The Faulker 27
Registered User
Jordan Staal is not a #2 canter, Jack Drury is not a #2 center, every time KK has a decent run at #2 center one or two bad games and he’s buried, Kutzy is seemingly past his prime, or the coaches don’t trust him.
I’ve been harping on this for 3-4 seasons. It feels like certain players are given a lot more rope when it comes to offensive production, or lack thereof, and it ain’t the ones born across the big pond. Maybe it’s a faceoff thing, or defensive coverage, but goddamnit this team lacks goal scoring in the playoffs. Let the defensemen defend and let the guys who’ve at least shown flashes of offensive talent try and score some goals.
Hell I’d put TT between Jarvis and Necas at this point or play Jarvis in the middle. At least you’ve got three 20+ goal guys on the same line, Jarvis and TT are more than capable enough of covering 88’s boneheaded defensive play.
If you’re losing the special teams battle you’ve got to try and beat the snot out of them 5v5. And the way the lines are currently set up that’s just not going to happen.
Splitting up Drury/Noesen and Staal/Martinook is mind boggling to me.
Burns and Staal both look like 2009 vintage RBA out there and somebody is going to have to make that tough decision. Personally I don’t expect Rod to be that guy.
He’s not.
Like it or not the league has changed and truly elite defensemen excel at both.
That's just it though, you're not going to beat any team at this level 5v5 by enough to make up for going 0/15 on the power play, while ALSO allowing 4 power play goals in 2 games, and a shg. Every team by round 2 is very good, some just have that extra will, skill level, better goalie, etc to put them over the top. We're unfortunately always the lesser of that situation since 2019. It's happening in round 2 this season, but would probably happen again in ECF against a team like Florida (who I suspect will make it again).