Around the NHL Discussion Part XV

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Note Worthy

History Made
Oct 26, 2011
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I see it exactly the opposite. I thought that Backes raised his level to pick Nielsen's head when Nielsen was almost completely upright in the play that earned him his suspension. Here, Backes doesn't look to me like he changes his level and looks to me to be simply "playing through" a smaller puck carrier turning on his edges. That means Trocheck's head is already going to be well lower than if he was fully upright on his skates. Maybe there is something I'm missing here, but I don't think this hit even warranted a penalty much less a match penalty. Trocheck made himself vulnerable turning into the middle of the ice with his head down and paid the price with what I thought was a clean hit. With the play against Detroit, I though Backes got what he deserved.

I see what you're saying and I don't think you're wrong. I guess from my perspective I think Backes had to know he was going to hit Trocheck's head. Whereas with Nielsen I don't feel Backes was targeting the head and didn't know he was going to hit it.

Trocheck put himself in a bad position here but we all know the responsibility is on the hitter now in the NHL.
 

Note Worthy

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Backes talking about the Trocheck hit:

“Tracking back through the middle expecting the puck to be dumped in to go help and maybe be the first man back and all of a sudden (he) cuts to the middle and I’m going to get the puck, and he kind of just turns right into me,” Backes told reporters. “I feel like my shoulder’s down and hit him right through the shoulder. He’s much smaller than I am, but I think probably the good thing is he was back out on the next shift. Injured on the play, but I guess they saw enough to give me a match penalty for it, and we’ll see what happens from here.”

“I obviously had two periods to think about it, and that’s the kind of hit I’ve been doing for years. So if this is kind of the new NHL, the new standard, then I hope I can have my old league back,” he said. “If not, then maybe there are some adjustments I need to make. But I’ll tell ya, if I try to get in a toe drag competition with a guy like Trochek, then I’m going to lose. I think the physical part of the game still needs to be there.”


Read more at: David Backes Wants His ‘Old League’ Back After Match Penalty Vs. Panthers
 

wannabebluesplayer

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Apr 16, 2012
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I agree with Backes, but I think you can still mix the two styles well. Hockey is supposed to be a physical sport. You want to take headhunting and the truly dangerous hits out, Backes's wasn't as dangerous as some others we've all seen get light suspensions. Look at the one that dumped Schenn last night or the one Schenn did to an Avs player. Those are the kinds that are worse and need to be removed. The elbow Scott Stevens dropped on Kariya or the elbow Rupp dropped on Oshie a few years back. Those are the kinds that really need to get taken care of more so than Backes's style. Anyone remember the phantom one on Backes against the Red Wings? Wasn't is like Kent Huskins? I mean, the league should get exponentially better at diagnosing and suspending for the truly bad hits rather than just doling out a match penalty because it looks bad.
 

AjaxManifesto

Pro sports is becoming predictable and boring
Mar 9, 2016
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Preds rolling.


I don’t think the Jets will stop them.
I think they will roll over Vegas.

This leaves somebody in the East to do it. Can TB, Bos, or Pitt stop the Preds?
 

Spektre

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Apr 10, 2010
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The Pens haven't been a dominant regular season team but it's hard to bet against them in the playoffs. Their roster isn't as balanced as some but Crosby & Malkin make up a lot if not all of that difference.

If I had to put money on the line now I'd say the Jets vs Pens for the cup.
 

ezcreepin

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Dec 5, 2016
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Isn't it annoying that just 10 more goals for on this team (realistically I think Tarasenko could and should be around 35 goals atm), and we are in a wildcard spot battling for 3rd in the division? Just looking at the numbers a few 20 minutes ago, and we have like the 5th best defensive team in gga, but obviously we're one of the worst offensive teams in gf. We're like a +6 differential, the kicker being that our gga is at like 184. It's maddening and really frustrating to watch this team miss the playoffs over 10-ish goals.
 

HighNote

Just one more Cup
Jul 1, 2014
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Isn't it annoying that just 10 more goals for on this team (realistically I think Tarasenko could and should be around 35 goals atm), and we are in a wildcard spot battling for 3rd in the division? Just looking at the numbers a few 20 minutes ago, and we have like the 5th best defensive team in gga, but obviously we're one of the worst offensive teams in gf. We're like a +6 differential, the kicker being that our gga is at like 184. It's maddening and really frustrating to watch this team miss the playoffs over 10-ish goals.

Uh.....trade Allen for future considerations?
 

MacDonald4MVP

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May 7, 2016
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It feels like the whole tampa team is healthy and having a career years. There's no better time for them to try to win it all than now.
 

Captain Creampuff

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Sep 10, 2012
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That ship has sailed. Barzal is not only staying for a foreseeable future, but will likely be main motivation for Tavares to stay, if he does.

I mean of course he won't be traded now. But I was hoping the Blues could have put a package together at the time of the draft for that pick. I mean they traded Barzal for Griffin Reinhart. Lol
 

MacDonald4MVP

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May 7, 2016
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I mean of course he won't be traded now. But I was hoping the Blues could have put a package together at the time of the draft for that pick. I mean they traded Barzal for Griffin Reinhart. Lol
Definitely a missed opportunity. Though chiareli might be close to pull a trigger on one of klefbom or rnh. Gotta get on that.
 

stl76

No. 5 in your programs, No. 1 in your hearts
Jul 2, 2015
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Isn't it annoying that just 10 more goals for on this team (realistically I think Tarasenko could and should be around 35 goals atm), and we are in a wildcard spot battling for 3rd in the division? Just looking at the numbers a few 20 minutes ago, and we have like the 5th best defensive team in gga, but obviously we're one of the worst offensive teams in gf. We're like a +6 differential, the kicker being that our gga is at like 184. It's maddening and really frustrating to watch this team miss the playoffs over 10-ish goals.
You want to talk about 10ish missed goals? Take a long hard look at our PP. If we are anywhere close to league average instead of 30th in the league in PP%, we would have more than 10 goals, probably closer to 10+ points in the standings.
 

ezcreepin

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Dec 5, 2016
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You want to talk about 10ish missed goals? Take a long hard look at our PP. If we are anywhere close to league average instead of 30th in the league in PP%, we would have more than 10 goals, probably closer to 10+ points in the standings.
That's what I'm saying. I was just giving a very doable goals for that we should have, just based on Tarasenko's off year. Imagine if we had a 15th ranked pp. We wouldn't have traded Stastny and probably would have traded for Hoffman or someone else. All the more motivation to get a f***in decent pp coach.
 

stl76

No. 5 in your programs, No. 1 in your hearts
Jul 2, 2015
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That's what I'm saying. I was just giving a very doable goals for that we should have, just based on Tarasenko's off year. Imagine if we had a 15th ranked pp. We wouldn't have traded Stastny and probably would have traded for Hoffman or someone else. All the more motivation to get a ****in decent pp coach.
Agree 100%. Was just posting about this HERE.
 
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PiggySmalls

Oink Oink MF
Mar 7, 2015
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I really wish we would have pushed for the Oilers 16th OA pick to select Barzal.

If we gonna do some revisionist history, I have only one request. If we can pick Patrice Bergeron instead of Shawn Belle in 2003 that would be great.
 
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