GDT: Game 34: Columbus vs. Winnipeg | 12/16 7PM EST

[cslebn]

Oh hell yeah injuries matter. Gaborik and Wiz absolutely should increase our offensive output over time (lets not judge that based on their first few games back like we always do on HFB). We went 1 - 7 on the PP vs STL, either or both of those guys could have very well moved that stat north.

A healthy Bob could have won the last two games in regulation.

Just adding to the thought that injuries matter (def not picking on you Nordique, just the last person to post on it). They do and they don't right. It's all dependent on who. A lot is said about how that's just an excuse, when it's really not.

Top 10 injured teams in the league:
Team Games Lost Place in the standings Who
Anaheim 181 2nd West Fasth is their highest impact player who has been on IR (no 1st liners)

Pittsburgh 170 1st East Paul Martin and Scuderi is really it. Neal went on IR for a short bit but when you have their team...meh

Carolina 167 8th East (3rd Metro) Khudobin, Semin, Ward, Skinner, Ruutu, Gleason, and Pitkanen

Edmonton 166 14th West Bachman, Schultz, Perron, Pitlick, Symth, Hall, Joensuu, RNH, Potter, Gagner, and two Hamiltons.

Columbus 136 13th East Gaborik, Horton, BOB, Dubi, DMac, Prout, Foligno (personal), Calvert, Boll,

Tampa 128 4th East Stamkos (and now they aren't as good eh?), Ohlund, Aulie, Malone

New Jersey 127 12th East Gionta, Harrold, Larsson, Volchenkov, Elias, Schnieder, Salvador, Carter, Clowe, Tedenby

Montreal 125 3rd East Emelin, Drewiske, Thomas, Murray, Parros, Quailer, MaxPac (only star here), Prust, Moen, Bourque

Detroit 116 6th East Zetterberg, DeKeyser, Weiss, Smith, Franzen, Ericsson, Helm, Monster, TooToo, Eaves

Winnipeg 115 12th West Clitsome, Thorburn, Trouba, Slater, Postma, Stuart, Kane, Bogosian, Halischuk

You look at this and the teams with the stars and top talents are not in the playoffs with the exception of TBL, and they have been slipping back. Others when the good players go down - so do they in the standings. It correlates.

We're still in striking distance in the Metro for being 5th on that list with our best talent (minus the emergence of Joey) out. Our games against Philly are really important now because of this so we just need to keep playing with the effort that's been there the last 11 games.

Personally I loved what I saw last night*. Yes the refs sucked. Yes the turnovers were awful. Yes it was sloppy (some nights are, you think even the mighty Blackhawks don't have off nights??? the difference is they still have enough talent to win). But we bounced back after goals were scored against us. When have we ever done that before. Just last year in the playoff push - that's it. Say what you will about the team, the talent or the coaching but these guys at least fight for it and have the ability to make something happen.

*Note, I would like to stone the refs for how they called the game.

 

[blahblah]

Just adding to the thought that injuries matter (def not picking on you Nordique, just the last person to post on it). They do and they don't right. It's all dependent on who. A lot is said about how that's just an excuse, when it's really not.

Well his conclusion about Bob over the last two is highly questionable. I wasn't upset about any of them that were given up last night. Bob hasn't exactly been on his game this season and I'm not sure it is reasonable to expect that anyone would have stopped the first two. Let's not forget that for a while Bob was giving up goals from shots taken in Kansas. Some people have way too much faith in Bob leading to some unreasonable expectations. I'm hoping we get something in between what we've seen this season and what we had last season. If he becomes a true elite goal tender, that would be great. But I'm not putting the burden of that lofty expectation on him.

I'm not going to complain about the injuries. When you take out Horton, which was self inflicted, it's mainly Gaborik and Bob. There has been some recent injuries. But for the most part they've been fairly short in duration. Not much in the way of things like broken bones and concussions. Especially not the dreaded high ankle sprain.

That we are starting to see a healthy team in the near future is a good thing. We'll see how much of a difference it makes.

Hopefully the groin injury with Bob doesn't linger and he comes back fresh and back to closer to what he was last season.

 

[cslebn]

Well his conclusion about Bob over the last two is highly questionable. I wasn't upset about any of them that were given up last night. Bob hasn't exactly been on his game this season and I'm not sure it is reasonable to expect that anyone would have stopped the first two. Let's not forget that for a while Bob was giving up goals from shots taken in Kansas. Some people have way too much faith in Bob leading to some unreasonable expectations. I'm hoping we get something in between what we've seen this season and what we had last season. If he becomes a true elite goal tender, that would be great. But I'm not putting the burden of that lofty expectation on him.

I'm not going to complain about the injuries. When you take out Horton, which was self inflicted, it's mainly Gaborik and Bob. There has been some recent injuries. But for the most part they've been fairly short in duration. Not much in the way of things like broken bones and concussions. Especially not the dreaded high ankle sprain.

That we are starting to see a healthy team in the near future is a good thing. We'll see how much of a difference it makes.

Hopefully the groin injury with Bob doesn't linger and he comes back fresh and back to closer to what he was last season.

Agreed, Bob wasn't playing to well when he went out. Personally I thought he was starting to come back to from but wasn't there yet. Still, he is the starter and is better than McBackup^2.

Horton was self inflicted, but it's still an injury and it's still first line talent. I know SL has pulled the stats in the past for how many goals we're missing based on the injuries and at the end that would help us.

I still think it's a stretch for people to say that the injuries are an excuse and don't impact us. That was my only real point. That and how I'm happy we have a team now that believes they can fight back and will work towards that end.

 

[EspenK]

Thanks for that thought provoking analysis. Usually when me or one my friends says something like the above, we get the standard "Thanks, Captain Obvious" ridicule.

No kidding the score indicates the winner? You got us there. I don't think anyone else came up with that conclusion. I mean, score more goals than the other team? Who woulda thunk dat wus da reesun? I am sure media outlets around the world would love your post game articles. "We scored less goals, so we lost". I will say, it gives an amazing amount of context for the reader.

Now would you like to talk about the game or just make fun of the post game analysis?

And... "period"? Really?

Not sure where you're going with this. I would try to explain to you but I'm not sure it would do any good. I'm done with this thread.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Not sure where you're going with this. I would try to explain to you but I'm not sure it would do any good. I'm done with this thread.

 

[pete goegan]

Not sure where you're going with this. I would try to explain to you but I'm not sure it would do any good. I'm done with this thread.

Wait...didn't you just read the first few words and decide the rest wasn't worth your time and effort?

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

The officiating cost us this game. Did a Columbusite run off with one of the referees' wife and run over his dog while backing out?

 

[Nordique]

Well his conclusion about Bob over the last two is highly questionable. I wasn't upset about any of them that were given up last night. Bob hasn't exactly been on his game this season and I'm not sure it is reasonable to expect that anyone would have stopped the first two. Let's not forget that for a while Bob was giving up goals from shots taken in Kansas. Some people have way too much faith in Bob leading to some unreasonable expectations. I'm hoping we get something in between what we've seen this season and what we had last season. If he becomes a true elite goal tender, that would be great. But I'm not putting the burden of that lofty expectation on him.

I'm not going to complain about the injuries. When you take out Horton, which was self inflicted, it's mainly Gaborik and Bob. There has been some recent injuries. But for the most part they've been fairly short in duration. Not much in the way of things like broken bones and concussions. Especially not the dreaded high ankle sprain.

That we are starting to see a healthy team in the near future is a good thing. We'll see how much of a difference it makes.

Hopefully the groin injury with Bob doesn't linger and he comes back fresh and back to closer to what he was last season.

The conclusion is simply that Bob could make the difference in a one goal game. I don't think anyone in the league would argue that their #1 goalie gives them a better chance on a nightly basis than their #3.

 

[Robert]

The Jets can't be that good... the Sabres just beat them 4-2 in Buffalo tonight.. The Jackets should have won this game!!!!

 

[Robert]

Oh, as for the injury excuse crap... get past it... The CBJ fans lead the league in excuses for 13 years running...

Just win....

 

[Crede777]

Hopefully the groin injury with Bob doesn't linger and he comes back fresh and back to closer to what he was last season.

I'm pretty sure the way Bob played last season and the stats he put up would go under the "ridiculously unsustainable" category.

Granted, you said "closer" and that's fair. But to people hoping Bobrovsky is going to carry the team, that's probably not going to happen. The team needs to count on him continuing the trend so far and plan accordingly.

 

[ca5150]

Maybe, but it wasn't like that last year until we got on our big run, I still think people are in that mindset from the run.

I don't think anyone cared early last year, well some of us did, but the marginal people didn't care or expect any results, so when we made a run, all the marginal fans came flocking back and now they are even more disappointed so every game is like the end of the world

 

[ca5150]

I don't completely agree. Certainly, the greatest benefit of his return would be a resumption of his best scoring pace of the past; but the threat of that, alone, should impact the game. Right now, there is nobody who scares the opposition. Gaborik (and Horton) will add that element, at least, and open ice for the rest. (I hope!)

I sure hope you are right and he comes back a house of fire, but I just have a bad feeling about him. The same one I had with Carter...not comparing the two, just that gut feeling that he isn't invested here and will be gone at the deadline.

 

[ca5150]

All of these if's and shoulda,coulda,woulda's are ridiculous. We would have won if we outscored them. Period.

Wouldn't this board sees to exist if we stopped all the "if's and shoulda, coulda and woulda's?" I think that is the entire reason for this board being created! haha

 

[Nordique]

Oh, as for the injury excuse crap... get past it... The CBJ fans lead the league in excuses for 13 years running...

Just win....

Taking an analytical approach to a situation isn't the same as "making excuses". There is something to be said for understanding why you lost a game, or why you are 3 points below the line approaching the mid point.

Wouldn't this board sees to exist if we stopped all the "if's and shoulda, coulda and woulda's?" I think that is the entire reason for this board being created! haha

Exactly. If you don't want to talk CBJ, then don't bother reading the posts here.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Wouldn't this board sees to exist if we stopped all the "if's and shoulda, coulda and woulda's?" I think that is the entire reason for this board being created! haha

"Jackets sure lost that last game, Floyd."

"Ayup."

 

[Kev22]

So Winnipeg follows up with a loss to the Sabres. Think we let two points slip away. These are the kind of games that will bite this team in the ass in the end. Good teams don't let the Jets come into your building and walk away with two points.

 

[Nordique]

So Winnipeg follows up with a loss to the Sabres. Think we let two points slip away. These are the kind of games that will bite this team in the ass in the end. Good teams don't let the Jets come into your building and walk away with two points.

As much as I agree that it was a very winnable game, the next 4 games are each more important to this team than a Western matchup. PHI/PHI/NJ/CAR, 3 points seperate us and these teams in the conference standings. We could win these 4, lose the next 4 (Pitt and 3 Western teams), and move up in the playoff picture.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

So Winnipeg follows up with a loss to the Sabres. Think we let two points slip away. These are the kind of games that will bite this team in the ass in the end. Good teams don't let the Jets come into your building and walk away with two points.

Your last sentence is telling.

As much as I agree that it was a very winnable game, the next 4 games are each more important to this team than a Western matchup. PHI/PHI/NJ/CAR, 3 points seperate us and these teams in the conference standings. We could win these 4, lose the next 4 (Pitt and 3 Western teams), and move up in the playoff picture.

Doesn't take away from the fact it was a winnable game.

 

[pete goegan]

Doesn't take away from the fact it was a winnable game.

Is anyone ready to concede that there are games that are not winnable?

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Is anyone ready to concede that there are games that are not winnable?

Not Ty Conklin by gum.

Phrased that post poorly. Meant only to indicate Nord's contention did not negate or supercede what Kev was getting at.

 

[FANonymous]

Is anyone ready to concede that there are games that are not winnable?

Away games in Nashville?

 

[ca5150]

"Jackets sure lost that last game, Floyd."

"Ayup."

hahaha

 

[Columbus Mike]

Is anyone ready to concede that there are games that are not winnable?

 

[pete goegan]

OK, I'll give you that one!