Observations, Part VI

[Armourboy]

Eh I don't completely fault Poile for the two missed years. The first year is essentially from going for it the previous year and losing Suter to boot. The second year you lose your starting goalie for most of the season. Yeah you can make arguments that he hasn't built it right. Some of those years I think you could argue he didn't have the dollars to be able to do it.

The major problem I have with him is how he's thrown away #1 picks like mad, made some pretty big busts with the ones he has kept, and then made some very head scratching FA signings, especially the year with Stalberg, Hendricks and Nystrom. Gaustad may not have been worth it in some peoples eyes, but I don't have a major problem with it.

Its really hard to argue when you look at his record. Sadly I think his early career mistakes have haunted him for most of his career. Its caused him to over value certain things in players and teams that don't always make a ton of sense.

I don't have a feeling one way or the other right now. Part of me says let him stay through what will be his real last window with Weber/Rinne, the other part wonders if that is the best thing for the franchise to risk blowing this opportunity.

Had they missed the playoffs this season I think it would of been a fairly easy decision for the owners, definitely don't think that is the case now.

 

[LCPreds]

I think about our relatively young franchise and some of the frustration I feel when we don't achieve to anything beyond the 2nd round of the playoffs.

And then I imagine what it must be like to be an Edmonton fan and realize everything is not nearly as bad as it could be. Sure they will be getting the 2nd coming of Crosby. But can you imagine being a fan of a franchise that has draft history like this?

2009 - 1st pick
2010 - 1st pick
2011 - 1st pick
2012 - 1st pick
2013 - 7th pick
2014 - 3rd pick
2015 - 1st pick

Our franchise would be gone. Yeah it's ok to want more and I get that. Just trying to maintain perspective that we are actually just like your average to potentially above average franchises and really it's not so bad here.

 

[Armourboy]

Well and I look at it like this, I've been watching them since 1998, and yeah we haven't won a cup, but I've been cheering for the University of Arkansas for a heck of a lot longer than that and they haven't won a National Championship. Heck I'm not even sure the Preds have had a season as bad as some of theirs have been over those years.

Don't know, I figure there are some really storied franchises in professional sports that go decades without winning one. Heck its gotta be less frustrating to be us than it does St. Louis, Vancouver or Toronto's fan base. Long as we have a team I'll keep right on keeping on. Shoot I've finally gotten my wife into finally, ain't gonna get discouraged now.

 

[bdub24]

Fantasy: Preds rally to take these three games and jettison the Hawks into summer. Reading the Hawks pages as the bandwagon, less than 500 posts implode while the vets with over 2k posts chastise them for being the fair weather fans they are.

In truth, whatever happens with this series, I have loved the ride the year, well the early part of it and some of the post season, and am really looking forward to more great things in the coming seasons too.

And the fact that it looks like the front office has solved the problem of the obnoxious idiots from taking over our barn is a win in and of itself.

 

[Pred303]

i've been a die hard hockey fan for 40 years. i've seen cups won and lost. playoffs made and missed. successful and disaster seasons and trades and picks.

i'm not 'discouraged' the preds won't win the cup this year. that was always an unrealistic expectation barring a hockey miracle (which i admit i have seen as well), no, my discouragement this year is pissing away so many potential franchise firsts. a list almost to long to mention where we held each of those in our hands 2/3rds of the way thru a hockey season. the situation we are in now, facing elimination in the first round isn't a real surprise to me at all. we never were as good as some thought and anyone that knew hockey well knew that.

it's why i wanted to see us win the presidents cup, and the conference championship, and the division, and all of the individual awards that were in our grasp. they were all right there despite the holes in our roster. knowing we probably weren't going to go very far in the playoffs in all likelihood (just look at our regular record against western conference playoffs teams) made winning any of those a great consolation prize.

but alas, it wasn't to be. that's the disappointment, and if you cann't understand that i'm sorry.

 

[Pred303]

like players and caoches say, you now focus on winning one period at a time. and one game at a time. would be great to first win tonight, not lose again on home ice, and head back to CHI. do that for a game 6 and the pressure shifts quite a bit more to them. they then will become a little tighter, knowing they 'have' to win this one, because it's their last home game against us and desperately wanting to avoid a game 7 back here. when you think like that, you maybe make that big mistake or two.

that's the scenario we want. win tonight, force a game 6 there. make them worry over it. win tonight, and there's still always a chance.

 

[deanwormer]

The Detroit Tigers are a charter franchise of the AL - one of the original 8 in 1901. That means they've been around for 113 World Series. How many of those they win? 4. One of those was the last time the Cubs even made it that far - 1945 - and they go back too......BtoB championships is 1907/08. Right - there is not a living Cubs fan that has seen them win a World Series; most haven't even seen them get there.

Guys, we were an expansion franchise put here on a shoestring budget with a carpet-bagger as an owner. We put the expansion years behind us and been in the POs 8/11. Yes, we crapped the bed in 07 and 12 - those we could certainly be disappointed about. But golly, we've had some pretty good success in a relatively short time. Weathered a lotta' crap, too - Ballsillie, Liarpold, 2 lockouts - and yet we have a consistently competitive stable franchise in THE "IT" city. Dang - our biggest problem is our tix are cheap and all the freakin fan-clubs wanna' come here on road trips!

We've played the team picked to win the west almost dead-even virtually without Fish and mostly without Webs. Yes, we had the mirage of the early season but even the most optimistic of us new Peks wasn't gonna' sit there with a .940 all year and sooner-or-later the youth was gonna' show its inexperience for guys like FF and Jones.

This year isn't over yet - back to the wall, gotta' win or go home - but It's been 13 goals a piece, and Peks started to look a little like Peks again. Likely - it might not be, but was our 21-2 home start likely? Peks numbers through the ASG? I don't think this team is gonna' quit without a fight.

I hate the "coulda' been" part of this too, and I will happily claim the chairmanship of the fire GMDP brigade, but not until this is over - and if I might quote Mr. John Blutarsky - "nothing is over until WE decide it is". The boys are lacing up the skates, we should be lacing up the gold. Last thing we need is for me to be pulling out that other Bluto quote - WTF happened the fanbase I used to know!

 

[PredsV82]

we do have one small path to victory... somehow we have got to make Darling look like a backup goalie... pour in three or four early in the game and make Q pull him.... hang on and win, and then create goalie chaos for Chicago in game 6...

 

[Predsfan78]

we do have one small path to victory... somehow we have got to make Darling look like a backup goalie... pour in three or four early in the game and make Q pull him.... hang on and win, and then create goalie chaos for Chicago in game 6...

I'm hoping for the above scenario too but somehow I have a feeling it will be a tight, low scoring game..

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Flame me if you want but I wouldn't mind bringing back pretty much the same team next year and seeing how it goes again.

I'd definitely look around at trades and free agency but would be content if we could just bring back our key free agents (Ribs, Fisher, Wilson and Smith) and replace guys like Cullen and Santorelli with guys like Watson and say Arvidsson.

Forsberg-Ribeiro-Neal
Wilson-Fisher-Smith
Arvidsson-Jarnkrok-Watson
Bourque-Gaustad-Beck

It just sucks that we've been missing two key players for most of this playoff series.

 

[Dave is a killer]

After watching this video, I'd say Pekka's blocker is the problem

 

[Filip Forceberg]

i've been a die hard hockey fan for 40 years. i've seen cups won and lost. playoffs made and missed. successful and disaster seasons and trades and picks.

i'm not 'discouraged' the preds won't win the cup this year. that was always an unrealistic expectation barring a hockey miracle (which i admit i have seen as well), no, my discouragement this year is pissing away so many potential franchise firsts. a list almost to long to mention where we held each of those in our hands 2/3rds of the way thru a hockey season. the situation we are in now, facing elimination in the first round isn't a real surprise to me at all. we never were as good as some thought and anyone that knew hockey well knew that.

it's why i wanted to see us win the presidents cup, and the conference championship, and the division, and all of the individual awards that were in our grasp. they were all right there despite the holes in our roster. knowing we probably weren't going to go very far in the playoffs in all likelihood (just look at our regular record against western conference playoffs teams) made winning any of those a great consolation prize.

but alas, it wasn't to be. that's the disappointment, and if you cann't understand that i'm sorry.

This is exactly how I feel.

 

[Filip Forceberg]

Flame me if you want but I wouldn't mind bringing back pretty much the same team next year and seeing how it goes again.

I'd definitely look around at trades and free agency but would be content if we could just bring back our key free agents (Ribs, Fisher, Wilson and Smith) and replace guys like Cullen and Santorelli with guys like Watson and say Arvidsson.

Forsberg-Ribeiro-Neal
Wilson-Fisher-Smith
Arvidsson-Jarnkrok-Watson
Bourque-Gaustad-Beck

It just sucks that we've been missing two key players for most of this playoff series.

This summer's Free Agency class is garbage, so the only way we're improving our roster is through a trade or two. I also fully expect Fiala to be on the roster next year.

 

[nomorekids]

I am not directing this at you personally 303- I respect your opinions especially as a longtime season ticket holder.

I am not exactly sure how to put this, but I find it interesting that many Preds fans seem to have an attitude/mindset of a long, downtrodden losing franchise- that the fanbase is a long suffering and beaten down from a long history of failure.

I am not sure I understand that. The franchise is only 16 years old- in the big picture that is nothing- the Predators are still practically infants compared to others that have been around forever.

I realize in today's society its all instant gratification- I get it- but this was an expansion franchise- so you have a built in few years of guaranteed misery. So if you take away those 3 or 4 years, you have some pretty darn good success- the Preds have made the playoffs 8 of the past 11 years and have 5 100 point seasons and 1 99 point season. There are a bunch of franchises that would love to have had that kind of success.

I completely understand the frustration with playoff results- but again, excluding the expansion years this franchise has barely had a decade of having a team able to have any kind of success.

Many on here are old Atlanta Thrashers fans- try going 11 years with 0 playoff wins- now that is a downtrodden fan base.

Or how about the St Louis Blues- they have been around almost 50 years and still don't have a Cup. I can't imagine what some people on here would do if we go 34 more years without a Cup.

The Rangers went over 50 years between Cups.

And yes I realize some other young franchises have won a Cup- but do you think Carolina, for example, is a better franchise than ours just because they won a Cup? I don't.

All I am trying to say is this franchise has had a pretty good bit of success for being so young. Again, I completely understand wanting to win in the playoffs- its the ultimate goal- I want it too. I just don't get the downtrodden fanbase attitude that many seem to have given how young the franchise is in the overall scheme of things..

There are no guarantees that the Preds will ever win a Cup- what if it takes over 50 years like the Blues? What if you knew that right now? Would you stop being a fan? I wouldn't, even though the Preds winning the Cup is my #1 bucket list item I want to see before I die.

I just want a consistently winning team that has a chance to be a true contender on a consistent basis- and for the past decade the Preds have been just that.

For me personally, my issue is that every time it seems like we've gotten our candy, it gets yanked out of our mouth. The 05-07 "elite" Predators that got pimpslapped in the playoffs. The firesale soon after. The Radulov situation. The Radulov return\"go for it" season. The Suter betrayal.

This season is so hard to swallow because even though the underlying signs were there that it was something of an illusion, for most of the season we were BY FAR the best team in the league, and had a seemingly insurmountable hold on the President's trophy, the division lead, the Norris trophy, the Vezina trophy, the Jack Adams, the Calder, and maybe even the Hart. Instead, a 3 month collapse has wiped the table clear of all of those things, and we're on the cusp of being knocked out in the first round--again--by a hated rival. It's just always something, and our rollercoaster always seems to soar up before crashing down. It's hard to take.

I'm a Mets fan in baseball...I'm used to consistent mediocrity, poor management, ownership scandals...but every so often, 1986, 2000...and maybe even this year, they make a run that makes me forget all of the years in between. In a way, that's somehow easier for me. I am realistic at the start of each season, and if they surprise me, it's all the better.

The Predators, on the other hand, are constantly making promises that they ultimately can't live up to, and I fall for it every time. It's hard work being a fan of this team for that reason.

 

[PredsV82]

Flame me if you want but I wouldn't mind bringing back pretty much the same team next year and seeing how it goes again.

I'd definitely look around at trades and free agency but would be content if we could just bring back our key free agents (Ribs, Fisher, Wilson and Smith) and replace guys like Cullen and Santorelli with guys like Watson and say Arvidsson.

Forsberg-Ribeiro-Neal
Wilson-Fisher-Smith
Arvidsson-Jarnkrok-Watson
Bourque-Gaustad-Beck

It just sucks that we've been missing two key players for most of this playoff series.

you forgot Fiala, who I suspect makes the team next year. But Im not sold at all on Ribiero as our #1 center if we intend to make it to the conference finals or farther. Need a big trade, centered around Jones, for a 1C. If we want Ribs as a 2C and Fisher down to 3C, Im good with that. Jarnkrok may be odd man out or included in a trade.

 

[Pred303]

that's always been the book on rinne, blocker side.

have seen somewhere his career save percentage was ranked like this by area;
1)glove side high
2)5 hole
3)glove side low
4)blocker side low
5)blocker side high

which is not 'untypical' of most goalies honestly.

getting beaten so badly and often blocker side right now though is certainly awful. personally i'm more surprised at the 4 five hole goals he's allowed. as the video mentions (saw this yesterday from handtrick) much of that is because how he's trying to cover that high glove side so much that his stick is getting out of position on the 5 hole. and i think it's positional breakdowns that are causing all the blocker side goals allowed... it's become a vicious cycle

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

We should petition the league for Rinne to get rid of his stick and blocker and just use two gloves. Unstoppable.

 

[PredsV82]

that's always been the book on rinne, blocker side.

have seen somewhere his career save percentage was ranked like this by area;
1)glove side high
2)5 hole
3)glove side low
4)blocker side low
5)blocker side high

which is not 'untypical' of most goalies honestly.

getting beaten so badly and often blocker side right now though is certainly awful. personally i'm more surprised at the 4 five hole goals he's allowed. as the video mentions (saw this yesterday from handtrick) much of that is because how he's trying to cover that high glove side so much that his stick is getting out of position on the 5 hole. and i think it's positional breakdowns that are causing all the blocker side goals allowed... it's become a vicious cycle

and presumably something you would think a goalie coach would be helping to correct.... I hate to admit it, but we appear to be suffering mightily from the loss of Korn...

 

[Montross]

i've been a die hard hockey fan for 40 years. i've seen cups won and lost. playoffs made and missed. successful and disaster seasons and trades and picks.

i'm not 'discouraged' the preds won't win the cup this year. that was always an unrealistic expectation barring a hockey miracle (which i admit i have seen as well), no, my discouragement this year is pissing away so many potential franchise firsts. a list almost to long to mention where we held each of those in our hands 2/3rds of the way thru a hockey season. the situation we are in now, facing elimination in the first round isn't a real surprise to me at all. we never were as good as some thought and anyone that knew hockey well knew that.

it's why i wanted to see us win the presidents cup, and the conference championship, and the division, and all of the individual awards that were in our grasp. they were all right there despite the holes in our roster. knowing we probably weren't going to go very far in the playoffs in all likelihood (just look at our regular record against western conference playoffs teams) made winning any of those a great consolation prize.

but alas, it wasn't to be. that's the disappointment, and if you cann't understand that i'm sorry.

I agree with your 'discouraged' part. I think the team wasn't as good as we saw the first part of the year and isn't quite as bad as the team they are icing since the trade.

For me, the annoyance lies at the feet of Poile and the trade which did not then and does not now make much sense to me. I did not like the price he paid for a couple of depth rentals that haven't really added much to this team. You can argue whether or not Franson has 'been used properly', but the fact is he has been a footnote on this team.

The FA class is not strong. In order to improve, Poile will most likely have to trade. I sure would have like to have seen him keep that 1st and Leipsic to make a run at Kessel or E. Staal at the draft with those pieces. What to do you give up now?

Lots of people are already chomping at the bit to send Jones packing. Sorry, but I am not on the Seth Jones pitchfork brigade. Not even old enough to drink and you guys are running him out of town. D-men take longer to develop, and he is already taken on a ton of responsibility on this team. Warts and all, he is going to be a fantastic player in a couple of years. If you move him, it better be for a big-time center. And who has these elite 1Cs lying around just waiting to be traded? I look at the 20 or so top centers in the league last season and I don't see a name I think will be traded.

 

[jstreet]

and presumably something you would think a goalie coach would be helping to correct.... I hate to admit it, but we appear to be suffering mightily from the loss of Korn...

Korn is the man.

 

[Dave is a killer]

And one other thing, I'm done with goalies being paid 7 million/year, when said player doesn't show up after X-mas

 

[Predsboro]

After watching this video, I'd say Pekka's blocker is the problem

Been saying that for weeks, as has Steve ... high to medium blocker is his "hole of choice" right now. I think Steve mentioned earlier in the week that many times, "on" Pekka would cross up and catch many of those shots.

ETA: I see as I continue in the thread Steve already hit this.

 

[PredsV82]

And one other thing, I'm done with goalies being paid 7 million/year, when said player doesn't show up after X-mas

I started typing about 4 different responses to this and each time I just gave up because well.... I better just stop before I get an infraction..

 

[FossilFndr]

At least the guys didn't give up in these playoffs. Losing games in second and third overtime proves enough to me that they have never given up. I seem to have lost that perspective thinking about being down 1 - 3 and facing elimination.

Both teams have scored 13 goals. Preds lost by 2 goals only once and played like the pre All Star Preds the other game.

Another goal here and there and Preds would be up 3 - 1. We are not getting blown out by a long shot.

Tonight is a new night, lets make it a fun one.

Go Preds

 

[WartracePred]

and presumably something you would think a goalie coach would be helping to correct.... I hate to admit it, but we appear to be suffering mightily from the loss of Korn...

I was more worried about replacing Trotz than replacing Korn. Looks like I got that wrong. Lavy has been pretty damn good for the organization. Not so sure about Vanderklok.