Now is probably the time to finally go all-in

[BelovedIsles]

Don’t have the space for RoRs contract.

But I’d like one of their D men.

 

[IceAce]

I like stats but at the same time, what stats won't show are the split second bad decisions that lead to momentum changes, Hickey decides to toedrag in the o-zone only to get stripped leading to breakaways, he cannot clear the puck out of the zone, and has been selfish in taking shots and not getting his defensive partner involves (mainly Pulock). He never bothered me on a large scale to this year, if this team is in a cup conversation and you are in a game #7 with Hickey or Chimera on the ice or Seids, something bad can happen at any moment.

Literally each example you provided is tracked by stats, either advanced or basic. Turnovers, Corsi, SH%, etc.

He's literally been our 3rd best D-man behind Leddy and Boychuk this year.

 

[periferal]

See if you can identify what needs fixing...

 

[LeapOnOver]

I like stats but at the same time, what stats won't show are the split second bad decisions that lead to momentum changes, Hickey decides to toedrag in the o-zone only to get stripped leading to breakaways, he cannot clear the puck out of the zone, and has been selfish in taking shots and not getting his defensive partner involves (mainly Pulock). He never bothered me on a large scale to this year, if this team is in a cup conversation and you are in a game #7 with Hickey or Chimera on the ice or Seids, something bad can happen at any moment.

You are just a construct of human nature. Nothing wrong with only remembering the bad plays that happen from time to time. You have to overcome that by acknowledging the good plays he makes and go from there. You'll start to see they far outweigh the mistakes all players make night in and night out. If we only remembered Tavares' giveaways, he would look horrible!!!

 

[LeapOnOver]

See if you can identify what needs fixing...

The meaningless statistics?

 

[BrockLobster]

See if you can identify what needs fixing...

Wow they were better in 14/15?

 

[majormet]

You are just a construct of human nature. Nothing wrong with only remembering the bad plays that happen from time to time. You have to overcome that by acknowledging the good plays he makes and go from there. You'll start to see they far outweigh the mistakes all players make night in and night out. If we only remembered Tavares' giveaways, he would look horrible!!!

Oddly I am huge on number in most aspects of life, my businesses depend on statistics for the most part but human predictability sometimes can be mired in the numbers. Hickey does do some occasional good things, it is the magnitude of his errors that scare me

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

The meaningless statistics?

We really do have to score 4 to win. Freewheeling is ok, but we are not going to make any noise after game 82 unless the goals against goes down.

 

[Strait2thecup]

I think last night was a step in the right direction for the D/goaltending. They need to build on it tomorrow and Thursday against two teams that embarrassed them this year

 

[Dipietro39]

Wow they were better in 14/15?

In 14/15, at this point in the season, I don't believe they had impressive wins such as Ws @ Stl, @ Nash, @ Tampa @ Philly (where they never win) etc...

 

[LeapOnOver]

Oddly I am huge on number in most aspects of life, my businesses depend on statistics for the most part but human predictability sometimes can be mired in the numbers. Hickey does do some occasional good things, it is the magnitude of his errors that scare me

Defense plays a position where the possibilities of errors are automatically magnified. How many times is the puck dumped into the corner and the defenseman is the first one there. It's still consider a 50/50 battle because the defenseman is at a huge disadvantage to begin with. It's the nature of the game. If he's leaving the corner with even 50% of the those 50/50 pucks he's doing a decent job as a defenseman. That's my two cents anyway. He comes away with the puck enough where I'm actually surprised he was able to given his frame. That's why I like Thomas Hickey and what he brings. I'm not saying he's anything more than a 5/6. But to me he is a very solid 5/6 for sure.

 

[LeapOnOver]

We really do have to score 4 to win. Freewheeling is ok, but we are not going to make any noise after game 82 unless the goals against goes down.

Yeah, it's something to pay attention too, but a team won the Stanley Cup playing pretty lousy team defense....

 

[ScaredStreit]

Our problem isn't our defense: it's goaltending. Halak and Greiss have both been underwhelming this year to say the least.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Our problem isn't our defense: it's goaltending. Halak and Greiss have both been underwhelming this year to say the least.

We struggle too much sometimes to get the puck out. That is on the skaters, not the goalie. We need to cut down on the dangerous shots, also not on the goalies.

 

[BTrotts19]

Kinda difficult to go all in this year..we are not 1 player away, we are a goalie, a defensive defenseman and at least 1 bottom six forward away. I wouldn't be giving away the farm and don't have enough to get all those pieces

 

[YearlyLottery]

Kinda difficult to go all in this year..we are not 1 player away, we are a goalie, a defensive defenseman and at least 1 bottom six forward away. I wouldn't be giving away the farm and don't have enough to get all those pieces

The interesting thing is that some things have their ways of working out towards the deadline. If Halak/Greiss can get hot soon (and I like the way Greiss played tonight), Toews/Aho get brought up and have a Ho Sang type presence from last year, and then Snow trades for a good bottom six player anything is possible.

Do I expect this all to happen? Probably not, but it is better than most years where the team needs another Tavares type player in order to make a run. I am holding out hope that Greiss will become the starter soon.

 

[majormet]

Kinda difficult to go all in this year..we are not 1 player away, we are a goalie, a defensive defenseman and at least 1 bottom six forward away. I wouldn't be giving away the farm and don't have enough to get all those pieces

I think dman and goalie are not in the marketplace... you can try Toews and Gibson and see if that works
Patrick Maroon is the bottom 6 piece that can be had, pure rental

 

[BTrotts19]

I think dman and goalie are not in the marketplace... you can try Toews and Gibson and see if that works
Patrick Maroon is the bottom 6 piece that can be had, pure rental

I wouldn't mind Maroon as he brings some toughness but not useless, but that's a tweak, not a "going all-in"

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I wouldn't mind Maroon as he brings some toughness but not useless, but that's a tweak, not a "going all-in"

So, instead of going all in, maybe it's just the tip?

 

[BTrotts19]

So, instead of going all in, maybe it's just the tip?

Just The tip? Let's keep it PG tated, for the kids!!!

 

[majormet]

I wouldn't mind Maroon as he brings some toughness but not useless, but that's a tweak, not a "going all-in"

It is a tweak per se, but you have to tweak to see if it makes sense to go all in (OEL) and there aren't many teams out of it yet, so no "all in" move to save the season. I like Maroon as a big body in front for PP Unit #2, someone that hits people and will fight, and he can score goals, Ducks fans say he is underrated as well when he played there, I think just adding someone could shake up the team and demoting JHS and Beau is really necessary, I think they need to work on their games down in Bridgeport and having an energy guy like Bernier up helps, we lack energy in the bottom 6

 

[CupHolders]

If he's leaving the corner with even 50% of the those 50/50 pucks he's doing a decent job as a defenseman. That's my two cents anyway. He comes away with the puck enough where I'm actually surprised he was able to given his frame. That's why I like Thomas Hickey and what he brings. I'm not saying he's anything more than a 5/6. But to me he is a very solid 5/6 for sure.

I used to think Kenny Jonsson was severally underrated in this part of the game. He was always criticized for being soft because he didn’t throw flashy hits. But he was a rock at winning the puck on the boards/corner and getting it out. Unfortunately, doing so often left himself vulnerable to vicious hits.

 

[LeapOnOver]

I used to think Kenny Jonsson was severally underrated in this part of the game. He was always criticized for being soft because he didn’t throw flashy hits. But he was a rock at winning the puck on the boards/corner and getting it out. Unfortunately, doing so often left himself vulnerable to vicious hits.

Yeah, Kenny Jonsson was sly that way for sure. Both Hickey and Jonsson think and react well. I never pictured KJ as small as Hickey. To me seemed KJ got nailed quite often in open ice. He played for such bad teams he had to change his role with the Isles and had to try to carry the puck more. Wasn't really his game and he got creamed many times because of it. Hickey doesn't have as much risk of that as he knows his role on the team as a 5/6 guy and he plays it well in my opinion.

 

[periferal]

Thought this thread needed a bump as hopefully all can now see how ridiculous it was when it was suggested. Just because the Isles got off to a hot start for them doesn't mean they are anywhere near Cup contention. Teams like the Capitals, and Lightning should be going "all in." A team that consistently cannot make the playoffs in a league where 50% of the teams do is in big trouble and should not be trading future assets for a one year run at a championship they'll never achieve.

 

[PK Cronin]

Thought this thread needed a bump as hopefully all can now see how ridiculous it was when it was suggested. Just because the Isles got off to a hot start for them doesn't mean they are anywhere near Cup contention. Teams like the Capitals, and Lightning should be going "all in." A team that consistently cannot make the playoffs in a league where 50% of the teams do is in big trouble and should not be trading future assets for a one year run at a championship they'll never achieve.

If they went all in earlier the team might not be in this mess. A true #1 defenseman would make a world of difference for this team.