Line Combos: Guess the 22-23 Opening Night Lineup

[Bleedred]

Bleedred, this theard named "opening night roster". Let's do the cut. I easily imagine Vanecek will play more games even with healthy Blackwood. But I truly think management and Ruff will give Blackwood an opportunity to be 1A in the beginning of the season. I really don't think healthy Vanecek will win it duel, but the thing is our MacCrazyBlack was our "starting" goalie in the past 3-4 seasons. There were a lot of excuses and I believe team still want him to be a starter if he can prove himself. May be he will fvcked vp the preseason, but my intuition say me "he would be ok preseason goalie".
I just hope if the team will play much better with Vanecek on the net, Ruff will not ruin their confidence by using Blackwood in three starts out of five.

As an organization, we're no strangers to giving a goalie more games based on preferential treatment or the hope that they'll be what they used to be or because of ''Who they were'' and not ''Who they are''.

we've already seen that happen and it hasn't even been 10 years since it happened. It happened with Brodeur in 2013-2014. Schneider played more games than Brodeur did that year, but just..... Barely.

 

[Bleedred]

Ya I’d say the Devils give Blackwood the benefit of the doubt , right or wrong . Our own draft pick and developed by us since day 1 . It would cause some butt hurt giving the player that just arrived on scene the starting gig right off the bat . Especially with a player of Vanaceks ability . If we got dome stud , proven stud like a Hellebuyck… then yes , I’d say he starts automatically over Blackwood but not in this case .
However , if Vanacek plays better , then absolutely I think he will be given more starts but not off the start . I’d say at the very very least they split 50/50 or close to it the first 10 games unless one of them is playing lights out . Blackwood will be given preference though to first start off .

And if this is really the way Ruff and Tom Fitzgerald think then..... Well Ruff will be gone very shortly. Maybe by the end of October at that rate. He has not much rope left and if we tank a season based on placating a guy because he had some good (not great) seasons in goal in what will be 3-4 years ago, then Tom will also (and rightfully) find himself on the hot seat.

You're right, Vanecek is not some proven stud or a stud at all, but Blackwood was NEVER a stud. He had a mediocre AHL career. His first NHL season was good, but he wasn't playing constantly and didn't really get the opportunity to get a good string of starts in. His second season was good. It wasn't great, it wasn't like Cory Schneider before his decline, it wasn't like nearly Brodeur up until the turn of the last decade. It was much better than Cory Schneider post-decline or Brodeur in his 40's and it was better than probably any Keith Kinkaid had in the NHL, but it wasn't anything that really should buy him miles of rope, especially with his performance the last two seasons. We are now at a point where Blackwood has been bad in the NHL as long as he was ever good in the NHL and his last two years have just completely erased what he did before them and unless he can get that form back, then that may be the best he'll ever do in the NHL.

If this is how it plays out, we could be in a hole very quickly if Blackwood isn't VASTLY improved from the last 55 games he's played.

I get where you're coming from here and I don't even necessarily think you're wrong and this is not how it will play it, but I just think it's wrong if this is how it plays out. People will have to start answering with their jobs and Ruff is already in the home stretch. The Brunette hiring really was all but the final nail in Ruff's coffin and NHL head coaching career. The next nail will be the final one for Ruff. The ink on that contract was the same ink used to start writing out Ruff's toe tag. Fitz will officially be on the hot seat if we bomb this year. I don't think playoffs are mandatory, but we probably need to have at least close to our second best season points wise in the last 10 years, next to only the 2018 playoff year.

I gotta say, as one of John Hynes biggest critics, he was the one head coach we've had in the last decade+ who you could almost always trust to play the best goalie. If everything else that happened in 2017-2018 still happened and was the same, other than DeBoer was the head coach here, Schneider wouldn't have been benched. We would have missed the playoffs. Maybe even by more than just a few points while Kinkaid sat on the bench and watched Cory piss away our season and Hall's Hart Trophy. I don't think Ruff is quite as stubborn as DeBoer with what goalie to use, but I think he has it up for Blackwood more than he should. I do expect he feels the heat of Brunette's breath down his neck though.

 

[Eggtimer]

And if this is really the way Ruff and Tom Fitzgerald think then..... Well Ruff will be gone very shortly. Maybe by the end of October at that rate. He has not much rope left and if we tank a season based on placating a guy because he had some good (not great) seasons in goal in what will be 3-4 years ago, then Tom will also (and rightfully) find himself on the hot seat.

You're right, Vanecek is not some proven stud or a stud at all, but Blackwood was NEVER a stud. He had a mediocre AHL career. His first NHL season was good, but he wasn't playing constantly and didn't really get the opportunity to get a good string of starts in. His second season was good. It wasn't great, it wasn't like Cory Schneider before his decline, it wasn't like nearly Brodeur up until the turn of the last decade. It was much better than Cory Schneider post-decline or Brodeur in his 40's and it was better than probably any Keith Kinkaid had in the NHL, but it wasn't anything that really should buy him miles of rope, especially with his performance the last two seasons. We are now at a point where Blackwood has been bad in the NHL as long as he was ever good in the NHL and his last two years have just completely erased what he did before them and unless he can get that form back, then that may be the best he'll ever do in the NHL.

If this is how it plays out, we could be in a hole very quickly if Blackwood isn't VASTLY improved from the last 55 games he's played.

I get where you're coming from here and I don't even necessarily think you're wrong and this is not how it will play it, but I just think it's wrong if this is how it plays out. People will have to start answering with their jobs and Ruff is already in the home stretch. The Brunette hiring really was all but the final nail in Ruff's coffin and NHL head coaching career. The next nail will be the final one for Ruff. The ink on that contract was the same ink used to start writing out Ruff's toe tag. Fitz will officially be on the hot seat if we bomb this year. I don't think playoffs are mandatory, but we probably need to have at least close to our second best season points wise in the last 10 years, next to only the 2018 playoff year.

I gotta say, as one of John Hynes biggest critics, he was the one head coach we've had in the last decade+ who you could almost always trust to play the best goalie. If everything else that happened in 2017-2018 still happened and was the same, other than DeBoer was the head coach here, Schneider wouldn't have been benched. We would have missed the playoffs. Maybe even by more than just a few points while Kinkaid sat on the bench and watched Cory piss away our season and Hall's Hart Trophy. I don't think Ruff is quite as stubborn as DeBoer with what goalie to use, but I think he has it up for Blackwood more than he should. I do expect he feels the heat of Brunette's breath down his neck though.

It’s not that I want Blackwood to be designated #1, it’s just how I see it going into the season . I think he will have a shorter leash though. And I don’t think it will be a clear cut #1 and #2 at all but a very close #1A and 1B to start and that could change easily based off of results.
With alleged tension between Blackwood and the Devils last year , I think Fitz and or Ruff won’t be too stubborn playing Blackwood if he falters. Or at least I hope that’s the case.
I think Blackwood realizes it’s do or die for his career( as a starter ) this year. He says he is motivated but I just don’t see it with him . He doesn’t appear to be a goalie that has the drive and desire to be elite . Seems to have a “ meh” attitude but I could be wrong and I hope for the teams sake I am wrong.

 

[Guadana]

As an organization, we're no strangers to giving a goalie more games based on preferential treatment or the hope that they'll be what they used to be or because of ''Who they were'' and not ''Who they are''.

we've already seen that happen and it hasn't even been 10 years since it happened. It happened with Brodeur in 2013-2014. Schneider played more games than Brodeur did that year, but just..... Barely.

May be if we will safe some bad traditions, some good traditions will be saved too)

 

[Cheddabombs]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Palat-Hischier-Bratt
Tatar-Huala-Zetterland
Johnsson-Boqvist-Bastion (Wood takes Johnsson's spot when healthy)
Mcleod

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Severson
Okhotiuk-Marino
Smith

Blackwood
Vanecek

If I had to guess I'd say this exactly lol

 

[Bleedred]

It’s not that I want Blackwood to be designated #1, it’s just how I see it going into the season . I think he will have a shorter leash though. And I don’t think it will be a clear cut #1 and #2 at all but a very close #1A and 1B to start and that could change easily based off of results.
With alleged tension between Blackwood and the Devils last year , I think Fitz and or Ruff won’t be too stubborn playing Blackwood if he falters. Or at least I hope that’s the case.
I think Blackwood realizes it’s do or die for his career( as a starter ) this year. He says he is motivated but I just don’t see it with him . He doesn’t appear to be a goalie that has the drive and desire to be elite . Seems to have a “ meh” attitude but I could be wrong and I hope for the teams sake I am wrong.

I see what you mean and I do think that you could very well be right. In fact, I'm deathly afraid you might be right. I was the one saying a while ago that I'm afraid unless we get a legit guy like Hellebuyck or someone that's an established starter, then Ruff may lean too much on Blackwood.

This season feels a little like 2019, but at least in that season they weren't really married to Cory being the starter. He only started on opening night because he had a great preseason and a hot run to end the year before, which is probably the only thing that kept him on the team going into that year.

I clearly remember after Cory leaving injured with cramping in game one, Blackwood played against Buffalo (I think?) the next night and I'm pretty sure if my memory serves me correct it was one of the absolute worst games he had played that entire season. He had a couple really bad games in October of that year, including one at home to Arizona (which seemed to happen again just this last year, which was some real deja vu, I'm pretty sure we outshot them badly in both those games) and that actually bought Cory more games than he probably would have gotten. And again, for all of John Hynes faults, it wasn't often he made a questionable decision on what goalie to start.

Goaltending is clearly holding this team back. If you wanna argue coaching is as well, we already seem to have that answered with Brunette. If we didn't get Brunette, Ruff might have lasted the entire season (or at least half of it) no matter how bad we were doing.

Vanecek could be that answer in goal, or he may not be. This really needs to be Blackwood's last chance and if he bombs or even is just ''Below average'' then he needs not to be qualified next offseason. They need to just let him become UFA and not Miles Wood him. At that point it would be no good to have him back for both CAP reasons AND HOCKEY reasons. As he'd be too expensive for what he is ($3 million qualifying offer) and deadweight on the ice not stopping enough pucks.

And he likely won't wash out of the league within a year or two like Kinkaid did (remember when I was given shit in 2018 for saying he'll be out of the league in 2 years? And he was. And I'm still bitter and somewhat narcissistic about it that some insisted I be force fed crow over that one, especially when I get questioned for my Blackwood (dis)beliefs and the Cory stuff from past years was more of the same) after he was done here. Being he'll only be 26-27 in the 23-24 season, he likely has a few years left, no matter how poorly he performs, as teams keep signing guys like Korpisalo (I know it's just the same one team that keeps bringing him back), Elliott, Jones, Craig Anderson and contenders trading for Matt Murray's cremains.

One thing I will backtrack on. I said a few months back that if Blackwood struggles that he might find himself Cory'd and waived and sent to the minors at some point. I actually don't think that will happen, as he's almost guaranteed to be claimed by some team if he is waived, due to the fact that he's an expiring contract. At that point Daws or Schmid would be our only option to play games other than Vanecek, unless Bernier gets healthy and even then he's not favorable to perform well or even stay on the ice and be healthy in the event that he does perform well. Blackwood might have actually had a better chance getting through waivers last year with a year remaining at almost $3 million than he would this year on an expiring contract.

 

[Eggtimer]

I see what you mean and I do think that you could very well be right. In fact, I'm deathly afraid you might be right. I was the one saying a while ago that I'm afraid unless we get a legit guy like Hellebuyck or someone that's an established starter, then Ruff may lean too much on Blackwood.

This season feels a little like 2019, but at least in that season they weren't really married to Cory being the starter. He only started on opening night because he had a great preseason and a hot run to end the year before, which is probably the only thing that kept him on the team going into that year.

I clearly remember after Cory leaving injured with cramping in game one, Blackwood played against Buffalo (I think?) the next night and I'm pretty sure if my memory serves me correct it was one of the absolute worst games he had played that entire season. He had a couple really bad games in October of that year, including one at home to Arizona (which seemed to happen again just this last year, which was some real deja vu, I'm pretty sure we outshot them badly in both those games) and that actually bought Cory more games than he probably would have gotten. And again, for all of John Hynes faults, it wasn't often he made a questionable decision on what goalie to start.

Goaltending is clearly holding this team back. If you wanna argue coaching is as well, we already seem to have that answered with Brunette. If we didn't get Brunette, Ruff might have lasted the entire season (or at least half of it) no matter how bad we were doing.

Vanecek could be that answer in goal, or he may not be. This really needs to be Blackwood's last chance and if he bombs or even is just ''Below average'' then he needs not to be qualified next offseason. They need to just let him become UFA and not Miles Wood him. At that point it would be no good to have him back for both CAP reasons AND HOCKEY reasons. As he'd be too expensive for what he is ($3 million qualifying offer) and deadweight on the ice not stopping enough pucks.

And he likely won't wash out of the league within a year or two like Kinkaid did (remember when I was given shit in 2018 for saying he'll be out of the league in 2 years? And he was. And I'm still bitter and somewhat narcissistic about it that some insisted I be force fed crow over that one, especially when I get questioned for my Blackwood (dis)beliefs and the Cory stuff from past years was more of the same) after he was done here. Being he'll only be 26-27 in the 23-24 season, he likely has a few years left, no matter how poorly he performs, as teams keep signing guys like Korpisalo (I know it's just the same one team that keeps bringing him back), Elliott, Jones, Craig Anderson and contenders trading for Matt Murray's cremains.

One thing I will backtrack on. I said a few months back that if Blackwood struggles that he might find himself Cory'd and waived and sent to the minors at some point. I actually don't think that will happen, as he's almost guaranteed to be claimed by some team if he is waived, due to the fact that he's an expiring contract. At that point Daws or Schmid would be our only option to play games other than Vanecek, unless Bernier gets healthy and even then he's not favorable to perform well or even stay on the ice and be healthy in the event that he does perform well. Blackwood might have actually had a better chance getting through waivers last year with a year remaining at almost $3 million than he would this year on an expiring contract.

I agree that unless Blackwood puts up numbers that are considered at least league average , he needs to be let go . We have been burnt before sticking with goalies too long. At 3 mil per or more , no way I want to give him yet another year if he is below average .

 

[Bleedred]

I agree that unless Blackwood puts up numbers that are considered at least league average , he needs to be let go . We have been burnt before sticking with goalies too long. At 3 mil per or more , no way I want to give him yet another year if he is below average .

I’m honestly afraid of what he’ll get even if he has a good year.

I’d say give him a one year deal. If he replicates it with one more good year then give him a better deal in 2024 before he goes to UFA.

I really don’t wanna give him a multi-year deal if he has a good season. And we should be able to get him for not much of a raise, just based on how bad he was on the first two years of this deal.

Honestly, I’m afraid they’ll re-up him anyway like they just did with Wood, but with Vanecek already under contract for next year, maybe they won’t re-up with yet another bad season.

 

[My3Sons]

I’m honestly afraid of what he’ll get even if he has a good year.

I’d say give him a one year deal. If he replicates it with one more good year then give him a better deal in 2024 before he goes to UFA.

I really don’t wanna give him a multi-year deal if he has a good season. And we should be able to get him for not much of a raise, just based on how bad he was on the first two years of this deal.

Honestly, I’m afraid they’ll re-up him anyway like they just did with Wood, but with Vanecek already under contract for next year, maybe they won’t re-up with yet another bad season.

At this point a Blackwood extension probably has more to do with Vanacek and Daws than Blackwood absent a really great season for Blackwood. If Vanacek has a season of say .910-915 and Daws progresses at the AHL and maybe earns a callup and plays a handful of games with better results than last season I’m skeptical they give Blackwood more than his last RFA year if he has a good but not great season.

 

[billingtons ghost]

You're right, Vanecek is not some proven stud or a stud at all, but Blackwood was NEVER a stud.

I get you hate the guy, but he was the top rated NA goaltender in the 2015 draft, was the best athlete at the combine, was in the running for team Canada goalie this year, and had spent his entire career on one of the absolute worst teams in history, a perennial lottery squad... The last of which he played injured all season and got concussed whenever he was healthy, if he ever was healthy.

In light of the above, your "he doesn't deserve any rope" is a little harsh, no?

 

[Bleedred]

I get you hate the guy, but he was the top rated NA goaltender in the 2015 draft, was the best athlete at the combine, was in the running for team Canada goalie this year, and had spent his entire career on one of the absolute worst teams in history, a perennial lottery squad... The last of which he played injured all season and got concussed whenever he was healthy, if he ever was healthy.

In light of the above, your "he doesn't deserve any rope" is a little harsh, no?

If not being a believer in him is hating him then I guess I hate him. You have a habit of accusing people who don’t like a player as “Hating” them.

To be clear, yes, I’ve absolutely hated Blackwood’s on-ice performance for half of his NHL career. Do I have a problem with him as a human being? No. Do I think he sucks as a goalie/hockey player? It certainly seems that way. Criticizing a poor player should not be considered hating someone. Not every player is good. I’m not gonna blow smoke up asses and pretend every player is good.

He was the top rated goaltender in the 2015 draft? Cool. Cory Schneider was still an elite goalie in 2015, Martin Brodeur actually played one NHL game that calendar year and I was still in my 30’s. That’s quite a long time ago. That was also before his mediocre AHL career happened, as well as what’s so far been a meh NHL career, which seems to be heading in the wrong direction.

For what it’s worth, I still think as of right now he’s the best goalie taken in the 2015 draft. Unless I’m forgetting another goalie taken that draft? All I can think of is Samsonov, who hasn’t even been as good as Blackwood in the NHL. I don’t think there’s been another goalie taken that year to have much NHL success.

 

[Bleedred]

Just looked up goalies in the 2015 draft.

I thought Vejmelka came from that draft, but then I said “Maybe not, I think he was undrafted?”. Whatever though. He’s played one year in the NHL and it was nothing special. He didn’t look all that great either. I think he’s overrated, as there’s a contingent that thinks he deserves a trophy for having an .898% on Arizona. As if goalies are supposed to perform worse than Jon Gillies over there.

Samsonov - been over him a bunch. One good season having to play very sparingly to placate a washed up has-been Holtby that was on an expiring contract and departing anyway. Then two poor seasons outplayed by Vanecek.

Adin Hill is from that draft. He’s performed just okay. Nothing great. Extremely limited number of games played every year he’s played in the league so far.

Dan Vladar is from that draft. He’s performed pretty meh. He’s only played 30 games so far (2 in the playoffs) in the NHL.

Sam “Built like a tank” Montembeault. Extremely and consistently poor NHL results on two different teams now, where he’s constantly outplayed significantly by the other goalies on his team every year. He’s not for the NHL. Really should be a career minor leaguer.

Felix Sandstrom - played 5 games so far for the Flyers, all last year. Had a .910%, but he sticks out as somebody that I remember allowing an alarmingly high number of goals I counted stoppable. I remember going on about it when he was playing.

Joey Daccord - has had NHL call ups. Performed poorly. Career minor leaguer.

Adam Huska - one career game in the NHL for the Rangers last year. A 7 goal against game to Colorado.

Erik Kallgren - 14 NHL games playedc, all last year. Very poor results. Only got called up and played because they waived Petr Mrazek and then Petr Mrazek got injured. He came up and performed just as poorly. Career minor leaguer. Probably headed to Europe in the next couple years.

Yes - as of right now Blackwood remains the best goalie of that draft class. That could be challenged at some point by maybe one or two of those guys. Especially if Samsonov ever starts looking competent at the NHL level, but as of now it’s Blackwood. No argument from me.

 

[Guttersniped]

I see what you mean and I do think that you could very well be right. In fact, I'm deathly afraid you might be right. I was the one saying a while ago that I'm afraid unless we get a legit guy like Hellebuyck or someone that's an established starter, then Ruff may lean too much on Blackwood.

This season feels a little like 2019, but at least in that season they weren't really married to Cory being the starter. He only started on opening night because he had a great preseason and a hot run to end the year before, which is probably the only thing that kept him on the team going into that year.

I clearly remember after Cory leaving injured with cramping in game one, Blackwood played against Buffalo (I think?) the next night and I'm pretty sure if my memory serves me correct it was one of the absolute worst games he had played that entire season. He had a couple really bad games in October of that year, including one at home to Arizona (which seemed to happen again just this last year, which was some real deja vu, I'm pretty sure we outshot them badly in both those games) and that actually bought Cory more games than he probably would have gotten. And again, for all of John Hynes faults, it wasn't often he made a questionable decision on what goalie to start.

Goaltending is clearly holding this team back. If you wanna argue coaching is as well, we already seem to have that answered with Brunette. If we didn't get Brunette, Ruff might have lasted the entire season (or at least half of it) no matter how bad we were doing.

Vanecek could be that answer in goal, or he may not be. This really needs to be Blackwood's last chance and if he bombs or even is just ''Below average'' then he needs not to be qualified next offseason. They need to just let him become UFA and not Miles Wood him. At that point it would be no good to have him back for both CAP reasons AND HOCKEY reasons. As he'd be too expensive for what he is ($3 million qualifying offer) and deadweight on the ice not stopping enough pucks.

And he likely won't wash out of the league within a year or two like Kinkaid did (remember when I was given shit in 2018 for saying he'll be out of the league in 2 years? And he was. And I'm still bitter and somewhat narcissistic about it that some insisted I be force fed crow over that one, especially when I get questioned for my Blackwood (dis)beliefs and the Cory stuff from past years was more of the same) after he was done here. Being he'll only be 26-27 in the 23-24 season, he likely has a few years left, no matter how poorly he performs, as teams keep signing guys like Korpisalo (I know it's just the same one team that keeps bringing him back), Elliott, Jones, Craig Anderson and contenders trading for Matt Murray's cremains.

One thing I will backtrack on. I said a few months back that if Blackwood struggles that he might find himself Cory'd and waived and sent to the minors at some point. I actually don't think that will happen, as he's almost guaranteed to be claimed by some team if he is waived, due to the fact that he's an expiring contract. At that point Daws or Schmid would be our only option to play games other than Vanecek, unless Bernier gets healthy and even then he's not favorable to perform well or even stay on the ice and be healthy in the event that he does perform well. Blackwood might have actually had a better chance getting through waivers last year with a year remaining at almost $3 million than he would this year on an expiring contract.

I feel like you’re flipping out a little because people put his name above Vanacek’s when they made out their line-ups and I’m not sure why.

It’s been established that it’s a tandem (aka a competition), no one know’s how Vanacek will do on a new team or where Blackwood is in terms of his health/performance.

They aren’t waiving either goalie, I don’t see Blackwood’s performance going completely into the sewer unless he gets injured again and then he’ll go on the IR.

Blackwood’s first two seasons were exceptional for his age. Not a lot of 23 or under goalies have put up those numbers. There are extenuating circumstances to his last two seasons in terms of injury. My biggest worry is who knows where his foot is at.

It’s not great to have to two seasons absolutely wreaked by injury. For one thing, I can believe that it really damaged the relationship between the team and Blackwood. It also no doubt damaged his development.

He’s a talented goalie though, I hope he manages to stay healthy here. Goalies, unless they’re top shelf, can be inconsistent too. If Hellebuyck is your standard, well, prepare to be disappointed.

Honestly, I wouldn’t want to trade for Hellebuyck. Why? Because he has two years left on his contract and he’ll be 31 years old when it ends. You have to give him a massive max contract and he’s played an enormous amount of hockey. Even if it isn’t immediately bad like Bobrovsky’s deal, it could get ugly real fast.

 

[Bleedred]

I feel like you’re flipping out a little because people put his name above Vanacek’s when they made out their line-ups and I’m not sure why.

It’s been established that it’s a tandem (aka a competition), no one know’s how Vanacek will do on a new team or where Blackwood is in terms of his health/performance.

They aren’t waiving either goalie, I don’t see Blackwood’s performance going completely into the sewer unless he gets injured again and then he’ll go on the IR.

Blackwood’s first two seasons were exceptional for his age. Not a lot of 23 or under goalies have put up those numbers. There are extenuating circumstances to his last two seasons in terms of injury. My biggest worry is who knows where his foot is at.

It’s not great to have to two seasons absolutely wreaked by injury. For one thing, I can believe that it really damaged the relationship between the team and Blackwood. It also no doubt damaged his development.

He’s a talented goalie though, I hope he manages to stay healthy here. Goalies, unless they’re top shelf, can be inconsistent too. If Hellebuyck is your standard, well, prepare to be disappointed.

Honestly, I wouldn’t want to trade for Hellebuyck. Why? Because he has two years left on his contract and he’ll be 31 years old when it ends. You have to give him a massive max contract and he’s played an enormous amount of hockey. Even if it isn’t immediately bad like Bobrovsky’s deal, it could get ugly real fast.

You’re right. I do not like seeing Blackwood over Vanecek. I think this fanbase is higher on Blackwood than I can really sort of comprehend. I think it’s more than reasonable to be higher on him than I am, but I’m surprised to see so many have him over Vanecek.

I do not believe he’ll be better than Vanecek, unless Vanecek really underwhelms and struggles here.

I’m just not high on Blackwood anymore. I was never really high on him. I never thought he’d be elite, but I thought he’d possibly be a legit and solid starting goalie.

I think he’ll be better than last year, but I’m not too confident he’ll be where he was those first two years. Not if he’s playing consistently. He may perform better playing more sparsely (like he did in 18-19) than if he were playing regularly. Like he was in 19-20 and 20-21 and I would even say he somewhat played regularly in 21-22 when he was actually dressed. There weren’t a ton of games he was dressed for and didn’t play. Especially after Bernier was done for.

I just don’t think he’s gonna bounce back. At least not significantly. I’ve seen this movie before with Schneider.

And yes, I do give him a MUCH greater chance than I ever gave Schneider, but only because of the age factor. It’s not nearly as far fetched for a 25 year old to bounce back as a 32-33 year old after multiple poor seasons.

And I still panic over his AHL resume, which didn’t bother me until he started having bad NHL seasons.

All in all, I still wonder if Dave Rogalski has not done more harm than good. At the very least, removing Melanson was fixing a part of the coaching staff that really didn’t appear to be broken. The goalies have been MUCH worse since he took over, but at the same time, all the goalies other than Blackwood and a prematurely injured Bernier are not NHL caliber. So it remains to be seen if my Rogalski criticism is even deserved.

And yeah, the Hellebuyck ship has sailed. Actually, I take that back. The Hellebuyck ship never even left Winnipeg. He was the only established legit goalie that I think he was even someone we could have speculated was potentially on the trade market (and I would guarantee he never even was on the trade market) this summer. Or that possibly would be on the trade market.

Other than the new Cory Schneider, AKA: John Gibson lol.

 

[yzerman]

Maybe A little diffrent lineup Just throwing it out there.

Palat-Hischier-Holtz
Bratt-Hughes-Mercer
Tatar-Haula-Boqvist
Sharangovich-Mcleod-Zetterlund

Graves-Hamliton
Siegenthaler-Severson
Smith-Marino

Vanecek
Blackwood

 

[My3Sons]

Maybe A little diffrent lineup Just throwing it out there.

Palat-Hischier-Holtz
Bratt-Hughes-Mercer
Tatar-Haula-Boqvist
Sharangovich-Mcleod-Zetterlund

Graves-Hamliton
Siegenthaler-Severson
Smith-Marino

Vanecek
Blackwood

I struggle to see Tatar playing ahead of Sharangovich

 

[yzerman]

I struggle to see Tatar playing ahead of Sharangovich

Yes the thought was its really two 3rd lines with similar minutes so when i wrote the lines i struggled equal to have Haula as a 4th line center =).I feel that line with Sharangovich-Mcleod-Zetterlund would be tricky to play against.

 

[My3Sons]

Yes the thought was its really two 3rd lines with similar minutes so when i wrote the lines i struggled equal to have Haula as a 4th line center =).I feel that line with Sharangovich-Mcleod-Zetterlund would be tricky to play against.

That’s an interesting approach. You never know how things will play out but to date the team has had a tough time getting two full lines to work let alone four. If Wood is healthy I expect he’d start with McLeod and Bastian to give him some ability to ease back in to playing.

 

[Puckclektr]

Sharangovich/Palat-Hughes-Holtz(
Palat/Shara-Nico-Bratt
Tatar-Haula-Mercer
Wood-McLeod_Bastian
Zetterlund/Boqvist
Put Johnsson on waivers

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Severson
Smith-Marino
Bahl/Okhotyuk


Blackwood
Vanacek

 

[Bleedred]

Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek

Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek

Vanecek
Blackwood

 

[Goptor]

Vanecek-Vesey-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Verbeek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek

Vishnevski-Vanecek
Vatanen-Vanecek
Vanecek-Volchenkov

Vanecek
Vanbiesbrouck

 

[My3Sons]

Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek-Vanecek

Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek
Vanecek-Vanecek

Vanecek
Blackwood

Not enough Lovejoy

 

[Billdo]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Palat-Hischier-Bratt
Tatar-Haula-Zetterlund
Foote-Boqvist-Bastian

Graves-Hamilton
Siegenthaler-Severson
Smith-Marino

Blackwood
Vanecek

 

[McDuffz88]

If I was the coach this is what I would roll with
Palat-Hughes-Sharangovich
Bratt-Nico-Mercer
Boqvist/Tatar-Haula-Zetterlund
Wood-McLeod-Bastian

Siegs-Hamilton
Graves-Severson
Bahl/Okhotuik/Smith-Marino

Vanecek
Blackwood

I haven't listed Holtz because I don't think he's ready yet. Johnsson could go on waivers. The only question mark is the 3rd line & if they have chemistry. I would prefer to start Boqvist over Tatar (being he's younger & has a higher ceiling). If we get the Boqvist/Zettlund from the tail end of last year then we have all 4 lines with the ability to score. Let Palat do the dirty work for Hughes/Govy. Bratt has shown great chemistry with both Mercer & Nico. Wood is probably going to be injured at the beginning so start Tatar on the 4th. As far as defense is concerned let the 3 of Smith/Bahl/Okhotuik fight it out for the 3rd LD. Blackwood shouldn't start. I agree with Bleed on this. People only are pegging him as the starter because he's "home grown" & played decent a few years ago. Vanecek should be given the mantle. Let Blackwood earn his throne back. If Blackwood is as good as you think he will have no problems doing that.

 

[TBF1972]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Palat-Hischier-Bratt
Tatar-Haula-Zetterlund
Foote-Boqvist-Bastian

Graves-Hamilton
Siegenthaler-Severson
Smith-Marino

Blackwood
Vanecek

i am very close to this. the bottom 6 would include other names (wood, mcleod, johnsson). but i would switch first and second line and first and second pairing.

i would use palat - hischier - bratt - siegenthaler - severson against opposing top lines with the intention to neutralize their impact. and with the hughes - hamilton combo i would try to make the difference on offense.