Tribute Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Goodbye and Good Luck part II

[Schwang]

I will believe it when I see it. Their goaltending is extremely suspect and their roster is extremely young. That doesn't bode well over 82 games.

They actually do have very good young goaltenders.

 

[HabsQC]

True but Tatar was a ghost in the playoff so basically Hoffman replaces Tatar during the regular season and Perry in the playoffs, although I don't know if Hoffman usually performs in the big moments

Yeah but Perry was a guy the young players could look up to, a bit like Weber. I enjoyed having him on the team. He's still very smart with the puck.

 

[SakuKoivu11]

Hard to believe this is the twitter account of a professional team lol

that made no sense lol
Canes gave up 1st and third. We used a first for DVo. Basically Kk for DVo.

 

[SakuKoivu11]

Like to see 2nd part of your post come true

that would be crazy to land top 3 pick with lottery. just ask Toronto with

Scott Neidermayer
Tyler Seguin
Dougie Hamilton

 

[SakuKoivu11]

True but Tatar was a ghost in the playoff so basically Hoffman replaces Tatar during the regular season and Perry in the playoffs, although I don't know if Hoffman usually performs in the big moments

hoffman has one thing. He produces in both regular season and playoffs. I recall a few years ago he was dynamic with Ottawa with Mark Stone.

this is not a Tatar player

 

[1909]

hoffman has one thing. He produces in both regular season and playoffs. I recall a few years ago he was dynamic with Ottawa with Mark Stone.

this is not a Tatar player

Tatar is better on the defensive side of the game

 

[Archijerej]

NHL players producing in pre season doesnt means that much. They are facing AHL/borderline nhl player and few real NHL players. This is not surprising to see KK producing, neither Dvorak. Can’t wait to see KK facing real nhl guys this season to see his contribution lol

I wonder how many all-star performances from players like Jordan Weal people have to witness to grasp this simple truth.

 

[Archijerej]

True but Tatar was a ghost in the playoff so basically Hoffman replaces Tatar during the regular season and Perry in the playoffs, although I don't know if Hoffman usually performs in the big moments

I believe Hoffman is going to be a big flop at 5-on-5 due to a lack of suitable center to play with him.

Tatar's playoff failures seem to cloud the fact how good of a player he was for us the past 3 years. He was good in transition, had flair and creativity in the ozone, was a talented finisher and a competent player defensively.

Unless Ducharme can find good combinations, which will be difficult for this imbalanced roster, people will soon realise how much of a positive impact the Danault line has had for this club.

 

[Belial]

I believe Hoffman is going to be a big flop at 5-on-5 due to a lack of suitable center to play with him.

Tatar's playoff failures seem to cloud the fact how good of a player he was for us the past 3 years. He was good in transition, had flair and creativity in the ozone, was a talented finisher and a competent player defensively.

Unless Ducharme can find good combinations, which will be difficult for this imbalanced roster, people will soon realise how much of a positive impact the Danault line has had for this club.

You keep bringing this suitable thing up, what's a suitable center for you?

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Wasn't me. You must mean the original poster.

Sorry, I was referring to the ‘royal’ you and not you specifically.

 

[JoelWarlord]

I believe Hoffman is going to be a big flop at 5-on-5 due to a lack of suitable center to play with him.

I find the Hoffman signing very hard to understand now that it appears there's no serious plan to move Drouin any time soon. I figured it made sense as a replacement for him to take the same hit at 5v5 but add PP scoring ability, but it's just hard to see a fit for both guys. Drouin is the better stylistic fit as a puck carrier, Hoffman can't really handle top line duties, and you're kinda wasting him to stick him with Evans and Armia or something.

I guess with injuries it could all work itself out, but at the moment I really am unsure where he'll be used.

 

[Archijerej]

You keep bringing this suitable thing up, what's a suitable center for you?

For Hoffman? A playmaking center, preferably good defensively, who can maintain a cycle with the other winger while Hoffman lurks in the weeds and gets open for a shot.

 

[Archijerej]

I find the Hoffman signing very hard to understand now that it appears there's no serious plan to move Drouin any time soon. I figured it made sense as a replacement for him to take the same hit at 5v5 but add PP scoring ability, but it's just hard to see a fit for both guys. Drouin is the better stylistic fit as a puck carrier, Hoffman can't really handle top line duties, and you're kinda wasting him to stick him with Evans and Armia or something.

I guess with injuries it could all work itself out, but at the moment I really am unsure where he'll be used.

I think he was brought in as a finisher for Kotkaniemi. The same role as Toffoli, until he was promoted to play higher up the lineup.

And powerplay of course. That might have been the main reason and he still will likely prove very useful there, but they certainly haven't envisioned a situation we have now, when we can't logically place him in the lineup at 5-on-5.

 

[Belial]

For Hoffman? A playmaking center, preferably good defensively, who can maintain a cycle with the other winger while Hoffman lurks in the weeds and gets open for a shot.

I mean both Evans and Poehling are more passers than scorers and they both are pretty decent defensively...

 

[Archijerej]

I mean both Evans and Poehling are more passers than scorers and they both are pretty decent defensively...

I don't see it. Will be happy to be proven wrong though.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I mean both Evans and Poehling are more passers than scorers and they both are pretty decent defensively...

Hoffman - Evans - Gallagher reminds me of Tatar - Danault - Gallagher. Hoffman is pretty equal to Tatar. Evans can do what Danault do at offense. In defense Danault is better, but Evans is good at defense too. Like his passing ability.

If Poehling make the team and play with both, his speedy ability will going to make a pretty good line.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

and most seem to forge that caufield was not with habs for most of season and we lost shitload of 3x3 ot using one goal danault....lol

The use of Danault wasn't the problem but the arcane strategy of having to have one defenceman on the ice all the time in OT. It may work when you have multiple mobile defenceman, but when you only have one such defenceman (Petry) you are exposing a player who can neither support the rush or cover the larger open ice when defending. Hopefully, they have learned their lesson and will go with the best 3 skaters when Petry is off the ice. It's not really rocket science.

 

[Schwang]

I find the Hoffman signing very hard to understand now that it appears there's no serious plan to move Drouin any time soon. I figured it made sense as a replacement for him to take the same hit at 5v5 but add PP scoring ability, but it's just hard to see a fit for both guys. Drouin is the better stylistic fit as a puck carrier, Hoffman can't really handle top line duties, and you're kinda wasting him to stick him with Evans and Armia or something.

I guess with injuries it could all work itself out, but at the moment I really am unsure where he'll be used.

I'd rather have the depth. You never know who's going to play well and sometimes they'll mix the lines up anyway. Plus like you said, injuries.

 

[The Great Weal]

Tatar is better on the defensive side of the game

That's true, but his defensive game before playing with Danault and Gally was very questionable.

 

[Goalfield13]

They actually do have very good young goaltenders.

We shall see. People were high on Hart, and he crapped the bed last season. Goalies are voodoo. Young goalies especially.

People are getting a little too hyped for the Sens around these parts. Reminds me of the Guhle thread. I believe they will be competitive, but I don't think they are a bubble team just yet. Winning a bunch of games at the end of the season when there is no pressure anymore is a lot different than getting those wins over 82 games and locking up a playoff spot.

 

[Nick Slafkofield]

I believe Hoffman is going to be a big flop at 5-on-5 due to a lack of suitable center to play with him.

Tatar's playoff failures seem to cloud the fact how good of a player he was for us the past 3 years. He was good in transition, had flair and creativity in the ozone, was a talented finisher and a competent player defensively.

Unless Ducharme can find good combinations, which will be difficult for this imbalanced roster, people will soon realise how much of a positive impact the Danault line has had for this club.

If we want to have a shot to make the playoffs, Hoffman and Caufield are gonna have to fill in Tatar's production, wich is very attainable. As for the the impact of Danault's line, this year's going to be different, because we wont be able to put that shut down line every time the other team's big players jump on the ice, imo those defensive responsabilities will have to be shared throughout the line up

 

[Not The One]

Im sorry but offensively KK is far superior than Evans
Also Poehling struggles to make the team.
as for Dvorak and Danault , we'll see if Dvorak can hit a 40 points season without having 19min a game like Danault
But yeah offensively Dvorak is much superior than Danault
But i still think having KK at 3rd center is superior than Evans.

Last year during the regular season at 5vs5:

KK: 1.37 pts/60 min - Playing with Toffoli, Drouin, Anderson
Evans: 1.31 pts/60 min - On the 4th line

On special teams:

KK: 106 minutes on the PP, 4 points
Evans: 3 minutes on the PP, 0 points

KK: 1 minute on the PK, 0 points
Evans: 85 minutes on the PK, 2 points

Faceoffs taken by zone (OZ/NZ/DZ):

KK: 236/183/130
Evans: 100/136/169

These are pretty putrid stats for KK. Posters blamed his linemates for him looking bad compared to Suzuki and Danault but even Evans makes him look pretty bad. In any case I don't see how he was so offensively superior to anyone on the team at this point.

 

[le_sean]

I believe Hoffman is going to be a big flop at 5-on-5 due to a lack of suitable center to play with him.

Tatar's playoff failures seem to cloud the fact how good of a player he was for us the past 3 years. He was good in transition, had flair and creativity in the ozone, was a talented finisher and a competent player defensively.

Unless Ducharme can find good combinations, which will be difficult for this imbalanced roster, people will soon realise how much of a positive impact the Danault line has had for this club.

Tatar’s playoff failures define who he is. A soft, slow, east-west winger that you cannot rely on. Sorry but if you can’t be relied upon to take a regular shift in the playoffs because you’re so inconsequential, you’re worthless.

In 40 career playoff games he has 12 points. This is a guy that provides no value defensively. Hoffman has almost as many goals (11) in less games played. There is no contest here.

 

[Archijerej]

Tatar’s playoff failures define who he is. A soft, slow, east-west winger that you cannot rely on. Sorry but if you can’t be relied upon to take a regular shift in the playoffs because you’re so inconsequential, you’re worthless.

In 40 career playoff games he has 12 points. This is a guy that provides no value defensively. Hoffman has almost as many goals (11) in less games played. There is no contest here.

If you can't help your team to actually make the playoffs, then you can be Mark Messier in the post season and it's still as useful as a broken kneecap.

 

[le_sean]

If you can't help your team to actually make the playoffs, then you can be Mark Messier in the post season and it's still as useful as a broken kneecap.

Hoffman has almost as many games as Tatar in the playoffs. He also was never part of the Datsyuk/Zetterberg Red Wings. How has Tatar helped more? In fact if it weren’t for the ridiculous COVID playoffs of 2019-20, where Montréal had no business being in, Tatar would have exactly one appearance in 3 seasons in Montréal.