Player Discussion Adam Ruzicka

[vlady]

How is there no thread for this guy? Anyway, I have watched a few Flames games this season because of this guy and I came here to point out that he is currently leading the league in 5v5 points/60 among players who played at least 5 games (he is 7th overall, but the top six have all played less than 5 games).

He is also the best Flame in points per game at the moment, yet Sutter still plays him 12-14 minutes a night.

He doesn't get first PP minutes (outside of a few games when Huberdeau was out) and he doesn't play in the OT. He had a couple of games without a point and got demoted to the third line and but he keeps producing as if nothing happened.

It's interesting how when he is 'not sharp' in Sutter's words, he immediately gets demoted, but the same rules don't seem to apply to the other players on the team.

As a Slovak I am just excited that we finally have a forward who can produce at almost PPG pace. That hasn't happened in years. I am happy that he is finally getting his chance and he is not giving Sutter any excuse to scratch him again, but I would love to see him get the ice time that his production warrants. And that's not happening right now.

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[Tkachuk Norris]

He is honestly dominating out there right now.

Even Tkachuk and Gaudreau played significantly less than other top scorers last year. Sutter likes to roll 4 lines

 

[TheHudlinator]

He is honestly dominating out there right now.

Even Tkachuk and Gaudreau played significantly less than other top scorers last year. Sutter likes to roll 4 lines

It's just too bad we only have 3 lines of nhl players.

Still can't believe we didn't even try Ruzicka in the playoffs he made Lewis and lucic look nhl caliber which is about the nicest thing I could say about a player.

 

[alko]

How is there no thread for this guy?

There is (are) some threads already. Im sure about it. But the search function isnt working well here on Hfboards.

 

[super6646]

There is (are) some threads already. Im sure about it. But the search function isnt working well here on Hfboards.

I presume you are ecstatic about us having the best Slovak player in the league rn

 

[vlady]

Is he in the dog house again? Played only 10 minutes last night. Only Philips with less ice time from the forwards. Still had an assist, albeit on a fluke goal that maybe shouldn't have counted.

I suppose having your best ppg player playing 4th line minutes is also a way to coach a team.

I didn't watch the game so maybe there was a reason that I am not aware of, but it wouldn't surprise if it was purely down to Sutter doing what he does.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Is he in the dog house again? Played only 10 minutes last night. Only Philips with less ice time from the forwards. Still had an assist, albeit on a fluke goal that maybe shouldn't have counted.

I suppose having your best ppg player playing 4th line minutes is also a way to coach a team.

I didn't watch the game so maybe there was a reason that I am not aware of, but it wouldn't surprise if it was purely down to Sutter doing what he does.

He doesn’t kill penalties.

 

[vlady]

He doesn’t kill penalties.

That alone doesn't explain it. Here is the Event Summary. Compare his EV time versus other forwards.

 

[BRobMint]

Is he in the dog house again? Played only 10 minutes last night. Only Philips with less ice time from the forwards. Still had an assist, albeit on a fluke goal that maybe shouldn't have counted.

I suppose having your best ppg player playing 4th line minutes is also a way to coach a team.

I didn't watch the game so maybe there was a reason that I am not aware of, but it wouldn't surprise if it was purely down to Sutter doing what he does.

He got less time last night because of the Flames taking too many penalties

 

[Anglesmith]

Yeah, Backlund is our #1 penalty killer. Usually bookends the PK. His two linemates are affected by that.

 

[JPeeper]

Ruzicka reminds me a lot of Monahan, timid-ish player but excellent finish and decent passing. However the past 10 games Ruzicka is really starting to use his body more which Monahan never really did and he's playing a lot more aggressively. If Ruzicka can stay consistent game to game, which has always been a knock on him since he was drafted which is why he was taken in the 4th and not higher, he'll be a stud going forward. I can see Rosie being a consistent 60 point guy going forward if he keeps improving under Sutter. He has the skill, he has the body, he just needs to get the confidence and find the consistency.

 

[vlady]

Adam's father told the Slovak media that he had been playing sick the last few games and that may be why he got less ice time. He said he was taking antibiotics. Last game he felt a little better but still a bit weak.

Here is the article

 

[BRobMint]

Adam's father told the Slovak media that he had been playing sick the last few games and that may be why he got less ice time. He said he was taking antibiotics. Last game he felt a little better but still a bit weak.

Here is the article

Thanks. Hopefully Adam gets better soon. He’s a stud and has earned at top 6 spot

 

[Yepthatsme]

Adam's father told the Slovak media that he had been playing sick the last few games and that may be why he got less ice time. He said he was taking antibiotics. Last game he felt a little better but still a bit weak.

Here is the article

Sounds like it’s been making its way through the room (as well as some other teams in the league) throughout the season. We usually only hear about the players who end up to sick to play, wonder just how bad it’s been behind the scenes this season.

Lucic put in an admirable effort last game, but a Huberdeau-Kadri-Ruzicka line could be exactly what it takes for us to finally have some lines we can set for a long stretch for the first time all season.

 

[jcbio11]

Sounds like it’s been making its way through the room (as well as some other teams in the league) throughout the season. We usually only hear about the players who end up to sick to play, wonder just how bad it’s been behind the scenes this season.

Lucic put in an admirable effort last game, but a Huberdeau-Kadri-Ruzicka line could be exactly what it takes for us to finally have some lines we can set for a long stretch for the first time all season.

I am not surprised. Flu and all other kinds are out in force this winter after 2 winters of lockdowns. At least here in Slovakia that is.

Ruzicka has been the most pleasant surprise among the Slovaks in the NHL this year. I'd still argue Cernak is our best NHLer at the moment, but it's definitely close.

 

[flemo]

Adam's father told the Slovak media that he had been playing sick the last few games and that may be why he got less ice time. He said he was taking antibiotics. Last game he felt a little better but still a bit weak.

Here is the article

He said also that Adam was playing despite high fever (38.5C / 101.3F) . Risky, I'd say

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I dislike this. Need Ruzicka (or Lucic) off the 4th line.

 

[JPeeper]

So stupid. Put him on the top line, guy excels playing with skill players, he was a freakin' point per game player for a decent amount of games (10+). Bunch of scrubs get healthy, he gets pushed to the 4th line having to play with complete anchors in Lewis and more so Lucic (Lewis isn't as useless as Lucic) and can't produce, no shit no one can, then gets scratched for what seems like a month now.

Sutter needs to be canned this offseason, no questions asked.

Just run a 4th line of Zary-Ruzicka-Phillips for the last 15 games, this team ain't making the playoffs get real, get our young guys who deserve it some ice time.

 

[Some Other Flame]

I dislike this. Need Ruzicka (or Lucic) off the 4th line.

The second part of that tweet


Sutter's gonna Dutter, but kind of sad the Flames media, aside for Salim Valji, are so incapable of even asking Darryl what exactly Lucic brings to the lineup to justify playing him 11 and a half minutes a night.

Not that's Sutter's answer would illuminate anything but that's not the point. Bad press creates pressure, both from the bottom and the top that can create change. And yes, it's already happened this season, as seen with the whole Pelletier incident.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Poor kid. I wouldn't be shocked if he asked to be moved this off-season if Sutter is still hanging around somehow.

What a terribly mismanaged asset he has been. The kid literally led this team in scoring for over a months time only to lose his minutes to Milan Lucic who was playing so poorly at the time that he had been benched for three games in a row. It's absolute lunacy. Since then, Ruzicka has not even sniffed a top nine role, nor can he hold down a regular roster spot despite having significantly better underlaying numbers than any of our other options (including Duehr).

Hell - he vastly outperformed what Pelletier is bringing to the top nine in a similar sample size ( 17 points in 19 games vs 7 points in 19 games )

 

[Deen]

Poor kid. I wouldn't be shocked if he asked to be moved this off-season if Sutter is still hanging around somehow.

What a terribly mismanaged asset he has been. The kid literally led this team in scoring for over a months time only to lose his minutes to Milan Lucic who was playing so poorly at the time that he had been benched for three games in a row. It's absolute lunacy. Since then, Ruzicka has not even sniffed a top nine role, nor can he hold down a regular roster spot despite having significantly better underlaying numbers than any of our other options (including Duehr).

Hell - he vastly outperformed what Pelletier is bringing to the top nine in a similar sample size ( 17 points in 19 games vs 7 points in 19 games )

I'm holding out hope that we still have a competitive team and that it has just been bungled beyond belief. The pieces seem to be there, but Sutter has got to go.

 

[herashak]

Ruzicka - Dube - Duehr when coronato signs and we can finally roll 4 lines

 

[Tofveve]

Poor kid. I wouldn't be shocked if he asked to be moved this off-season if Sutter is still hanging around somehow.

What a terribly mismanaged asset he has been. The kid literally led this team in scoring for over a months time only to lose his minutes to Milan Lucic who was playing so poorly at the time that he had been benched for three games in a row. It's absolute lunacy. Since then, Ruzicka has not even sniffed a top nine role, nor can he hold down a regular roster spot despite having significantly better underlaying numbers than any of our other options (including Duehr).

Hell - he vastly outperformed what Pelletier is bringing to the top nine in a similar sample size ( 17 points in 19 games vs 7 points in 19 games )

Bingo.

I don't even look/care how he's playing on the 4th line over the last 30 games or whatever it is. You f*** with an asset that badly you can't expect them lay over and die in a bottom, grinder no minute position. And he got f***ed with in the first 30 games too, but still performed with solid point totals. And they f***ed with him last year too.

I actually want to see him play on one of the top 2 lines next year and get PP time. The guy is a stud. Otherwise trade him and quit destroying his career and life.

 

[Yepthatsme]

Ruzicka - Dube - Duehr when coronato signs and we can finally roll 4 lines

Looking more and more like we won’t see him get playtime this year with Harvard set to go on a run here to end the season. We call our coach old fashioned, but there isn’t a coach in the league who injects a young rookie into the lineup for the final 6-8 games of a donor die playoff push, especially who hasn’t practiced your system ever, unless your name is Makar. Realistically now he gets added to the Wranglers attempt to win the Calder cup this year while learning to play our system.

This possible lineup next year though makes me feel things, if we get any bounce back from main players and Markstrom continues using his dad strength:

Pelletier-Lindholm-Toffoli
Huberdeau-Kadri-Coronato
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Ruzicka-Dube-Deuhr

Weegar-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Kylington-Zadorov

 

[Mazatt]

Ruzicka is a self-fulfilling prophecy at the moment. Was he less than spectacular on the 4th line prior to being scratched? Yeah, but when you repeatedly look at his performance and tell yourself "he's gonna slow down and bottom out eventually," you're gonna push him out of the lineup at the first sign of slowing down instead of giving him an opportunity.

I feel like Sutter did just that. Threw him in as a Huberdeau injury filler, and despite not really seeing him there long-term kept him there while he produced. And at the first sign things weren't going to be perfect the whole way through? Back down to an unfitting role, and then the pressbox. If the expectations never adjust for a player despite a potential breakout they're bound to fall back into the old expectations you want them to play into. No matter what, he isn't just a 4th line centre and he needs a legitimate opportunity to match his skillset--especially on a team that can somehow justify Nick Ritchie in it's top 6