GDT: Sens @ Leafs pre-season - 7PM EST

[notbias]

I think the trial and error facts based approach has gone too far, there’s dozens of men making millions in the front office who are being paid for their expertise, intuition, and probably a combined century of professional hockey experience to be able to intuitively identify the problems without needing to throw every possible permutation at the wall and see what sticks.

We haven’t seen a PP configuration that involves more than 2 shooting threats in total and more than 0 shooting threats specifically from the point. The PPs that score on us in the playoffs regularly do their damage directly from the point or from plays that are caused by either the point shot or the threat of one. I can’t remember many PPs that ate us alive off drop passes and playmaking wingers dipsy doodling at the point.

There are other teams who do well on the PP in the playoffs, we’re allowed learning from what works for them and what doesn’t.

Is OEL a shooting threat? He has 16 goals in the last 3 season (213 games), Rielly has more.

We have at minimum 3 shooting threats (JT, Willy, Matthews).

Throw Hakanpaa on the point if you only care about a shot up there.

OEL didn't succeed as PP1 QB, so learning from other teams, we should likely not use him.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Is OEL a shooting threat? He has 16 goals in the last 3 season (213 games), Rielly has more.

We have at minimum 3 shooting threats (JT, Willy, Matthews).

Throw Hakanpaa on the point if you only care about a shot up there.

OEL didn't succeed as PP1 QB, so learning from other teams, we should likely not use him.

Unfortunately Liljegren and McCabe are the only thing approaching a D that can regularly get point shots through to the goalie for at least a rebound. Also JT is fine in the slot but he’s not an option from distance, he has no real slap shot to speak of and his accuracy is inconsistent. The slot isn’t a reliable option in the playoffs, we need a plan B C and D for when teams park the bus in the shooting lanes and are allowed to crosscheck as much as they want to frustrate the faster broken down chaotic plays Marner likes.

 

[HockeyVirus]

TIme to get used to some new numbers

 

[ouryear]

Who I will be watching today:

Forwards
Pacioretty - How healthy does he look? Can he keep up as an injury prone 36 year old?
Knies- How does his weight gain affect his speed? Guy is 227. Does he take another step forward?
Cowan - Is he NHL ready? His compete is.
Grebenkin - How does he look at this level on NA Ice? Can he be another Knies?
Quillian - He's an exceptional skater, how does he look as a two way piece for the future? Can he stand out?
Reaves - Will he get waived? Which version of him are we getting pre injury or post.. Post injury, I thought he played quite well, and was deserving of a spot.

Defenseman
Timothy Liljegren - At 25, he's gonna need to prove himself. Is he a top 4 guy? Is he just a bottom pair with good skating?
OEL - Not sure what to expect, just want to see how he looks.
Chris Tanev - One long-term deal, will this allow Morgan to look like his 2019 self with 70+ points.
Cade Webber - He's huge, he's got a good frame, but will his skating keep up at this level. How will his gap control look?
Noah Chadwick - Again a big guy with average skating, how will he look at this level?

Webber has great skating for a big man. He is my surprise pick yo earn a job. I like everything he does.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Webber has great skating for a big man. He is my surprise pick yo earn a job. I like everything he does.

No chance he wins a job this year out of camp. Hopefully he has a good year in the AHL and can be a guy for us though.

 

[notbias]

Webber has great skating for a big man. He is my surprise pick yo earn a job. I like everything he does.

He does have great straight line top end speed, I wouldn't say his skating is great.

I think he is ~#10 on the depth chart.

He's a project with some upside due to his athletic ability and size, but I think he is some years away.

 

[Da Cool Rula]

Watching the colours change in my backyard is the highlight of fall fir me this will be a myriad of colours in a few weeks…….

View attachment 908617

That's gorgeous bro.

 

[weems]

I think the trial and error facts based approach has gone too far, there’s dozens of men making millions in the front office who are being paid for their expertise, intuition, and probably a combined century of professional hockey experience to be able to intuitively identify the problems without needing to throw every possible permutation at the wall and see what sticks.

We haven’t seen a PP configuration that involves more than 2 shooting threats in total and more than 0 shooting threats specifically from the point. The PPs that score on us in the playoffs regularly do their damage directly from the point or from plays that are caused by either the point shot or the threat of one. I can’t remember many PPs that ate us alive off drop passes and playmaking wingers dipsy doodling at the point. I’m sure the numbers based approach will suggest that point shots are wasteful in terms of possession and that’s why we’re seeing puck dominant forwards at the point instead but the law of big numbers breaks down in a 7 game series where every potential weakness in your set up is being hyper focused and exploited.

There are other teams who do well on the PP in the playoffs, we’re allowed learning from what works for them and what doesn’t.

The problem with this approach, is once teams figure it out that either you don't have the personel to be a threat from the top or that you just don't believe in it for whatever reason, it allows them to collapse the PK box and take time and space/passing lanes away. It would almost be akin to the NBA where they will sometimes identify a total non shooting threat and sag right off, clogging the paint and basically daring the player to shoot. The Marner/Rielly combo at the top, is two players that aren't dangerous shooting threats and they usually default to passing and everyone knows who they're trying to get it too.

Yes the PP has been great in the regular season but if you actually break it down and hyper focus on each players skillset and what we're actually trying to do, our PP is pretty easy to scout against and potentially exploit.

 

[francis246]

LMAO what a freakin' JOKE this PP unit is....

The one time the unit was HOT where they got goals on PP on a consistent basis was when....

A) It was Bert instead of Tavares in front of the net
B) Lily was running the point instead of Rielly
C) Marner was in and out of line up

Still no point shot, and still not strong shots from forwards except Nylander and Matthews

The insanity continues.....

SERENITY NOW

If they split the units evenly I don’t really have a problem with the units remaining the same. The PP was still top 10 last year. The biggest issues is PP1 stays out for way to long especially when they are ineffective.

 

[PromisedLand]

Cowan gives me Nazem Kadri meets Stumpy Thomas vibes.

you are not wrong.... I mean in Cowan's own words....

https://x.com/i/web/status/1674253107285446656

 

[Stephen]

I think the trial and error facts based approach has gone too far, there’s dozens of men making millions in the front office who are being paid for their expertise, intuition, and probably a combined century of professional hockey experience to be able to intuitively identify the problems without needing to throw every possible permutation at the wall and see what sticks.

We haven’t seen a PP configuration that involves more than 2 shooting threats in total and more than 0 shooting threats specifically from the point. The PPs that score on us in the playoffs regularly do their damage directly from the point or from plays that are caused by either the point shot or the threat of one. I can’t remember many PPs that ate us alive off drop passes and playmaking wingers dipsy doodling at the point. I’m sure the numbers based approach will suggest that point shots are wasteful in terms of possession and that’s why we’re seeing puck dominant forwards at the point instead but the law of big numbers breaks down in a 7 game series where every potential weakness in your set up is being hyper focused and exploited.

There are other teams who do well on the PP in the playoffs, we’re allowed learning from what works for them and what doesn’t.

A point shot threat is also a nice decoy. Like using Tampa as an example you know Kucherov will be working the half wall and he can bump it over to Hedman, but also to the far side where Stamkos is waiting. So from those three points you can make a PK open up and have to cover up high, the far side which opens up some space in the slot as well.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Hearing Ron again makes me feel like the offseason wasn't long enough

 

[hamzarocks]

A point shot threat is also a nice decoy. Like using Tampa as an example you know Kucherov will be working the half wall and he can bump it over to Hedman, but also to the far side where Stamkos is waiting. So from those three points you can make a PK open up and have to cover up high, the far side which opens up some space in the slot as well.

Was watching highlights of Kucherovs 100 assist last year and he is just something else as a playmaker especially on the PP

Super deceptive, incredible vision and ability to deke fake, shot fake, head fake the defense a fraction and wire a crisp pass across

Stamkos is likely a better PP goal scorer than anyone we have (he is gone now so lets see how tampa does) with his one timer and overall shooting aim and accuracy being precise and a very quick release

Hedman like you said has a great heavy shot which he beat goalies with quite often last year and is capable of getting his shot through to beat screen goalies or get rebounds for net crashers

Point is also a big weapon that Kucherov/Tampa utilizes well as his play in the middle at bumper is really strong, great shot, good dishing from there and was quick to know when to take a pass and release, when to take a man and create a lan for Stamkos or Hedman option

Leafs problem is Marner isnt anywhere the threat Kucherov is both as a shooter on the PP and as a playmaker

Nylander isnt as good in a bumper role as point and his shot isnt as deadly as Stamkos was

Matthews similarly while has an elite 1-T and overall shot, isnt able to get as great looks as Tampas PP gets and he is a limoted passer on the PP which reduces any risks of him sliding it back across or backdoor when pucks on his stick on the PP

Rielly is a good lateral and mover and can drop/carry the puck along the left wall, but is a useless/non-existent shooting threat compared to Hedman

We need better personnel on the PP, or split to 2 units, and try to incorporate younger guys like Cowan (if he makes team), Knies, nd robertson (has a heavy shot which could be lethal threat for us and is an underrated passer on the PP)

 

[peconcan]

Why is our top prospect on the 4th line with Reaves

 

[MSZ]

Gregor and Kulemin are in the Sens lineup.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

lmao it's pre-season the Sens are making the playoffs again!

 

[HockeyVirus]

Why is our top prospect on the 4th line with Reaves

It's early pre-season

 

[Aashir Mallik]

wtf is Eliot Friedman smoking

Senators playoffs???

 

[notbias]

The most intriguing line is Pacioretty - Tavares - Greb for sure.

Random players here and there are also interesting, but that's the line I'll be following the most.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Bunch of ass hats that can't go 13 seconds without yelling.

 

[peconcan]

It's early pre-season

I know but you’d think with our cap issues you’d wanna give him every chance to prove he can make the team. Don’t think being on the 4th line is exactly doing that. I was hoping he could make Jarnkrok tradeable