GDT: 10/18/18 - 7:30PM EDT - Detroit vs Tampa Bay

TeslaCoilFan

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Hedman got victimized by some bouncy/bad passes tonight, but I wouldn't say he had a bad game.

True, he was better than the last couple of games and had some bad breaks, showing the occasional flash of his awesomeness. But still not quite up to the standards that we've come to expect from him, imho.

He's been fantastic, no doubt.
Wonder how much playing consistently with Strals has to do with it.
What would happen if it were Heddy/Stralman and McD/Girardi?

When Mac was first traded to us, those pairs were the first combo tried and, while Hedman/Strålman was excellent, McDonagh/Girardi sucked fetid bilge water. That's why Mac and Stråls were first paired. They ended up being a solid shutdown pair. But now, Mac has had a chance to settle in to the system so who knows? I really do wish they'd put Sergachev with McDonagh. Think he'd be an excellent mentor for Sergachev if the kid is going to stay on RD.

As to being paired with Strålman, the quiet Swede might not be a #1 like Hedman or McDonagh, but he's a damn fine #2 who is an excellent complementary player. Whether he's dragging Matt Carle around (when Heddy had his broken finger in 2014-2015) or salvaging Garrison (2016-2017) or mentoring Sergachev (2017-2018) or pairing up with McDonagh or Hedman, he seems to bring out the best in whomever is his partner.
 

LightningStrikes

Champa Bay Lightning
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Our top players finally looked good. Stamkos with a goal, 5 shots, Kuch with an assist and a nice setup on the breakaway, Point with a goal of course, Johnson with 4 shots.

I'm still way impressed with Joseph. That drag move in full speed was sick. The kid's gonna be great soon!

And boy, Vasi was awesome.
 
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DFC

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True, he was better than the last couple of games and had some bad breaks, showing the occasional flash of his awesomeness. But still not quite up to the standards that we've come to expect from him, imho.



When Mac was first traded to us, those pairs were the first combo tried and, while Hedman/Strålman was excellent, McDonagh/Girardi sucked fetid bilge water. That's why Mac and Stråls were first paired. They ended up being a solid shutdown pair. But now, Mac has had a chance to settle in to the system so who knows? I really do wish they'd put Sergachev with McDonagh. Think he'd be an excellent mentor for Sergachev if the kid is going to stay on RD.

As to being paired with Strålman, the quiet Swede might not be a #1 like Hedman or McDonagh, but he's a damn fine #2 who is an excellent complementary player. Whether he's dragging Matt Carle around (when Heddy had his broken finger in 2014-2015) or salvaging Garrison (2016-2017) or mentoring Sergachev (2017-2018) or pairing up with McDonagh or Hedman, he seems to bring out the best in whomever is his partner.

McDonagh-Stralman has been so good I just wouldn't want to **** with it. Why not Hedman-Serge? Serge finally played at a level last game where he looked like he could handle a promotion. McD-Stralman is handling the heavy defensive lifting right now, so the easier step for Serge, it would seem, would be replacing Girardi on Hedman's right.

If Serge has another good game or two though, it seems like Girardi is the guy who's inevitably going to have to start sitting out the odd game. Which means all is right with the world. And then we'll have a chance to test some combos. But I think McStrals is set in stone, maybe for the year.
 
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DFC

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Our top players finally looked good. Stamkos with a goal, 5 shots, Kuch with an assist and a nice setup on the breakaway, Point with a goal of course, Johnson with 4 shots.

I'm still way impressed with Joseph. That drag move in full speed was sick. The kid's gonna be great soon!

And boy, Vasi was awesome.

I think Engblom pointed out that Joseph beats out at least one would-be icing per game. Little things like that are where his value really lie, because he can do it whether he's contributing on the scoresheet or not. He just helps tilt the ice in our favor. I think he needs a top-six spot. Or a crazy-fast third line with Johnson and Gourde.

...Or, once Kucherov heats up Joseph-Johnson-Kucherov would have some pretty sick potential, and free Palat up to create, perhaps, Palat-Point-Stamkos.
 

BeingTheThunder

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...Or, once Kucherov heats up Joseph-Johnson-Kucherov would have some pretty sick potential, and free Palat up to create, perhaps, Palat-Point-Stamkos.
That would be a great line. The offensive payoff is obvious... a perk to this line that may not be so obvious to some is the fact that TJ and MJ have a ton of speed to backcheck. That will help clean up the inevitable no-look pass that Kuch tends to make two or three times a game at the blue line, typically ending up in an odd-man rushes the other way...

I like that line proposal...
 

JoVel

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Joseph can't bury anything, personally I think he should go back to the AHL so he can learn to finish.
From what we learned with Point I think he just needs to break his hand.
 

Sky04

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From what we learned with Point I think he just needs to break his hand.

He's actually creating more than Point did as a rookie, Point was more on the receiving end of plays his first half.
 

The Macho King

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Joseph can't bury anything, personally I think he should go back to the AHL so he can learn to finish.
It is reminiscent of Point. I'm thinking of his quick one time shot on the PK last night where he just got rid of it ASAP. He didn't have *much* time, but he had more time to pick a spot.

That's one of those things that's going to improve though. He tries to get his shot off so quick that he is rushing it.
 

Rschmitz

Finding new ways to cheat
Feb 27, 2002
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Seems like we develop at least one potential star every season. Someone needs to have incredulous photos of Murray stored away for the day so he thinks better of ever moving on from here.
 

DFC

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Joseph was never a huge goal-scorer though. He was putting up 35 as his team's star player in the Q, which is fine, but I don't think we should be expecting much more than 20 in the NHL, regardless of how many chances he creates. I think it'll be his playmaking that makes a big difference. Sort of like if Namestnikov had the awareness to know there's an open man, and how to hit him with the puck. His skating creates openings for other players.
 

The Macho King

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Joseph was never a huge goal-scorer though. He was putting up 35 as his team's star player in the Q, which is fine, but I don't think we should be expecting much more than 20 in the NHL, regardless of how many chances he creates. I think it'll be his playmaking that makes a big difference. Sort of like if Namestnikov had the awareness to know there's an open man, and how to hit him with the puck. His skating creates openings for other players.
TBF Point wasn't a huge goal-scorer in the CHL either. His career high was 38.
 

DFC

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TBF Point wasn't a huge goal-scorer in the CHL either. His career high was 38.

Yeah, but, if I'm not mistaken, the Q is still easier to score in than the W, but, beyond that, Point is a special case. He's blossomed into something he never looked like he'd be. As great as that is, it's probably not a fair expectation to put on other players. Hose thinks 20 might be high for Joseph, for instance, but personally I think he'll cash in on enough garbage opportunities (like in the pre-season) to hit that mark. More Gourde goals than Point goals.

But I might have been too conservative on the playmaking side. I thought he'd be a 20-20 guy, but now I'm starting to think he'll force his way into the top-six and create a lot of opportunities for good goal-scorers. Either way, he's a huge net positive.
 

Rschmitz

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I am hoping for John Madden-esque production from Joseph, nothing earth shattering but a hell of a contributor in all facets of the game on the lower lines
 

TeslaCoilFan

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McDonagh-Stralman has been so good I just wouldn't want to **** with it. Why not Hedman-Serge? Serge finally played at a level last game where he looked like he could handle a promotion. McD-Stralman is handling the heavy defensive lifting right now, so the easier step for Serge, it would seem, would be replacing Girardi on Hedman's right.

If Serge has another good game or two though, it seems like Girardi is the guy who's inevitably going to have to start sitting out the odd game. Which means all is right with the world. And then we'll have a chance to test some combos. But I think McStrals is set in stone, maybe for the year.

You may be right. McStrals (grabbing that, thanks :D) is doing a heck of a job and why mess with success?

It's just that I feel Hedman deserves a better partner than Girardi but a Hedman-Sergachev pairing fills me with some forboding. Sergy is, in some ways, like a baby/lite version of Hedman in his desire and ability to create offensive opportunities. Sergachev's still working on the defensive side of his game, though it has improved considerably.

Hedman is usually at his best when paired with a more defensively minded/solid partner who can hold down the fort while he roams the ice in search of victims. That's why Strålman was his best partner as he's been the most defensively solid while also able to join in the rush. And that's also why Dotchin and Girardi were/are serviceable with Heddy in their limited minutes since both were/are defensive defensemen.

So I agree that Sergachev is beginning to look like he can indeed handle a promotion, but I'd rather see him with McDonagh than with Hedman. Then both our top 4 pairs have a combo of an incredibly efficient defensive defenseman (both with the ability to generate a bit of offense themselves if the opportunity arises) and an offensively gifted defenseman who is free to wander and cause havoc. But it would mean Sergachev would have to be able to face a higher quality of competition as well as proper second pairing minutes. Perhaps it will happen down the road this season?
 

DFC

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You may be right. McStrals (grabbing that, thanks :D) is doing a heck of a job and why mess with success?

It's just that I feel Hedman deserves a better partner than Girardi but a Hedman-Sergachev pairing fills me with some forboding. Sergy is, in some ways, like a baby/lite version of Hedman in his desire and ability to create offensive opportunities. Sergachev's still working on the defensive side of his game, though it has improved considerably.

Hedman is usually at his best when paired with a more defensively minded/solid partner who can hold down the fort while he roams the ice in search of victims. That's why Strålman was his best partner as he's been the most defensively solid while also able to join in the rush. And that's also why Dotchin and Girardi were/are serviceable with Heddy in their limited minutes since both were/are defensive defensemen.

So I agree that Sergachev is beginning to look like he can indeed handle a promotion, but I'd rather see him with McDonagh than with Hedman. Then both our top 4 pairs have a combo of an incredibly efficient defensive defenseman (both with the ability to generate a bit of offense themselves if the opportunity arises) and an offensively gifted defenseman who is free to wander and cause havoc. But it would mean Sergachev would have to be able to face a higher quality of competition as well as proper second pairing minutes. Perhaps it will happen down the road this season?

Hedman played arguably the best regular season hockey of his life with Dotchin. I think that's why a portion of us raised an eyebrow at Cernak's strong camp, because he's a more skilled Dman who plays a similar game.

Ultimately though, having that big shutdown duo, I think, is more important than anything else. Hedman will do his thing even if it's not optimal. But knowing that we can send McStrals over the boards to match up with anybody in the league feels pretty good.
 

TeslaCoilFan

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Hedman played arguably the best regular season hockey of his life with Dotchin. I think that's why a portion of us raised an eyebrow at Cernak's strong camp, because he's a more skilled Dman who plays a similar game.

Ultimately though, having that big shutdown duo, I think, is more important than anything else. Hedman will do his thing even if it's not optimal. But knowing that we can send McStrals over the boards to match up with anybody in the league feels pretty good.

Yeah, that's definitely why so many of us have high hopes for Cernak. And you do make a very good point that it is rather comforting to be able to toss McStrals out against any line anytime. :DD

It's just been rather weird to see McStrals getting pretty much top pairing time compared to Hedman, even with Heddy getting 4 PP shifts last night. o_O
 

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