GDT: Game 45: Columbus vs. Carolina | 1/21 5PM

[Nordique]

6 penalties tonight.

My take on that is that the puck isn't finding our sticks and we're fighting it. That is the one thing I will point too after this game, its a combination of bad bounces, poor reactions, losing structure, and desperation resulting in penalties.

Bob got us a win tonight, that's his job and he's one of the best, hopefully the other guys will get in sync and get us the win today.

I don't see any big individual lack of effort from the group. I know Saad has been mentioned a lot. I actually have been really impressed by his 2 way game this last week. The goals will come, but I like his play in our end and away from the puck right now. Saad needs to be confident with the puck, he shouldn't be dropping a pass to JMFJ 20 feet from the goal with the shot that he has.

Wennberg looks sick, injured, or just fatigued to me.

 

[MAHJ71]

Felt like a weird game in person.. Majority of credit goes to Bob for that win.

Few things that stood out to me:

1) Disturbing to see Prout on the PK. He's just too slow IMO to be a PK. Looked like Jack was frustrated with him on the PPG they gave up.
2) Hartnell comes up clutch... at a time where it appears a lot of guys are fighting the puck (Dubinsky, Saad, Wennberg, etc) the Vet just fires away and sinks two huge goals.
3) Carolina reminds me of Florida in the fact that we seem to have trouble with their style .. at least defensively ... if they had legit GT I think they could do some damage.

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

The tape-to-tape passes that I was beginning to take for granted now seem to be few and far between. It at least that seems to be the case of late.

 

[MAHJ71]

And this next week and a half on the road is going to be another big test.. D will need to step up big time.

 

[Johnny Jacket]

Dalton is making an impact! Just wait till he gets some of the rust off! Played more than Harry last night so hes our number 7th looking to move back to number 6 as things get more physical.

 

[SuperGenius]

You can cherry pick my posts all you want, but you can't seriously tell me that Brandon Saad has looked remotely good over this last stretch of games - especially tonight.

He's not going to find "it" sitting in the press box. Guys go through lulls and they have to play through it. He's done nothing to deserve being benched.

I sometimes wonder if the "punishment for non performance" fan has ever actually played a team sport.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

6 penalties tonight.

My take on that is that the puck isn't finding our sticks and we're fighting it. That is the one thing I will point too after this game, its a combination of bad bounces, poor reactions, losing structure, and desperation resulting in penalties.

Felt to me like "a step slow" penalties.

I don't see any big individual lack of effort from the group. I know Saad has been mentioned a lot. I actually have been really impressed by his 2 way game this last week. The goals will come, but I like his play in our end and away from the puck right now. Saad needs to be confident with the puck, he shouldn't be dropping a pass to JMFJ 20 feet from the goal with the shot that he has.

Wennberg looks sick, injured, or just fatigued to me.

Agree it's not effort. AT least in-game. They're, as you said above, fighting it. Like Matt's post below about passing. Things that were working when they were playing well aren't working, or at least aren't working the same. And they haven't figured out quite why or how to fix it.

The tape-to-tape passes that I was beginning to take for granted now seem to be few and far between. It at least that seems to be the case of late.

 

[major major]

He's not going to find "it" sitting in the press box. Guys go through lulls and they have to play through it. He's done nothing to deserve being benched.

I sometimes wonder if the "punishment for non performance" fan has ever actually played a team sport.

Its not a punishment, it's a wake up. You remember what happened last time Torts almost scratched Saader?

 

[MoeBartoli]

There seems an undue discussion about sitting Saad. Unless it's an issue of effort or failure to pay attention to defensive responsibilities, you don't sit your leading 5 on 5 goal scorer.

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

He's not going to find "it" sitting in the press box. Guys go through lulls and they have to play through it. He's done nothing to deserve being benched.

I sometimes wonder if the "punishment for non performance" fan has ever actually played a team sport.

You know what they say when you make assumptions? It makes an ass out of you and me.

 

[Byrral]

He's not going to find "it" sitting in the press box. Guys go through lulls and they have to play through it. He's done nothing to deserve being benched.

I sometimes wonder if the "punishment for non performance" fan has ever actually played a team sport.

Or coached one. I'm still waiting for MFRONEs response to my questions......"crickets".

 

[SuperGenius]

You know what they say when you make assumptions? It makes an ass out of you and me.

Wondering =! assuming. There are a lot of reasons why you could think the way you do. Ultimately, it's your conclusion that has problems, whatever the origin. Can you be more specific about what Saad isn't doing that a "good benching" will solve? Feel free to highlight some specific situations or video, Coach.

Its not a punishment, it's a wake up. You remember what happened last time Torts almost scratched Saader?

Regarding a wake up call, I don't get the sense that this is what Saad needs. I don't see anything missing from his effort that would require it. When he was nearly scratched, it had a lot to do with his backchecking effort in OT vs the LAK. I just don't see this right now. Goal scorers are streaky. All of them go through this. How do we not understand this?

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

Wondering =! assuming. There are a lot of reasons why you could think the way you do. Ultimately, it's your conclusion that has problems, whatever the origin. Can you be more specific about what Saad isn't doing that a "good benching" will solve? Feel free to highlight some specific situations or video, Coach.



Regarding a wake up call, I don't get the sense that this is what Saad needs. I don't see anything missing from his effort that would require it. When he was nearly scratched, it had a lot to do with his backchecking effort in OT vs the LAK. I just don't see this right now. Goal scorers are streaky. All of them go through this. How do we not understand this?

I definitely think he needs a wakeup call. I won't comment on his defensive play because he hasn't been caught on the wrong end of goals against (pretty much why Karlsson was benched in the third in the Ottawa game, and Calvert scratched).

BUT, his neutral zone play has been sloppy and unenergetic. He's one of the fastest skaters - if not the fastest - on the team, yet when was the last time we've seen him bust through the neutral zone (both with the puck and away from it) using his speed? It's been lackadaisical imo. I can say the same thing about his play in the offensive zone, too. I understand the saying "goal scorers are streaky", but he's one of our top offensive guns on this team, and paid to be a top-tier player. Yet he's found the scoresheet once in the last 9 games (1G in one of the team's worst performances of the year against Carolina).

His line is at its best when they possess the puck and cycle. Other than in the third period against Carolina and Ottawa, the trio of 20-10-71 has been relatively non-existent since the second period of the NYR game other than a shift or two per game. Both he and Wennberg have lost a step in their game over this last stretch. I fully expect them to turn it around, but it needs to be sooner rather than later.

edit: and I believe that Torts' most recent quotes support my observations of Saad and Wennberg's recent play and lack of engagement (see Porty's timeline)

 

[major major]

Regarding a wake up call, I don't get the sense that this is what Saad needs. I don't see anything missing from his effort that would require it. When he was nearly scratched, it had a lot to do with his backchecking effort in OT vs the LAK. I just don't see this right now. Goal scorers are streaky. All of them go through this. How do we not understand this?

You might be right. He's trying. Sometimes stepping aside can be a quick way of bottoming out. I will argue also, that it's just not a big deal. It's not a matter of deserving or not.

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

It is incredible to how minor concepts the practice of scapegoating turns to. Yet you could go 0-8 without the actual play even mentioned. Yet aspects with little to no effect in the big picture zoom some straight in and straight out. Watching the players work is invaluable but if you do not understand the strings attached it is more about guesswork done in the very periphery rather than something you could use to define actual impact. It ain't a game of one geezer but many. Some ain't even playing.

The previously risen 'stats' notion was interesting in how ridiculous it is to rely on outcome alone to determine what happened before.

 

[EDM]

I cannot understand how it is not a "big deal" when your "first line" is giving zero offensive productivity. And when Saad and Wennberg have one goal between them over 11 games, that is a matter about which it seems it is rational to be concerned.

 

[EDM]

And with Saad it is a matter of effort. I cannot understand how anyone who focuses upon him is not concerned about how he leisurely transitions from one end of the ice to the other. At least Wennberg is making the effort, along with Nick to move quickly into the offensive zone and set up before the defense gets set. I have seen at least five times in 2017 where Saad leisurely arrives in the o zone AT LEAST five seconds after Wennberg and Nick.

 

[MephistoIV]

It is a big deal, but it doesn't warrant extreme, excessive, fatalistic responses. Yeah, we get it, it's an issue. Doesn't mean we are going to freak the **** out as if a god damn hurricane is coming. Pun intended

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I cannot understand how it is not a "big deal" when your "first line" is giving zero offensive productivity. And when Saad and Wennberg have one goal between them over 11 games, that is a matter about which it seems it is rational to be concerned.

It's a long season. Production ebbs and flows for every player in a league where a point per game is now a Hall of Fame performance level.

Wennberg can't be counted on for more than 15 goals in full season anyway. He's going to average less than one goal every five games at his normal pace.

Saad is tied for 46th in the league in goals scored. There are 30 teams. So, on average, he'd rank first or second on most teams in goal scoring. in 2013-14 he finished the regular season with 1 goal in his last 21 games-the last 12 he was scoreless. He had 16 points in 19 playoff games that year.

You might want to get a clue on the normal vicissitudes of scoring goals in the NHL and what is a realistic expectation of Saad for goals in a season. What do you think he is? A 35 goal scorer?

The NHL had 28 players with 30 or more goals last year. 15 the year before and 21 the year before that. Saad had a career year last year at 31. A realistic expectation for him is 25. He's on pace for 26 or 27 goals.

That's reality. Deal with it.

 

[major major]

I cannot understand how it is not a "big deal" when your "first line" is giving zero offensive productivity. And when Saad and Wennberg have one goal between them over 11 games, that is a matter about which it seems it is rational to be concerned.

Its something that has to improve, but this sort of dip is normal for goal scorers, even 30 or 35 goal scorers.

 

[EdwardG]

Saad has been pretty much invisible the last few weeks. It'd be one thing if he were getting SOG that were being stopped, or nifty passes were not being executed, but his playmaking has disappeared for a few weeks. it's like he's not even out there. I haven't looked statistically, but that's the eye test.

He is perhaps the most skilled forward on the team (and when going well he's fun to watch). The Jackets need him.

 

[MephistoIV]

Saad has been pretty much invisible the last few weeks. It'd be one thing if he were getting SOG that were being stopped, or nifty passes were not being executed, but his playmaking has disappeared for a few weeks. it's like he's not even out there. I haven't looked statistically, but that's the eye test.

He is perhaps the most skilled forward on the team (and when going well he's fun to watch). The Jackets need him.

One of the recent games he had seven shots on goal. And hit a post. And created a goal last night...

 

[EdwardG]

Ha, well I missed 1 or 2 games last week so maybe that was the 7 SOG game. Just seems like he's been less noticeable lately.

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

Ha, well I missed 1 or 2 games last week so maybe that was the 7 SOG game. Just seems like he's been less noticeable lately.

I agree he's been much less noticeable

 

[MephistoIV]

Yeah. I'm just trying to encourage y'all to be wary of these extreme absolutes. Ebb and flow ya know mon


Hoping he turns it back on soon!

Your post was pretty rational, so I probably associated it and lumped it in with all of the other mess about Saad and the end of days etc. etc.