News & Notes XLVI: The Svechnikov Awakens, The Jarvis... Jarvis-es.

[Stickpucker]

Who the hell is Ethen Frank

Ze Frankenfurter Inserter.

 

[WreckingCrew]

This hints also at the way maybe Nikishin gets in. Playing 7 D. Rod has done it.

What's our record when we play 7-11? Seems like we lose on the rare occasions we do it

 

[bleedgreen]

I know we love to be optimistic about our guys development, and we as a group think Slavin knows no bounds or limits as a safety partner….but it’s a pretty big hope that Morrow is a first pair defenseman at all let alone next year. I think people look at TDA and assume otherwise but TDA was a lot better than he gets credit for (especially that year), and that was a transition year where we really couldn’t find anyone better. It was a value option for sure but a really good educated guess that offensively TDA could replace Dougie and Slavin could cover. Morrow being cheap for now is also a value option but the growth to that level was not actually visualized this season. Slavin is also a few years older and while as a group we also don’t accept this….but Slavin isn’t as sprightly as he was a few years ago. It just shouldn’t be assumed he can handle bigger and bigger challenges as he goes at this point. I don’t think he’s doing as good a job with Burns as he did with TDA, but I also think TDA was more dedicated than Burns in this capacity. Burns makes it harder than TDA did imo.

 

[bleedgreen]

What's our record when we play 7-11? Seems like we lose on the rare occasions we do it

It’s why I don’t say I think it’s going to happen. I think even the 7-11 is a forced by injury option, if someone is gimped but is still fighting the fight I could see Rod covering his bases and going with 7 D. I could see Nikishin in that setting as it’s a gentler way to break the guy in during a time you really don’t want to break someone in. I could also see Morrow or Stllman getting in instead. It’s just a possible way for us to see Nikishin.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

It’s why I don’t say I think it’s going to happen. I think even the 7-11 is a forced by injury option, if someone is gimped but is still fighting the fight I could see Rod covering his bases and going with 7 D. I could see Nikishin in that setting as it’s a gentler way to break the guy in during a time you really don’t want to break someone in. I could also see Morrow or Stllman getting in instead. It’s just a possible way for us to see Nikishin.

I agree with the exception that Rod has a better chance of suiting up himself than playing Morrow this payoffs

 

[bleedgreen]

I agree with the exception that Rod has a better chance of suiting up himself than playing Morrow this payoffs

I tend to think that way, but accept it’s based on my own biases against Morrow’s defensive play to this point. I’d be surprised if he trusts Morrow at all to play in a playoff game right now over other candidates, but I don’t know how deep the righty/lefty thing goes.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

I know we love to be optimistic about our guys development, and we as a group think Slavin knows no bounds or limits as a safety partner….but it’s a pretty big hope that Morrow is a first pair defenseman at all let alone next year. I think people look at TDA and assume otherwise but TDA was a lot better than he gets credit for (especially that year), and that was a transition year where we really couldn’t find anyone better. It was a value option for sure but a really good educated guess that offensively TDA could replace Dougie and Slavin could cover. Morrow being cheap for now is also a value option but the growth to that level was not actually visualized this season. Slavin is also a few years older and while as a group we also don’t accept this….but Slavin isn’t as sprightly as he was a few years ago. It just shouldn’t be assumed he can handle bigger and bigger challenges as he goes at this point. I don’t think he’s doing as good a job with Burns as he did with TDA, but I also think TDA was more dedicated than Burns in this capacity. Burns makes it harder than TDA did imo.

Part of the reason why I want Morrow to pan out as a top-4 guy, though, is because if he does, he'd have the younger legs to successfully balance a Slavin pairing as Slavin gets a step or two slower. It's a big reason why it's valuable to find players like that beyond the first round.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

Part of the reason why I want Morrow to pan out as a top-4 guy, though, is because if he does, he'd have the younger legs to successfully balance a Slavin pairing as Slavin gets a step or two slower. It's a big reason why it's valuable to find players like that beyond the first round.

Badinka is the 1RD of the future

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Badinka is the 1RD of the future

If Badinka pans out, IMO he's the long-term successor to Pesce/Chatfield, not Burns. Morrow is the Burns successor.

 

[CanesUltimate11]

This is the truth, not matter how frustrating it is to some people. If Chatty goes down it’s a little hard to see our first replacement choice being one that causes a righty/lefty issue.

The practice lines and Nikishin taking warmups before game 4 kinda shuts this thought down doesn't it? If Rod was planning on bringing in a righty for Chatfield then Morrow or Stillman would be practicing with Orlov and taking warmups.

 

[bleedgreen]

The practice lines and Nikishin taking warmups before game 4 kinda shuts this thought down doesn't it? If Rod was planning on bringing in a righty for Chatfield then Morrow or Stillman would be practicing with Orlov and taking warmups.

Maybe they rotate in the role of taking warmups? Maybe it was already known what they’re going to do and it doesn’t matter who takes warmups? Maybe they’ve been waiting for a chance to see Nikishin in this situation so they could further evaluate? There’s plenty of reasons why it wouldn’t be automatic that he’s next in, though maybe he is. Righty/lefty is a pretty good one if it’s Chatty that’s out. Making one of them play their off side in a playoff game so he gets his first nhl game when there are other righty’s available shouldn’t be an assumed plan.

On the plus side, maybe they’re considering 7 D either way Chatty taking limited shifts and Nikishin getting a right partner when he plays.

 

[bleedgreen]

Part of the reason why I want Morrow to pan out as a top-4 guy, though, is because if he does, he'd have the younger legs to successfully balance a Slavin pairing as Slavin gets a step or two slower. It's a big reason why it's valuable to find players like that beyond the first round.

That only matters if Morrow is playing good defense, which is the base issue. Faber looked great as his young legs partner in the tournament, but that’s because he’s a very good defensemen. Slavin doesn’t need younger legs to help the offense, he needs younger legs to help the defense.

I think it’s time to set him free and let him have a partner that helps SLAVIN be the best player he can be instead of tying him to his biggest challenge yet. On top of the fact at this point saying Morrow is a top pair guy is a square peg/round hole situation. Even an optimistic career arc lines him up with more of a Ghost path than a Dougie. Let’s let him have success out of that spot instead of throwing him to the wolves with Slavin, when he’s shown zero ability to be that guy yet.

 

[chaz4hockey]

Sure , Morrow is a rookie but I was quite unimpressed with Morrow’s play this year.

Big man but soft as marshmallows & much less physical than our smallest d-man Ghost
Often out of position
Weak shot from the point
Limited top line speed (this I was very surprised to see). His NHL edge stats are poor (see below).

I don’t know if he is a workout fiend but if I was him I would be spending the summer with a skating coach and using the RBA weight training program:

 

[bleedgreen]

Sure , Morrow is a rookie but I was quite unimpressed with Morrow’s play this year.

Big man but soft as marshmallows & much less physical than our smallest d-man Ghost
Often out of position
Weak shot from the point
Limited top line speed (this I was very surprised to see). His NHL edge stats are poor (see below).

I don’t know if he is a workout fiend but if I was him I would be spending the summer with a skating coach and using the RBA weight training program:

View attachment 1036667

He’s never been straight ahead fast. He “moves well for a big guy”. He’s more of a young Staal who picks up speed and momentum as he goes. He looks fast because he’s so strong with the puck when he’s skating forward with it. He has young feet more than quick feet, he hustles.

I will say he looked stronger this year than he did his last year of college. I’m betting he’s already all in on the Rod workout train.

Rod wasn’t fast either though?

 

[Joe McGrath]

This is the truth, not matter how frustrating it is to some people. If Chatty goes down it’s a little hard to see our first replacement choice being one that causes a righty/lefty issue.

I hear that argument, but they practiced with Nikishin next to Orlov. If they had any intention of playing someone else in Chatfields spot they would have practiced there.

 

[chaz4hockey]

He’s never been straight ahead fast. He “moves well for a big guy”. He’s more of a young Staal who picks up speed and momentum as he goes. He looks fast because he’s so strong with the puck when he’s skating forward with it. He has young feet more than quick feet, he hustles.

I will say he looked stronger this year than he did his last year of college. I’m betting he’s already all in on the Rod workout train.

Rod wasn’t fast either though?

I’m just not sold on him. Time will tell.

 

[CanesUltimate11]

Maybe they rotate in the role of taking warmups? Maybe it was already known what they’re going to do and it doesn’t matter who takes warmups? Maybe they’ve been waiting for a chance to see Nikishin in this situation so they could further evaluate? There’s plenty of reasons why it wouldn’t be automatic that he’s next in, though maybe he is. Righty/lefty is a pretty good one if it’s Chatty that’s out. Making one of them play their off side in a playoff game so he gets his first nhl game when there are other righty’s available shouldn’t be an assumed plan.

On the plus side, maybe they’re considering 7 D either way Chatty taking limited shifts and Nikishin getting a right partner when he plays.

Agreed that warm ups may not mean as much if they already knew Chatfield was going to play but still the fact that it was Nikishin and not Morrow or Stillman says a lot.

Plus, if Rod has him practicing with Orlov despite not planning to play him if a righty goes down is just doing a disservice to Morrow/Stillman by them not getting the reps and the team in general frankly by having them prepping to play with someone who isn't playing.. I don't see Rod as being that guy.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Rod's not wrong. The playoffs are a time when a single mistake could lead to the end of your season, so putting a guy that might struggle with communicating on the ice (and thus, would theoretically be more prone to committing mistakes), it's bad math.

What "single mistake" in game 5 of a series we're up 3-1 could Nikishin possibly make that would lead to the end of our season?

 

[bleedgreen]

Agreed that warm ups may not mean as much if they already knew Chatfield was going to play but still the fact that it was Nikishin and not Morrow or Stillman says a lot.

Plus, if Rod has him practicing with Orlov despite not planning to play him if a righty goes down is just doing a disservice to Morrow/Stillman by them not getting the reps and the team in general frankly by having them prepping to play with someone who isn't playing.. I don't see Rod as being that guy.

I don’t assume it says anything that he skated. I think pregame skates, rituals or day game skates are a thing we don’t understand or are privy to the thinking behind. We apply rules to it when it’s in a direction we want it to go towards. Over the years it’s a daily thing that someone who’s not remotely in the plans to play gets into the game day skate. As well as guys we think may play don’t. I think it CAN mean what you’re saying, just that it sets nothing in stone to me. We don’t get all the info so we take the limited info we get and run with it where we can. I understand that and I’m not vehemently arguing against it. I just don’t take it the way you’re taking it. This is to @Joe McGrath too.

 

[bleedgreen]

What "single mistake" in game 5 of a series we're up 3-1 could Nikishin possibly make that would lead to the end of our season?

Is that a serious question? I know you’re the big supporter but the answer to that question has to be obvious to you too.

He could be amazing and still zig when the system says zag and yes it could cost us the game. Giving the other team momentum by giving them that game could absolutely end our season. The playoffs are like a long streak, respect it. It’ll end when it’s ready to end. Don’t help it end.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

I can easily see a scenario where we don't play Chatfield or Nikishin. Fans may riot, but these are big, big, big games, every single one of them.

I mean, Nikishin practicing in Chatty's spot over any of the other guys is a pretty clear indicator that if any of our top 6 D are out he's going in, not to mention Rod specifically saying he says there's a good chance we'll see Nikishin in these playoffs. So I don't really a see any scenario where neither Chatty or Nikishin are in the lineup. Unless Nikishin gets hurt in practice.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

What "single mistake" in game 5 of a series we're up 3-1 could Nikishin possibly make that would lead to the end of our season?

Game 5 could go to OT, he could be out of position for an OT goal against. Suddenly, they have life. Being down 3-2 in a series is a MUCH different beast than 3-1. Even if the Canes do win in 6 or 7, that’s an extra day or two of rest they didn’t get because of the insistence to put Nikishin in the lineup.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Is that a serious question? I know you’re the big supporter but the answer to that question has to be obvious to you too.

He could be amazing and still zig when the system says zag and yes it could cost us the game. Giving the other team momentum by giving them that game could absolutely end our season. The playoffs are like a long streak, respect it. It’ll end when it’s ready to end. Don’t help it end.

Losing game 5 on the road solely because of Nikishin's mistakes (far fetched scenario itself) leaves us up 3-2 with a game at home lol, completely ridiculous to suggest a single mistake sinks a team's season. If that what-if does happen tonight and then we don't see any more Nikishin but still wind up losing the series, guess what, we didn't lose the series because of Nikishin in game 5, we lost it because we couldn't close it out at home or steal another on the road in 7.

This isn't golf where single mistakes follow you throughout the tournament. We could go out there tonight and allow 15 goals all with Nikishin on the ice and it has zero impact on subsequent games. "Lost momentum" argument doesn't carry weight, "momentum" is entirely mental and on the coach and players to manage.

 

[bleedgreen]

Losing game 5 on the road solely because of Nikishin's mistakes (far fetched scenario itself) leaves us up 3-2 with a game at home lol, completely ridiculous to suggest a single mistake sinks a team's season. If that what-if does happen tonight and then we don't see any more Nikishin but still wind up losing the series, guess what, we didn't lose the series because of Nikishin in game 5, we lost it because we couldn't close it out at home or steal another on the road in 7.

This isn't golf where single mistakes follow you throughout the tournament. We could go out there tonight and allow 15 goals all with Nikishin on the ice and it has zero impact on subsequent games. "Lost momentum" argument doesn't carry weight, "momentum" is entirely mental and on the coach and players to manage.

So what would you say to Byfield today?

“Mind if I play through”?

 

[Joe McGrath]

What "single mistake" in game 5 of a series we're up 3-1 could Nikishin possibly make that would lead to the end of our season?

Accidentally breathes too close to Freddie