"wouldn't know which kid to scratch on D"
this is troubling considering we have Carrick and Polak in the lineup.
Polak is by far the worst of any of them.
outside of the old school "we need a guy to bust heads and block shots" type fans, I don't think anyone is good with Polak's permanent spot in the lineup, both because he's not as good as guys that are being sat and it sends a very mixed message about the "steal a job" mantra that Babcock keeps spoutingI am a little bit irritated at the fact that Polak has a permanent spot.
Sends a mixed message to who? I'm sure the players fully expect Polak to dress every night.outside of the old school "we need a guy to bust heads and block shots" type fans, I don't think anyone is good with Polak's permanent spot in the lineup, both because he's not as good as guys that are being sat and it sends a very mixed message about the "steal a job" mantra that Babcock keeps spouting
They shouldn't. He's our worst player half the timeSends a mixed message to who? I'm sure the players fully expect Polak to dress every night.
having Polak in every night directly contradicts what Babcock spouts about the team running on a meritocracy. He's not as good as the guys that are sitting in place of himSends a mixed message to who? I'm sure the players fully expect Polak to dress every night.
Translation of the Babcock: "kids play physical if you want to play regular". Simple as that.
They shouldn't. He's our worst player half the time
James Mirtle @mirtle
6m
Babcock jokes it's good Rielly remains out because he wouldn't know which kid to scratch on D.
(pro-tip: scratch polak)
Might be naive here but could Polak's spot be in jeapordy only if Zaitsev was healthy and logging big PK minutes?
CyBorg and Dermott aren't relied on heavily to PK so one of them comes out if Rielly is healthy unless Zaitsev is healthy Polak is in.
handedness >>>>> talentWe all know Dermott could look like prime Lidstrom and he'd still be scratched in favor of Polak.
It only contradicts if the Coach feels the same way about Polak as you do. IMO, he doesn't feel that way.having Polak in every night directly contradicts what Babcock spouts about the team running on a meritocracy. He's not as good as the guys that are sitting in place of him
I am a little bit irritated at the fact that Polak has a permanent spot.
there's things that could rationalize it away, like for example Babcock telling the team that veterans will play to shelter the development of younger players or some internal set of evaluation metrics that don't act like the ones that we have publicly (and in that case, only if Babcock is communicating those metrics to the team, if he's not it would still do nothing but confuse them)It only contradicts if the Coach feels the same way about Polak as you do. IMO, he doesn't feel that way.
Is there merit in having excellent special teams play? Special teams refers to PK as well as PP. Is there a difference between a goal scored on the PP and a goal saved on the PK? Why is it that PP specialists(Marner for example) are fan faves and an effective PKer(Polak) is detested by so many? Marner's play without the puck is as cringeworthy as Polaks play with it. Polak's miscues are exaggerated while Marner's(see the own goal against Philly) ignored.having Polak in every night directly contradicts what Babcock spouts about the team running on a meritocracy. He's not as good as the guys that are sitting in place of him