Observations XXI

[glenngineer]

Was glad to see Watson back in the lineup last night. Nice to have Jarnkrok back too. However, why does Hartman get bumped to the fourth line? His play this season didn't warrant a bump down. Why give up a 1st rounder to have him playing on the fourth line?

Also, the PP is abysmal, why are we not trying some other guys like Hartman or even popping Watson in there last night? Anything to change the mojo would be appreciated at this point.

Oh well, at least we got 5 points out of this road trip but unfortunately it also cost us Arvy and Subban for the time being.

 

[PredsV82]

well.a great start to a road trip. and an absolutely awful finish to one.

I'll say again. This team needed a wake up call to fix it's obvious problems. If effective adjustments dont get made in the next ten games or so, I'll expect some kind of move from Poile

 

[Pred303]

0 for 15 on the PP these last three games. that we just happened to lose each by one goal. just a league average of 3 for 15 and we might have won all three.

we all knew that unless the PP improved it would begin to cost us games as soon as the top line quit producing at an unsustainable 2-3 goals per game. and it has.

 

[triggrman]

I just don't understand how you can have the PMD's we have, the wingers we have and have such a bad powerplay.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I just don't understand how you can have the PMD's we have, the wingers we have and have such a bad powerplay.

Not sure our wingers are really world class outside of two of them and one of them is injured.

 

[King Weber]

 

[triggrman]

Not sure our wingers are really world class outside of two of them and one of them is injured.

we have 5 wingers that have scored 20+ goals in a season, and we're one of very few teams that had 2 30 goal scoring wingers.

 

[triggrman]

On right wingers for goal scoring, we had one ranked 15th in Craig Smith, one ranked tied for 7th in Arvidsson. On the left wing we had one ranked 23rd in Fiala and 14th in Forsberg (in only 67 games)

 

[Pred303]

our base problem remains that we run our PP primarily from the faceoff dots back out to the blue line instead of primarily operating down low like the really good PP's do. and teams have adjusted to our umbrella type style by playing a sort of modified 1-2-1 PK which is taking away our shots from the guys at the point at center ice. in the past we relied on getting those point shots thru and either scoring on them or generating chaos on the rebound off hard point shots. but when you cann't get those point shots thru from the high slot/point man well nothing happens. the way you attack a 1-2-1 type PK is not from out front but from down low. add in how often turris, fiala, everyone else except johansen/forsberg fumbles the puck, and that we are reduced to having complimentary guys like sissons and bonino on both units and it's a good combination for suck. last year arvy was the only really effective net front guy we had on the PP, screening those point shots. but again, if the shots from subban/ellis cann't get thru, then traffic doesn't matter anyway.

 

[glenngineer]

Nailed it 303.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

On right wingers for goal scoring, we had one ranked 15th in Craig Smith, one ranked tied for 7th in Arvidsson. On the left wing we had one ranked 23rd in Fiala and 14th in Forsberg (in only 67 games)

My mistake. I was talking about on the PP. Smith and Fiala did not ranking nearly as well last year.

 

[Pred303]

speaking of smith, i would like to see him tried with Johansen-forsberg even strength. Fiala just hasn't worked well there at all. He tried to puck handle too much instead of getting to a spot and letting Johansen find him to utilized his shot.

 

[glenngineer]

I also think Fiala does better on a line where he drives the play and he can have the puck on his stick more. Playing with 92 and 9 does not play to his strengths. That's why he and Hartman found some sort of chemistry for a few games. They used their speed and skills to compliment one another's games. Maybe put Sissons between the two of them and see what happens.

 

[Drake744]

speaking of smith, i would like to see him tried with Johansen-forsberg even strength. Fiala just hasn't worked well there at all. He tried to puck handle too much instead of getting to a spot and letting Johansen find him to utilized his shot.

Yeah I agree. Putting Fiala on the top line seems too much like trying to force a square peg in a round hole. For whatever faults Smith might have, at least you typically know what you're gonna get. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less, but usually you know what he's bringing to the table. With Fiala you're continuously trying to win the lottery while just ending up broke instead.

 

[INDhockeyfan]

I agree about putting Smith on the top line. He has speed and he is a shooter that Joey can get the puck to. Our PP is costing us games now. Just get rid of the umbrella altogether. It isn't working. I know Lavy isn't an x's and o's type of coach and he relies on his assistants to do that and McCarthy is responsible for the PP and should be held accountable. Let Muse try coaching the PP and put McCarthy back on the PK. At this point it is Lavy's responsibility to fix this PP.

 

[triggrman]

Let's go with
Forsberg - Johansen - Smith
Hartman - Turris - Fiala
Watson-Sissons-Jarnkrok
Rocco-Bonino-Guadreau

 

[Pred303]

Let's go with
Forsberg - Johansen - Smith
Hartman - Turris - Fiala
Watson-Sissons-Jarnkrok
Rocco-Bonino-Guadreau

I admit, I would love to see this lineup tried

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

speaking of smith, i would like to see him tried with Johansen-forsberg even strength. Fiala just hasn't worked well there at all. He tried to puck handle too much instead of getting to a spot and letting Johansen find him to utilized his shot.

Agreed. Smith plays a lot like Arvy when it comes to the forecheck and opening for stretch passes as well. Not the same level of finisher, but the same type of dynamic at least.

 

[GeauxPreds1]

Does anyone else see Subban starting to lose a step? Don't get me wrong he's still one of the top defenseman in the league but this year he looks a little slower skating and making more bone head plays. I'm a big fan of Subban but does he look this way to anyone else?

 

[Drake744]

Does anyone else see Subban starting to lose a step? Don't get me wrong he's still one of the top defenseman in the league but this year he looks a little slower skating and making more bone head plays. I'm a big fan of Subban but does he look this way to anyone else?

He's always been fairly slow. He's a great skater as a whole he just isn't fast. Maybe it's worse this year though.

 

[PredsV82]

He's always been fairly slow. He's a great skater as a whole he just isn't fast. Maybe it's worse this year though.

I think it's pretty obvious hes been trying to play through an injury. And failing.

 

[GeauxPreds1]

I think it's pretty obvious hes been trying to play through an injury. And failing.

Really hope it's that instead of declining. He just hasn't look like his self for much of the season

 

[King Weber]

 

[Drake744]

I think it's pretty obvious hes been trying to play through an injury. And failing.

That's my hope

 

[predfan24]

Subban was noticeably slower the minute he stepped onto the ice in a Preds Jersey compared to his early years in MTL. He’s still a fantastic D-man though. You are going to get some ugly turnovers with him though. Comes with the territory.