Observations XVII

[PredsV82]

Clean slate...

Am still having a hard time processing how badly we dismantled the Hawks, and yet still having a hard time expecting to win the next series, which I should, based on what I just saw....

Click to read more...

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Clean slate...

Am still having a hard time processing how badly we dismantled the Hawks, and yet still having a hard time expecting to win the next series, which I should, based on what I just saw....

The team worked like a 5 man unit with and without the puck. They read off of each other as if they'd been playing this way all year. It was great to see everyone work so hard and be the first to the puck the vast majority of the time.

 

[Drake744]

Observation: The road to 16 wins began as we were posting in Observations Thread #16

 

[tampa pred]

Continuing the Aberg discussion:

Kid was great in game 4! Hustled all over the ice. If Wilson returns, I'd find a way to keep Aberg in the lineup. He has earned it.

 

[Jonesey]

Ok, so everyone healthy for game 1, what do we roll out?

9 - 92 - 38
56 - 19 - 18
15 - 12 - 33
46 - 10 - 51

Those would make me very happy.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Ok, so everyone healthy for game 1, what do we roll out?

9 - 92 - 38
56 - 19 - 18
15 - 12 - 33
46 - 10 - 51

Those would make me very happy.

I could see 10 and 12 flipped

Or

15- 10- 46
33- 12- 51

 

[Scoresberg]

Keep the 4th line intact. Watson could do some damage with 12 and 33. So:

9 - 92 - 38
56 - 19 - 18
33 - 12 - 51
46 - 10 - 15

 

[drwpreds]

Ok, so everyone healthy for game 1, what do we roll out?

9 - 92 - 38
56 - 19 - 18
15 - 12 - 33
46 - 10 - 51

Those would make me very happy.

All I know is if we get everyone healthy the depth we have is pretty incredible.

Not really enough spots for everyone and that is a wonderful problem to have.

 

[Scoresberg]

All I know is if we get everyone healthy the depth we have is pretty incredible.

Not really enough spots for everyone and that is a wonderful problem to have.

Well, Z and PA out. Pretty simple IMO. But agreed it's good to have guys who can play well if there are injuries. Important in the poffs.

 

[Pred303]

9 - 92 - 38
56 - 19 - 18
15 - 12 - 33
46 - 10 - 51

this is the exact lineup I would go with. we need to get fisher, smith and Wilson contributing offensively. and jarnkrok and neal as well.

and it puts some size and speed on each line.

 

[MrJoshua]

Ok, so everyone healthy for game 1, what do we roll out?

9 - 92 - 38
56 - 19 - 18
15 - 12 - 33
46 - 10 - 51

Those would make me very happy.

this is the exact lineup I would go with. we need to get fisher, smith and Wilson contributing offensively. and jarnkrok and neal.

I might swap 10 and 12, because I think Fisher's presence on that fourth line is making it a lot more effective, while Wilson and Smith have shown they can play well with Sissons. But either way.

 

[tampa pred]

I like Fisher starting in the 4 slot. Plus, Scissons is the one who got Smith going.

9 - 92 - 38
56 - 19 - 18
15 - 10 - 33
46 - 12 - 51

 

[PredsV82]

Do you guys realize how good we must be doing if we are thinking Mike Fisher centering the 4th line is a good thing??

 

[drwpreds]

Well, Z and PA out. Pretty simple IMO. But agreed it's good to have guys who can play well if there are injuries. Important in the poffs.

Probably so, yes. Although I will say this about Z- i have been pretty hard on him along with most on here, but he really stepped up and had a very good series vs Chicago.

 

[Scoresberg]

Yes, Sissons with 33 and 15 is not a bad idea but then we're basically throwing Fish away from production.

Drew, I know he was solid but we need production.

 

[Preds Partisan]

At least Smith would seem to be ready to go next week since he's at least skating, but I'm not counting on Wilson. By the time the next series starts it will have been 3 weeks since Wilson has been on the ice.

A sweep with extra time off, other guys getting valuable experience, it may work to the Preds advantage as the playoffs continue since the team as a unit knows they can win with the guys they have, and individually each man, especially the younger ones, should be confident that they can contribute. I've seen a lot of lesser players/inexperienced players get chewed up by the playoff pressure machine, but everyone looked really comfortable. It was just against the Blackhawks, but still.

 

[Mortiest Morty]

They practice again Sunday I think. If Wilson is STILL not even suiting up and trying to skate around by then, you have to doubt he'd be ready for game 1. But Zolnierczyk out and Wilson in would be a big boost.

 

[NSH615]

Do you guys realize how good we must be doing if we are thinking Mike Fisher centering the 4th line is a good thing??

Not really. That's where he should be at this point in his career . Maybe 3rd line, but somewhere in there is where he should be 3rd/4th. Not all of that is a knock on his ability, but with him pushing in age (for a hockey player) he needs his minutes cut just a little to keep his energy level up.

A more telling sign about the quality of the team is the fact that Ribeiro was tossed to the curb and the team hasn't missed a beat without him. In fact, I'd say that improved the team.

 

[GoldOnGold]

It's interesting to compare our roster now versus our roster back in the 2015 series.

For Game 1, this is what the Preds had:

Forsberg - Ribeiro - Smith

Wilson - Fisher - Neal

Cullen - Jarnkrok - Stalberg

Borque - Gaustad - Beck

Josi - Weber

Ekholm - Jones

Volchenkov - Ellis

 

[SauceMyBiscuit]

It's interesting to compare our roster now versus our roster back in the 2015 series.

For Game 1, this is what the Preds had:

Forsberg - Ribeiro - Smith

Wilson - Fisher - Neal

Cullen - Jarnkrok - Stalberg

Borque - Gaustad - Beck

Josi - Weber

Ekholm - Jones

Volchenkov - Ellis

How did this team do better than the hawks in the regular season? We're a vastly better team now.

 

[Mortiest Morty]

Not really. That's where he should be at this point in his career . Maybe 3rd line, but somewhere in there is where he should be 3rd/4th. Not all of that is a knock on his ability, but with him pushing in age (for a hockey player) he needs his minutes cut just a little to keep his energy level up.

Nope. He's still the second best center on this team easily and he handled the minutes just fine this year. He has also played the 2nd most minutes of all the Preds centers this postseason, including the most last game.

 

[PredsV82]

How did this team do better than the hawks in the regular season? We're a vastly better team now.

That was the year Pekka was on pace to break Brodeurs win record until he got hurt

 

[Cletus Marley]

Still can't believe we dismantled them so completely. It's nice to see hockey analysts acknowledging that it wasn't so much the Hawks dropping the ball as us playing really well.
I've been there since the beginning and playoff time usually ends in frustration. Really happy to see them put some stank on it in the first round.

 

[predfan24]

this is the exact lineup I would go with. we need to get fisher, smith and Wilson contributing offensively. and jarnkrok and neal as well.

and it puts some size and speed on each line.

I liked what I saw from Aberg in game 4 but I'm not sure giving him limited minutes on the 4th line is a recipe for success. Round hole square peg type of thing. STL has a bigger more physical team than Chicago. I'd be cool leaving Harry Z or Mcleod on the 4th.

 

[predfan24]

I thought Lavy was crazy with how he set up the bottom six before the series but damn did it ever work! I'll be honest I'm still not sold on Sissons but I hope he continues to prove me wrong as well.

The whole Wilson saga is really confusing to me. I don't recall a play in which he was hurt. Perhaps he aggravated an old injury? We need Willy's and Smith's size and skill against STL or even Minnesota if that happens.

I'm still enjoying all of this. Never in my life did I expect to see what we just saw. I don't want this to be like 2012. None of this really matters if we lay an egg in round two. I don't get that vibe at all from this team though. They will be ready.