Speculation: 2019 Off-Season Thread - Part 6

Zwui21

Registered User
Aug 31, 2019
2,199
2,677
Other teams don't even know what's coming.

Witko, Maroon and Cernak will keep everybody honest. Nobody is messing with our top guys anymore
 

HoseEmDown

Registered User
Mar 25, 2012
17,452
3,681
I appreciate the all-around effort by JBB to get more grit on the team even if the players are not all that great. If there's any complaint I had of the SFY years it's that our toughest dude on a given night was Callahan or Coburn. We had the most talented lineup on ice but it was milquetoast. We never had some big nasty mother like Witkowski whose sole purpose was to kill people. Schenn interjects himself into every skirmish and Big Rig won my heart when he said "Kiss the ring" to the Nashville bench. I was being too bold when I said "This is the year we win it all" a week or so ago but chalk that up to me just being in a good mood at the time and projecting it. But going into this season I'm more optimistic now than I have ever been since 2014-2015. On opening night my heart told me we were getting as far as the ECF and in 2010 I had the same feeling too. We'll see if my gut holds up this year.

But in the end there's just something about the interjection of mercenary mentality into our lineup that sits well with me and I think it's an element we've been lacking for a very long time now. We've always had our core of guys but they weren't always the toughest bunch mentally or physically. But now you've got guys like Schenn, Witkowski, Maroon and Shattenkirk and they're all mad as hell with something to prove coming into a locker room that's mad as well with something to prove.

I love it. And I'm on record that if this core can't get it done this year then we need to fire Cooper (I would have done so already or stripped Stamkos of captaincy) and adopt the 80's "Bad Boys" Pistons mentality because it's the only thing we haven't done yet besides becoming a trap team. This lineup is good enough to win it all but it hasn't had the right attitude in my estimation.
We literally had Witkowski in the organization for all but two years since he turned pro in 2013. He just was never good enough to make the roster or stick around full time. He still isn't but is decent enough to play in some games while others heal or adapt to the NHL. He's not a game changer and neither are Schenn or Maroon, they're depth pieces. We need Stamkos, Kucherov and Vasilevskiy to be at their best when it matters most and they all haven't just yet.
 

TheDaysOf 04

[ 2 6 ] [ 4 ]
Jun 23, 2007
52,501
22,359
NJ
Volkov injured? Any word on what's going on there?
Yeah what’s going on with Volkov?
So whats the deal with Volkov?
So is Volkov injured or what?
I think so. Coop has been very quiet after Volkov missed the past 2 practices.The only question is for how long and what's the severity.

For those who didn't see the 6th preseason game, it was getting a little chippy after Sergachev tried to hip check ended up going too low on Connolly, injuring him. At the end of the game, Florida down 4-2, pulled their goalie and in those 2 final minutes there was an open ice hit by Hoffman on Volkov where Hoffman crushed him away from the puck. The only penalty called was interference. But it was obviously the result of everything else that had happened before and Hoffman looking to get someone before time expired. There was a scrum after the hit and Volkov got up and grabbed someone, but that was the last we saw of him. And then the game was over, so he wouldn't of had another shift anyway.
 

ccman68

Registered User
Dec 9, 2017
4,108
4,383
Volkov had a body maintenance day. No one has even mentioned an injury so I have no idea where this is coming from.
 

AndreRoy

Registered User
Jan 3, 2018
3,637
2,365
We literally had Witkowski in the organization for all but two years since he turned pro in 2013. He just was never good enough to make the roster or stick around full time. He still isn't but is decent enough to play in some games while others heal or adapt to the NHL. He's not a game changer and neither are Schenn or Maroon, they're depth pieces. We need Stamkos, Kucherov and Vasilevskiy to be at their best when it matters most and they all haven't just yet.

Yes, they are depth pieces, and I agree that the key is still for our stars to show up when it matters. But this year we have some size and some nastiness in our depth pieces, we have guys like Shattenkirk and Verhaeghe who could improve our scoring depth, and while there’s no replacing Victor Hedman we are better situated to handle lesser injuries to our blue line than we have been in years past. So while the guys making the big bucks still need to be leaders in the postseason I think there is reason to believe that we are a better team going into this season than we were going into the last one.
 

HoseEmDown

Registered User
Mar 25, 2012
17,452
3,681
Yes, they are depth pieces, and I agree that the key is still for our stars to show up when it matters. But this year we have some size and some nastiness in our depth pieces, we have guys like Shattenkirk and Verhaeghe who could improve our scoring depth, and while there’s no replacing Victor Hedman we are better situated to handle lesser injuries to our blue line than we have been in years past. So while the guys making the big bucks still need to be leaders in the postseason I think there is reason to believe that we are a better team going into this season than we were going into the last one.

The thing though is that for all Witkowski brings he has a career high of 4 points in an NHL season. Marion has had some bigger numbers buts it's a huge leap to go from McDavid to Paquette, he may not hit 20 this year. I'm all for a little grit out there but I also prefer someone with upside who could pot 10 goals or put up 20-25 points. Much rather Volkov out there, even though he's not suited to be a 4th liner, or Verheaghe for sure even Colton or Stephens. Give Witkowski a month while Point heals then send him down and give the kids a look. Sit Maroon a few games to play a Volkov - Verheaghe - Stephens line. A 4th line sheltered role is a good chance to ease a few kids who will help the future more than Witkowski will.
 

DFC

Registered User
Sep 26, 2013
46,844
22,690
NB
Volkov had a body maintenance day. No one has even mentioned an injury so I have no idea where this is coming from.

Yeah, but then he was sat for the last game, which usually ices everyone who's still getting a look. One would assume Volkov is in that group. So I'm just wondering if he's on the team, but injured (thus Smith being kept up), or if he's on his way back to Syracuse.
 

AndreRoy

Registered User
Jan 3, 2018
3,637
2,365
The thing though is that for all Witkowski brings he has a career high of 4 points in an NHL season. Marion has had some bigger numbers buts it's a huge leap to go from McDavid to Paquette, he may not hit 20 this year. I'm all for a little grit out there but I also prefer someone with upside who could pot 10 goals or put up 20-25 points. Much rather Volkov out there, even though he's not suited to be a 4th liner, or Verheaghe for sure even Colton or Stephens. Give Witkowski a month while Point heals then send him down and give the kids a look. Sit Maroon a few games to play a Volkov - Verheaghe - Stephens line. A 4th line sheltered role is a good chance to ease a few kids who will help the future more than Witkowski will.

Definitely agree about Verhaeghe: unless and until he proves the preseason was a fluke I want him in the lineup on a regular basis - and not just at fourth line wing, but at center and on the third line as well. Not only do I want to see what he’s capable of doing for us this season but next summer we’re going to have some cap casualties and it would be good to know just where we might be able to slot him in as a replacement.

On the other hand I don’t want Volkov on the fourth line - at least not yet. The only reason I’d want him in the NHL early in the season is if he can claim a spot in the top nine; otherwise I’d much rather have him playing top minutes in Syracuse, bring him up for a cup of coffee when one of our top nine wingers goes down, and then assuming he still looks like he belongs bring him up for good towards the end of the year to give us some extra scoring depth in the playoffs. But before then there’s no point in wasting him playing limited minutes on a non-scoring line with the likes of Paquette.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->