Player Discussion Erik Gustafsson: The "Don't Panic, It's Not Gudbranson" Edition

[Habs Halifax]

Nah...it wasn't over my head then, and it's certainly not now.

I just found it ironic is all.


Sorry I'm not tracking all your posts on the matter but I do recall you being adamant about how Romanov can't be trusted because he's young and destined to make game-killing mistakes like Dermott and Sandin did.

But now you're seeing 2 veteran Dmen making the same mistakes and you've come to the conclusion that Romanov would be better served playing this series.

Again...I just find this about-face ironic is all.


Do YOU understand that age has NOTHING to do with anything now?

Veterans make mistakes just like young players do.

Merrill was awful against thr Knights too, difference is, and for this part I AGREE WITH YOU, the opponent is much different and they make you pay for every mistake.

Gustafsson is diff for me because I get why he was in the lineup...but Merrill has been awful since day 1 and he's a turnover machine.

Inserting Romanov in game 4 down 3-0 accomplishes what at this point?

Wasted opportunity here all for the sake of "vetetanism".

A theory you were a big proponent of not too long ago but somehow, things have changed now.

Either way...I hope YOU understand now. If not, I'm more than happy to go revisit those posts so you can have a reminder of what you said back then. You weren't talking about different matchups requiring adjustments, you were adamant that Romanov's inexperience made him more prone to errors and they the Habs couldn't afford it in the playoffs.

I wanted to insert Romanov and Kulak after game 1 bud

 

[salbutera]

Or we faced all the right opposition.
We could have faced any of those instead:
Carolina
Boston
Colorado
Islanders

etc.

There are many others teams we currently have little chance of winning a series against.

We tend to be good against teams that are top-heavy (1 good line) and/or slower. As soon as a team has 2 good lines it becomes much harder for us. And if they can skate with us, again, problem.

Vegas and Winnipeg are somewhat slow.
Toronto we were close to losing to them and they are top-heavy.

Are we winning against Edmonton if they beat Winnipeg? They are top-heavy, but they have some speed we can't match. Colorado after?

I call it the Byron measuring stick. When Byron is invisible, it means he can't out-skate the other team - we are in trouble. When Byron is a factor, we are in business because we add one 20-25 goal scorers - that's significant depth variations.

Look at last year during the play-in, we beat Pittsburgh (top-heavy and slow) and we lost to Philly, a deeper team--> confirms the trend.

We are relatively deep, we are relatively fast. We lack elite talent up front and offensively on the blue line to be a real Stanley contender. The path won't open like it did this year often.

But Philly is slower than Pit...

 

[Laurentide]

Or we faced all the right opposition.
We could have faced any of those instead:
Carolina
Boston
Colorado
Islanders

etc.

There are many others teams we currently have little chance of winning a series against.

We tend to be good against teams that are top-heavy (1 good line) and/or slower. As soon as a team has 2 good lines it becomes much harder for us. And if they can skate with us, again, problem.

Vegas and Winnipeg are somewhat slow.
Toronto we were close to losing to them and they are top-heavy.

Are we winning against Edmonton if they beat Winnipeg? They are top-heavy, but they have some speed we can't match. Colorado after?

I call it the Byron measuring stick. When Byron is invisible, it means he can't out-skate the other team - we are in trouble. When Byron is a factor, we are in business because we add one 20-25 goal scorers - that's significant depth variations.

Look at last year during the play-in, we beat Pittsburgh (top-heavy and slow) and we lost to Philly, a deeper team--> confirms the trend.

We are relatively deep, we are relatively fast. We lack elite talent up front and offensively on the blue line to be a real Stanley contender. The path won't open like it did this year often.

This exactly.

I would also say that we tend to beat the teams who's goaltending doesn't measure up to ours or which implodes under pressure. But any time they've come up against a team with goaltending good enough to negate that advantage, the Habs become easy pickings because they almost never score enough. The Habs win by out-goaltending their opponents, not by outscoring them. If they are forced to outscore an opponent by matching them chance for chance they are dead men skating. Always have been. At some point, always being the lowest scoring team in the playoffs comes back to bite you.

Round 1: Price clearly better than Campbell, who is a flash in the pan.
Round 2: the team in front of Hellebuyck quit on him, making anything he did or didn't do a moot point.
Round 3: MAF, the biggest goalie fraud since Luongo did what he always does: he imploded. But unlike his days with Pittsburgh, he didn't have Crosby and Malkin around to bail him out.

Round 4: Vasilevkiy. Uh-oh.

 

[417]

Not only the Habs but if we go based on their last full season there is nothing there to make one think that this one would have ended any differently.

And why would we do that?

Its a completely different team than that team.

 

[417]

I wanted to insert Romanov and Kulak after game 1 bud

Doesn't change the discussion...you thought inserting Romanov earlier in these playoffs would have catastrophic consequences.

Simply because of his age/lack of experience.

Merrill and Kulak were safer options...

1 game into the finals and you changed your tune?

I guess better late than never...

 

[Laurentide]

And why would we do that?

Its a completely different team than that team.

Only because Bergevin loaded up on vets for a short season playoff run (which, to his credit, he nearly got away with)

 

[417]

Or we faced all the right opposition.
We could have faced any of those instead:
Carolina
Boston
Colorado
Islanders

etc.

There are many others teams we currently have little chance of winning a series against.

We tend to be good against teams that are top-heavy (1 good line) and/or slower. As soon as a team has 2 good lines it becomes much harder for us. And if they can skate with us, again, problem.

Vegas and Winnipeg are somewhat slow.
Toronto we were close to losing to them and they are top-heavy.

Are we winning against Edmonton if they beat Winnipeg? They are top-heavy, but they have some speed we can't match. Colorado after?

I call it the Byron measuring stick. When Byron is invisible, it means he can't out-skate the other team - we are in trouble. When Byron is a factor, we are in business because we add one 20-25 goal scorers - that's significant depth variations.

Look at last year during the play-in, we beat Pittsburgh (top-heavy and slow) and we lost to Philly, a deeper team--> confirms the trend.

We are relatively deep, we are relatively fast. We lack elite talent up front and offensively on the blue line to be a real Stanley contender. The path won't open like it did this year often.

That's typically how it works for most teams who win the Cup.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Doesn't change the discussion...you thought inserting Romanov earlier in these playoffs would have catastrophic consequences.

Simply because of his age/lack of experience.

Merrill and Kulak were safer options...

1 game into the finals and you changed your tune?

I guess better late than never...

"Catastrophic" consequences is not the narrative I presented. Your spin on it is disingenuous.

I feel you are ignoring the context at play with how Tampa presents a different challenge for us. I was perfectly fine with our strategy against the Knights but I felt a different strategy was required against Tampa. Especially with the size/skating game they are throwing at us. I said this heading into the series and I wanted a change after game 1.

 

[417]

Only because Bergevin loaded up on vets for a short season playoff run (which, to his credit, he nearly got away with)

Ok??? Lol not quite sure what the point here is.

He didn't load up on these vets for a short season, since they were all signed beyomd this year lol

It's not like Edmunson, Allen, Anderson and Toffoli were signed to 1 year deals.

 

[417]

"Catastrophic" consequences is not the narrative I presented. Your spin on it is disingenuous.

Spin?

Didn't you REPEATEDLY reference the mistakes made by Dermott and Sandin in round 1 vs the Habs?

You SPECIFICALLY referenced how their mistakes changed the series.

If I used the wrong descriptive, my apologies, but it's the narrative YOU presented.

I feel you are ignoring the context at play with how Tampa presents a different challenge for us. I was perfectly fine with our strategy against the Knights but I felt a different strategy was required against Tampa. Especially with the size/skating game they are throwing at us.

The context I'm currently discussing is the one you presented in round 3.

That's Romanov shouldn't play ahead of Gustafsson or Merrill simply because of his age.

Again...this is YOUR narrative, i'm not spinning anything at all.

Glad to revisit those posts if you need too.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Spin?

Didn't you REPEATEDLY reference the mistakes made by Dermott and Sandin in round 1 vs the Habs?

You SPECIFICALLY referenced how their mistakes changed the series.

If I used the wrong descriptive, my apologies, but it's the narrative YOU presented.



The context I'm currently discussing is the one you presented in round 3.

That's Romanov shouldn't play ahead of Gustafsson or Merrill simply because of his age.

Again...this is YOUR narrative, i'm not spinning anything at all.

Glad to revisit those posts if you need too.

You don't understand or are willing to take the time to understand. And exaggeration or spins is your focus which is disingenuous

* Gusta helped the PP and he stayed because of it. I was OK with that. However, the results are different against Tampa.
* Merrill big body was effective against the Jets and Knights. He was able to pin guys against the walls and force them to the perimeter. Tampa's forwards are too fast for him IMO.

Those values are not showing up against Tampa who are giving us a different challenge. I feel that Romanov/Kulak have better skating/physical parts to their game even if they might make mistakes. But right now, Gusta and Merrill are team leaders in the giveaways/60 min's so things have changed.

You seem to not care about the match-up game but I do. There lies the issue you are overlooking

 

[SOLR]

That's typically how it works for most teams who win the Cup.

That's not true at all.

Tampa can beat anyone.

 

[SOLR]

But Philly is slower than Pit...

Much deeper than Pit.

 

[Habs Halifax]

That's not true at all.

Tampa can beat anyone.

Agreed. This team is stacked in all areas. One of the most complete teams I have seen in recent memory. I feel the Habs needed to go with our most offensive scoring threat line-up vs a defensive obsession that helped us beat the Knights. I realize that has got us to this point but it has also got us to being down 0-3.

- Goaltending
- Defense
- Forwards
- Skating
- Size
- Skating
- Depth

 

[Laurentide]

Ok??? Lol not quite sure what the point here is.

He didn't load up on these vets for a short season, since they were all signed beyomd this year lol

It's not like Edmunson, Allen, Anderson and Toffoli were signed to 1 year deals.

Of course not, because he couldn't get them on one year deals. Like always, the Habs must overpay in both money and term.

 

[SOLR]

Agreed. This team is stacked in all areas. One of the most complete teams I have seen in recent memory.

- Goaltening
- Defense
- Forwards
- Skating
- Size
- Skating
- Depth

They are also over the cap in very real ways.

 

[417]

That's not true at all.

Tampa can beat anyone.

I said that's how it "typically" works.

Playoffs is often about matchups, some teams matchup better than others.

2 or 3 years ago Tampa had an awesome team...they met the Blue Jackets in round 1 and got swept.

Just how it goes sometimes...to try to portray it like these circumstances are just exclusive to the Habs is odd.

 

[Habs Halifax]

They are also over the cap in very real ways.

We are also over the cap but two offensively gifted forwards are sitting (Drouin/Tatar). I feel they would not help against the Jets/Knights but they would help against Tampa.

The most important thing that annoys me is Tampa is beating us with depth, not skill. Some will say their size/skating game is skill and that's fair but I don't see their top skilled guys burning us until the game gets out of hand.

Rutta scores top corner on a screen shot? Come on man! Give me a break. If their depth guys out perform our depth guys, we got no chance which is what we are seeing.

 

[Hins77]

We are also over the cap but two offensively gifted forwards are sitting (Drouin/Tatar). I feel they would not help against the Jets/Knights but they would help against Tampa.

The most important thing that annoys me is Tampa is beating us with depth, not skill. Some will say their size/skating game is skill and that's fair but I don't see their top skilled guys burning us until the game gets out of hand.

Rutta scores top corner on a screen shot? Come on man! Give me a break. If their depth guys out perform our depth guys, we got no chance which is what we are seeing.

. Totally agree. I would think Kucherov, point, hedman would destroy us. I mean. They are pretty quiet. Tyler johnson, cirelli, cernak, coleman, goodrow, are just killing us. But Tampa defense is underrated imo. McdonAgh is really safe in his own zone and make every time the good play. Cernak flying on the ice for a 6ft4 guy. Savard is strong along the board. Thats tough

 

[417]

You don't understand or are willing to take the time to understand. And exaggeration or spins is your focus which is disingenuous

Perhaps you need me to refresh your memory with some of your quotes?

* Gusta helped the PP and he stayed because of it. I was OK with that. However, the results are different against Tampa.

Sure...I got why Gustafsson was in the lineup.

* Merrill big body was effective against the Jets and Knights. He was able to pin guys against the walls and force them to the perimeter. Tampa's forwards are too fast for him IMO.

Not sure what games you were watching but Merrill didn't play against the Jets and he was as bad against the Knights as he's been against the Bolts.

He's a turnover machine and can't move. The only difference is the Bolts forwards make us pay for our mistakes. You're getting caught up in 'score-vision'.

Those values are not showing up against Tampa who are giving us a different challenge. I feel that Romanov/Kulak have better skating/physical parts to their game even if they might make mistakes. But right now, Gusta and Merrill are team leaders in the giveaways/60 min's so things have changed.

There's absolutely nothing that Merrill does better than Romanov...he's awful.

You seem to not care about the match-up game but I do. There lies the issue you are overlooking

Again...you weren't talking about matchups in previous rounds.

All you kept whining about was Romanov's age and inexperience being reasons why he shouldn't play ahead of Gustaffson and/or Merrill.

Now you want to re-write history? Again...i'd be more than happy to refresh your memory.

 

[sampollock]

watch Gus go to KHL next year, no way a NHL team signs him

 

[smcgreg]

I was banned from the positivity thread because I said that while the Habs won't be winning a Cup I did manage to buy an overpriced Habs Finals ball cap. Apparently this statement wasn't deemed "positive" enough.

Hmm... that's surprising.... seems like a positive to me. Kind of like my 1989 Stanley Cup hoodie I got at 7/11 in 1990. Dirt cheap. So, I guess mine's better... cheaper.

Anywho.... I think the notion that the Habs walked through a really weak North should be dispelled at this point. I think that argument held water until they took out Vegas. Heck, the Habs beat last years Vezina winner (who was decent this year) and the current Vezina winner and in the case of Vegas, had a good team in front of him.

TB is clearly the more talented team and anybody would have their hands full with them... as a team, they are on another level than the rest of the league right now, that's why they're where they are. I agree with your argument that there are holes in the roster, but as I've said on several threads this is the most positive I've been about the team in quite a while. I do wish Romo would get some ice time. I don't think he's any worse than the vet options who replaced him and could be improving and gaining from experience in the deep run. That would come in handy if the team ever got there again. I don't think it's a "rebuild" position, but a tenuous "win now" position. Price isn't going to get better. Weber isn't going to get better and Price in particular isn't going anywhere. So, need to wring the most out of those assets while you can. Suzuki is a legit 1st line C at this point. CC will score 30 goals in the regular season and be more prepared to make an impact in another playoff run. The team has consistently been "goals for" challenged and with Suzuki and CC in the mix, that will be less of an issue. Romo should have been gaining experience in this run and then another PMD needs to be brought in. It's go time.

 

[sampollock]

Gus is a dud. not a NHL player.. useless

 

[Habs Halifax]

. Totally agree. I would think Kucherov, point, hedman would destroy us. I mean. They are pretty quiet. Tyler johnson, cirelli, cernak, coleman, goodrow, are just killing us. But Tampa defense is underrated imo. McdonAgh is really safe in his own zone and make every time the good play. Cernak flying on the ice for a 6ft4 guy. Savard is strong along the board. Thats tough

It's annoying me big time!

 

[Habs Halifax]

Perhaps you need me to refresh your memory with some of your quotes?


Sure...I got why Gustafsson was in the lineup.


Not sure what games you were watching but Merrill didn't play against the Jets and he was as bad against the Knights as he's been against the Bolts.

He's a turnover machine and can't move. The only difference is the Bolts forwards make us pay for our mistakes. You're getting caught up in 'score-vision'.


There's absolutely nothing that Merrill does better than Romanov...he's awful.


Again...you weren't talking about matchups in previous rounds.

All you kept whining about was Romanov's age and inexperience being reasons why he shouldn't play ahead of Gustaffson and/or Merrill.

Now you want to re-write history? Again...i'd be more than happy to refresh your memory.

I'm not repeating things at this stage. Have a nice day