You either have me blocked or are ignoring me. I’ve been telling people to keep an ion n Wilsby since the start of last season. I’ve also commented on Stastney and just how fast and smooth he is, he uses angles very effectively to cut off opposing forwards the kid is legit.I have to admit I REALLY like Wilsby and Stastney. Like, the same way I really liked Fabbro. I don't know if I should be mad at everybody who isn't watching the Admirals and wasn't telling me these guys were THAT good... or that they actually aren't that good - and it just helps illustrate how BAD all the rest of our D have been lately?
Anyway, Lauzon and Schenn are absolute boat anchors. Blankenburg tries, kudos to him, but I still say he's not an NHL player. Barron is hit and miss. I always defend Josi around here, but frankly if I could step back, he has been pretty brutal outside of sucking up the offensive opportunities he has a complete green light to take advantage of. Skjei just doesn't seem to know how to play for this team... he's all over the place, and I can see where folks talk about him having success in the Carolina system but just not being able to fit into whatever it is that we're doing.
We really need to just punt Lauzon and Schenn into the sun, send Blankenburg back to Milwaukee, and slot Barron a lot further back in the rotation while he learns to level out his game. Even with that, this D is still 2 good players away from being competitive.
Nashville Predators Talk - 2024/2025 Season II
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Porter Stoutheart
Seen Stamkos?
- Jun 14, 2017
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No, you were about the only one saying it. But even then, the standard approach is to HYPE guys who have legit NHL potential to the max, then be disappointed when most of them don't make it. So I think you needed to turn the dial to 11 or something.
But seriously, we don't seem to have ANY media or organizational hype being generated either, which is weird. Other teams are constantly OVER-hyping their guys, whilst they are ignored and sliding under the radar here? Maybe that's not entirely a bad thing... 
I’m not much of one to hype up a player and definitely not over hyping. I try to say what I see from my perspective and that’s it. I’ll try to adjust my dial going forwardNo, you were about the only one saying it. But even then, the standard approach is to HYPE guys who have legit NHL potential to the max, then be disappointed when most of them don't make it. So I think you needed to turn the dial to 11 or something.
herzausstein
Registered User
We had a semi-defensively responsible RHD names Fabbro and waived him.
Part of the issue is that this coach and system seems to want Josi to be as defensively irresponsible as possible.
Honestly, i just dont get this system for this team. Supposedly a max pressure team but the team is old and slow and much of that is Brunos fault as well. We have younger and faster players on the roster but Bruno favors the old vets. No reason for Hinostroza to be in the top 6. Like none. He is waived now but odds are Jankowski comes right back into the lineup so a 1 for 1 tweener trade.
A NHL lineup looking to contend or even push for the playoffs shouldnt be fielding so many tweeners and 6/7 dmen. McCarron, Smith, Jankowski, Schenn, Gravel, etc. Im fine with them on the roster filling the pressbox so thay younger players are playing either in the AHL or NHL. They shouldnt be over the 4th line or 3rd pairing.
I also realize Barron, Blankenburg, Wilsby, and Stastney arent top 4 dmen on a contending team. So maybe we should just come to the realization that this team isnt built to contend. Evangelista and/or Novak should've been worked into the top 6 a long time ago.
Part of the issue is that this coach and system seems to want Josi to be as defensively irresponsible as possible.
Honestly, i just dont get this system for this team. Supposedly a max pressure team but the team is old and slow and much of that is Brunos fault as well. We have younger and faster players on the roster but Bruno favors the old vets. No reason for Hinostroza to be in the top 6. Like none. He is waived now but odds are Jankowski comes right back into the lineup so a 1 for 1 tweener trade.
A NHL lineup looking to contend or even push for the playoffs shouldnt be fielding so many tweeners and 6/7 dmen. McCarron, Smith, Jankowski, Schenn, Gravel, etc. Im fine with them on the roster filling the pressbox so thay younger players are playing either in the AHL or NHL. They shouldnt be over the 4th line or 3rd pairing.
I also realize Barron, Blankenburg, Wilsby, and Stastney arent top 4 dmen on a contending team. So maybe we should just come to the realization that this team isnt built to contend. Evangelista and/or Novak should've been worked into the top 6 a long time ago.
Kat Predator
Registered User
- Nov 28, 2019
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I'm not even sure how to evaluate d-men in this idiotic system. Worse, I don't think Bruno is either.
We had guys that could play effective NHL defense but refused to use them. Now we have veterans who don't have the skills to crash the offensive net and get back, smurfs, and forwards with giraffe necks. It's more nutty than trail mix.
I'd say we're emphasizing smooth skating, freakish large humanoids, and guys that can take a punch in the beak as the priorities. Actually playing defensive hockey is an afterthought.
We had guys that could play effective NHL defense but refused to use them. Now we have veterans who don't have the skills to crash the offensive net and get back, smurfs, and forwards with giraffe necks. It's more nutty than trail mix.
I'd say we're emphasizing smooth skating, freakish large humanoids, and guys that can take a punch in the beak as the priorities. Actually playing defensive hockey is an afterthought.
Bringer of Jollity
Registered User
Luke has already been back so guessing this is ..Lauzon being back? Oh boy...
Porter Stoutheart
Seen Stamkos?
- Jun 14, 2017
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Lauzon back and Wilsby to the pressbox would actually help us...
... get a higher draft pick. Which is all that should matter now, right?
Bringer of Jollity
Registered User
Oh boyLauzon back and Wilsby to the pressbox would actually help us...
... get a higher draft pick. Which is all that should matter now, right?
I don't think so. Lauzon hasn't been skating with club. Likely either Evangelista or Jankowski is ready.
Bringer of Jollity
Registered User
Armourboy
Hey! We suck!
I'd disagree on Wilsby and Stastney not being top 4. I think both are very capable of that, Wilsby is just inexperienced and Stastney got set back with his early season issue.
The issue with our Dmen isn't so much the individual players, but the coaching staff. Fabbro after he left the Preds is a clear indication of that, and if Stastney and Wilsby were on a competently coached team they would be more than fine as a 2nd pairing.
Skjei doesn't look bad because he is bad, he's bad because the system stinks and our coach either doesn't know how to alter it or is just flat unwilling to alter it into something that functions.
Josi is given free reigns to do what he wants, and he needs to be hog tied and forced to play within the team or structure. He ain't got the wheels anymore to do the things he is trying to do.
Porter Stoutheart
Seen Stamkos?
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He came back, was then subsequently "banged up" and missed last game, but didn't go on IR. He may be good-to-go now again.
Predsanddead24
Registered User
- Mar 7, 2019
- 6,110
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This looks more like a Sunday afternoon free skate than a bag skate to my eyes.
Porter Stoutheart
Seen Stamkos?
- Jun 14, 2017
- 16,615
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Did anybody collapse on the ice or puke? I mean, that's not a bag skate.
It's just a "skate". Oh no's. 
Armourboy
Hey! We suck!
So where are the coaches bag skate? Trotz needs to be out there swinging that whip on them imo.
- Aug 13, 2007
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That is an insult to derailed trains.
This team is worm ridden dog vomit on a hot sidewalk in July
Porter Stoutheart
Seen Stamkos?
- Jun 14, 2017
- 16,615
- 13,471
I mean, train derailments are also probably a lot less fun to watch... if you're on the train?
I’m going to completely disagree with Wilsby and Stastney not being top 4 D. Both are perfectly capable of top 4 D minutes and responsibility. Someone mentioned them not getting their NHL debut until they were 24 or 25. Wilsby played in Sweden until he was 22 and played two years in Milwaukee before his call up. Stastney played in college until he was 21 and spent a full year in Milwaukee before getting mixed into the Predators roster and he should have been a full time Predator back in the middle of last year. 24 or 25 is about the age I trust defenseman to take on a full time NHL role unless they’re a star/phenom so their age of call up seems fairly appropriate to me. Both should end up being competent 2nd pairing defensemen that can fill in top pairing when needed on a contender.
For Porter, that’s my knob up to 11 over hype for those two players.
For Porter, that’s my knob up to 11 over hype for those two players.
Porter Stoutheart
Seen Stamkos?
- Jun 14, 2017
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Alright... so hear me out on this...
Neither Stastney nor Wilsby really put up any impressive numbers in Milwaukee. So those of us who aren't watching games, just stats-watching, we didn't really have an inkling they might be as good as they are. Now then...
Jake Livingstone. Quietly, without putting up points, he is leading Milwaukee in +/-. Has some size at RD. My impression is he doesn't have anything like the skating of those guys. We saw him a few games in Nashville and he wasn't entirely out of place. But his stats-watching evaluation is definitely not great. He's at that sort of advanced age for a prospect also. So while I think he's a very different style of player from Stastney/Wilsby... is there any NHL upside there? My inclination is to write him off completely as an NHL prospect. Is there any chance we are similarly missing anything with him?
I'm concerned that so many of our young D are basically 5'11" 180lb guys without elite offensive skill. How many of them do we actually want in the lineup? So maybe Molendyk is the best of them, but doesn't that just push out Statsney who isn't that different? After Stats and Willsby pushed out Del Gaizo. It's hard to win today without several long defensemen, so having this redundancy of good but not great smaller guys kinda boxes us in.
Preds Partisan
Gunga galunga
- Aug 17, 2009
- 3,392
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His aggravation on ice has been noticeable throughout the season, enough so that a few of us have talked about it at length. We pretty much agree it's just another example of how flailing this organization is to have a relatively steady player in performance and demeanor lose it. I understand his frustration but it's not helping the cause for change nor his play.
Watch Stastney play. What does he do to forwards when they are pushing up the ice? Watch how he uses angles to eliminate time and space. He is listed at 6’ 183 lbs. He may not be considered a “long defenseman” by your standards but the way he plays the game does he really need to be?
Adam Wilsby is listed at 6’ 1” and 192 lbs. When you watch him play see what he’s doing to separate forwards from the puck. Watch how he’s checking in the defensive zone. Does he look out matched by the other team’s forwards? Is he usually in a good defensive spot or is he out of position most of the time.
Molendyk is 6’ 180lbs at 20 years old. He’ll add on more weight. Not going into his tangibles because most know them already.
Gibson 6’ 4” 209lbs. Again most know his attributes.
Skjei is 6’ 3” 210lbs. Playing in the right system he’s a good defenseman.
Mystery player that Trotz finds should be a bigger body stay at home defender.
I don’t care if the defenseman don’t have elite offensive skills, that’s what forwards are for. Are they good, sound defenders that can break up the opponents offensive cycle/play and transition the puck out of the zone and get excellent zone clearing passes. That’s what they should be elite at. I’m comfortable with the defensive corp I laid out if that’s what it ends up being in three years and thing they could be a solid back end for a contending team.
The above is the viewpoint of my own and doesn’t reflect the views of the organization or any associated with them.
herzausstein
Registered User
Im interested as to what legit contending teams people think Wilsby or Stastney would fit into the top 4 right now. Id agree they have the potential to be top 4 especially on our team
