Patrick Wiercioch

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

I'll help you guys out



Wiercioch has spectacular(SOMETIMES) breakout pass but overall passing goes to Karlsson without batting an eye.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Nice goal by Alsilfverson

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Wiercioch-karlsson for first pairing dammit.

 

[BigRig4]

Wiercioch-karlsson for first pairing dammit.

I second this. Wiercioch needs an offensive defenseman to compliment him properly. Look at his WOWY's when he played with Gonchar in the short season. Good sample size too.

 

[Six Assets]

I really like his potential

 

[jbeck5]

I'm excited to see wiercioch. I think he has 40-50 pts potential(not this coming year but in the future). And at 6'4, if he can continue to fill out his frame over the next few years and learn the defensive aspect, he could be a good number 2-4 d.

He really does have a sweet pass. He's displayed it on the break out, in the neutral zone, and on the power play(usually to turris) is money.

 

[BigRig4]

I'm excited to see wiercioch. I think he has 40-50 pts potential(not this coming year but in the future). And at 6'4, if he can continue to fill out his frame over the next few years and learn the defensive aspect, he could be a good number 2-4 d.

He really does have a sweet pass. He's displayed it on the break out, in the neutral zone, and on the power play(usually to turris) is money.

He was on pace for 38 in the lockout season, I could see him getting 40 next season if he isn't glued to the press box.

 

[Bileur]

I'm excited to see wiercioch. I think he has 40-50 pts potential(not this coming year but in the future). And at 6'4, if he can continue to fill out his frame over the next few years and learn the defensive aspect, he could be a good number 2-4 d.

He really does have a sweet pass. He's displayed it on the break out, in the neutral zone, and on the power play(usually to turris) is money.

I hope he makes it as a regular but my hopes are not very high for much weight gain. He still looked like a rail in the summer update video and said something about focusing his training on something else than weight gain.

 

[Cosmix]

I hope he makes it as a regular but my hopes are not very high for much weight gain. He still looked like a rail in the summer update video and said something about focusing his training on something else than weight gain.

I thought he said he was trying to improve his anaerobic performance to improve his endurance, rather than adding weight or muscle to increase strength.

 

[Bileur]

I thought he said he was trying to improve his anaerobic performance to improve his endurance, rather than adding weight or muscle to increase strength.

Sounds right, couldn't remember the exact excercise so I left it general. It just certainly struck me that he specified not working on weight gain.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Clearly Paul didn't trust him last year. He stayed away from Patty in a Corvoesque way. So what has changed?

 

[sens83]

I second this. Wiercioch needs an offensive defenseman to compliment him properly. Look at his WOWY's when he played with Gonchar in the short season. Good sample size too.

Wiercioch may play better with an Offensive D-man but Karlsson needs a shutdown D guy on his wing. So this is the wrong pairing.

I'd rather see Ceci-Wiercioch because I view Ceci as becoming a Karlsson-lite in a few seasons. Ceci is much more defensively responsible than EK65 too. This could be a deadly second pairing given some time to mature.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Wiercioch may play better with an Offensive D-man but Karlsson needs a shutdown D guy on his wing. So this is the wrong pairing.

I'd rather see Ceci-Wiercioch because I view Ceci as becoming a Karlsson-lite in a few seasons. Ceci is much more defensively responsible than EK65 too. This could be a deadly second pairing given some time to mature.

No he doesn't.

I'm really starting to hate this myth that Karlsson needs to be somehow sheltered and the only one who can do that is Cowen/Methot.

Who played beside Karlsson the year he won the Norris? Kuba. A 6'4, soft, offensive, defenseman who NEVER hit and juststick checked people. Sound familiar?

Remember when everyone though Phillips needed an offensive partner when Chara left? How come he played his best hockey with Volchenkov?

The goal is to stop the other team from scoring. If the best way to do that involves stripping the puck instead of hitting or passing instead of carrying it out, so be it

 

[Micklebot]

I second this. Wiercioch needs an offensive defenseman to compliment him properly. Look at his WOWY's when he played with Gonchar in the short season. Good sample size too.

He also has respectable numbers with Cowen (71.4%GF, 50.8%CF, 159:52 5vs5mins), Benoit (66.7%GF, 53%CF 106:04 mins)), Ceci (53.8%GF, 50.4%CF 129:26mins), Karlsson (88.9%GF, 63.1%CF, 72:52 mins), and Methot (66.7%GF, 52.1%CF, 47:15 mins) and even David Hale (50GF%, 56.2%CF, 47:35 mins)

I don't think it matter what type of player we pair him with; though he seems to have little chemistry with Phillips or Gryba.

In fact, playing with one of Karlsson, Ceci, Methot, or Cowen (ie playing with players still on the team not named Gryba or Phillips), he has a 64%GF and 53.1% CF in 409.42 mins of icetime (though they were a bit sheltered).

 

[Micklebot]

No he doesn't.

I'm really starting to hate this myth that Karlsson needs to be somehow sheltered and the only one who can do that is Cowen/Methot.

Who played beside Karlsson the year he won the Norris? Kuba. A 6'4, soft, offensive, defenseman who NEVER hit and juststick checked people. Sound familiar?

Remember when everyone though Phillips needed an offensive partner when Chara left? How come he played his best hockey with Volchenkov?

The goal is to stop the other team from scoring. If the best way to do that involves stripping the puck instead of hitting or passing instead of carrying it out, so be it

Just to nitpik a bit;

Kuba, and Gonchar for that matter, continue to get underrated defensively; while neither were studs, the both were more than capable at both end of the ice (though Kuba had that one awful season where he broke his leg in training camp). I do agree that Karlsson doesn't need to be insulated, but I think doing so probably provides the best balance to our D corps.

The Phillips and Volchenkov pair is a different beast; defensive pairs shutting down oppositions top lines opens up softer matchups for the rest of the team, even if they lose the margins they still provide a valuable service. Offensive pairs don't have that luxury.

And finally, the goal isn't to prevent the other team from scoring (unless you're in a pure shutdown role like Phillips/Volchenkov were) it's to outscore the other team no matter how it's accomplished. So if Karlsson - Wiercioch can do that but allow a ton of goals too, I could care less. So long as at the end of the game Ottawa is up by one it doesn't matter how many we let in.

 

[sens83]

No he doesn't.

I'm really starting to hate this myth that Karlsson needs to be somehow sheltered and the only one who can do that is Cowen/Methot.

Who played beside Karlsson the year he won the Norris? Kuba. A 6'4, soft, offensive, defenseman who NEVER hit and juststick checked people. Sound familiar?

Remember when everyone though Phillips needed an offensive partner when Chara left? How come he played his best hockey with Volchenkov?

The goal is to stop the other team from scoring. If the best way to do that involves stripping the puck instead of hitting or passing instead of carrying it out, so be it

Just to nitpik a bit;

Kuba, and Gonchar for that matter, continue to get underrated defensively; while neither were studs, the both were more than capable at both end of the ice (though Kuba had that one awful season where he broke his leg in training camp). I do agree that Karlsson doesn't need to be insulated, but I think doing so probably provides the best balance to our D corps.

The Phillips and Volchenkov pair is a different beast; defensive pairs shutting down oppositions top lines opens up softer matchups for the rest of the team, even if they lose the margins they still provide a valuable service. Offensive pairs don't have that luxury.

And finally, the goal isn't to prevent the other team from scoring (unless you're in a pure shutdown role like Phillips/Volchenkov were) it's to outscore the other team no matter how it's accomplished. So if Karlsson - Wiercioch can do that but allow a ton of goals too, I could care less. So long as at the end of the game Ottawa is up by one it doesn't matter how many we let in.

Karlsson is a special player. Period. He needs to ability to free-wheel in his game to put up 80 points by having a responsible partner that balances his parity. I agree with you IranCondraAffair. You read into what I was saying too much. Micklebot clarified it more. Basically Kuba was a good fit because he provided a solid defense, despite the hate he bred on this forum. Same with Gonchar. Look at our teams with and without those guys. They provided stability.

 

[One M0RE YEAR]

Karlsson is a special player. Period. He needs to ability to free-wheel in his game to put up 80 points by having a responsible partner that balances his parity. I agree with you IranCondraAffair. You read into what I was saying too much. Micklebot clarified it more. Basically Kuba was a good fit because he provided a solid defense, despite the hate he bred on this forum. Same with Gonchar. Look at our teams with and without those guys. They provided stability.

This reminds me of Stevie Y back in the day. Do we want 80pt Karlsson or do we want Cup champ karlsson?

 

[chipsens]

This reminds me of Stevie Y back in the day. Do we want 80pt Karlsson or do we want Cup champ karlsson?

...how about a healthy Karlsson...with an intact Achilles, and no more goon-inflicted injuries. Whoever K's Dpartner is, IMO he should come with a big set of sharp teeth, like a junkyard dog. I'm not sure if PW is a biter.

 

[Micklebot]

This reminds me of Stevie Y back in the day. Do we want 80pt Karlsson or do we want Cup champ karlsson?

I think the difference between early Yzerman and Cup champ Yzerman was overblown. He was getting hart and selke votes by his 4th and 5th season, well before the rumoured trade fell through and criticisms that he couldn't lead.

 

[Savitar]

He was healthy scratched too much

 

[Cosmix]

Clearly Paul didn't trust him last year. He stayed away from Patty in a Corvoesque way. So what has changed?

Perhaps it was the end of season review with the GM that might change his mind.

 

[Cosmix]

...how about a healthy Karlsson...with an intact Achilles, and no more goon-inflicted injuries. Whoever K's Dpartner is, IMO he should come with a big set of sharp teeth, like a junkyard dog. I'm not sure if PW is a biter.

Yah, like Chara perhaps. However a fourth line policeman enforcer would do nicely. I don't like enforcers on the defence pairings because it is too disruptive to the chemistry.

 

[sens83]

This reminds me of Stevie Y back in the day. Do we want 80pt Karlsson or do we want Cup champ karlsson?

Call me selfish, but...both...

 

[Cosmix]

Most of us believe he should be playing regularly and are mystified as to why he doesn't. Our coach seems to prefer defensive guys of our LD's (so it's more Cowen > Phillips > Methot > Weircioch).

MacLean is terribly misguided on the issue imo. I've kinda been hoping Phillips is moved to make room for PW every day.

Might have to move Maclean too!

 

[Cosmix]

Wiercioch may play better with an Offensive D-man but Karlsson needs a shutdown D guy on his wing. So this is the wrong pairing.

I'd rather see Ceci-Wiercioch because I view Ceci as becoming a Karlsson-lite in a few seasons. Ceci is much more defensively responsible than EK65 too. This could be a deadly second pairing given some time to mature.

I don't agree that Karlsson "needs" a shutdown guy on LD with him. I think it is the opposite; he needs a guy who can handle the puck and provide complementary offensive play, such as Wiercioch. THAT would be very exciting to watch!