GDT: Preseason game 6: Sharks @ Vegas 7:00pm stream on sharks.nhl.com

[Pinkfloyd]

Gushchin was throwing passes to Kostin too. He’s been showing he can produce offense with depth players. Isn’t that what the team and coaches want?

 

[sampler]

Did Jumbo ever say what he would do if he had 5 apples???

Hell yeah he did. He said he'd be planting his seeds everywhere! (OK, I made that up)

 

[karltonian]

Did Jumbo ever say what he would do if he had 5 apples???

I think he should be asked this important question!

 

[StanleyCup2035]

Danil Gushchin on the ice, so quick,
In teal and black, his moves are slick.
Five assists, he plays with grace,
Setting the pace in every race.

Against the Knights, in Vegas' glare,
He finds the open lane with care.
Puck to stick, and then it flies,
As goals are born from his keen eyes.

A final game, a preseason thrill,
Gushchin's vision, sharp and still.
He weaves the plays, and makes them shine,
A future star, his path aligns.

 

[timorous me]

Im not deciding for sure what he is in any way. Im just saying hes not ready yet.

Your post is spot on. He's played two preseason games and he is not used to the speed, physicality, etc. Yes, I agree!! That's exactly why hes not ready yet, and exactly why the AHL exists. Its the stepping stone between college/Jr and the NHL. VERY few players successfully go from jr or college straight to the NHL and belong, and ever fewer are still teenagers, rather than 21 or 22 having spent 3 years in college (see matt Carle). The vast majority do a stint in the A, even if only 20-30 games.

Pavs: Winconsin star--> Worcester for 16 games (where he put up 26 pts)--> NHL forever
Seto played 23 games in the A before his call up.
Cooch: Ottawa jr star--> 42 AHL games, then called up.

Im not saying that Smith doesnt get NHL time this year. Just he breaks camp at the #1 and top PP guy with the cuda. Have him put up 20 pts in 15 Cuda games and prove he's ready. Then he'll come up MUCH better prepared, far more confident, and far more ready in late november or early december.

Part of my reasoning is listening to what Warsofsky had to say last night. It sounds like he thinks, for now at least, that Smith can do some of his hard learning at the NHL level:

I thought he was good at times. Again, another guy that’s just learning the pace and how fast that the tempo is out there.

They’re deep down the middle with their four centers.

Obviously, matching up against McTavish at times, he’s going to be in a learning curve of how heavy these centers are in this league and how you can’t take your foot off the gas. But some really good teaching points for him tonight.

 

[LadyStanley]

San Jose Sharks vs. Vegas Golden Knights: live game updates, stats, play-by-play

Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games

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Goose +4 too.

 

[Hodge]

We should very obviously be prioritizing the long term over the short term. Smith is the 2nd most important player in the entire organization. Gushchin probably won't be on the team in a year. Of course you start Smith in the top six over Gushchin until and unless he proves that kind of usage is detrimental to his development.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Why are we hurting our 2nd most important player's development by putting him on a line with two guys who can't finish?

He also gets to face easier minutes and gets to play with players who are very solid defensively. There are arguments on both-sides of the development debate.

 

[Erep]

Part of my reasoning is listening to what Warsofsky had to say last night. It sounds like he thinks, for now at least, that Smith can do some of his hard learning at the NHL level:

After watching Smith in college, this has been my take on him, and honestly, he is ahead of where I expected, as you can already see the growth happening.

There are subtleties at every different level of competition, and Smith's game is all about exploiting the timings in the pace of play. (When he cut between the two Ducks and drew a penalty last game was a really great example of him already starting to find those holes.)

You can say he will learn a faster game in the AHL, but then he will get to the NHL and those timings will change again. It is a waste of time to make him adapt to the AHL, then just have to do it again in the NHL. For most guys it is about just moving up the levels of physicality and speed, but for Smith it is about abusing it, and that is something he can only do in the NHL.

 

[Kcoyote3]

I'd go:

Eklund - Celebrini - Toffoli
Gushchin - Granlund - Smith
Goodrow - Wennberg - Zetterlund
Grundstrom - Sturm - Kunin
Dellandrea, Kostin/G Smith/Cardwell (but probably Kostin)

Takes pressure off Smith having to be a center right away and gives him a top 6 NHL center to learn from. Plus that line gets all the easy matchups and offensive starts. Will get caved defensively but will likely produce.

Top line has two-way matchup eat a ton of minutes all over it, but will still get beat by actual NHL top lines. Either way Eklund and Celebrini can keep on developing into all-situations top sixers together with Toffoli potting goals.

Third line takes some harder matchups with some jam in Zetterlund and Goodrow, and has enough skill to get points. Rotate Zetterlund up if Gushchin or Smith are struggling.

Fourth line is a rotating cast of PKers, locker room guys, hard checking defensive guys.

There's room here for both Smith and Gushchin up top.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842789383100932139

 

[Erep]

I'd go:

Eklund - Celebrini - Toffoli
Gushchin - Granlund - Smith
Goodrow - Wennberg - Zetterlund
Grundstrom - Sturm - Kunin
Dellandrea, Kostin/Smith/Cardwell (but probably Kostin)

Takes pressure off Smith having to be a center right away and gives him a top 6 NHL center to learn from. Plus that line gets all the easy matchups and offensive starts. Will get caved defensively but will likely produce.

Top line has two-way matchup eat a ton of minutes all over it, but will still get beat by actual NHL top lines. Either way Eklund and Celebrini can keep on developing into all-situations top sixers together with Toffoli potting goals.

Third line takes some harder matchups with some jam in Zetterlund and Goodrow, and has enough skill to get points. Rotate Zetterlund up if Gushchin or Smith are struggling.

Fourth line is a rotating cast of PKers, locker room guys, hard checking defensive guys.

There's room here for them.

Discount Zetterlund contract strategy.

 

[bluefunnel]

did jumbo ever have 5 apples?

He did once while he was still with Boston(2001 against Florida).

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842778217679384987

 

[Jargon]

If Goose doesn’t make the team, it’s like… what precedent is that setting? The whole mantra has been it’s a competition, if young guys beat out the vets, they get a spot, etc etc. It’s not like Gushchin has had empty calorie points, either, that last goal was all hustle AND skill. He’s easily been the best player in the preseason, he needs to get a chance with the big club or it all starts feeling a little like bullshit.

I think he’s also proven he can play on the third line and still produce, so he can sorta slot in wherever.

 

[karltonian]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842789383100932139

Anyone that can turn luke kunin into a net positive offensive threat is an absolute magician

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I don’t see how you can legitimately justify Gush not on the team but who knows what the lineup looks like. I think this game goes a long way in showing Gushchin can produce with our bottom six talent so if he doesn’t click with Celebrini, he can work with Wennberg, Kunin, Sturm, or Kostin.

They should be able to find a spot.

Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli
Granlund-Smith-Zetterlund
Gushchin-Wennberg-Kunin
Goodrow-Sturm-Cardwell

 

[Hodge]

If Goose doesn’t make the team, it’s like… what precedent is that setting? The whole mantra has been it’s a competition, if young guys beat out the vets, they get a spot, etc etc. It’s not like Gushchin has had empty calorie points, either, that last goal was all hustle AND skill. He’s easily been the best player in the preseason, he needs to get a chance with the big club or it all starts feeling a little like bullshit.

I think he’s also proven he can play on the third line and still produce, so he can sorta slot in wherever.

We don't need our bottom six to produce. We need them to be physically taxing to play against, reliable defensively, consistent from game to game and willing to take on tough minutes, heavy defensive zone deployment and PK duties. None of that describes Gushchin's game.

If one of our top six forwards gets injured then by all means call up Gushchin (or Graf or Cardwell). But if Celebrini and Granlund are good to go, there's really no need to shoehorn Gushchin into the lineup.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842800440108613914

Cassidy post game comments. "They out worked us" and other things

 

[Jargon]

We don't need our bottom six to produce. We need them to be physically taxing to play against, reliable defensively, consistent from game to game and willing to take on tough minutes, heavy defensive zone deployment and PK duties. None of that describes Gushchin's game.

If one of our top six forwards gets injured then by all means call up Gushchin or Graf or Cardwell. But if Celebrini and Granlund are good to go, there's really no need to shoehorn Gushchin into the lineup.

I don’t really agree with that team building philosophy, though. I think our top 3 lines should be able to score.

Again, on a purely morale level, where Warsofsky preaches competition and drive and the desire to win, not putting Gushchin into the lineup after this game undercuts his entire messaging.

Give him a few games and see what he can do, if it’s not working, send him down.

 

[karltonian]

It is hard to play against a line that has the puck when you don't.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

Why are we hurting our 2nd most important player's development by putting him on a line with two guys who can't finish?

Yeah. I love Gush but no way should we put Smith with Goodrow and Wennberg.

I think the set up of

Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli
Granlund-Smith-Zetterlund
Guschin-Wennberg-Kostin
Kunin-Goodrow-Grundstrom/Dellandrea

or something would be awesome but there's a real danger of throwing our top 2 guys into the fire too soon

 

[Kshahdoo]

I think the most actual question about Gushchin is will he become a HoFer one day...

 

[Pinkfloyd]

We don't need our bottom six to produce. We need them to be physically taxing to play against, reliable defensively, consistent from game to game and willing to take on tough minutes, heavy defensive zone deployment and PK duties. None of that describes Gushchin's game.

If one of our top six forwards gets injured then by all means call up Gushchin (or Graf or Cardwell). But if Celebrini and Granlund are good to go, there's really no need to shoehorn Gushchin into the lineup.

Unfortunately, this is a situation where a player forces your hand unless you decide you don’t want to be a credible voice in that locker room.

What will take the pressure off Celebrini and Smith from having to produce as rookies in definitive scoring line roles is a third line that can score with them. Put Gush with the defensive players and see if he produces anyway and if he doesn’t after a handful of games, you can put him back in the AHL and write him off.

 

[karltonian]

I think the most actual question about Gushchin is will he become a HoFer one day...

Is he the next Kucherov?