Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part LXXV - French disconnect in NYC?

[pld459666]

Completely agree on this.

I would

Never liked the guy.

 

[leetch99]

And its not just Blackwell that is playing well, so is Rooney, PDG and co too. We need that, we need to be able to provide a supporting cast for the kids that can provide what they need.

Rooney was certainly involved in the game...love seeing that stuff . I'm in full agreement with you on your posts on these guys.....it's been a stretch since we had guys provide energy.....and once it starts it will grow ....

 

[Vitto79]

I think they gotta use TDA on the 1st PP w Fox
Gotta get his value up

Calgary not doing great might rekindle those rumours but I doubt they move Lindholm or Monahan

does TDA for Hanifan plus make sense ?

 

[True Blue]

Hell, some player with thrive under some coaches others don't. You answered that to a wrongly generalized statement: "DQ had no success with Canadien or Euro players". Some of Buch's development can be attributed to Quinn, other parts to him becoming a core guy and some other part to a player developing himself.

I understand what you are saying and agree that some thrive under certain coaches and some do not. I just do not subscribe that you can only be good with US kids, but not with Canadian or European.

 

[Mikos87]

I'd curious to see Barron in Lemieux's slot to take a look at what he can bring to the table. Gauthier has wheels but isn't much of an energy guy. Guy was a thoroughbred in the minors, but needs to turn himself into a racehorse and workhorse of a player to create his chances.

This is why you add depth, it pushes guys to play better to fit the what the team needs. It's less about being who you are, and more about doing what needs to be done. I don't think you have that with all 20 guys on any given shift.

 

[True Blue]

I'd curious to see Barron in Lemieux's slot to take a look at what he can bring to the table. Gauthier has wheels but isn't much of an energy guy. Guy was a thoroughbred in the minors, but needs to turn himself into a racehorse and workhorse of a player to create his chances.

This is why you add depth, it pushes guys to play better to fit the what the team needs. It's less about being who you are, and more about doing what needs to be done. I don't think you have that with all 20 guys on any given shift.

I find that Gauthier has been less than the sum of his parts. To use football terminology, he looks great getting off the bus. You see the size, speed and get tantalized. And then he gets on the ice and certainly looks ok, but ultimately it results in nothing.

Compare that with someone like Blackwell. He makes most of his minutes and makes himself noticeable.

 

[Mikos87]

I find that Gauthier has been less than the sum of his parts. To use football terminology, he looks great getting off the bus. You see the size, speed and get tantalized. And then he gets on the ice and certainly looks ok, but ultimately it results in nothing.

Compare that with someone like Blackwell. He makes most of his minutes and makes himself noticeable.

He's a great looking kid, but I would say that he's very invisible. If he starts throwing a few hits, and playing some energy, being tighters and harder on the back-check, he's got an NHL job. If not, I don't have a problem watching other guys who offer more just pass him by.

 

[True Blue]

If not, I don't have a problem watching other guys who offer more just pass him by.

Which is exactly what is going to happen. He had a chance, did not do a lot with it and now sits and watches others play. Am sure that his chance will come again, but if he continues to do exactly was he has done in every game that he has played for this team, he is going to face an "up or out" situation.

 

[Kocur Dill]

All the guys trying to make a name for themselves are giving more effort- especially up-front, the walk year guys- Buchie, Smitty, Digi, Chytil, and the guys who haven't established themselves in Rooney & Blackwell. This is not a good sign, especially when you are trying to build a winning culture. Inexperienced players being positionally lost, hey you can live with that. But the stationary perimeter play, trying to win by doing the least as possible... that screams 97-04 era.

That shit is noticeable, and the type of play that gets you a hardass. That consequence is far more grueling on the body and quality of life for a player than moving your feet to help your teammate drive the play today.

Think what we are seeing is a list of passengers and drivers. While the individual flashes are a neat little 10 second clip, you want to see a bus full of drivers pushing the play for a full 60 minutes.

They're going to need to drive bodies in motion towards the net, teams are boxing things out in the perimeter because they know that's where they'd rather be.

Excellent point.

I noticed Rooney last night. Ya know why? Because he plays hardball in the crease.

He crashes the middle, and, sets up shop. I can't say I can remember the last time we had a player who constantly utilizes that as a part of their toolbox.

 

[Avery16]

I think they gotta use TDA on the 1st PP w Fox
Gotta get his value up

Calgary not doing great might rekindle those rumours but I doubt they move Lindholm or Monahan

does TDA for Hanifan plus make sense ?

Nope

 

[RGY]

I'd curious to see Barron in Lemieux's slot to take a look at what he can bring to the table. Gauthier has wheels but isn't much of an energy guy. Guy was a thoroughbred in the minors, but needs to turn himself into a racehorse and workhorse of a player to create his chances.

This is why you add depth, it pushes guys to play better to fit the what the team needs. It's less about being who you are, and more about doing what needs to be done. I don't think you have that with all 20 guys on any given shift.

Brendan Lemieux is averaging 8:43 TOI right now. What is that doing for Barron and his development? Lemmy is also a guy who has been going down and blocking shots. He hasn’t been his usual self stirring the pot and getting a lot of hits, but that will come. Maybe he is just recovering from those blocked shots. But bottom line is I would rather Barron get 16-20 minutes per night in Hartford’s top 6 in just a week plus time.

 

[Vitto79]

Brendan Lemieux is averaging 8:43 TOI right now. What is that doing for Barron and his development? Lemmy is also a guy who has been going down and blocking shots. He hasn’t been his usual self stirring the pot and getting a lot of hits, but that will come. Maybe he is just recovering from those blocked shots. But bottom line is I would rather Barron get 16-20 minutes per night in Hartford’s top 6 in just a week plus time.

im worried Lemieux and Gauthier will be exposed in expansion in favour of Howden ....they really should expose Strome . He’s better but costs more and they likely pass on him in Seattle anyway

 

[True Blue]

I noticed Rooney last night. Ya know why? Because he plays hardball in the crease.

Rooney did a lot of jawing all night long. Blackwell was drawing their ire with his hits and elbows.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

I find that Gauthier has been less than the sum of his parts. To use football terminology, he looks great getting off the bus. You see the size, speed and get tantalized. And then he gets on the ice and certainly looks ok, but ultimately it results in nothing.

Compare that with someone like Blackwell. He makes most of his minutes and makes himself noticeable.

It feels like he's the complete package but without one critical component, hockey sense.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I've liked blackwell so far, he's been exactly what line 2 needed.

 

[Rongomania]

If Tony goes back to how he was last year (and last night surely had me placing my bets on that) he is worth a lot. Struggling PP teams have to be looking at him.

 

[jay from jersey]

Just read the Blackwell thread, so many great reads by fans who knew him before we got him. I didn't even know who he was. But I do not for a second think that this is really coming as a big surprise for whomever in our organization who discovered him and pushed for us to get him inked. I think its the opposite.

This is what a good pro scouting organization should be able to do once in a while. I've been calling our pro scouting out for a while, but this is one they really got right. Not to overhype Blackwell -- but he does bring us exactly what we need. What works in the game today. He makes a difference when he is on the ice, maybe not because that he is a better "player" than other guys that have been played before him, but he really provides a lot in areas we have been really weak in.

This move really provides hopes for the future. And I really hope that the organization as a whole can gain some confidence from it. I mean, Blackwell is valuable to us right now, its perfectly possible that there are 20 organizations out there to which he wouldn't be as valuable because they already have other players that fits his mold and lacks in other areas than we do. As a consequence -- these guys become available from time to time. You can't find depth for free that has everything, but you can certainly find players that are able to perform in a role cut out for them, that haven't performed elsewhere because they never got that opportunity.

What I really want to see more of is management acknowledging issues we have on the roster and fixing what needs to be fixed, even if it won't work out everytime, the alternative -- pretending that it doesn't rain -- won't either.

Definitely provides hope for the future.

I agree with this Ola, and tbh we probably haven’t seen the best of Rooney yet either. A lot of devil fans were signing his praises as a solid 4th liner

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

If Tony goes back to how he was last year (and last night surely had me placing my bets on that) he is worth a lot. Struggling PP teams have to be looking at him.

I’m doubtful of this

He had a great year last year and apparently the offers weren’t very good for him

at this stage I don’t expect his value to rise much, probably is what it is. Although it only takes one team to love him so

 

[mas0764]

I’m doubtful of this

He had a great year last year and apparently the offers weren’t very good for him

at this stage I don’t expect his value to rise much, probably is what it is. Although it only takes one team to love him so

We don't know how hard if at all the team tried to move him last year.

 

[Rongomania]

I’m doubtful of this

He had a great year last year and apparently the offers weren’t very good for him

at this stage I don’t expect his value to rise much, probably is what it is. Although it only takes one team to love him so

Yeah, obviously the offers were shitty. However, if he has this repeat production, I think those offers go up. He's annoying and all, but he is a proven good locker room guy. They play better when Tony is at his best and out there wheeling and dealing.

 

[I Eat Crow]

I think they gotta use TDA on the 1st PP w Fox
Gotta get his value up

Calgary not doing great might rekindle those rumours but I doubt they move Lindholm or Monahan

does TDA for Hanifan plus make sense ?

With the emergence of Miller, not much.

Miller and Lindgren are your top 4 guys. Smith is the placeholder for the 3rd pair until Robertson or Jones wrestle the spot away and earn it in a year or two. As mentioned last night by a couple of folks, I don't at all mind keeping Smith around for another year at a low cap hit as insulation for the kids. A left side of Lindgren, Miller, and Robertson/Jones is still very green despite their ability. Trouba is your vet and although Fox is young, he plays like a 10 year veteran. He's just so good.

We're in good hands on the defensive end. DeAngelo is your trade chip to acquire a middle 6 center. It certainly wouldn't surprise me at all to see the Calgary rumors resurface with Lindholm and Monahan as the targets in the off-season. Calgary will look to shake things up of they miss this year or get bounced early in thr playoffs even if they make it.

I would trade for a center and still go after Barkov next summer. Even if Zib gets it going, I still like Barkov long term over him. Deal Zib in a Gaborik like deal for good, NHL depth pieces, sign Barkov for nothing but money in 2022 and go to war with another window opening.

Your 2022 Opening Night Lineup

Laf-Lindholm/Monahan-American Buch
Panarin-Barkov-Kakko
Kreider-Howden/Trade-Kravtsov
Berard-Barron-Trade

Miller-Trouba
Lindgren-Fox
Robertson-Lundkvist

Shesty

Drool.

 

[True Blue]

It feels like he's the complete package but without one critical component, hockey sense.

You just notice this huge guy skating around but never really leading to anything.

 

[NYR Viper]

I'll just agree to disagree with the hot takes on Guathier, specifically this year. The games he has played in, he has been winning 1 on 1 battles, creating chances with his size and speed and creating separation with his speed. He has looked eerily similar to a young Kreider.

Also when comparing him to Blackwell, Colin is 27, Julien is 23. That's 4 additional years of development.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

You just notice this huge guy skating around but never really leading to anything.

He's got all the tools to end up in the correct position a lot of times and then his brain just seems to melt. So frustrating.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

We don't know how hard if at all the team tried to move him last year.

IMO not sure that matters much. If teams really wanted him they would have made offers that reflected it

Just cause the team might not have tried to move him doesn't stop other teams from asking and making offers