News Article: News and Notes XXV: Higher than the Highest Boss

[MinJaBen]

article on the athletic about darling's first start:

Behind the Save: Scott Darling’s return looked healthy...

It all looked healthy...except for his reaction to the second goal. You can see it at the end of the gif for the second goal below:



He had that same reaction last year often and they would be followed by play that looked less rooted in fundamentals and more in panic. I don't think it is a coincidence that the goal where he clearly got way out of position came after his frustration here. I worry more about the blows to his confidence than I do the ones to his body.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Definitely something to worry about...

 

[FreshSeabass]

31 Stats: The Ducks' early-season woes, Vegas' bad luck and...

29. Speaking of unfairly maligned players, I’m really wondering how long it’s going to take for Dougie Hamilton to get the appreciation he deserves, from the public, the media, and his own coaches frankly. Through 12 games, Hamilton has averaged just 19:50 of ice-time, topping 20 minutes just five times. He’s fourth on the team there, despite being second at 5-on-5 and it’s because he’s somehow third on the power play pecking order and is the only defender not used on the penalty kill.
The lack of special teams time is very odd considering he’s very clearly the team’s best offensive weapon on the back-end and has the trust to be used as a shutdown defender at evens against the opposition’s best (where he’s still the team’s best play-driving defender anyways at an obscene 63.9 percent rate). Considering the team is 25th on the power play and 31st on the penalty kill, using the team’s best defenceman in both situations might be something worth considering.

 

[CandyCanes]

31 Stats: The Ducks' early-season woes, Vegas' bad luck and...

Can’t disagree with those quotes about special teams

 

[DougieSmash]

Yeah, i still can't understand Hamilton usage.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

PDG sent down to Charlotte. Who’s coming up to fill the roster spot? Hard to believe they’d go to the West Coast without a forward healthy scratch.

 

[BrindAmours Army]

PDG sent down to Charlotte. Who’s coming up to fill the roster spot? Hard to believe they’d go to the West Coast without a forward healthy scratch.

*Nylander speculation intensifies*

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

*Nylander speculation intensifies*

I know this is a joke but I'd be surprised if he was able to get to Vegas in time for Saturday.

Hopefully no one gets hurt on Friday.

 

[TheBigKahuna]

So, you're saying he's a slow skater?

 

[My Special Purpose]

31 Stats: The Ducks' early-season woes, Vegas' bad luck and...

Hamilton is just one of the guys who is being used poorly, IMO. It's my biggest frustration with Roddy, for sure. The only context in which Hamilton's usage makes any sense is showcasing a Faulk trade, but even then, we could do better.

Other guys whose usage bugs me include: Williams (should be purely offensive), Staal (should be purely defensive -- meaning these two should *not* be on the same line), Zykov (belongs on the No. 1 PP unit), Svechnikov (should play with Staal), Pesce (too good for third pair) and Faulk (who gets used as Hamilton should).

The ball is clearly in RBA's court.

 

[A Star is Burns]

You think Svechnikov should play on a purely defensive line with Jordan?

 

[My Special Purpose]

You think Svechnikov should play on a purely defensive line with Jordan?

Yes. I think Svech can take advantage of Staal's ability to dominate possession and capitalize on chances that Williams hasn't. Svech has good speed, strength and is a responsible two-way guy. Williams is just too slow.

 

[My Special Purpose]

Yes. I think Svech can take advantage of Staal's ability to dominate possession and capitalize on chances that Williams hasn't. Svech has good speed, strength and is a responsible two-way guy. Williams is just too slow.

Foegele-Staal-Svechnikov would essentially the the same buzzing line as Foegele-Staal-Williams except that every now and then, a few chances they create would turn into goals, and the few chances they allow wouldn't turn into goals against.

 

[MinJaBen]

A really interesting idea floated in Sara's Athletic article today:

“What’s interesting is they don’t seem to crowd the net on clear sighted shots, they seem to anticipate the retrieval off the rebound,” Russo has noticed, “which is why they have so many extended shifts post shot (where typically there’d be a change of possession). Often, a clear sighted shot leads to a corner rebound and an exit, as men stationary at the net area don’t win retrievals. But Carolina does, because they’re waiting for them, anticipating them, and/or moving in their direction. They almost use shots as a new way to cycle the puck, but the advantage is it creates more confusion off retrieval for defense than a strong side short cycle does. Then once the defense’s shape is out of sorts after the shot, they get their five men movement going and get the opponent running around and over extended and then they score on a high percentage shot.”

State of the Canes: There just might be a method to the shot volume madness

 

[GoldiFox]

A really interesting idea floated in Sara's Athletic article today:



State of the Canes: There just might be a method to the shot volume madness

Unfortunately everyone crowding next to the goalie waiting for rebounds also creates clear sightlines for the goalie and leads to a lot of easy saves. For me it looked like they were “swarming” the net a lot more in preseason and it was working well whereas now they are more “positioning” around the crease and racking up a ton of low quality chances.

 

[My Special Purpose]

A really interesting idea floated in Sara's Athletic article today:



State of the Canes: There just might be a method to the shot volume madness

Unfortunately everyone crowding next to the goalie waiting for rebounds also creates clear sightlines for the goalie and leads to a lot of easy saves. For me it looked like they were “swarming” the net a lot more in preseason and it was working well whereas now they are more “positioning” around the crease and racking up a ton of low quality chances.

So, if we were a basketball team, we're taking shots we know have no chance of going in for the sole purpose of padding our offensive rebounding stats?

 

[Lucky Lindy]

 

[cptjeff]

Oh please oh please oh please oh please.

We're gonna have to give to get, but Nylander is worth it.

 

[MinJaBen]

So we probably know what we could sign him for if we can work out a deal with Toronto. Toronto also knows that we could probably offersheet him something signable, thus putting just a little more pressure on them to talk. I know everybody has said that there won't be an offersheet, but having some minor threat of one puts limits on a price.

 

[MinJaBen]

Here is a more thorough rundown from that sight:

 

[MinJaBen]

What is interesting is that LA's "offer" reportedly is 29 yearold Muzin with one year left on the contract and Pearson. Assuming Toronto was at least considering that, I'd think Faulk with a good addition might also be something they'd think about...it wouldn't have to be Pesce or bust. Or, Pesce is by far a better option as he is much younger and fits their needs and "window" better.

TL;DR: If Toronto can't make it happen with Nylander, I'd put money that he is here.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Nylander at Center would be an immediate improvement. Aho, Nylander, Staal, Wallmark/Roy/Kooks, and all of a sudden we have a decent middle.

Won't happen though.

 

[bleedgreen]

It definitely makes sense that we want him. We traded too much skill and it's hurt us, we are really short on righty RW's and he's the perfect age for this group. Good on the pp, equal parts shooter and passer.

Don't know about him being clutch or an RBA style guy but he'd seemingly help. I could see us overpaying, which I really hate the thought of. This isnt a number one center.

Bigger is interesting, I think Kadri is the guy that changes our shape up front, in a good way. I cant see them moving both though, especially mid season. Unless Necas or something ridiculous is added I dont see how we have the assets anyhow.

 

[The Faulker 27]

It definitely makes sense that we want him. We traded too much skill and it's hurt us, we are really short on righty RW's and he's the perfect age for this group. Good on the pp, equal parts shooter and passer.

Don't know about him being clutch or an RBA style guy but he'd seemingly help. I could see us overpaying, which I really hate the thought of. This isnt a number one center.

Bigger is interesting, I think Kadri is the guy that changes our shape up front, in a good way. I cant see them moving both though, especially mid season. Unless Necas or something ridiculous is added I dont see how we have the assets anyhow.

I think Kadri is appealing honestly, but with Matthews out, I'm not sure how available he would be.

 

[MinJaBen]

I think Nylander would make an excellent offensive center. With him and Aho 1/2 or 2/1 and Jordan taking the tough matchups, that would work really well. If he is signed long term, given his age, that would make Necas expendable in my mind if we wanted to use him to get Nylander. Faulk plus Necas would be something I would entertain assuming we could get a sign and trade deal where Toronto signs Nylander to an 8 year term at $7.5M. We'd obviously be giving up some lower cost years of Necas and some cost control going forward, but we'd also be giving up the risk that Necas doesn't develop to the point where Nylander already is. If that would allow us to move Faulk as the RHD in the trade over Pesce, I'd do that, given that Fox coming in a year or two better replaces Faulk than Pesce.