Yeah the Blues aren't gonna be sitting the rookies. If there's one thing the Blues have been good about, it's making sure the young guys are playing wherever they are. Lindbohm and Rattie being prime recent examples. If they're not gonna play here, they just get sent down.
The pairings seem pretty fluid. What you listed is what I would start with, but really anything could work. Bouwmeester could see some time with Parayko and hell, even the rookies could potentially play together some games. I think you can match any of the righties with any of the lefites and have good pairings.
I think Parayko could be a pretty big boost to the 2nd PP unit. Shattenkirk-Steen has worked very well, but Pietrangelo-whoever has been a lot less effective. With Parayko-Pietrangelo, even though they are both rightys it gives a clear shooter and lets Pietrangelo do what he's best at: create space and set up chances, while removing from him the duty that he is not so great at (shooting)
I'm just worried that Parayko's 100+ mph bomb just won't match the effectiveness of Bouwmeester's slap pass. I mean that's a serious downgrade and it just won't put the fear into our opponents anymore. Hopefully Parayko learns quickly that you can't score goals by firing rockets, you need to aim passes 20 feet wide of the net.
wait that's actually a good point. I mean when has a Parayko clap-bomb singlehandedly defeated the greatest country ever? Never, that's when.
And it's not a coincidence that Bouwmeester took last year off to spend time teaching Tarasenko how to score. And look what happened. Tarasenko is lucky someone on this team knows what they're doing.
shpongle falls
Ass Möde
Absolutely
I wouldn't be surprised to see Parako and Petro play the point on the pp this season.
He has been there. I have only see one his pre-season game. I can info more when he has at least +5 GP under his belt as a Blue.
kimzey59
Registered User
- Aug 16, 2003
- 5,694
- 1,975
I don't agree with idea of moving Jaskin up but I also do not like the lines being posted.
IMO the best lines to run with are Schwartz-Backes-Fabbri; Jaskin-Lehtera-Brouwer.
1- IMO people assume that there was real chemistry between Lehtera and Schwartz. I know the STL line worked as a whole, but I have serious questions about how much of that was because of Lehtera/Tarasenko and how much was Schwartz. Given how easily Steen transitioned to that line, I question if there is any real chemistry between Schwartz and Lehtera at all.
2- Fabbri is more of a Tarasenko type, but at the same time he is still undersized for the NHL game. My natural leaning right now is to give him some kind of protection in the form of Backes or Brouwer on his line(not both, he still needs somebody to feed him passes).
The BFS line is one we rolled with in camp before Lehtera came back, and IMO it's the best #2 line we can roll with. I honestly don't know why Hitch got it in his head to split them up. It is a classic playmaker/sniper/power forward setup, Schwartz/Backes give you a great defensive base for the line and Backes' physical play should give both his linemates some measure of protection(which they could both use given that they are under-sized by NHL standards).
3- Jaskin IS a goal scorer. He was pacing for a 20 goal season last year, and that was before putting massive work in to upgrade his skating. IMO Jaskin is capable of putting up Simmonds/Saad type numbers, but he needs somebody to get him the puck.
Brouwer is essentially the same deal. He is a garbage goal collector and needs somebody to get the puck to the garbage area's.
I love Backes, but that is not even remotely his game. He is essentially just a better version of the same mold.
IMO if you use JBB as a line you aren't going to get any meaningful offensive production. Just a lot of physical play with nothing real to show for it.
4- Lehtera needs some finishers to work with and he's not exactly a "gritty" player. Putting him with 2 huge, physical goal scorers will give him time and space to work with and he can make some brilliant passes if he has any kind of time. Jaskin is a very good possession player for Lehtera to cycle with and both Jaskin and Brouwer could capitalize of the kind of chances Lehtera can create.
Me too. At times I thought Schwartz and Lehtera had better chemistry than Lehtera and Tarasenko. I think "kimzey59" is overthinking a bit here. Schwartz - Backes - Fabbri is meh. I think both Schwartz and Fabbri needs a smarter center/playmaker that can pass the puck and play give and go. It reminds me a lot about STL: Schwartz - Lehtera - Tarasenko (Fabbri).
No. Jaskin is not a goal scorer. Not yet at least. He is more of a power/two-way forward rather than a natural goal scorer. He had 4 goals in 18 AHL games. 0 goals in 6 playoff games with the Blues. That's not a goal scorer if you ask me. By watching him play you can clearly see he isn't a goal scorer type. He could be in a couple of years if he develops his game. But right now he is more of a hard worker that puts up some goals here and there.
Celtic Note
Living the dream
- Dec 22, 2006
- 16,931
- 5,716
I disagree about Jaskin needing someone feeding him the puck. He creates a lot of his own chances. His shot isn't anything special. It's not powerful, he doesn't have a quick release. Sniper isn't a characteristic I would associate with him. He does however finish most of his chances. If there is a hole in goaltender positioning he can often see it. The question is if he can get a shot off quick enough. He also doesn't miss wide open nets often.
He probably would benefit from a guy that can make things happen offensively, but he can do more than need to be fed pucks.
That's why i added "not yet", smartass. What about his sample size calling Jaskin already a goal scorer? Anyone who watches him play can see he is more of a hard working power forward than a sniper.
well if you look at his regular season stats, my polite fellow, you could definitely be encouraged by his goal per game rate. He scored at a 20 goal pace last season. He's no Mike Bossy but he has some definite ability to put the puck in the net. It's not like he's laying people out left and right Lucic type of power forward, my good friend. He certainly isn't a playmaker. And you don't have to be a "sniper" to be a goal scorer. David Backes twice scored 30 goals or something like that.
Dbrownss
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2014
- 31,359
- 8,734
Backes is a good shooter though. He's got a wicked Lil wrister and a damn good snap shot for a 1 timer. I've seen other posters reference Hossa for Jaskin. I can see the style similarities. The puck is just compelled to go to the back of the net
I wouldn't say Backes has anything more than an NHL average shot. Same with Jaskin. I guess my point is you don't have to have a Tarasenko-esque shooting ability to be a goal scorer. Jaskin is good at cleaning up the garbage and driving to the net, and he scores his goals in those situations.
Vladys Gumption
Colt55
Tomas Holmstrom couldn't pass, couldn't shoot and couldn't skate. Hell he couldn't really do anything but park in front of the net and take a beating. Oddly enough I'd still call him a goal scorer because he put up 20 on a consistent basis. Point being, not every goal scorer is flashy or a sniper as we like to imagine.
rumrokh
THORBS
- Mar 10, 2006
- 10,108
- 3,285
Backes has an above-average shot. He's not Tarasenko, but it's not average. He scores plenty of them by picking corners instead of just jamming in garbage.
Celtic Note
Living the dream
- Dec 22, 2006
- 16,931
- 5,716
Agreed. Backes has a pretty decent shot. It's hard and fairly accurate when he is on his game. His shooting slips when he is pissed off or aggravated. Both Jaskin and Backes have plus shots. They are not anything special, but they allow both to be goal scorers... just not snipers.
Ad
Latest posts
-
-
-
Post-Series Talk: Colorado Avalanche defeat the Winnipeg Jets, 4-1- Latest: TruePowerSlave
-
-
