Player Discussion Nick Suzuki Part 8

[Frank Drebin]

I don’t not want him on the Caps because I’m a Caps fan, but because I’m a Pens fan!

Outbid them!

 

[McGuires Corndog]

This kid is just amazing.

Going to the game Saturday night, might just buy his jersey. Haven’t bought one since I bought a Subban one in 2013.

So I did it after all!

 

[DangerDave]

So I did it after all!

Looks good.

It's actually the only logical choice given the team's situation. Lots of uncertainty but what I do know is that Suzuki is going nowhere anytime soon!

 

[TopTenPlayz]

It's getting more and more obvious that Suzuki will be this team's #1 center. Now, what kind of career production he'll offer is anybody's guess. Let's just hope he will surpass Pleks and Koivu. Also, let's hope KK will find some magic beans and become the #2 so that Danault gets pushed to #3

 

[BaseballCoach]

Suzuki showed something a little different tonight: he added a bit of sandpaper and was tough to play against. While he's been technically strong and solid defensively this season, and he hasn't shied away from contact, he initiated more contact this game. Wasn't his best showing overall but still strong--particularly given the increasing responsibility he's taken on.

We were actually lucky on the OT goal. Suzuki coasted back and turned a 2-on-2 into a 3-on-2 against us. And if anyone thinks he coasted because he was gassed, he was suddenly able to turn on the jets when he had a chance at going on offence.

Galchenyuk used to do stuff like that and got blasted for it. Drouin too in the previous two seasons.

 

[Mike8]

We were actually lucky on the OT goal. Suzuki coasted back and turned a 2-on-2 into a 3-on-2 against us. And if anyone thinks he coasted because he was gassed, he was suddenly able to turn on the jets when he had a chance at going on offence.

Galchenyuk used to do stuff like that and got blasted for it. Drouin too in the previous two seasons.

I don't think this is true. Suzuki was providing some pressure to the puck carrier but was between the carrier and Matthews.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I don't think this is true. Suzuki was providing some pressure to the puck carrier but was between the carrier and Matthews.

Come on, look again.

He coasted and allowed Barrie to get a shot off on the 3-on-2

 

[Mike8]

Come on, look again.

He coasted and allowed Barrie to get a shot off on the 3-on-2

I did re-watch it. Look at where Matthews is. That's Suzuki's responsibility: to pressure the puck-carrier to the outside (prevent them from cutting to the slot) + be in the passing lane to Matthews. That's precisely where Suzuki is.

EDIT: Barrie ultimately took a shot from the top of the circle--no screen, no danger. He did this because he was pressured and didn't have a good passing lane open.

Kovalchuk stepped up to challenge Barrie and force the shot. He did this because he had support from Suzuki. Suzuki never broke his stride coming back by the way -- so he wasn't coasting. He slowed down because Matthews had slowed to find open ice away from the play, and Suzuki needed to cut that passing lane off.

Take a look at the video again--right when Barrie launches the shot, Suzuki's in perfect position to cut the passing lane off, Kovalchuk has challenged Barrie, and Chiarot is moving over to cover Marner (but Chiarot is late doing so--Barrie would have been smart to launch a low shot and hope for a rebound that Marner could pounce on. This would have been Chiarot's man).

 

[robicgi]

I did re-watch it. Look at where Matthews is. That's Suzuki's responsibility: to pressure the puck-carrier to the outside (prevent them from cutting to the slot) + be in the passing lane to Matthews. That's precisely where Suzuki is.

EDIT: Barrie ultimately took a shot from the top of the circle--no screen, no danger. He did this because he was pressured and didn't have a good passing lane open.

Kovalchuk stepped up to challenge Barrie and force the shot. He did this because he had support from Suzuki. Suzuki never broke his stride coming back by the way -- so he wasn't coasting. He slowed down because Matthews had slowed to find open ice away from the play, and Suzuki needed to cut that passing lane off.

Take a look at the video again--right when Barrie launches the shot, Suzuki's in perfect position to cut the passing lane off, Kovalchuk has challenged Barrie, and Chiarot is moving over to cover Marner (but Chiarot is late doing so--Barrie would have been smart to launch a low shot and hope for a rebound that Marner could pounce on. This would have been Chiarot's man).

Very good honest analysis of the play. Good post.

 

[Price4Prez]

Come on, look again.

He coasted and allowed Barrie to get a shot off on the 3-on-2

"Fans" like you, always need to FIND problems with every player. Even if they aren't there. What was Suzuki supposed to do, dump the puck in on a breakaway, in 3v3 OT? Clearly, he didnt have the same speed there as he would coming in fresh. The dman is tired too on the play. Suz just had a little more gas left in the tank than he did.

 

[BaseballCoach]

"Fans" like you, always need to FIND problems with every player. Even if they aren't there. What was Suzuki supposed to do, dump the puck in on a breakaway, in 3v3 OT? Clearly, he didnt have the same speed there as he would coming in fresh. The dman is tired too on the play. Suz just had a little more gas left in the tank than he did.

You completely mis-read my comment. I was talking about the prior rush up ice by Toronto. There was NOTHING wrong with the effort on the final rush up by us that led to the goal.

 

[Rapala]

Nick was off his game a bit last night but still managed to be there when it counted most. Gotta love that in a kid.

 

[Redux91]

Brayden Point 67 games 18 goals 22 assists 40 points as a rookie is a pretty good benchmark

So happy to have him on the team

 

[DangerDave]

Nick was off his game a bit last night but still managed to be there when it counted most. Gotta love that in a kid.

Remember he was facing off against Tavares the majority of the game. I'd say he did pretty well all things considered even though the execution wasn't perfect.

 

[admiralcadillac]

It's getting more and more obvious that Suzuki will be this team's #1 center. Now, what kind of career production he'll offer is anybody's guess. Let's just hope he will surpass Pleks and Koivu. Also, let's hope KK will find some magic beans and become the #2 so that Danault gets pushed to #3

Why would KK need magic beans?

 

[Bouboumaster]

Hindsight 20/20, I would have paid Patio-Ready 1 vs 1 for only this dude, let alone asking for Tatar as a throw in lol

f*** Bergevin, I hope he got the boot, but this might just be his masterpiece right here, with with Danault for some scrap and Petry for 2nd/Colberg (LOL!) following closely behind

 

[DangerDave]

Hindsight 20/20, I would have paid Patio-Ready 1 vs 1 for only this dude, let alone asking for Tatar as a throw in lol

**** Bergevin, I hope he got the boot, but this might just be his masterpiece right here, with with Danault for some scrap and Petry for 2nd/Colberg (LOL!) following closely behind

I was so pumped when the trade was announced. Suzuki was a favorite of mine ever since I saw him single handedly dismantle my Oshawa Generals live.

MB still sucks though

 

[JianYang]

Hindsight 20/20, I would have paid Patio-Ready 1 vs 1 for only this dude, let alone asking for Tatar as a throw in lol

**** Bergevin, I hope he got the boot, but this might just be his masterpiece right here, with with Danault for some scrap and Petry for 2nd/Colberg (LOL!) following closely behind

I think Petry went for a 2nd, and collberg was a peice in that Vanek deal.

 

[Bouboumaster]

I was so pumped when the trade was announced. Suzuki was a favorite of mine ever since I saw him single handedly dismantle my Oshawa Generals live.

MB still sucks though

MB sucks more than a Dyson and Jenna Jameson combined. But getting Suzuki, let alone Tatar, for Pacioretty??

Brillant move.

And for that, I salute you, Marc Bergevin.

 

[Tyson]

MB sucks more than a Dyson and Jenna Jameson combined. But getting Suzuki, let alone Tatar, for Pacioretty??

Brillant move.

And for that, I salute you, Marc Bergevin.

Yep this erases 8 years of pure ineptitude

 

[puckie]

I keep trying to see why people love him so much and I am not seeing it.

Pros:
+ he has a good shot
+ good on face offs

Mediocre:
OK on passing
Good vision

Cons
- gets beat in puck battles all the time
- not strong along the boards
- not great at carrying the up the ice
- skating is not that fast

Besides on faceoffs, I think Domi is a lot better: faster skater, better passer, and tougher on puck battles. If he only had some people who could finish and consistency he would do so much better. He starts to click with Kovi and CJ puts him on a different line. If I was Domi, I would want out.

 

[JuJu Mobb]

I keep trying to see why people love him so much and I am not seeing it.

Pros:
+ he has a good shot
+ good on face offs

Mediocre:
OK on passing
Good vision

Cons
- gets beat in puck battles all the time
- not strong along the boards
- not great at carrying the up the ice
- skating is not that fast

Besides on faceoffs, I think Domi is a lot better: faster skater, better passer, and tougher on puck battles. If he only had some people who could finish and consistency he would do so much better. He starts to click with Kovi and CJ puts him on a different line. If I was Domi, I would want out.

You're so off with your analysis I don't know where to begin. Is this a troll post?

His vision is one of his greatest attributes.

 

[DangerDave]

I keep trying to see why people love him so much and I am not seeing it.

Pros:
+ he has a good shot
+ good on face offs

Mediocre:
OK on passing
Good vision

Cons
- gets beat in puck battles all the time
- not strong along the boards
- not great at carrying the up the ice
- skating is not that fast

Besides on faceoffs, I think Domi is a lot better: faster skater, better passer, and tougher on puck battles. If he only had some people who could finish and consistency he would do so much better. He starts to click with Kovi and CJ puts him on a different line. If I was Domi, I would want out.

I know you really like Domi and that's fine. It's clouding your judgement though. Nobody that's unbiased can look at the last couple months of plays and think Domi has been the better player.

If you want to pump Domi's tires than theirs a better way to go about it than putting Suzuki down.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I keep trying to see why people love him so much and I am not seeing it.

Pros:
+ he has a good shot
+ good on face offs

Mediocre:
OK on passing
Good vision

Cons
- gets beat in puck battles all the time
- not strong along the boards
- not great at carrying the up the ice
- skating is not that fast

Besides on faceoffs, I think Domi is a lot better: faster skater, better passer, and tougher on puck battles. If he only had some people who could finish and consistency he would do so much better. He starts to click with Kovi and CJ puts him on a different line. If I was Domi, I would want out.

He's the smartest player on the ice. Think Andrei Markov, what made him so special. Same thing. Cerebral player.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Yep this erases 8 years of pure ineptitude

Absolutly not lol, but hey, even tho we dislike him (and for good reasons), we need to give credit where credit is due.