Post-Game Talk: Oilers vs Jets - Bell MTS Place - 7:00pm CT (preseason #2)

[alchemyindex]

Did not listen to, but Niku is pronounced with hard K and short vowels.

Finnish is a strictly phonetic language, which means that what you see is what you say. If you see letter "I" or "U", you always pronouce them 100% the same way, regardless the word or syllable. And two times the same letter is pronounced with twice long. For example "nuMMinen" and "seläNNe" have twice as long "m" and "n" sounds than "saMi", "Niku" and "laiNe".

Pronouncing "Teemu Selänne" has been proved to be hard for English speakers, resulting often something like "Thiimu Salaani", if written in Finnish.

N is pronounciated as in "Nice", always
I is pronounciated as in "In", always
K is pronounciated as in "stucK", always
U is pronounciated as in "yoU", always

Then just put those N, I, K and U together, and you can pronounce "Niku". It is maybe easier to first say "NI" and then "KU" and then put these together. You could pretty much pronounce Finnish word "kuin" as well with these instructions, but as in "Laine", there is a catch: subsequent different vowels are kind of slided from the first vowel sound to the other, though for fun you can skip the "sliding", and still get yourself perfectly understood. If you know how to pronounce German word "ein", you know exactly what I mean with that vowel sliding.

So phonetically in English, is it closer to Nee-kyoo (how Beyak was saying it) or Nee-koo (how I read it in my head)?

 

[Narow]

So phonetically in English, is it closer to Nee-kyoo (how Beyak was saying it) or Nee-koo (how I read it in my head)?

If you are reading it as " knee-cow" then no its Ni (as in nickel) Ku (as in cut) atleast very close and easy that way..also if nickel isent an english word then switch it to Nick.

 

[Halberdier]

So phonetically in English, is it closer to Nee-kyoo (how Beyak was saying it) or Nee-koo (how I read it in my head)?

I tried it with Google translator screen reading, and indeed Nee-koo is closer to the right pronounciation than Nee-kyoo, since there is no "y" as in ""yeah" sound in Niku. (Also there are not those "h" sounds that happen to be there often when English speaking people are pronouncing "K", so the "K" should be hard and without any additional sounds)

But there are two main problems in Nee-koo:

1. ee and oo has to be pronounced very short to match Niku, otherwise it sounds like Niikuu or Nikuu to us.
2. "ee" typically sounds way too "low" and close to "e" in "wEll", which is wrong. "I" in Niku should be pretty much the "I" in "in". (U in Niku is "high" as well, and not like "O" in "low")

 

[kelsier]

Didn't watch the game but for what I gathered Buff was on the first PP unit & being brain-dead? Why the heck isn't Maurice using Trouba there who can shoot equally well and actually has some other skills and creativity? Sounds like Maurice petting the vets no matter the costs & results. Doubt Trouba will want to settle for a role in the 2nd PP unit as he is much too ambitious for that. Not to mention it's absolutely crucial for the Jets to sign him during or after the season. Giving him what he wants while it being at sync with what'a actually best for the team itself, I just don't see a reason for Buff to stay in the unit. Sounds like Maurice's interests (keeping the vets happy no matter what) do not necessarily go hand in hand with the team's interests and it might have some costly consequences moving forward.

 

[10Ducky10]

Didn't watch the game but for what I gathered Buff was on the first PP unit & being brain-dead? Why the heck isn't Maurice using Trouba there who can shoot equally well and actually has some other skills and creativity? Sounds like Maurice petting the vets no matter the costs & results. Doubt Trouba will want to settle for a role in the 2nd PP unit as he is much too ambitious for that. Not to mention it's absolutely crucial for the Jets to sign him during or after the season. Giving him what he wants while it being at sync with what'a actually best for the team itself, I just don't see a reason for Buff to stay in the unit. Sounds like Maurice's interests (keeping the vets happy no matter what) do not necessarily go hand in hand with the team's interests and it might have some costly consequences moving forward.

There's something wrong with the PP?

 

[JetsFan815]

Just finished the game. I had the popcorn ready after the dominant performance in the 1st. All downhill from there. Myers is holding onto the puck way way too much, he's gotta move that faster in the regular season. I laughed when Hendricks hit the crossbar with his 1st shot, this board would be a riot if he had scored. I liked the look of the Matthias-Roslovic-Petan. Petan had a big part in creating that 1st goal and unfortunately didn't get an assist on it. Played with a lot of urgency. Niku was solid other than that 1 mistake and a bit unlucky.

I am not panicking yet but losing 2 games against AHL teams is a bit concerning, one more game like this with the veteren group playing and panic will start to set in atleast as far as I am concerned.

 

[JetsFan815]

Didn't watch the game but for what I gathered Buff was on the first PP unit & being brain-dead? Why the heck isn't Maurice using Trouba there who can shoot equally well and actually has some other skills and creativity? Sounds like Maurice petting the vets no matter the costs & results. Doubt Trouba will want to settle for a role in the 2nd PP unit as he is much too ambitious for that. Not to mention it's absolutely crucial for the Jets to sign him during or after the season. Giving him what he wants while it being at sync with what'a actually best for the team itself, I just don't see a reason for Buff to stay in the unit. Sounds like Maurice's interests (keeping the vets happy no matter what) do not necessarily go hand in hand with the team's interests and it might have some costly consequences moving forward.

If you didn't watch the game then how do you know Buff was bad on the PP? He didn't stand out as bad in any way to me. PP has problems. Buff is not one of them

 

[kelsier]

If you didn't watch the game then how do you know Buff was bad on the PP? He didn't stand out as bad in any way to me. PP has problems. Buff is not one of them

Because I read what people were saying here. I'm not sure if that included the PP or not, I thought it did.

 

[ps241]

One interesting observation from the game was PP2. The Jets had Trouba at the point and Myers on the left half-wall. That might be an interesting option. I definitely like Trouba at the point... not sure about Myers on the half-wall. He does have a good shot and not bad vision. It would be a way to give all 6 D enough ice-time.

I love Trouba on the point on the PP but I would not use Myers he tends to overhandle the puck. If they are going to use a second D man just use JMo but I would prefer Trouba and 4 forwards.

 

[ps241]

Gotta say, Maurice does have a nice wry sense of humour...

"He (Mason) had as much of a chance to make the save on the 4th goal as he did the first 3."

Ok that is good!

 

[Eyeseeing]

...and the Canucks kicked the snot out of the Flames... so they must have an outstanding team and great coach, too.

This is pre-season... (you get three of these)...

Did the Canucks ice a much stronger roster also ?
I'm not worried until game 10 of regular season.

 

[HannuJ]

Did the Canucks ice a much stronger roster also 😉 ?
I'm not worried until game 10 of regular season.

the amount of hand wringing that's going on here is hilarious.

i figure (read: hope) that the Jets are using training camp to work on a few new things. so i don't expect smooth hockey.

Wheeler usually starts the season slowly and i think that he's looked awful this camp. clunky and clumsy. so perhaps that's why his line's started the first two games - so he can work out his cold-start kinks.

in the end, the poor performance in two games is only relevant if it becomes relevant. Jets can lay a pre-season egg and come out flying in the regular season. training camp is really only important for settling on your bottom-of-the-lineup guys. and if you disagree, let's think back to Scheifele's camp where he was on fire but then started the regular season looking lost. same with Connor.

all i know is that i've watched parts of two pre-season games this year and i ask myself why i've put myself through such punishment. the hockey is so awful. the pace is awful, the quality's awful. everything's awful.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

Hendricks wasnt even that bad tonight tho. He was better than i expected.

I saw nothing that supports or warrant the amount of angst towards this player. He put up 25 pmts in Washington so you have to have some NHL skills to do so.

If he is our PB guy, there is no harm in that.

 

[GJF]

...and the Canucks kicked the snot out of the Flames... so they must have an outstanding team and great coach, too.

This is pre-season... (you get three of these)...

And Vegas destroyed the Canucks 9-4 or something like that in the first game

so obviously: Vegas > Canucks > Flames by a huge freaking landslide AINEC!

 

[SensibleGuy]

Yup, it's just pre season and things will be different once the games mean something...but if things aren't different once the games mean something it's gonna get pretty ugly pretty quick.

 

[Eyeseeing]

the amount of hand wringing that's going on here is hilarious.

i figure (read: hope) that the Jets are using training camp to work on a few new things. so i don't expect smooth hockey.

Wheeler usually starts the season slowly and i think that he's looked awful this camp. clunky and clumsy. so perhaps that's why his line's started the first two games - so he can work out his cold-start kinks.

in the end, the poor performance in two games is only relevant if it becomes relevant. Jets can lay a pre-season egg and come out flying in the regular season. training camp is really only important for settling on your bottom-of-the-lineup guys. and if you disagree, let's think back to Scheifele's camp where he was on fire but then started the regular season looking lost. same with Connor.

all i know is that i've watched parts of two pre-season games this year and i ask myself why i've put myself through such punishment. the hockey is so awful. the pace is awful, the quality's awful. everything's awful.

I agree with you
The only concerns I had going into this season was Maurice.
He is a very strong authority figure and part of me wonders if he has this roster too tightly wrapped ?
This team has always plays best when loose.
So this preseason stuff matters not.
I might skip the rest of it and wait on October 4th
I did enjoy Avgard's enthusiasm towards Armia though.

 

[KingBogo]

What makes Niku special is that he is 10x better than the steady stream of talent-less junk that we've been collecting and recycling as defensive depth over the years:

Mark Stuart
Ben Chiarot
Julian Melchiori
Brian Strait
Peter Stoykewych
Jay Harrison
Keaton Ellerby
Andrew Macwilliam
Logan Stanley

The hard-hitting, gritty no talent scrubs have had their chance. Finally we have someone who can make a pass out of our zone or close a gap - and whether he's the Moose top pairing or the Jets #7, thats a big improvement.

Sorry but this is a ridiculous list. If your parameters are going to include AHL players who never played a game in the NHL to junior age players playing in the CHL why stop at 9? With those parameters every team in the NHL could easily generate a similar list 3-4X's that length. Just go through every draft, every AHL signing and start listing players and call them depth. Do you really believe Stanley is one of the Jets depth players at this point in his career?

True depth in the NHL, and especially on defense is having almost NHL ready guys on ELC's playing on your farm team. Other than that no team in the NHL has good depth beyond their #7 and occasionally #8 if they only carry 13 forwards. There is no way to obtain and keep NHL caliber players past that if they aren't on ELC's. No NHL quality player signs to play on the farm, and even if they did you would lose them on waivers if you wanted them just for depth on your farm team. So yes Niku fits into that category as an upgrade in team depth. As is Poolman who likely slots just ahead of him.

 

[surixon]

I'm a bit concerned that we have given up 3 goals on the PK the exact same way. (Cross crease tap in to back door) it seems more a systematic issue atm as 3 different defenseman have been beat on that play. It's something the coaching staff is going to have to rejig.

 

[Jimby]

Maurice has stated he is auditioning potential third and fourth line guys for the PK. Those that are good on the PK have a better chance of making the team. Petan didn't PK so he is probably already on the team in PoMO's view.

Last night the big minute PK guys were Copp, Tanev, Hendricks, and Mathias. Did any of those guys stand out is a good or bad way on the PK?

 

[HannuJ]

Sorry but this is a ridiculous list. If your parameters are going to include AHL players who never played a game in the NHL to junior age players playing in the CHL why stop at 9? With those parameters every team in the NHL could easily generate a similar list 3-4X's that length. Just go through every draft, every AHL signing and start listing players and call them depth. Do you really believe Stanley is one of the Jets depth players at this point in his career?

True depth in the NHL, and especially on defense is having almost NHL ready guys on ELC's playing on your farm team. Other than that no team in the NHL has good depth beyond their #7 and occasionally #8 if they only carry 13 forwards. There is no way to obtain and keep NHL caliber players past that if they aren't on ELC's. No NHL quality player signs to play on the farm, and even if they did you would lose them on waivers if you wanted them just for depth on your farm team. So yes Niku fits into that category as an upgrade in team depth. As is Poolman who likely slots just ahead of him.

eh. Blue Shakehead just likes to pee in the Cheerios all the time.

the Jay Harrison trade was an excellent trade. Jets got a depth guy when we needed him and he played admirably (considering his overall skill level). not sure how someone can view that in a negative manner. And people think that you're going to land a solid d-man easily without paying an arm and a leg? lolol.

the rest of his list is pretty silly, minus Stuart. and even when he was re-signed, our D depth wasn't the sexiest, so i didn't overly mind.

 

[ps241]

No need for hyperbole. Stanley didn't have that many give-aways and Niku had more than one. Also, defense involves more than what you do when you get the puck.

Niku is a much better prospect, but showed he's not ready.

Niku's not ready for what, NHL competition?

It's apples and oranges, Niku was always bound for the Moose. Stanley doesn't look ready for the ECHL right now; hopefully he shows something in the OHL this season.

In my notes I noted 2 turnovers on passes and 3 turnovers from just being stripped of the puck for Stanley. He was also beaten to all but one puck race and had numerous bobbled passes, two of which led to turnovers. He was a turnover machine that game. Luckily none of them resulted in pucks in the back of the net. That's just what I noted I may have missed some. I also made note that he twice got beaten in puck battles by very small players.

Stanley has a lot to work on but I do like his passing in offensive zone and he has the potential to develop his shot further as well. I figure he likely doesn't have much of a shot at being a shutdown type so I think people should throw that out the window. Where I think he needs to develop is his offensive game. It's his best shot at getting onto a roster. If he can learn to rush the puck and or become at least a decent outlet passer he could be valuable. If he can't I don't see him making the team in any meaningful way. His PKing was terrible. He was always two or three steps behind the play.

Niku already has some puck rushing skills and has shown some flashes of being a decent passer. He is also proven in this regard in other pro leagues. Once he adapts to the speed and less space of the NA game I think he has potential as an offensive type. He has a lot to work on with the Moose this year but IMO he's less of a project then Stanley is.

Niku has skill but needs a season or two in the AHL to adapt. I don't think comparing him to Morrissey is fair because the pedigree is different. Sami has the puck moving skills to be an NHL player but it's not a given and that is what the AHL is for. I remain a fan.

Stanley is 3 to 4 seasons away and he is still looking like a real long shot. He is A little below average with the puck on his stick moving forward when he has time and space (transition and offense) but other than that he struggles with all aspects of the game defensively. Maybe he adjusts to his body one day but he has a long way to go.

 

[Hunter368]

PMO better his crap together quick before the season starts. If we start out with a losing record after the first 15-20 games this city is going to get ugly real quick. No more BS PMO excuses.

 

[KingBogo]

PMO better his crap together quick before the season starts. If we start out with a losing record after the first 15-20 games this city is going to get ugly real quick. No more BS PMO excuses.

I'd lay some of it on the players as well. Its almost as if they got stuck in saying this is the year was enough. A little adversity early on might help focus.

 

[Whileee]

I love Trouba on the point on the PP but I would not use Myers he tends to overhandle the puck. If they are going to use a second D man just use JMo but I would prefer Trouba and 4 forwards.

I tend to agree with you regarding Trouba and Myers.

 

[Whileee]

PMO better his crap together quick before the season starts. If we start out with a losing record after the first 15-20 games this city is going to get ugly real quick. No more BS PMO excuses.

As I posted in the other thread, Jets are 60.4% CF (5v5) in the first two pre-season games, and we know how CF% is predictive of future success...