Boyle played a good game last night.
Kreider didn't.
We tend to go into discussing names in situations like this, -- but its clear to everyone that our bottom two lines brought nothing to the table last night, and that is IMO really the problem here.
My point is just, the league is pretty watered down at this time and age, and the players we have on these lines can all be
decent in their position. I mean, I am sure all of Kreider, Boyle and Pyatt could play on decent 3rd lines in the NHL. The problem is that the three of them together last night didn't look like a decent third line. Boston turned on them very easily and while all three skates well in straight lanes -- none of them turns around in a hurry. None of them is very fast in on the forecheck, especially Kreider struggles to put pressure on D's. None of them is that strong on the puck nor good at getting it up ice.
I wonder if we thought we could get Nash when we signed Pyatt. We lost two very strong players in terms of moving their feets, putting pressure on the puck (dubi) or getting it up ice (AA) who where around 25 y/o. Both Dubi and AA were pretty OK at winning momentum for their teams.
Anyway, I definitely want to see Kreider-Boyle-Pyatt together more. We have only seen them for a very short sample against
very tough competition (under very tough circumstances). They certainly have potential to be tough to handle for a D if they can get a hold of the said D.
If they don't work out -- I think we are in a half tough situation. Not necessary as a team as a whole, but from a contender point of view. I am definitely not sold on Callahan's ability to build up perfect chemistry with either Stepan or Gabby either, and without a dominant 2nd line you definitely need a strong third line. Our roster isn't all that flexible.
Some thoughts on how some of our pieces fit, or doesn't fit, into the puzzly:
Ryan Callahan -- I am not sure if we have a good center for him (yet) on the team. Cally thrives best with a good skating center who isn't too ticky tacky with the puck. And Stepan becomes that with Gabby atleast. JT Miller could down the line be a good center for Cally, but besides Richards I think Halpern would fit Cally the best -- but that of course takes major reconstruction of the line up. But truth to be told, I wouldn't be too suprised to see that down the road...
Brad Richards with Rich Nash -- Look, two players like this will need time to learn to play with each other. I think they will find each other, but it will be up and down for some time for sure.
Marian Gaborik -- I think that Marian will be history here in NY maybe sooner rather than later unless he find a way to be a prescense
besides scoring goals. I mean, not only is he not much of a prescense besides the times his shots find the net, his game gives away alot of momentum too. Alot of low percentage shots. Half weak puck protection etc. Tough words, yes. But you do not win in the game today if you play alot in your own end. And Gabby just don't contribute from time to time in that equation. He must find ways and develop chemistry with teammates so that his line becomes a line that spends alot of time in the attacking zone. Torts will not want to have Gabs on the roster for 7m per if he doesn't ge that...
MDZ-Marian Gaborik et al. -- It didn't seem like we got much chemistry between our D's and forwards, which is a
huge part of a offense. I could remember the exact numbers wrong, but I think Phily Housley assisted Teemu Sellanne twice as many times as the center Teemu played with the year he scored 76 goals. MDZ in his rookie year developed alot of chemistry with Gabby. Last night I didn't count one time where one of our D's actually set up a forward for a scoring chance. That is definitely part of the explanation of why we creates so little.
Our core D is a bit frustrating (McD, Staal and Girardi). They are soooo good, at some stuff. And extremely quite in many areas. Very little hitting. Very little offense. Like none of them ever lands a big hit, Strålman landed the biggest hit of all D's all of last season. None of them is even decent on the PP. Like we aren't talking about no talent stay at home Ds here, but I've never seen any of them take a puck at the blueline, move it side ways and get a open line before blasting a puck on the net. THAT IS NOT THAT HARD TO DO.
Their modestity is part of their strength for sure, because they are extremely solid at what they do well. But a little more in other area's certainly wouldn't hurt.
