Toggle sidebar

To quote JD. This team needs to get tougher

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
usekakkorightquinn said:
TDA blows defensively. He's tough for his size but the reality is what I've said all along. We don't need him with Fox. Fox should be a real good, defensive defenseman as well down the line. If Buchnevich is on this team after the deadline I will be ticked. For the love of God. Stop playing Smith, Fogarty, McKegg, Haley, etc.... Gettinger seems to be doing well now down there. Lettieri looked better his last call up his last few games. Put those guys on the roster. Smith adds absolutely nothing to this team as does McKegg and neither has any upside. Hopefully, Gorton will add some legit, tough, young 4th line types at the deadline. Our 4th line completely sucks in every way.
Click to expand...
Boy am I thankful that you’re not our GM.

Remember when Pionk was supposedly an awful defenseman? Remember when Trouba and Skjei were supposed to be really good defensively? Look, ADA may not be amazing at defending, but pretty much no d-man on this team in years has been consistently good defensively besides Fox (and even he has been making more mistakes recently). At least DeAngelo is putting up huge points to counter his inconsistent defensive ability (which he does have). In any case, I really believe this is a coaching or a system/structure issue. I also think that we need more size, not necessarily toughness, on defense. And if they can also skate and make a good first pass (hi K’Andre), I’m in love. You know who would have been real nice? Ryan Graves. Not the best skater in the world, but good for his size.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: The S5
Send Hajek down or package him with LA and/or Georgiev for a forward prospect. Call Rykov up. Let Staal be the 7th d-man. If Rykov isn’t doing well, then Staal will take his place. I know Staal isn’t an NHL d-man, but neither is Hajek in my opinion.
 
Buchnevich89 said:
Boy am I thankful that you’re not our GM.

Remember when Pionk was supposedly an awful defenseman? Remember when Trouba and Skjei were supposed to be really good defensively? Look, ADA may not be amazing at defending, but pretty much no d-man on this team in years has been consistently good defensively besides Fox (and even he has been making more mistakes recently). At least DeAngelo is putting up huge points to counter his inconsistent defensive ability (which he does have). In any case, I really believe this is a coaching or a system/structure issue. I also think that we need more size, not necessarily toughness, on defense. And if they can also skate and make a good first pass (hi K’Andre), I’m in love. You know who would have been real nice? Ryan Graves. Not the best skater in the world, but good for his size.
Click to expand...
Pionk is an example of the same old posters deciding that he will be the whipping boy du jour. Forget the fact that he was a young player being used improperly.
Same group that is now brow beating Brady Skjei on a nightly basis. Neither player are all-stars, but you don't know what you have until its gone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Buchnevich89 and egelband
I'm sure JD and Gorton already have a plan on how to fix this panty wearing, forward group as well as change the way they have drafted.
 
I wonder if maybe he meant just finishing checks and sticking up for one another not necessarily bringing in toughness. You can play tough without having those name brand tough guys in the line up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PalmCoastRanger
SingnBluesOnBroadway said:
Crazy that people still think that Staal can be easily gotten rid of.
Click to expand...

The easy plan is what they are currently doing: play him as little as possible and then buy him out this summer.


SingnBluesOnBroadway said:
Or that it would have a huge impact on this team as it is now.
Click to expand...

Well you are either replacing a guy who plays 18 minutes a night with someone who is an NHL defensemen or replacing him with someone who is equally awful (like Hajek) but at least is young and has a chance to be a part of the team in the future. So yeah, that is an impact.
 
Team needs to "play" and "Defend" tougher and be harder on the puck, that's all.

When you're young and inexperienced, you are going to break down defensively and be caught out of position. Being caught of out of position and running around means you lose more puck battles and races to loose pucks because the other team has a head start by being in position. People conflate that with being soft and not tough enough.

It comes with experience.
 
Filthy Dangles said:
Team needs to "play" and "Defend" tougher and be harder on the puck, that's all.

When you're young and inexperienced, you are going to break down defensively and be caught out of position. Being caught of out of position and running around means you lose more puck battles and races to loose pucks because the other team has a head start by being in position. People conflate that with being soft and not tough enough.

It comes with experience.
Click to expand...

Truth.
Add to that that players don't really get tougher. Players are who they are.
They do learn the compete level needed to thrive in the NHL.
 
Legend23 said:
Good post. The only thing I am not sure if I buy into is that they cant win board battles because of their age. I tend to think it more of a mindset. Some of the best forecheckers often are small sized guys. Also, I know this example probably has a lot to do with talent but our 2 best board players are Panarin and Zibby. Panarin is probably 170 lbs soaking wet.
Click to expand...

I think there is a difference in Panarin's board play, though. He's not laying bodies because he is so good with his stick and steals the puck 95% of the time. I do agree with what the younger guys, though. I think they need some more experience and filling out before they could really start being effective. Chytil is promising in that regard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: egelband
eco's bones said:
It's kind of like when the Rangers brought in Noonan and Matteau. They had size--weren't afraid to use it. They could kill penalties--work the wall--contribute 35 to 40 points a year--well Noonan anyway though people remember Matteau more. The Blues have about 4 or 5 guys doing that for them now and it allows them to roll line after line game after game.

The Rangers are still about developing a team though---the Blues not really. They're much more than less a veteran team. Their window is open and ours still needs time to reopen. Some of our young guys are making real progress this year and some of them not. Going by our under 25 group--DeAngelo, Fox, Lindgren, Lemieux, Chytil, Buchnevich and Georgiev have proven they're NHL worthy players and you know Kakko and Shesterkin are going to get there. Howden and Hajek are more iffy but leaning towards proving it. Andersson is the one who took a step back. We have another big wave coming. To me it's not about the coach it's about sorting **** out which means pushing players to win as much as possible to see how far the group can go but also with an eye on moving the older players along so others can get opportunities to fill their places while the above named develop and move towards their primes. We do need to upgrade our bottom 6 forwards though.
Click to expand...

Exactly. This team needs a fire under their ass. It would help if they had a bottom-6 who had that Noonan capability.
 
They need another Lemieux in the forward group. Even someone to develop up from the 4th line. Other than that the team is plenty tough. ADA, Lindgren and Trouba on D is a pretty tough half of the corps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: egelband
The S5 said:
Team could use more energy guys. You need players outside of your top liners who a coach can put out to change the tenor of a game. They don't necessarily have to be fighters, but they need to go out every shift and go hard on the forecheck, finish checks and wear the other team down.

This team is the youngest in the league. We are still early in the rebuild. A few older guys will be moved out over the next couple of years, freeing up a ton of cap space. Then, its up to management to bring in the right guys.

It's hard to deny that, although not yet a playoff team, this team is far more entertaining to watch versus teams of the last 5 years. Just be patient and let the team learn how to play consistently at this level. If after another two years, they are still not a playoff team, then start to ***** and moan.
Click to expand...
The one problem that turns up sometimes is e we hen they finish their checks, they get their asses handed to them.
 
Buchnevich89 said:
Boy am I thankful that you’re not our GM.

Remember when Pionk was supposedly an awful defenseman? Remember when Trouba and Skjei were supposed to be really good defensively? Look, ADA may not be amazing at defending, but pretty much no d-man on this team in years has been consistently good defensively besides Fox (and even he has been making more mistakes recently). At least DeAngelo is putting up huge points to counter his inconsistent defensive ability (which he does have). In any case, I really believe this is a coaching or a system/structure issue. I also think that we need more size, not necessarily toughness, on defense. And if they can also skate and make a good first pass (hi K’Andre), I’m in love. You know who would have been real nice? Ryan Graves. Not the best skater in the world, but good for his size.
Click to expand...
Someone decided without giving graves much of a look that he was worthless. Who did that?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom