy gesture at the 4 or 5 goal mark. It seemed like Elvis was really pissed off during the game.

 

[majormajor]

Watched the highlights and it seemed like Elvis was really hung out to dry. He should've been pulled as a mercy gesture at the 4 or 5 goal mark. It seemed like Elvis was really pissed off during the game.

Elvis shouldn't be playing at all right now. Mercy would be not starting him in the NHL until he gets his game back.

 

[summer tooth]

Kind of like this because at least Laine and Voracek have some chemistry. but would rather see Laine with Voracek and Roslovic on the 2nd line, and I think Chinakhov could play with Jenner and Gaudreau on the top line - he's earned it.

 

[NotWendell]

no, I’m not joking. I don’t believe Laine is a very good hockey player.

Being an amazing shot with good puck skills doesn’t make you a good player. He’s a weapon. But not a great player

All-around hockey player (I'm assuming you mean)

 

[CBJ goalie]

Watched the highlights and it seemed like Elvis was really hung out to dry. He should've been pulled as a mercy gesture at the 4 or 5 goal mark. It seemed like Elvis was really pissed off during the game.

Elvis was the only one that showed up.
Showed emotion, and played quite well.....let in a couple he'd like back, but let's be real: they still would have lost miserably.
I would suggest next game listening with the other teams broadcast, you'll hear the view from another vantage point. Devils announcers were praising Elvis game and admonishing the Blue Jackets game, and lack of confidence, consistency etc

 

[majormajor]

I was worried about it, and I debated it with others (and myself), but they should have kept Bjorkstrand over Laine.

I would have kept both.

There's a long list of other players - Roslovic, Nyquist, Boqvist, Bean, etc.. that could have been shopped instead. Maybe some of them weren't moveable but I do not believe that none of them were.

Laine isn’t a very good hockey player. He’s a fantastic shooter and offensive weapon, with an ability to backcheck, but that’s it.

A lot of games he is a drain on the team, yes. To get the most out of Laine you pretty much have to build a team that doesn't need him. Where he can take you from good to great. So let's really hope we can get to good in the next couple years.

He and Gaudreau have no chemistry. And that’s not likely to change.

We really have no idea. Three games? You really believe you can suddenly forecast the coming years based on a smattering of minutes together when the team is getting wiped by a couple of buzzsaw teams?

Bjorkstrand, not as dangerous in the OZ, is still a good player in his own right. He would have been a perfect fit with Gaudreau considering he would have battled for pucks and got them to Johnny.

Whether with Gaudreau or not, Bjorkstrand could have gotten us some offensive zone time and give our boys a break. Defending is exhausting. We have no way to win momentum in games like this.

I can't believe the people who cling to Bjorkstrand like he was a future hall of famer.

There is too much talent on the roster to play this sh*tty. This team was sh*tty when Laine was hurt. It's still sh^tty with him playing. Everyone wants a scapegoat.

Too much talent maybe betrays the misunderstanding. This isn't about talent level.

Bjorkstrand isn't an elite player. He is a player type that we are now completely lacking in. We had one of him and now we have none, nothing left but a monoculture of one-and-done rush players that don't have the skillsets to turn momentum in our favor.

 

[I3LI3]

Voracek has been really bad so far this year

be careful, @majormajor will grill you for thinking so. I know from firsthand experience.

 

[majormajor]

be careful, @majormajor will grill you for thinking so. I know from firsthand experience.

I thought you were saying he was cooked/washed, like career over, I didn't dispute that he hasn't been playing well.

Also if I grill you it will be a little harsher than that.

 

[stevo61]

be careful, @majormajor will grill you for thinking so. I know from firsthand experience.

You post on a message board and dont expect to ever have your opinion challenged? If you really believe it and not just an emotional response it should be easy to explain why you feel a certain way.

 

[tunnelvision]

To get the most out of Laine you pretty much have to build a team that doesn't need him.

I like this sentence, sums up well what I think of his value for this team now and in the future.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

no, I’m not joking. I don’t believe Laine is a very good hockey player.

Being an amazing shot with good puck skills doesn’t make you a good player. He’s a weapon. But not a great player

A third linemate to do the dirty work along the boards and all the small things for Gaudreau and Laine is probably best. Only way youll get the full value of Laine is if hes with two guys who can have him in positions to shoot

 

[NotWendell]

be careful, @majormajor will grill you for thinking so. I know from firsthand experience.

Message board. It happens to all of us. That's part of the fun and making our thinking better by challenging our positions.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

A third linemate to do the dirty work along the boards and all the small things for Gaudreau and Laine is probably best. Only way youll get the full value of Laine is if hes with two guys who can have him in positions to shoot

Boone Jenner is that player. It didn’t work.

 

[ColumbusTrill]

This lack of fight all started when Blanks and Danforth went out. Those two seemed like the emotional leaders of the team and each could singlehandedly get the rest of the team in the mix

 

[Marioesque]

Boone Jenner is that player. It didn’t work.

It worked last year but Boone hasn't really been on that level this season so far. Bad penalties and not really helping offensively. He's not an ideal player for those wingers. But everyone knows we lack true #1 and #2 C.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Too much talent maybe betrays the misunderstanding. This isn't about talent level.

Bjorkstrand isn't an elite player. He is a player type that we are now completely lacking in. We had one of him and now we have none, nothing left but a monoculture of one-and-done rush players that don't have the skillsets to turn momentum in our favor.

I'm not sure why exactly his type was except being a likable guy who occasionally scored some goals and showed some defensive responsibility. Really the bare minimum of being a decent NHL player but I guess we have low standards to make this roster. We love being young and inexperienced and try to teach people at the NHL level.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Boone Jenner is that player. It didn’t work.

Gaudreau has been on the team with whats practically an interim coach for less than a fifth of a season. How can you say it didnt work

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Gaudreau has been on the team with whats practically an interim coach for less than a fifth of a season. How can you say it didnt work

Because Jenner got pulled off that line because it didn’t work.

Now Laine is off his line because it didn’t work.

Will they go back together (As in Laine and Gaudreau)? Yeah probably. But I have little faith in it working. And I mostly blame Laine for that, but not having a center who can keep up/get involved in winning battles is also a big reason.

 

[majormajor]

I'm not sure why exactly his type was except being a likable guy who occasionally scored some goals and showed some defensive responsibility. Really the bare minimum of being a decent NHL player but I guess we have low standards to make this roster. We love being young and inexperienced and try to teach people at the NHL level.

I don't care if he is likable. I'm not particularly attached to players for that sort of thing.

The type is that Bjorkstrand is a player that can routinely spend 60%+ of his shifts deep in the offensive zone grinding away. Think about how momentum works in a hockey game. Think about how we haven't had any offensive zone time since Arizona two games ago - do I need to explain it any further than that? We need to have players that aren't one-and-done and can put together long attacking shifts.

That and though I don't think he is as good of a goal scorer as Laine, Bjorkstrand did lead the team in goal scoring for three straight years, so to say he "occasionally scores some goals" is putting it far too lightly. A guy who can create momentum and create something from nothing and snipe goals is worth a lot when we're facing teams that aren't giving us rush chances.

 

[Marioesque]

Because Jenner got pulled off that line because it didn’t work.

Now Laine is off his line because it didn’t work.

Will they go back together (As in Laine and Gaudreau)? Yeah probably. But I have little faith in it working. And I mostly blame Laine for that, but not having a center who can keep up/get involved in winning battles is also a big reason.

Why do you blame Laine for it? Johnny hasn't been able to complete a pass in 2 games now, he loses possession almost every time. Yes, he drew a penalty, that was good.

Laine has created more offense, his passes get to their destinations most of the time. He wins the puck battles 1 on 1 he used to lose.

They just need time and a good center would help. The coaching is an issue, everyone is lost out there