2015-16 Opening Night Roster - LARKIN MAKES IT (Post 159)

[Rzombo4 prez]

Maybe some of the blame for def prospects not taking the next step falls squarely on Blashill. He coached these kids after all. He gets credited with all the forward success but he hasn't produced a single defenceman who has realized his potential.

He might be responsible for XO, Marchenko, Jensen and Sproul, but you can't really blame him for Smith and Kindl.

 

[SoupNazi]

Maybe some of the blame for def prospects not taking the next step falls squarely on Blashill. He coached these kids after all. He gets credited with all the forward success but he hasn't produced a single defenceman who has realized his potential.

You're grasping at straws now.

 

[Frk It]

Maybe some of the blame for def prospects not taking the next step falls squarely on Blashill. He coached these kids after all. He gets credited with all the forward success but he hasn't produced a single defenceman who has realized his potential.

I think it's more likely they're just not that good. When you consider how good he was with Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan, Jurco, etc. He did a great job at getting all those guys ready.

 

[Actual Thought*]

I think it's more likely they're just not that good. When you consider how good he was with Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan, Jurco, etc. He did a great job at getting all those guys ready.

Jurco? Not so much.

 

[Actual Thought*]

You're grasping at straws now.

I merely presented the question. Grasping at straws would be endorsing a guy who has done nothing based on the contradiction of "He is a fresh voice who knows our players".

 

[Flowah]

I think it's more likely they're just not that good. When you consider how good he was with Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan, Jurco, etc. He did a great job at getting all those guys ready.

Possible he's better with forward prospects as opposed to defensive ones.

Jurco? Not so much.

Why don't you give it one more year. His first year was good. His second year was bad (with an abysmal SH%). How about giving the 22 year old one more chance before writing him off.

 

[Frk It]

Jurco? Not so much.

Blashill was great with Jurco. Got him to produce at a ppg. Babcock? Not so much.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Possible he's better with forward prospects as opposed to defensive ones.

Why don't you give it one more year. His first year was good. His second year was bad (with an abysmal SH%). How about giving the 22 year old one more chance before writing him off.

My point was that he isn't a shining example of being prepared for the NHL game.

I hope the kid succeeds but I am not sure he can stay in the line up with this roster and pipeline. I think his greatest hope is that Pulks is a bust.
Even if he improves substantially I just see Kopecky 2.0. I don't expect he will ever be a quality top 6er in the NHL and his back issues that he spoke about in the off season may be a contributing factor.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Blashill was great with Jurco. Got him to produce at a ppg. Babcock? Not so much.

Two different leagues. Massive difference. Babcock gave him ample opportunity and he just couldn't get it going. At all.

Do you credit Babcock with Nyquist's 28 goal mega run?

 

[Frk It]

Two different leagues. Massive difference. Babcock gave him ample opportunity and he just couldn't get it going. At all.

Do you credit Babcock with Nyquist's 28 goal mega run?

I don't discredit it. He didn't hurt it in any way. I thought he got Nyquist into the top 6 in short order, and appreciate how he kept him there.

 

[Actual Thought*]

I don't discredit it. He didn't hurt it in any way. I thought he got Nyquist into the top 6 in short order, and appreciate how he kept him there.

Nyquist earned the right to stay there. If he floundered for 30 games like Jurco would you have expected he stay there? I credit Nyquist for his brilliant performance. I credit Jurco for his abysmal performance. However saying that Jurco was prepared for the NHL game seems ludicrous to me given his abysmal performance.

 

[Frk It]

Nyquist earned the right to stay there. If he floundered for 30 games like Jurco would you have expected he stay there? I credit Nyquist for his brilliant performance. I credit Jurco for his abysmal performance. However saying that Jurco was prepared for the NHL game seems ludicrous to me given his abysmal performance.

I get what you're saying.

My issue wasn't the usage of Jurco per se, it seems more he was asked to change how he plays to a manner that doesn't really suit him.

Anyhow, I don't think he is ruined as a player or anything, and it should be an eye opener for him to how hard this league is. I think he will be just fine.

 

[Actual Thought*]

I get what you're saying.

My issue wasn't the usage of Jurco per se, it seems more he was asked to change how he plays to a manner that doesn't really suit him.

Anyhow, I don't think he is ruined as a player or anything, and it should be an eye opener for him to how hard this league is. I think he will be just fine.

I hope he succeeds as well but I think he has fallen behind the eight ball with more kids breathing down his neck. Larkin coming up along with Pulks pushes Jurco even further from the top 6. I just don't see him out competing the guys he needs to out compete to be a regular with this team and there are more of those guys coming. He is already starting the season as a healthy scratch.

 

[Frk It]

I hope he succeeds as well but I think he has fallen behind the eight ball with more kids breathing down his neck. Larkin coming up along with Pulks pushes Jurco even further from the top 6. I just don't see him out competing the guys he needs to out compete to be a regular with this team and there are more of those guys coming. He is already starting the season as a healthy scratch.

Yeah, that may be the case. I still like his skill set and size, and admittedly am a fan. If there's an open competition between him and Pulkkinen for a 3rd line wing spot, I actually like Jurco's odds of coming out on top. Especially if Pulkkinen doesn't get PP time.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Yeah, that may be the case. I still like his skill set and size, and admittedly am a fan. If there's an open competition between him and Pulkkinen for a 3rd line wing spot, I actually like Jurco's odds of coming out on top. Especially if Pulkkinen doesn't get PP time.

I thought they just had an open competition and Blashill chose Pulks. Given the fact Pulks was injured part of the preseason I don't think that bodes well for Jurco. I like Jurco's size vs Pulks but I don't think he has the mental make up for the NHL. He hasn't been able to apply his skill set at all in the big leagues. Maybe he just isn't that good. Maybe he has a role though. Posters here should be very happy that we have a youtube sensation sitting in the press box instead of Cleary. How long before he is the evil one holding back every kid or how long before Blashill gets the blame for holding him back?

 

[Frk It]

I thought they just had an open competition and Blashill chose Pulks. Given the fact Pulks was injured part of the preseason I don't think that bodes well for Jurco. I like Jurco's size vs Pulks but I don't think he has the mental make up for the NHL. He hasn't been able to apply his skill set at all in the big leagues. Maybe he just isn't that good. Maybe he has a role though. Posters here should be very happy that we have a youtube sensation sitting in the press box instead of Cleary. How long before he is the evil one holding back every kid?

Well they are splitting time this weekend, so that indicates to me Blashill is still evaluating the two to an extent.

I don't really understand the "should be happy we have a youtube sensation in the press box" comment? That stuff was like 4 years ago, and he went to show he was a good player in the AHL, and even his first year in the NHL (which people like to act like never happened).

He had a bad year last year. Absolutely. I blame Jurco more than anyone else for that. He may not bounce back, but I think he can. I don't think he will block anyone, if he doesn't show anything I think Holland will move him one way or another.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Well they are splitting time this weekend, so that indicates to me Blashill is still evaluating the two to an extent.

I don't really understand the "should be happy we have a youtube sensation in the press box" comment? That stuff was like 4 years ago, and he went to show he was a good player in the AHL, and even his first year in the NHL (which people like to act like never happened).

He had a bad year last year. Absolutely. I blame Jurco more than anyone else for that. He may not bounce back, but I think he can. I don't think he will block anyone, if he doesn't show anything I think Holland will move him one way or another.

I was just kidding. It just seems people here place way, way too much importance on the 14th forward spot. I think if Pulks got the 1st game he is probably in the lead just as Howard getting the first game indicates it is his job to lose.

 

[Frk It]

I was just kidding. It just seems people here place way, way too much importance on the 14th forward spot. I think if Pulks got the 1st game he is probably in the lead just as Howard getting the first game indicates it is his job to lose.

Oh, okay. Yeah I agree. Joker is a serviceable extra forward but everyone acts like getting rid of him is a big deal and important.

 

[Flowah]

Oh, okay. Yeah I agree. Joker is a serviceable extra forward but everyone acts like getting rid of him is a big deal and important.

He's a useless body. Ferraro more than adequately fills the role of extra forward and he's faster to boot. It's just a braindead easy move to make that isn't made.

 

[Frk It]

He's a useless body. Ferraro more than adequately fills the role of extra forward and he's faster to boot. It's just a braindead easy move to make that isn't made.

Who is the alternative in this situation?

 

[Flowah]

Who is the alternative in this situation?

Frankly I'd rather have Callahan than Andersson. He's faster and has an element of grit that Andersson lacks. And we still have 13 without Andersson at all. It just seems like we keep the guy around for no real reason. You can say he's just the extra forward and doesn't have much impact and I agree. I just also don't see why he's on the team. Seems like a really easy call.

 

[Frk It]

Frankly I'd rather have Callahan than Andersson. He's faster and has an element of grit that Andersson lacks. And we still have 13 without Andersson at all. It just seems like we keep the guy around for no real reason. You can say he's just the extra forward and doesn't have much impact and I agree. I just also don't see why he's on the team. Seems like a really easy call.

I like Callahan. At the same time Andersson can play center or wing, can PK pretty solidly, and doesn't really hurt you as a 4th liner.

Just a lot bigger fish to fry, in my opinion.

 

[ElijahR92]

Two different leagues. Massive difference. Babcock gave him ample opportunity and he just couldn't get it going. At all.

Do you credit Babcock with Nyquist's 28 goal mega run?

Juniors to AHL is a massive difference, AHL to NHL is not. Your statement is an uneducated response.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Juniors to AHL is a massive difference, AHL to NHL is not. Your statement is an uneducated response.

I disagree.

 

[Kingsfan1]

Larkin or Lehtera for Fantasy ?

What do you project for Larkin, I really want Larkin but will he stay up the whole year and will he have a killer year