Evgeny Kuznetsov: Part 3

usiel

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New prospect style dev train up whateva fits team needs.

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Zorak

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Dec 19, 2007
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Actually, his shot is one of his biggest assets. He just have to find a rhythm - the timing is off because of faster NHL play. You need to be comfortable with your timing to start painting the corners. And he will, believe me.

And yes, he's a natural center who was forced to play on the wing for some vague reasons.
 

Stewie G

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Oct 19, 2009
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Actually, his shot is one of his biggest assets. He just have to find a rhythm - the timing is off because of faster NHL play. You need to be comfortable with your timing to start painting the corners. And he will, believe me.

And yes, he's a natural center who was forced to play on the wing for some vague reasons.
He's looked a little slow getting his shot off at times. He'll need to improve in that aspect. Overall though, I've been very impressed.
 

RandyHolt

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Who has set him up to shoot? No one. Well, besides Ovi bull rushing down the slot last night like a freight train, on a mission finally.

Coming down the wing, the D we have faced in his time here are gaping tight.

With no real passing to him, I don't think he has had much of an opportunity to show his shot arsenal. I bet he has a great shot. On a team in a league of pluggers, we just aren't going to see it often, without PP time.

Which may be coming if Nick is on the shelf long, although I bet Grabo gets first dibs.
 
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Langway

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Jul 7, 2006
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Coming down the wing, the D we have faced in his time here are gaping tight.

With no real passing to him, I don't think he has had much of an opportunity to show his shot arsenal.
Yep. They're so flat through the neutral zone as a group that he hasn't had much space to get anything off in transition. He's still tried a few shots, which is more than most seem to be able to muster, but they've been from the perimeter and low percentage.

Initially, the PP ought to be a better place for him to show his shot off but even with Backstrom out he didn't get much time. I like how he tries to cut towards the slot on his off-wing off of cycles but, you're right, there isn't much playmaking at even-strength going on. Pretty ironic that under Oates there is such a dumbed down gameplan and so little built-in awareness of teammates and controlling the pace. Oates seems to have zero idea how to develop those qualities he had.
 

Chimaera

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He has a good shot. We've seen it. But he does have the passing disease at times.

He'll score goals, but assists might be his primary output at least for a bit.
 

RandyHolt

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One thing i learned about playing with better players, put some mustard on that pass to them. In fact, pass to them as hard as possible. Doing that opens up shots for them. Make a slapper pass if you have wet noodles for wrists. Try it. You will see great players still catch your best. Challenge them.

Nick likes to hold the puck and think, and will try and hit you in a seam. No one else on the team really passes at all. Look at our leading ES assist guys.

With Semin gone, Ovi finally just hitting double digits in ESA, the passing on our team is a atrocious. Kuz fills that void, and so agreed, don't expect the goals to roll in for him right now.

We just struggle in all phases of quality offense and they all tank each other. Possession, passing, shooting.

If it didnt happen on the PP, it was likely an ugly goal. I ain't never seen a stick helicoptering down the ice like last night during the Kuz goal. That's a good pass for us. One for the memory bank.
 
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dcsportsfan85

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Nov 9, 2013
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why is he at winger exactly? he was a center in the KHL and just look at his play, hes a natural playmaker. with backstrom out could we be seeing him centering ovie's line? get some of that rooskie chemistry flowin

He didn't played center in the KHL he played RW. Prior to that he played center for Russia at the World Juniors and other junior leagues. The main reason for him not playing center is because he absolutely terrible at face offs. As the website RMNB's puts it "like Shaquille Oneill shooting free throws bad".

They will play him at center eventually but that is a really tough position to put your prized prospect in during the middle of a playoff push. There is a lot he has to learn in terms of defensive responsibilities. Plus he's still just getting acclimated to the North American style. We'll see him there eventually but right now just probably isn't the best time to throw him out at center. Also this team is already bad enough in the face off circle. It'll be nice to get Grabovski back who's good on the draw.
 

RandyHolt

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So predictable of Oates on insisting on a position change for Kuznetsov as a priority early in his career. He has never played LW.

Is it really that dangerous to move Ovi to LW, and open up a spot for the kid?

You'd think Oates's handedness directive had us en route to an Adams.

Have your 2 best offensive wingers in their natural spots?

mind blown.gif I will spare you all the gore
 

g00n

Retired Global Mod
Nov 22, 2007
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I am starting to think the fact that this team can even compete for a playoff spot with Oates' mutilation of the roster and lines is a very strong plus in GMGM's favor...if you ignore the hiring Oates part, but you really can't fire him during a playoff push in his first full season.
 

Calicaps

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Aug 3, 2006
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So predictable of Oates on insisting on a position change for Kuznetsov as a priority early in his career. He has never played LW.

Is it really that dangerous to move Ovi to LW, and open up a spot for the kid?

You'd think Oates's handedness directive had us en route to an Adams.

Have your 2 best offensive wingers in their natural spots?

mind blown.gif I will spare you all the gore

It's ****ing insane. I always knew Oates had an ego, but the obvious sense he has that he knows hockey better than anyone who's ever coached his players before is almost clinically narcissistic. He's delusional.
 
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g00n

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Nov 22, 2007
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As I said in the GDT, what does it say about this brilliant handedness fetish if your 2C goes down and all your lines are suddenly useless?
 

Darkproducer

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Mar 25, 2008
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As I said in the GDT, what does it say about this brilliant handedness fetish if your 2C goes down and all your lines are suddenly useless?

Spot on. Sux cause I loved Oates as a player, but MY GOSH MAN he blows as a coach. :cry::cry::cry:
 

CapInSask

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Jan 22, 2014
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Mark my words. Burakovsky-Kuznetsov-Wilson will be the best line on the Caps in 3-6 years. Kuz/Wilson have already shown flashes of chemistry. Andre will slot in perfectly with these two. If only we hadn't traded Filip.
It could've been:
Burakovsky-Backstrom-Ovechkin
Forsberg-Kuznetsov-Wilson

:scared:
 
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Liberati0n*

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Mark my words. Burakovsky-Kuznetsov-Wilson will be the best line on the Caps in 3-6 years. Kuz/Wilson have already shown flashes of chemistry. Andre will slot in perfectly with these two. If only we hadn't traded Filip.
It could've been:
Burakovsky-Backstrom-Ovechkin
Forsberg-Kuznetsov-Wilson

:scared:

Not sure about those lines, but I think Burakovsky may be the best winger on the team that soon, maybe even if Kuznetsov is still a winger.
 

CapInSask

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Jan 22, 2014
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Not sure about those lines, but I think Burakovsky may be the best winger on the team that soon, maybe even if Kuznetsov is still a winger.

I agree, his skating and scoring ability are outstanding. People can say what they want about him playing with McDavid but he said himself that sometimes he will just give the puck to Andre and let him work his magic (or something along those lines :dunno:)
 

usiel

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Would not trade Burakovsky at this point. Only because trading for dman..as dman they have more value and we've already done a Forsberg at this point as far as trading a top prospect so would rather not trade for a loss. Must admit the Civ5 in me is looking at the 2 or 3 seasons from now other than the next.
 

CapInSask

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Jan 22, 2014
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Would not trade Burakovsky at this point. Only because trading for dman..as dman they have more value and we've already done a Forsberg at this point as far as trading a top prospect so would rather not trade for a loss. Must admit the Civ5 in me is looking at the 2 or 3 seasons from now other than the next.

Unfortunately, unless our D improves drastically that's really the only option we have. We have forwards with great offensive upside when they are allowed to free wheel, if we had more solidity on D it would allow some of the players to play a more offensive oriented game (Mike Green).
 

usiel

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Unfortunately, unless our D improves drastically that's really the only option we have. We have forwards with great offensive upside when they are allowed to free wheel, if we had more solidity on D it would allow some of the players to play a more offensive oriented game (Mike Green).

I hear ya. If some team wanted to trade at the level of as a forward to improve the 2nd pairing I would seriously consider (naturally) trading depending on the return.
 

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