As long as it's pretty at the end of the season.Just looked at the standings, it`s not pretty
As long as it's pretty at the end of the season.Just looked at the standings, it`s not pretty
Well, I wanted to do this before this 2-goals-in-18-games stretch.That’s why it’s so damn hard to trade him, because you only want to when he’s playing like ****. When he’s playing well (or at least scoring) he’s too valuable to move.
Just looked at the standings, it`s not pretty
Don’t worry too much about it. After these two Washington games, we’ve got Calgary, Detroit, Vegas, Pittsburgh, Montreal, and Ottawa to finish off January. All those games seem more winnable than this past stretch (even Vegas, because it’s a home game).
Then we start February with 7 games at home, against Montreal, Detroit, San Jose, Philly, Vancouver, Colorado, LA. Again, games that should be winnable if we play to our potential.
Then the end of Feb/Beginning of March looks rough again, but past March 13th, it’s basically 1 game against Tampa, 1 game against Washington, and a whole lot of beatable opponents.
It’ll be close, but the way the schedule has worked out actually benefits us for once. We just have to take advantage.
Not sure that's the case though. Recollections about Skinner's last season get blurred because of the unbelievable scoring tear he went on. Sure, he's been ineffective and/or invisible lately but that was true of stretches last year too. Streaky is as streaky does. Talks of dealing him seem premature and harken back to a couple years ago.This season from Skinner reminds me of his first season under Bill Peters. There's something about his game that just feels different this year than last. Almost like coach has changed the way he's utilized offensively. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but watching Skinner this year in the offensive zone hasn't felt right. Maybe it's not the coach and it's just him, I don't know. But the Canes do seem to be playing a bit different this year than last and I feel like it's taken away from Skinner's game some.
One thing that I see, and it very well could just be my perception and not reality, is that Skinner is rarely dangerous offensively in this stretch right now. Last year, when he would go through dry spells, I recalled thinking that there were many times where he was dangerous offensively, but just not scoring or just snake-bitten, so you felt like he would break out of it eventually. I remember in post game interviews last year where Peters would talk about how dangerous "Skinny" was all night even though he didn't score. Just not seeing that now.
Again, maybe I'm remember things more favorably last year than they really were. There's no doubt he is a streaky scorer though, which is why I said I'm not looking to trade him as he will get hot, but I don't think he is one of the guys that should be completely off the table either.
Remember the debate about Skinner not being named captain? "The guy who cares", 'the guy that steps up and puts the team on his back", "the guy that is passionate and just wants to win", etc... It's about time that Skinner shows up. He's been fairly anemic offensively (2 goals the last 15 games), he's been a disaster defensively, and his decision making has been poor.
Williams hasn't been much better. 2 Goals and 6 assists in his last 18 games and a number of brain farts on the ice.
Even when he's in the D zone, he's cherry picking by just floating around waiting for an exit. And he's been doing it consistently the entire season, which I have a hard time believing Peters would allow.
The fact that he's been doing it consistently the entire season tells me that not only is Peters allowing it, he's encouraging it -- either explicitly, or tacitly by not sitting his ass down for it.
One thing that I see, and it very well could just be my perception and not reality, is that Skinner is rarely dangerous offensively in this stretch right now. Last year, when he would go through dry spells, I recalled thinking that there were many times where he was dangerous offensively, but just not scoring or just snake-bitten, so you felt like he would break out of it eventually. I remember in post game interviews last year where Peters would talk about how dangerous "Skinny" was all night even though he didn't score. Just not seeing that now.
Again, maybe I'm remember things more favorably last year than they really were. There's no doubt he is a streaky scorer though, which is why I said I'm not looking to trade him as he will get hot, but I don't think he is one of the guys that should be completely off the table either.
Not sure that's the case though. Recollections about Skinner's last season get blurred because of the unbelievable scoring tear he went on. Sure, he's been ineffective and/or invisible lately but that was true of stretches last year too. Streaky is as streaky does. Talks of dealing him seem premature and harken back to a couple years ago.
One thing I've noticed about his game is he is going more for his patented telegraphed slapper rather than his more dangerous wrister when in the high slot area. That and he seems to find the puck on his stick a lot behind the net these days looking to pass the puck to one of the other forwards...something that seems bassackwards from what we'd want given his linemates, usually.
Williams....he's a 45 pt scorer 22 23 type of guy on a good caps team....he's on pace for that here...I don't expect more out of him.
Yeah, you are right! But taking that advantage will not be easy for us, because they never make easy for us, it`s the way of Canes..Don’t worry too much about it. After these two Washington games, we’ve got Calgary, Detroit, Vegas, Pittsburgh, Montreal, and Ottawa to finish off January. All those games seem more winnable than this past stretch (even Vegas, because it’s a home game).
Then we start February with 7 games at home, against Montreal, Detroit, San Jose, Philly, Vancouver, Colorado, LA. Again, games that should be winnable if we play to our potential.
Then the end of Feb/Beginning of March looks rough again, but past March 13th, it’s basically 1 game against Tampa, 1 game against Washington, and a whole lot of beatable opponents.
It’ll be close, but the way the schedule has worked out actually benefits us for once. We just have to take advantage.
He's been sloppy with and without the puck to be sure but I don't think it's the night and day difference to other stretches that some are implying. It would be nice to see a return his semi-commitment to two-way play from a couple years back where he was a league leader in takeaways. That does seem like a distant memory.The streakiness I can handle, but it’s a lot different this year. He has been actively detrimental as opposed to invisible, in my opinion.
Remember all that talk about how Skinner had developed a dangerous new shot in the off-season?
I wonder if he's trying to find that shot at the expense of the rest of his game.