Post-Game Talk: Panthers at Blackhawks 11/21

[Jean Luc Discard]

There is a clear lack of offensive ability on the back end and that's a surprisingly massive hole left my Montour. Did not expect the impact to be felt this much but it's clear that puck movement is not as smooth from the D group and the lack of speed doesn't give the forwards as much freedom either.

Tonight is what it looks like when your D core isn't what it was last season. It may look like the offense is struggling but it's a symptom of a bigger issue.

Like I suggested in the off-season, Zito should've traded Ekky for a bag of pucks and re-signed Montour. Kulikov is doing an admirable job in a top4 spot but that d-corpse needs a bonafide puck moving top4 dman. I'd argue that this deficiency has a ripple effect on the forwards who do not receive the puck from the dmen.

Only Forsling and, to certain extent, Mikkola are able to pass the puck to the forwards. Kulikov and Ekblad can get the puck out of the d-zone but ,especially with, Ekblad can only flip the puck out and 2secs later it gets immediately returned to their own end so they get hemmed in to the own end. Dump&chase works marvelously against the Panthers.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I can condone fans of other teams coming here to talk shit after winning meaningless games but I draw the line at fans of other teams coming here to tell us Kompon isnt dogshit

 

[Mogo]

Really wish we locked up Bennett long term not Swaggy

 

[Felidae]

Really wish we locked up Bennett long term not Swaggy

I know Verhaeghe kinda sucks eyetest wise atm. But way too early to say whether singing Verhaeghe longterm wasn't right.

Or at the very least, It's hard to justify signing Bennett over Swaggy longterm imo.

Verhaeghe has outproduced Bennett by at least 30 points the last 2 seasons.

But even if you dont think the production Verhaeghe provides is more valuable than what Bennett brings.

consider that Bennett missed more games last season than Verhaeghe has in the last 3. Verhaeghe has missed 11 games in the last 3 years. Bennett has missed 43. And we all know the Bennett type players don't tend to age as well either.

Maybe he will be an exception, but I think Zito made the right decision with the information available to him.

 

[Panthers Propaganda]

We need a top 4D guys are playing up higher than they probably should be…

Would be nice if they would try and wake up for games against bottom feeders.

CV can watch a game from the box imo.
EkChunk too

 

[MarginNotes]

loss.
that wasn't very beautiful.

 

[Idiot Stick]

 

[ShootIt]

Maybe it's time to see if Boqvist learned how to hockey with some ice time the next few games.
At least to see if he can contribute offensively.

 

[Dread Clawz]

I'm definitely on the wagon that just doesn't care all that much. We got the Cup, I'm good.

They can definitely still turn it around, but it's extremely hard to win one Cup, let alone more than one.

The reality is our 2nd pair has Kuli on it, and our 3rd pair while they have been solid for the most part, is not one you make a run with. This team is not the one that will be taking the ice game 1 playoffs. They're hanging around top 5 in the league, which is about what they've shown on the ice, maybe even above that. So I mean the world's not ending, and we know the Cup isn't won in November.

 

[Dread Clawz]

There is a clear lack of offensive ability on the back end and that's a surprisingly massive hole left my Montour. Did not expect the impact to be felt this much but it's clear that puck movement is not as smooth from the D group and the lack of speed doesn't give the forwards as much freedom either.

Tonight is what it looks like when your D core isn't what it was last season. It may look like the offense is struggling but it's a symptom of a bigger issue.

It's also OEL. He made so many smooth and accurate passes that really helped us last year, not only keeping the puck out of our own end, but moving the attack forward as well. Plus he got a lot of great shots through. He was a great #5, I miss him as much as Montour.

 

[5 Hole]

The team has not looked good the last handful of games. It's still early and I know they'll work it out, but I don't like it. I trust Zito will solve it.

 

[KW]

It’s not just the D. A lot of it is on the F’s not playing well in our own zone, I would particularly call out Tkachuk, Verhaeghi, Lundell (lately).

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Well. Don't know what to say. Only one word comes to mind.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Tkachuk
Rodrigues-Bennett-Samoskevich
Lustorainen-Lundell-Reinhart
Boqvist-Nosek-Greer

Idk man i just wanna wake up Verhaeghe and Tkachuk somehow

 

[Gentle Man]

After all the legos I've bought, these are the results I am getting? I am returning all this shit then.

Time to find a new hobby. Time to start sculpting.

 

[KW]

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Tkachuk
Rodrigues-Bennett-Samoskevich
Lustorainen-Lundell-Reinhart
Boqvist-Nosek-Greer

Idk man i just wanna wake up Verhaeghe and Tkachuk somehow

I’d try something like that.

Tkachuk just chucks the puck to the o-zone, he doesn’t make an effort to skate it in anymore.

 

[FinlandPanther]

I’d be ALOT more pissed at community skater extraordinaire Tkachuk and Swaggy if we didn’t win a cup

 

[Ratsreign]

In this forum we do not disrespect Peter Mrazek

His agent’s highlight reel at contract table was 85% vs Panthers

 

[austropanther]

I’d try something like that.

Tkachuk just chucks the puck to the o-zone, he doesn’t make an effort to skate it in anymore.

I just watched the NHL Faceoff series again and I found it amazing how hard MT skated in the POs - once catching up with McDavid to prevent the clear breakaway and the famous unnecessary EN save. Far from what he is doing right now. As long as he can turn it when it matters I don't care that much.

OTOH coach could keep Samo, Gadjo and A.Boqvist in the lineup and rotate the other mainstay forwards and Dmen. I am sure these 3 guys have no current motivation problem

 

[IdleTraveller]

OK, yet another game where I think I'm just going to skip the highlights. WTF?! I know I predicted them to lose against the hawks but that was after sweeping the Devils and the Jets. Which we did not do. Come on, hockey Gods, I thought we had a deal here...

I mean, I'm not worried (yet) but we have a tough few games ahead of us. If this is motivational thing, then hopefully we'll find it against the Avs, Caps, Leafs and Canes. And then be beaten by the Penguins, obvs.

 

[Idiot Stick]

i mean last year we got shutout and embarrassed a few times before december, so our scoring is somewhat better.
Our d looked ok but not world beating, but i do think our D is weaker than last year by a good bit. Wasnt till mid-late december we started to look like a juggernaut. Until were projected out of the playoffs im not gonna worry

 

[ScottyMascotty]

Like I suggested in the off-season, Zito should've traded Ekky for a bag of pucks and re-signed Montour. Kulikov is doing an admirable job in a top4 spot but that d-corpse needs a bonafide puck moving top4 dman. I'd argue that this deficiency has a ripple effect on the forwards who do not receive the puck from the dmen.

Only Forsling and, to certain extent, Mikkola are able to pass the puck to the forwards. Kulikov and Ekblad can get the puck out of the d-zone but ,especially with, Ekblad can only flip the puck out and 2secs later it gets immediately returned to their own end so they get hemmed in to the own end. Dump&chase works marvelously against the Panthers.

There is a clear lack of offensive ability on the back end and that's a surprisingly massive hole left my Montour. Did not expect the impact to be felt this much but it's clear that puck movement is not as smooth from the D group and the lack of speed doesn't give the forwards as much freedom either.

Tonight is what it looks like when your D core isn't what it was last season. It may look like the offense is struggling but it's a symptom of a bigger issue.

Finally! Even the biggest Adam Boqvist hater finally admits the problem I have been signalling much earlier. People were caring so much about not bleeding high-danger chances and goals against so they tried to convince themselves that blueline consisted of Forsling and bunch of random guys is perfectly fine as long as they aren't getting obliterated regularly in their own end.
When Mikkola is our second-best offensive contributing defenseman, it's a huge red flag.

 

[Gentle Man]

Finally! Even the biggest Adam Boqvist hater finally admits the problem I have been signalling much earlier. People were caring so much about not bleeding high-danger chances and goals against so they tried to convince themselves that blueline consisted of Forsling and bunch of random guys is perfectly fine as long as they aren't getting obliterated regularly in their own end.
When Mikkola is our second-best offensive contributing defenseman, it's a huge red flag.

I fear Adam will crack the line up when Carlsson manages to crack ours.

 

[StrangeVision]

So am I taking crazy pills or do they have the exact same record as last year after 20 games?

Let's play a game, which season is which?

What are we freaking out about again?