Blash

[Winger98]

Frk got boooneed

pretty much. But it reflects the IT Blashill has been giving him anyway.

 

[Oddbob]

It wouldn't be so bad, if he at least gets PP time, but if he misses out on PP time because of someone like Abdelkader, than yikes. Abdelkader continues to not really bring much to the lineup. Not overly physical, certainly doesn't score, not overly fast, nothing special defensively, and literally no point of any game do you see him do somehting that makes you take notice of "hey that was a nice play by Abdelkader."

 

[Flowah]

Frk got boooneed

What's even the point of putting him there.

What's he gonna do on the 4th line with those two as his linemates. What in god's green earth.

 

[golffuul]

Those are the lines for the "foreseeable future " HSJ just reported Blashill said he was done "playing with lines"

No way the "Blender" doesn't turn into a Vitamix the next time we get down 2 or more goals.

 

[dragonballgtz]

I'm always up for bashing Trashill, but mixing up the lines is not one of them. When he put Mantha on Z's line late in a game because Mantha was going and it worked, good.

I've always preferred the Bowman way of handling lines. Mix and match to get the opposition to guess what is coming at you next. But the team needs to know the game plan and be coached to it correctly, this is where Trashill falters.

 

[golffuul]

I'm always up for bashing Trashill, but mixing up the lines is not one of them. When he put Mantha on Z's line late in a game because Mantha was going and it worked, good.

I've always preferred the Bowman way of handling lines. Mix and match to get the opposition to guess what is coming at you next. But the team needs to know the game plan and be coached to it correctly, this is where Trashill falters.

I don't think anyone, here, cares if a couple players are put together because you are trying to get some late-game shifts to try and maybe tie it up or something.

My personal issue is that he goes to the "Blender" way too often, to the point of it being detrimental. And almost always it was to move Abdelkader up to a "better" line pairing to, for some reason, try and get him going. For instance, the last game where AA-Nielsen-Helm were actually playing well together. But once we got down by a goal...AA got moved off the line in favor of Abdelkader.

It's fairly clear that Blashill has his favorites to move up and down the line, but it's as if he's not even paying attention to the lines that he has. Mantha-Larkin-Frk, early on in the season, was another one that saw Frk get demoted. It's a terrible message to send to young players that the coach doesn't care how you are currently playing, he needs to have his favorites get some love.

 

[Oddbob]

Mantha is starting to infuriate me lately with his lackadaisical efforts each night. He hasn't done much offensively unless Zetterberg creates a chance for him. He just coasts around way way too much. I generally don't care if every single forward is good defensively or not, but if you aren't even putting in the effort in either zone, than you better be lighting up the score board like Bure did. He is almost always the last one out of the offensive zone, and even when he isn't he is usually last back to our zone, and slowly skates around with limited involvement. I am really thinking their was something to the Wings complaints about his work ethic last year. At times it looks like he could be a great power forward with great capabilities of using his size, but then he turns around and looks like he is just collecting a paycheck the other half of the time. How about he watch Zetterberg bust his ass in both ends every night 20 minutes a night, and learn what it is to be a star. Larkin seems to have really improved on the plus side, his reading of passing, and where to be defensively is vastly improved over last year.

 

[Mlotek]

Most games I am dissapointed with Larkin, Mantha, and Nyquist. It's like they are ghosts on the ice.

Anyone else notice that the PP tanked since Kronwall came back into the lineup?

 

[Pavels Dog]

I think Blash is blatantly trying to get fired w his new third line this morning at practice

Tatar-Zetterberg-Nyquist
Athanasiou-Larkin-Mantha
Helm-Nielsen-Abdelkader
Frk-Glendening-Wilson

Personally I’d like to see Nielsen get a top 6 position. I’d swap him and Nyquist or Tatar. Otherwise these lines work for me. I don’t think we’re going to stumble upon the magic line combinations that make the offense fire on all cylinders. At least here you have AA/Larkin/Mantha together which is fun.

 

[Leronziia]

Team will likely end up bottom 5 in the league after this weekend.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Most games I am dissapointed with Larkin, Mantha, and Nyquist. It's like they are ghosts on the ice.

Anyone else notice that the PP tanked since Kronwall came back into the lineup?

Kronwall needs to be off the PP. Interestingly the Athletic had an advanced stats article that had him as our best puck mover on the back-end still. Small sample size but given the eye test that was certainly depressing news.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Kronwall needs to be off the PP. Interestingly the Athletic had an advanced stats article that had him as our best puck mover on the back-end still. Small sample size but given the eye test that was certainly depressing news.

I think they cherry picked the stat. Green is our best puck mover however Kronwall is behind him which is still pretty depressing. I don’t see anyone passing him as Jensen isn’t that good and Danny D probably can’t do much without Kessel or Crosby

I know Daley hasn’t been a real good point producer ever but he has been very disappointing with his offensive skills so far probably the worst on the team

 

[Winger98]

Kronwall needs to be off the PP. Interestingly the Athletic had an advanced stats article that had him as our best puck mover on the back-end still. Small sample size but given the eye test that was certainly depressing news.

sample size, likely opponents, small IT. Not really sure why Kronwall is getting the powerplay time he is getting when we have Daley, who is supposed to have some offensive chops. If it's because Daley already handles 22 mins a night, I'd pull him back on the PK just to give him more power play time.

 

[Mlotek]

Frk got boooneed

Whats he getting 8-9 minutes a game?

Funny thats where Pulkkinen was in the organization. And Pulkki is better than Frk. Before they concluded he can't play and started to scratch him.

Ain't many guys scoring tons of goals playing sub 10 minutes a game.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Whats he getting 8-9 minutes a game?

Funny thats where Pulkkinen was in the organization. And Pulkki is better than Frk. Before they concluded he can't play and started to scratch him.

Ain't many guys scoring tons of goals playing sub 10 minutes a game.

How do you figure he is better?

 

[Ezekial]

How do you figure he is better?

AHL numbers maybe?

From what I've seen from Frk away from the puck this season there is no doubt in my mind Frk is the more useful NHLer.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

AHL numbers maybe?

From what I've seen from Frk away from the puck this season there is no doubt in my mind Frk is the more useful NHLer.

He is, but it took him a while to get his skating going and to stop taking as many bad penalties. Marty Frk has developed a lot. He found ways to be more than his shot, Pulkkinen never really did. Though I still think Pulkkinen is going to have a humongous career in the KHL and Internationally when he finally goes back to Europe.

Frk has been noticeable on the forecheck a few times this season. Credit to him, he has stuck with it and improved incrementally.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Personally I’d like to see Nielsen get a top 6 position. I’d swap him and Nyquist or Tatar. Otherwise these lines work for me. I don’t think we’re going to stumble upon the magic line combinations that make the offense fire on all cylinders. At least here you have AA/Larkin/Mantha together which is fun.

I honestly think that making Nielsen center Z would be a great idea. It would take pressure off Z. It's honestly unfair making him the 1C at 37 with a bad back. Neilsen might be able to find some offense too. I'd like to see something like:
Z-Neilsen-Mantha
AA-Larkin-Nyquist
Frk-Helm-Tatar
Abby-Glendenning-Wilson.
We'd have a pretty deep top nine, lots of speed down the middle and Z could relax a bit on the wing. I'd be worried that the second line wouldn't produce.

 

[BinCookin]

I think Blash is blatantly trying to get fired w his new third line this morning at practice

Tatar-Zetterberg-Nyquist
Athanasiou-Larkin-Mantha
Helm-Nielsen-Abdelkader
Frk-Glendening-Wilson

Those are the lines for the "foreseeable future " HSJ just reported Blashill said he was done "playing with lines"

I theorize this is exactly what is going on:

Blashill is no longer going to juggle the lines. time for players to step up and earn their positions and output.
no more mixing of lines going forward.

I think very interestingly is line 2. Mantha and Larkin will have to produce themselves, no more "Z windfall".
I think this is also a good set up for our young kids to prove what they can do. None of them are locked into being 2nd liners yet, and if they are 2nd liner's they will show that over next several games.

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

The bad about Blashill: every single one of our young to mid aged players besides Mantha who in no way should have been regressing have regressed heavily under Blash. We also have a hugely boring team that seems to lack motivation.

The good: Blashill remaining helps our chances of a lottery pick and lose hope for the season faster than another coach, giving Holland more incentive to deal at the TDL. It’s the same reason I want Kronwall’s health to remain as good as possible this season

 

[Mlotek]

How do you figure he is better?

By watching them play.

He is the better skater, and playmaker to boot.

 

[Inspiration]

How sure are we that Martin Frk is better hockey player than Scott Wilson? Wilson averaged more points per game in each of his two AHL seasons than Frk did in his final two AHL seasons (ages 22 and 23 for both), while arguably playing on a worse team. Based on their respective resumes, it seems pretty difficult to make a definitive case that Frk is more deserving to move up in the lineup than Wilson.

 

[HIFE]

How sure are we that Martin Frk is better hockey player than Scott Wilson? Wilson averaged more points per game in each of his two AHL seasons than Frk did in his final two AHL seasons (ages 22 and 23 for both), while arguably playing on a worse team. Based on their respective resumes, it seems pretty difficult to make a definitive case that Frk is more deserving to move up in the lineup than Wilson.

Good point. That's why the discussion of how much better is Frk than Pulkkinen/Jurco is moot. I can agree Frk is more effective but with all these guys so very little happens when they're out there.

Smart- Blashill realised it's not 2010; we don't need a 4th line "punishing"opponents D or some crap . For the first time in years I really like our 4th line! It might give Frk space to sneak in a few goals.

I'm mostly glad Abdelkader is out of the top 6. As Oddbob said he's bringing nothing. So many stupid attempted passes that wouldn't have worked at the NHL level even 5 years ago.

 

[Tasteslikekevinbacon]

Garrioch saying the heat is turning up on Blash and speculating we may turn to Tippett for help...

 

[Claypool]

Garrioch saying the heat is turning up on Blash and speculating we may turn to Tippett for help...

I suspect they'll go with Todd Nelson if they make a change.