Observations XIX

[RickP]

I'd rather them win than Vegas, I'll say that.

With all the free agents the Jets have, if they win the Cup and those players play a big role (Hellebuyck, Morrissey, Trouba, Stastny etc...), they're going to ask for a big raise and mess up the Jets salary cap situation Hellebuyck especially, with his Vezina nomination and possibly a Stanley Cup, he won't sign for cheap I assume.

 

[Enoch]

I agree with Poile. This is a fantastic roster.

I can't explain the disappearing act of Ellis / Josi.

I can't explain Rinne's performance over the last 4-5 regular season games and into the playoffs.

I think the 2nd line just is too small / not defensively oriented enough to be dominant. I think it would do well against most teams, but not the Jet's offense.

We need a bigger body or a two way guy on that line IMO. I don't think Smith is the guy for that line. He played great all year, so this isn't a knock on him, just on the fit. You can't put Fiala anywhere except the first or second line...

 

[PredsV82]

I like to hear that. This team did seem to really play for each other this year. Makes sense they want another shot, and honestly you probably shouldnt screw around too much with a roster that put up 117 points, especially when, other than Rinne, pretty much everyone else is still young enough to not be expected to decline

 

[drwpreds]

We were behind by 2 until the end of the 1st

It was a 2-1 game with 42 minutes left in the game

 

[Enoch]

I also like what 303 said or one of the other poster's said v82? I can't remember...

The defensive pairings were fantastic last year.

This year Subban/Ekholm excelled but Josi/Ellis did not.

I think you could make a STRONG argument to go with Josi/Subban with Ekholm/Ellis. It does provide much better net clearing ability.

Then again, the Ekholm / Subban pairing is so so good in the playoffs. I really do not like the idea of disrupting it.

 

[Scoresberg]

People need to realize that 2 goals in a game like that is really huge, and really hard to overcome. Like Rinne said himself, he let the team down and feels responsible for the loss. Now, I don't place blame to Rinne since we only scored one goal but those two goals changed the game completely. We were already having trouble scoring against the Jets at home, so they were able to slow things down and play safe and defend. It allowed the Jets to dictate the game. If we had scored first, the game would've been completely different and we could've dictated the game.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

I'm still pretty surprised how the look the Subban/Josi pairing had was something like 6 games in 2016-17. They never really were tried together even when Ellis and/or Ekholm were injured throughout these 2 seasons.

 

[101st_fan]

I don't blame Pekka ... but I am questioning Lavi's refusal to even give Saros a single playoff start based solely on the numbers down the stretch and into the postseason. Pekka played like a goalie that needed rest to get past the lapses that cost us.

 

[triggrman]

It was a 2-1 game with 42 minutes left in the game

I don't have the patience to express all my thoughts on it, let me just say that there are 2 teams that have 2 different game plans, when a team goes up by 2 goals, the plans for both become way different. Sorry if you don't agree, or you think I'm wrong. I know this was the natural approach of every team I've followed, coached or played on.

 

[triggrman]

I also like what 303 said or one of the other poster's said v82? I can't remember...

The defensive pairings were fantastic last year.

This year Subban/Ekholm excelled but Josi/Ellis did not.

I think you could make a STRONG argument to go with Josi/Subban with Ekholm/Ellis. It does provide much better net clearing ability.

Then again, the Ekholm / Subban pairing is so so good in the playoffs. I really do not like the idea of disrupting it.

I think the size of Winnipeg was an issue for the Josi Ellis pairing and forced them to play more conservative.

 

[drwpreds]

I don't have the patience to express all my thoughts on it, let me just say that there are 2 teams that have 2 different game plans, when a team goes up by 2 goals, the plans for both become way different. Sorry if you don't agree, or you think I'm wrong. I know this was the natural approach of every team I've followed, coached or played on.

It’s all good man- just having a discussion- it’s fine that we disagree

I understand completely what you are saying- I get it- getting down early is not a good thing

All I’m saying is it was just a one goal game with over 2 periods left. It was anybody’s game- we just were not good enough either before or after the two early goals

 

[Cletus Marley]

This fanbase is stuck in the mindset that if we dont score first we are dead and that being 2 goals behind with 40 minutes to go is a death sentence. You dont always get to play with a lead. Championship teams find a way. We have done that in the past. Not so much this time and it's not like we didn't have enough games to get it done.

 

[nomorekids]

It was a 2-1 game with 42 minutes left in the game

I had a little hope when Subban quickly made it 2-1. We had a good amount of pressure for most of the period after that, even came close a couple of times...but when Scheifle scored to make it 3-1 at the end of the period, it felt like the game was over at that point. The team seemingly agreed.

 

[drwpreds]

Posted about this in the Around the NHL thread last night, but it bears repeating.

The top 4 teams in the league (Preds/Bolts/Jets/Bruins) are a combined 5-11 at home in rounds 2 and 3.
5 AND 11!

It is clear once again that home ice advantage does not mean a thing, and I am never going to stress over it again from a Preds perspective in future years.

The Jets, who were the most dominant home team in the league, have almost been as bad as the Preds were at home. They are 2-3 in their past 5 games at home, and one of the wins was the game we choked away a 3 goal lead. Had they lost that one as they should have they would be 1-4 in last 5, same as Preds did.

It honestly makes me feel not quite so bad about our home play. It is not just us- just about every elite team is struggling. (Vegas is the only team that has avoided it- will be interesting to see how they handle the Jets at home)

Watching that Jets game last night, I am seriously starting to think we would have won the series had we NOT had home ice. If game 7 had been in Winnipeg I honestly think we may have won the game. Because really other than that 5 minute meltdown in game 3 we played pretty dang good the whole series up there.

How crazy is that after all the talk about how important and great it was that we finally had home ice throughout?!

 

[BigFatCat999]

I'm pulling a 303. I have a business to form.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I said it last summer and I'll say it again now: I think not protecting James Neal was a mistake.

 

[101st_fan]

I said it last summer and I'll say it again now: I think not protecting James Neal was a mistake.

It was a business decision that didn't truly hurt as long as Jarnkrok was healthy ... especially at ES where the difference between Neal and Jarnkrok was four total points during the regular season. The issue was the disappearance of Smith, Fiala, and Turris in the postseason ... all players with comparable or better numbers than Neal throughout the regular season.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Too much went wrong at the end of the season for James Neal alone to have fixed it, alas.

The only real difference now that I see is he's much less likely to be available as a UFA than I thought he'd be... guessing Vegas locks him up and that he's going to be pretty happy to stay there now, which is something nobody was likely counting on back when the decision to leave him unprotected was made. But other than that, the reasoning turned out to be sound. Preds just were never close enough this year for Neal > Jarnkrok to have made a difference in this 1 season. And we still get to keep Jarnkrok longterm past this 1 year.

But anyway, the cap situation now says we can go out and get another proven scoring winger, pure addition, and the team should make every effort to do that. That add plus Tolvanen should really wrap up the whole Neal decision discussion and let us move on.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Oh yeah, something I else I keep meaning to post... are we at all worried about potentially losing Fenton? I hear he is in the final stages for the Minny job (he has been in this position with other openings in the past too of course)...

It seemed to me like losing Housley, even though he didn't really succeed with the Sabres (yet), was possibly something that may have affected the team.

Always hard to know what exactly assistants and guys upstairs really do, we have no real choice but to focus on the head coach and GM as being totally responsible in their respective areas. But another sign of a successful franchise is when the assistants start getting promoted to the top in other organizations...

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

We just had our best regular season ever and got knocked out in 7 games by the team with the second best record in the league and we missed Housley? I know Fenton was the GM of the Admirals and if he was the one who made those trades in the middle of this season, then I don't really care if Minnesota or some other team hires him.

 

[FossilFndr]

I said it last summer and I'll say it again now: I think not protecting James Neal was a mistake.

I was so mistaken to think that horse had been killed and beaten into dust.

Have a grand time with that stinky old thing, there isn't enough left for the glue factory. Whatever gets you through the summer.

 

[PredsV82]

We just had our best regular season ever and got knocked out in 7 games by the team with the second best record in the league and we missed Housley? I know Fenton was the GM of the Admirals and if he was the one who made those trades in the middle of this season, then I don't really care if Minnesota or some other team hires him.

Actually it was reported that Fenton is the one who revived the trade talks that led to the Turris acquisition

 

[NoNecksCurse]

Actually it was reported that Fenton is the one who revived the trade talks that led to the Turris acquisition

he sucked in the playoffs so Fenton sucks in the playoffs so does rinne in game 7 so Fenton chokes in the clutch so minnesota can have him, amirite?

 

[101st_fan]

No decision is perfect. There is a reason why we have discussion about the team and not simplistic, bulletized statement of fact. Neal or Jarnkrok ... in a vacuum it is easy, but things don't happen in a vacuum. Start Pekka every playoff game or give Saros a start .. another point of DISCUSSION. Same goes for what 3rd pairing d-man to play ... whether Tolvanen should have played ... and on and on.

 

[wingsfan17]

Just realized Jarnkrok has 2 goals in 48 career playoff games.... that’s rough.