Fred Murtz
Registered User
- Jan 20, 2009
- 6,240
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The Blues are now only 1/2 game back of The lead in The Central, while being stricken with illness and hit hard by injuries to key players, and still unable to have their eventual lines play together enough to develop optimum chemistry. Imagine how they'll play when fully healthy, and when all the new players have been fully integrated. I'm confident that they'll finally be able to compete on an even level with The Kings, Ducks and Hawks.
The worry with Lehterä is the number of games he is going to play this season. 82 and playoffs is going to be a fair few more than he has played in any prior season, and the games are more intense. I've been one of his biggest fans over the past few years, but my expectations won't be high for his performance late in the season.
I honestly think the injuries have something to do with our winning.
With so many injuries, Hitch doesn't have options. He's got to use his skill players in skill situations, and his grinders as grinders. MPS has been playing really well too, if you ask me. There was a play tonight where MPS basically kept the puck in. They had possession behind their net and he comes on with blazing speed and puts a successful pinch on to keep the puck in the zone. Between he and Berglund, I'd rather see him.
Regardless, I think right now things are going well because Hitch knows there's no one to cover Ott's ass, so he has to play Ott in a limited role. And a guy like MPS has to play in a scoring role, as opposed to a whatever-the-hell kind of role Hitch thinks he'd have with Reaves and Lappy.
All us getting players back will do is bring the return of really awkward and dumb lines. Break the STL line up somehow, take out MPS, and give Ott more in-zone chances because there will be 4 guys to bail him out.
Playing all these Euro players is making us an effective puck possession team. Hitch will put a stop to that by putting the pluggers in situations and benching the MPSs and Lindstroms.
Breaking up the STL line is not the thing to do. It's been a long time since I've seen such good puck movement in the offensive end from a line, why would you change that? We were only a couple games into the season when injuries and sickness took over. Our lines are going to gel it just takes a little time
Schwartz (19:50) - Backes (17:34) - Pääjärvi (10:48)
Steen (23:20) - Lehterä (19:55) - Tarasenko (19:08)
Jaskin (8:35) - Berglund (14:54) - Lindström (13:56)
Ott (14:44) - Lapierre (13:35) - Reaves (9:36)
Jbo (26:17) - Pietro (27:35)
Gunnar (14:05) - Shattery (23:54)
Jackman (20:05) - Cole (15:09)
Elliott (65:00) 93.1%
Landeskog (19:45) - Duchene (19:03) - O'Reilly (19:51)
McGinn (16:22) - MacKinnon (17:06) - Iginla (17:54)
Tanguay (18:32) - Mitchell (13:19) - Evergerg (10:26)
McLeod (11:39) - Cliché (10:57) - Talbot (12:05)
Hejda (23:50) - Johnson (25:58)
Stuart (20:06) - Barrie (19:51)
Holden (22:31) - Guenin (14:49)
Varlamov (64:56) 93.1%
Really liked Lindstrom's game tonight. He's quicker then I expected. He's finding a comfort zone with the NHL game, and really helping to make our third line more dangerous.
Berglund also played a decent game, but we really really really need to get into that kid's head that he's 225 pounds and when he has the puck he can bull it into the center of the ice from the half boards.
I think Jori looks so tired to people is because he is. He's being relied on to be our #1 C ATM and playing close to 20 min a game on the PP and PK as well. As far as I'm concerned he has already done more than I expected him to. Once Stastny comes back and Backes gets a little fresher I'm sure he'll get more limited minutes that will help him keep his energy up.
TOI/GP
Steen 20:37
Oshie 18:51
Schwartz 17:58
Tarasenko 17:56
Backes 17:18
Berglund 17:01
Lehterä 16:37
Ott 14:25
Stastny 13:28
Lindström 12:06
Lapierre 11:06
Jaskin 10:55
Pääjärvi 10:36
Reaves 7:49
Porter 7:36
Shootout 3-2
A wild Strickland appearing also makes me unhappy. I was kinda hoping we were done with that miniature goofball.
Un-****ing-believable we let that lame team comeback and get a point. Tarasenko was the man again, could have used a little of that Schwatz magic tonight to keep the Avs (who we outplayed badly) from getting anything. Pretty hot right at the moment
Last year Jori player 106 GP and he was got great energy boost last spring in World Championships. (9.5.2014-25.5.2014) He was our clearly best player on Finland national team. Do you remember how Jori owned USA best players in bronze medal match in olympics??
I want to see these skeptics writing next spring.
Spot on. I also don't like our small, passive box on the penalty kill. I'e seen it every game and it's terrible. All it does is giving the opposing team space to control the play in our zone and create chances while our goalie is screened - way too risky! Like you said, we should put pressure on the puck carrier.The entire penalty kill needs to be overhauled.
Part of what made it effective last year was Sobotka and Schwartz playing the part of rat-crazed terriers and pressuring every single puck carrier to distraction. Oshie sort of did this too.
The current system is entirely too passive. I like that Lehtera can recognize certain play types and break them up but he's too passive to have out there with another passive-style player.
Whether this change is because Hitch wants there to be no deviation from the diamond/box or whether it is simply the Blues players being unable/unwilling to force the other teams to remain chased is irrelevant...it needs to stop. Now.
On the powerplay: sorry Steen but you're just not cutting it right now from the point. You're making poor decisions far too often and responding miserably to pressure. Also your shot is being blocked too often as well.
With Lehtera and Tarasenko managing to open the ice down low, you need to be cycling down to take advantage, not glued to your position out high.
PP Unit #2 is pretty much worthless, but I thought that might happen with the lack of decent passers available.
Also, opposing team zone entries:
One of the defensemen has to at least attempt to harass the puck carrier. This is getting ridiculous.
Last year Jori player 106 GP and he was got great energy boost last spring in World Championships. (9.5.2014-25.5.2014) He was our clearly best player on Finland national team. Do you remember how Jori owned USA best players in bronze medal match in olympics??
I want to see these skeptics writing next spring.
Amen for this post. Like ~17 TOI/GP, would be best for Jori. Thou now he got more icetime 'cus Stastny out.
Here is list of TOI/GP forwards.
Noticed Hitch is using now rotation on SH these 8 guys:Code:TOI/GP Steen 20:37 Oshie 18:51 Schwartz 17:58 Tarasenko 17:56 Backes 17:18 Berglund 17:01 Lehterä 16:37 [B]Ott 14:25 Stastny 13:28[/B] Lindström 12:06 Lapierre 11:06 Jaskin 10:55 Pääjärvi 10:36 Reaves 7:49 Porter 7:36
Lapierre, Ott, Steen, Backes, Oshie, Schwartz, Berglund and Lehterä. Stastny played only couple seconds on 4 GP. That is fine to me. When he comes back he can put focus on offensive. I'm thinkin should they dropp out Lehterä also on SH ? Give him more time on PP? Or is that no-brainer on PP that no need to give duo Lehteräsenko same ice time or same shifts? I liked how Jocke was playing on PP, that right side slot like Tarasenko and let rip his shot and there was couple good scoring changes when Jocke shoot that puck.
Here is TOI/60 SH.