Official 2024-25 Utah HC Season Discussion.

[IronFinn]

Maatta isn't chopped liver. That trade worked out very nicely.

Bill also traded for two top pair D last summer. Not sure how many top pair D you want him to trade for in a single year. I personally think he's done enough.

I agree. I think he has played very well and wouldn’t mind seeing him extended.

 

[Llewzaher]

Why do I feel like UTAH will be the hottest team to miss the playoffs?
I'm disappointed that they didn't improve the D instead of wasting most of the season with an inferior D!

They turn things around and play incredible … then bad lazy habits start to form , AT doesn’t address because . Hey .. they are still winning.. then they lose , but it’s ok because the effort was still there, and they tried hard …. They were winning up until the last few minutes, but one mistake cost them a goal… then they lose in OT.. but hey we got a point .. it’s ok.

Next thing you know , we lose the ability to pass accurately and shoot and we have a real mess on our hands , and lose 3 in a row ..erasing what we earned after winning 4.

AT , get things turned around… rinse and repeat..

My opinion: AT doesn’t have that high of a standard … he gets them all playing great ..then pulls back .. he needs to be consistent with them and raise the bar, don’t be happy with just a win … if players can’t pass , hold them accountable..
Because when we can pass accurately and shoot, other teams rarely have an answer to defend , because we do it in all zones

One thing I noticed with the Pitts game , is Pitts were older, slower , but they were nailing their passes, making at least 4 in a row ..causing all sorts of havoc …UHC, barely connected at all , leaving us one and done in the O zone , except on the one PP.

I have no doubt that they will turn this around, an$ we will all love thi# team …but good teams are consistent….win 4 lose one , win 4 lose one …. We win 4 , lose 4 etc.

 

[Jakey53]

Ok, If he did, why bench him and not Crouse, if you want to send a message?

 

[Jakey53]

Why do I feel like UTAH will be the hottest team to miss the playoffs?
I'm disappointed that they didn't improve the D instead of wasting most of the season with an inferior D!

With the injuries on D I think BA did a pretty good job in getting replacements for those. I think our D is pretty good right now, and will get better once Durzi gets back. Still need a big stay at home D that can hit, but our D when healthy, is much better than last year. Our GA is 15th, or GF is 25th. We can't score. Having too many having a down year up front.

 

[Summer Rose]

Why do I feel like UTAH will be the hottest team to miss the playoffs?
I'm disappointed that they didn't improve the D instead of wasting most of the season with an inferior D!

Because it's just like this franchise to go on a late-season tear despite not really being in the hunt, in order to give us false hope for the following season.

 

[cobra427]

Then bench Crouse, Bjustad, maybe even Kerfoot too. I thought Maccelli has been playing good lately since playing with baby Doan and Hayton

Because Crouse/Bjustad/Kerfoot all solid on D, Maccelli is not, I think that is why he was benched, if he's not producing, he is a liability.

 

[cobra427]

Maatta isn't chopped liver. That trade worked out very nicely.

Bill also traded for two top pair D last summer. Not sure how many top pair D you want him to trade for in a single year. I personally think he's done enough.

We have been hampered with Durzi/Marino missing so many games for sure. Sergi is a 2D, Marino is a 3/4D, both not top pairing.

 

[lanky]

We have been hampered with Durzi/Marino missing so many games for sure. Sergi is a 2D, Marino is a 3/4D, both not top pairing.

Isn't a 2D a top pair D, by definition?

 

[Schemp]

Maatta isn't chopped liver. That trade worked out very nicely.

Bill also traded for two top pair D last summer. Not sure how many top pair D you want him to trade for in a single year. I personally think he's done enough.

...and yet at this time last year the 'Yotes were at approximately the same standing as this year. No progress! I don't see how you can justify that. 2 35yos, a waiver pick up, and Valimaki and Kolyachonok... GMBA should have improved some of those positions.

 

[Jamieh]

Isn't a 2D a top pair D, by definition?

You didn't ask me but I would say not necessarily, sometimes it's a lower D playing with the Stud to make better pairings. Ex: I think Van are currently playing Myers with Hughes, I don't think Myers is a 2D.

 

[SjMilhouse]

Ok, If he did, why bench him and not Crouse, if you want to send a message?

I swear this team has been cursed with injuries. Durzi/Marino being out most of the year is rough. You can see the value Marino brings with that poke check against pitt that stopped a grade A scoring chance. He's been so steady since coming back.

No Guenther is brutal. Now Cooley is out...we just can't catch a break.

I actually think if the team was healthy, our D would be great....we just haven't been able to have everyone play which sucks.

 

[lanky]

You didn't ask me but I would say not necessarily, sometimes it's a lower D playing with the Stud to make better pairings. Ex: I think Van are currently playing Myers with Hughes, I don't think Myers is a 2D.

You're confusing deployment with ability.
We all agree that Sergachev is a 1D by deployment. He's top 5 in the league in TOI. But that's a separate matter.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Durzi and Marino are both great on transition defense to offense. Without them for a substantial amount of time the team has had to transition the puck in primarily through forwards coming back. Might be the case that once they're back, we start getting more long stretch passes leading into more odd-man rushes and goals. A bump in scoring there might place them more solidly up the standings of team scoring metrics, and creating more offense also means you're not playing defense, so could cascade the goals against downward as well.