Forsberg is a very good forechecker and back checks well too. Bourque also has great speed and forechecks as good as any
Observations, Part VI
- Thread starter PredsV82
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Byrddog
Lifer
- Nov 23, 2007
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BigFatCat999
First Fubu and now Pred303. !@#$! you cancer
Actually, yes, his speed will = cherry picking. This could be a career year for him & Smith.
glenngineer
Registered User
The big thing that will happen 3 on 3 is lots of breakaway attempts for both teams. The Preds have to be careful when cycling the puck that they have someone up high as to block any breakouts and have someone back in case the puck goes the other way. They will also need to put their best skating and puck handling defensemen on the ice which honestly is Josi, Jones and either Ellis or Ekholm and I trust Ekholm more than Ellis in this situation and as good as Weber is they will need forwards with great puck handling ability to put him on the ice 3 on 3. I think the top 6 get the majority of 3 on 3 time and you may see a guy like Jarnkrok, Arvidsson or Hodgson get in to the mix if there isn't a play stoppage to give some guys a breather. Short shifts will be crucial as well so figuring when and how to change will be huge.
Preds Partisan
Gunga galunga
- Aug 17, 2009
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Regarding the 3 v 3, I'll throw this out there. At our Annual Summer Hockey Summit (aka guys sitting around a bonfire drinking beer) with friends of my mine from CHI, STL, MIN, CBJ, DET, all of whom pretty much hate the Preds, there was strong agreement that if one team may play 2 D on occasion it would/should be the Preds. Besides the obvious reasoning of personnel on D and Rinne for the Preds, the thinking was that even in a copy cat league, somebody is going to try and mix it up, break the script that the rest of the league will be following and flip the strategy. They were all selling the idea pretty hard that the Preds could benefit from trying a 2 D setup to try and counter the track meet that most of us anticipate will be happening in 3 v 3. I'm not buying it, but I can see were this may happen.
Unless Hodgson has really improved his speed, I'd keep him on the bench, lol. Along with any guy who leans more towards setting up and cycling as opposed to the rushing offense.
From a quick glance at last year's stats, it doesn't look like the Preds had much going for short-handed goals? Josi with 3 pk points, then 5 guys with 1 pk point. Shame. Cuz like if anyone had stood out as good for generating chances on the PK, I'd figure they'd be ideal tryouts for 3-on-3?
Incidentally, which team(s) would you guys say Nashville has the "biggest rivalry"? Just curious if there are particular match-ups anticipated to be more exciting than others.
For people in Nashville, the main rivalry is Chicago for numerous reasons although Hawks fans probably don't really care about us. Some will say Minnesota because Suter screwed us and left for there, but again a one-sided view. An up and coming rivalry with the Preds is Dallas IMO. Games get really chippy against them, similar hockey markets and obviously the divisional aspect.
As far as what games simply get people here pumped more than others, probably Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit. Before realignment we had nice rivalries with Detroit and Columbus.
wanted to mention how grateful I am to be able to log on here and find new posts every few minutes rather than every few days as it seemed in the interminable summer.
I have learned almost everything I know about hockey from the posts I have read and people I met on this and the old preds board.
I really miss not making the games these last few years because talking to many of you at the glass during warmups and between periods was one of my favorite activities.
Talking to folks one here is another of my favorites.
I hope we have a busy board with active discussion, and I sincerely hope we can keep everything friendly, even when we disagree. (for any of you who just like a good argument, I invite you to join me on the politics board occasionally)
Lets Go Preds!
Drop the puck!
I have learned almost everything I know about hockey from the posts I have read and people I met on this and the old preds board.
I really miss not making the games these last few years because talking to many of you at the glass during warmups and between periods was one of my favorite activities.
Talking to folks one here is another of my favorites.
I hope we have a busy board with active discussion, and I sincerely hope we can keep everything friendly, even when we disagree. (for any of you who just like a good argument, I invite you to join me on the politics board occasionally)
Lets Go Preds!
Drop the puck!
token grinder
Facts Get Deleted
Weirdly, I think the total may be too low. When you take into account Weber was hurt and Ellis was out and still put up what they did, I think if healthy Weber can hit 20 with a good PP, Ellis and Jones should break 10 each. I guess it is the left-siders I worry about dipping. Not so much Josi, although I feel like 10-40 is more his stat line. Ekholm- I wonder if he maxed out his offensive potential last year or if he has some game growing to do. Jackman, I would be shocked if he got 3.
Ha! Caught ya! You're either a drunk or a mush (either one, kinda akin to me during hockey season ;-) ). Good on you!
I'm hopeful there's more interaction/debate, in terms of quantity and frequency, on the Preds' board than I've noticed lately, but I'll be glad if it at least remains as friendly as it's been.
I've got my first fav (Hodgson) and will end up with other favs as the games are televised so I can actually put bodies to the names/stats I've been researching and reading about here, and chances are my favs won't be as loved by others - which will breed banter. But man, banter is sweet. It's the getting all nasty/ugly btwn fans that just sucks.
I need the puck to drop. Hodgson's signing got me lookin', but the regulars posting here over the summer have had such a slew of things to say on various points that I'm fricken anxious to see this team in motion! That's a comment about you Preds fans really, cuz I follow a few teams (Canucks, Habs, Wings, Sabres) and there's really a very different, in a good way, feel to the fan base for Nashville.
I need the puck to drop.
He is better than Gaustad. But yes his speed and forechecking would be good 3 v 3
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QFT on all counts. I know we aren't exactly the most active board on here but the normal swing of things is starting again. I've definitely noticed an increase in posts lately.
jwhouk
Former Cheesehead, Always a Preds Fan
Anyone else a bit concerned about the quality of play the last few preseason games... or, I should say, the lack of it?
Pred303
Registered User
I have no answer for these last two ass-whippings. the ice time and line shuffling can be explained away by the big early deficit. I know lavy was trying to let rinne try to regain confidence by playing him the third period, but man did that backfire. one thing I do know, is we have had no answer for saad when he was with CHI and have less now.
about the only things you can take positive from this end to preseason is 1)that it should regain the teams full attention before game 1. 2)and that it doesn't really count for anything, just like the 3-0-1 record to start didn't count for anything. 3)we enter game one with every player healthy for the first time in years.
now it all really begins.
about the only things you can take positive from this end to preseason is 1)that it should regain the teams full attention before game 1. 2)and that it doesn't really count for anything, just like the 3-0-1 record to start didn't count for anything. 3)we enter game one with every player healthy for the first time in years.
now it all really begins.
#3 is good. I'd add a 4th positive - Preds don't play the BJs again until... what, March? Thank gawd.
Armourboy
Hey! You suck!
Some years you come out of the gate flying and make it like we did last season. Some years it take a bit to get things rolling and you pick it up late. Just because the team is roughly the same doesn't mean the seasons are going to mimic.
We've looked bad the last couple for whatever reason. Maybe it's disinterest being they don't matter. Maybe it's guys trying not to get hurt before the real games start. Maybe we just stink.
Great news is, we finally get to find out in a couple of days!
We've looked bad the last couple for whatever reason. Maybe it's disinterest being they don't matter. Maybe it's guys trying not to get hurt before the real games start. Maybe we just stink.
Great news is, we finally get to find out in a couple of days!
While I hate to see Peks get lit up by that kinda scoreboard, I wasn't at the game, so don't know how soft those were. More worried about if Peks can get that outing behind him than the actual score, since I am sure lines were being messed with and chemistry matters.
And none of Borque, Jones, or Goose on the ice for 3 on 3 please. I don't need nightmares about this team when we aren't even sniffing March yet.
And none of Borque, Jones, or Goose on the ice for 3 on 3 please. I don't need nightmares about this team when we aren't even sniffing March yet.
Yeah, Jones great decision making skills would be awesome in the blitz that is known as 3 on 3
Pred303
Registered User
the coach's challenge new rule is going to be interesting. can only challenge offsides when a goal is scored, or goalie interference when a goal is scored or disallowed.
but. a team has to have their timeout in hand to be allowed to challenge.
which means teams won't take their timeout anymore after an icing in order to 'save' that timeoff for a potential later challenge.
should mean we will see more goals in those situations where a team is caught on ice for long stretches.
also the way an offsides challenge can be made even a long time after zone entry as long as the puck stayed in the offensive zone for the entire time.
haven't seen this discussed at all this year
but. a team has to have their timeout in hand to be allowed to challenge.
which means teams won't take their timeout anymore after an icing in order to 'save' that timeoff for a potential later challenge.
should mean we will see more goals in those situations where a team is caught on ice for long stretches.
also the way an offsides challenge can be made even a long time after zone entry as long as the puck stayed in the offensive zone for the entire time.
haven't seen this discussed at all this year
I can't believe they are going ahead with it, without having tried it in preseason. I suspect its going to be ugly the first few times its tried.
wadesworld
Registered User
Pred303
Registered User
We talk about the failings of the pp a lot, deservedly so. but one area we absolutely need to improve this year is the pk numbers. For a team as good defensively and in net as we are it is inexcusable to finish 18th in the league on the pk as we did last year.
Jackman should help here on the backend, when Weber wasn't out there we didn't do a very good job clearing the creasde on the pk.
i thought last year much of the problem was our forwards. especially nystrom and gaustad's lack of quickness, which allowed too many open point shots off reversing the puck from d to d. those point shots were compounded by the lack of doing a good job clearing the front.
really hope hodgson can help out here, even though i don't know his pk ability.
Jackman should help here on the backend, when Weber wasn't out there we didn't do a very good job clearing the creasde on the pk.
i thought last year much of the problem was our forwards. especially nystrom and gaustad's lack of quickness, which allowed too many open point shots off reversing the puck from d to d. those point shots were compounded by the lack of doing a good job clearing the front.
really hope hodgson can help out here, even though i don't know his pk ability.
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