GDT: 3/5/15 - 7:30PM EDT - Toronto VS Tampa Bay

[LightningStrikes]

3 of the 4. Poor guy.

He's pretty clearly still rooting for us and helping us in every way possible.

 

[DFC]

Agreed. Top line has been our best for about four games now.

Just watched the replay because I had stuff to do this afternoon. I thought Paquette had a ROUGH game - had a couple of chances but they were spoonfed to him, but that was a really bad play on the Leafs first goal, and on the PK down 6 on 4, he gets sucked into over-extending to try to score the ENG and then getting tied up with Phaneuf behind the play, effectively making it a 5-3 for about 8 seconds.

And Drouin is the one that got demoted to the fourth line.

Agreed on Paquette. It was his worst game in a long while. Showed his youth.

With Drouin, I don't think it was so much a demotion as it was they were just looking for chemistry. As soon as he gets paired up with a puck-handling center (Flip, Namestnikov) he seems to take a backseat. By the time he got demoted I was kind of pleased because I think he has better chemistry with Boyle than Flip, and I think when Brown plays that it's arguably the best fourth line in the league.

Maybe he'll grow some chemistry with Flip as time goes on. What I like about Drouin/Brown is they can push the pace past what most teams can handle. I wouldn't mind seeing Brown-Flip-Drouin at some point, with Paquette going to fourth.

...Or, just for kicks, maybe a fourth line of Brown-Namestnikov-Drouin. Imagine the plugs on other fourth lines trying to keep up with that.

Where Namestnikov was an emergency call up, does he have to go back down when Brown is ready?

How has Coburn looked so far guys?

I really like what we're seeing so far. Just a very solid, simple game. Not a great defenseman, but very trustworthy. So far, anyway. I'm sure we'll see some gaffes, but that's what separates the good from the great.

 

[Leonardo87]

Stamkos is looking a lot like Stamkos lately. Suddenly all the stuff that he was screwing up is starting to work, passing, stick handling etc.

If he keeps it simple, gets a little dirty, and find his wide open line-mates or is able to have someone else possess the puck while he gets set up in front, they are a success. When he tries to carry the puck over and possess it too long, that is when he runs into problems. Killorn is good with the cycling and really drives that, and it gives Stamkos and Callahan a chance to open themselves up to take a shot or make a play. Stamkos will find himself getting most of the D's attention, and with the two other guys who have good shots and can score, it opens things up for that line.

 

[BOLTMAN]

Agreed on Paquette. It was his worst game in a long while. Showed his youth.

With Drouin, I don't think it was so much a demotion as it was they were just looking for chemistry. As soon as he gets paired up with a puck-handling center (Flip, Namestnikov) he seems to take a backseat. By the time he got demoted I was kind of pleased because I think he has better chemistry with Boyle than Flip, and I think when Brown plays that it's arguably the best fourth line in the league.

Maybe he'll grow some chemistry with Flip as time goes on. What I like about Drouin/Brown is they can push the pace past what most teams can handle. I wouldn't mind seeing Brown-Flip-Drouin at some point, with Paquette going to fourth.

...Or, just for kicks, maybe a fourth line of Brown-Namestnikov-Drouin. Imagine the plugs on other fourth lines trying to keep up with that.

Where Namestnikov was an emergency call up, does he have to go back down when Brown is ready?



I really like what we're seeing so far. Just a very solid, simple game. Not a great defenseman, but very trustworthy. So far, anyway. I'm sure we'll see some gaffes, but that's what separates the good from the great.

so someone else besides me is suggesting that you could have a 4th line without a grinder. I know you said for kicks so perhaps your just joking.

 

[Leonardo87]

so someone else besides me is suggesting that you could have a 4th line without a grinder. I know you said for kicks so perhaps your just joking.

I think throwing Drouin on the 4th line will get us 4 scoring lines again. DFC is right that Boyle and Drouin have good chemistry. Yeah, I know everyone here wants Drouin on the top line with Stamkos, but that is not going to happen this season. I also think Names and Flip are better together than Flip and Drouin. So hopefully, we rest Morrow for some games and get a 4th line of Drouin - Boyle - Brown going.

I thought it was interesting. 3rd line had been struggling, Coop makes the change, and it became a threat. As I keep saying, I prefer to get scoring up and down the line-up than just one line. I also like Names on the 3rd line because he is a two way forward and they can be a good shutdown line also. With Drouin, his defensive aspects of the game still need to grow.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

I thought Stamkos looked really really good yesterday.
Like... good old stamkos

 

[Brie]

I wonder if for Stamkos that the fact that we've now been over a year since he returned to the linup after the injury helps him to mentally start putting it behind him. Now it will still take time but now that they have passed both 1 year marks that he might be able to really feel that there won't be any set backs and I am fully healthy and now I don't have to worry about the leg but it will only get better and nothing else...I don't know, I have thankfully never expereinced anything like what he did but I can imagine that there are stages of healing mentally to come to term with everything and when you have done that itäs then that you can take those final steps to put it behind you.

Or I'm just rambling which I do sometimes and we're just seeing Stamkos again.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Palat was the best player on the ice IMO, this kid is so complete it's insane. Nesterov starting to show some poise defensively. Tampa controlled the game from the start.

 

[The Macho King]

Palat was the best player on the ice IMO, this kid is so complete it's insane. Nesterov starting to show some poise defensively. Tampa controlled the game from the start.

Yeah he was a monster. Did a lot of subtle, awesome defensive plays.

 

[MattM92]

Palat has been a beast defensively. Where I notice he makes mistakes is when he tries to do too much offensively. I notice him holding the puck for a second or two too long sometimes because he's trying to make something happen. Considering how great that line is at cycling, I'd like to see him just dump it to a corner if there's no immediate play.

 

[Leonardo87]

Palat has been a beast defensively. Where I notice he makes mistakes is when he tries to do too much offensively. I notice him holding the puck for a second or two too long sometimes because he's trying to make something happen. Considering how great that line is at cycling, I'd like to see him just dump it to a corner if there's no immediate play.

Palat gets seriously underrated, he might not have the point totals like the rest of TKO, but that sometimes underrates a player if they are not racking in the points. It's not just about points.

 

[MattM92]

Palat gets seriously underrated, he might not have the point totals like the rest of TKO, but that sometimes underrates a player if they are not racking in the points. It's not just about points.

I'm not saying it's about points. I'm not expecting him to be sneezing points. What I'd like to see is him cut down on the offensive turnovers because he holds the puck for too long. Could say the same about Flip as well. Every other aspect of Palat's game is beastly and I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Palat is catching up Kucherov in even strength points and he's likely to become the 2nd most productive player on the team 5v5 behind only Johnson. When you take into consideration his defense and leadership it leaves you speechless. The most underrated part of his (complete) game is undoubtedly his passing skills, he's a world class playmaking winger.

Palat is my favorite player in the whole nhl without hesitation.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Palat is catching up Kucherov in even strength points and he's likely to become the 2nd most productive player on the team 5v5 behind only Johnson. When you take into consideration his defense and leadership it leaves you speechless. The most underrated part of his (complete) game is undoubtedly his passing skills, he's a world class playmaking winger.

Palat is my favorite player in the whole nhl without hesitation.

Pretty good post. Palat's a top 10 talent at everything but scoring goals. Very good defensively, and a good passer/playmaker too. If he can simply up his goal scoring a notch, he'll be one of the league's 10 best forwards.

 

[Stamper]

Well, MSL was world-class playmaking winger. I'm not sure id overrate Palat there just yet but otherwise you're spot on.

Aaannd Palat does not posses a top 10 skating/hands/shot/ in the whole NHL, hold your horses

 

[Sky04]

Well, MSL was world-class playmaking winger. I'm not sure id overrate Palat there just yet but otherwise you're spot on.

Aaannd Palat does not posses a top 10 skating/hands/shot/ in the whole NHL, hold your horses

Yeah going a little overboard right now on the Palat love. Doubt he gets anywhere near top-10 forward.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Well, MSL was world-class playmaking winger. I'm not sure id overrate Palat there just yet but otherwise you're spot on.

Aaannd Palat does not posses a top 10 skating/hands/shot/ in the whole NHL, hold your horses

I'd say MSL belongs in the "elite" class and in no way I believe Palat is a top 10 playmaker in the nhl. "World class" is probably too strong but to me it was one clear tier below the elite class.

 

[Stamper]

I'd say MSL belongs in the "elite" class and in no way I believe Palat is a top 10 playmaker in the nhl. "World class" is probably too strong but to me it was one clear tier below the elite class.

Yeah we got your point, just that I don't want this board to take a turn into 'every single player in the team is a top 10 player at their respective positions and I would only trade them to Crosby straight up yada yada', because I enjoy the rare level-headedness in here ^^

The one player I would compare Drej to is Bergeron. Great at everything, elite in only two things, that both don't reflect into the scoreboard, in hockeyIQ and defense.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Yeah we got your point, just that I don't want this board to take a turn into 'every single player in the team is a top 10 player at their respective positions and I would only trade them to Crosby straight up yada yada', because I enjoy the rare level-headedness in here ^^

The one player I would compare Drej to is Bergeron. Great at everything, elite in only two things, that both don't reflect into the scoreboard, in hockeyIQ and defense.

Agreed with everything you said.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

Yeah we got your point, just that I don't want this board to take a turn into 'every single player in the team is a top 10 player at their respective positions and I would only trade them to Crosby straight up yada yada', because I enjoy the rare level-headedness in here ^^

The one player I would compare Drej to is Bergeron. Great at everything, elite in only two things, that both don't reflect into the scoreboard, in hockeyIQ and defense.

All of this. I appreciate that we rarely have to go to war on the mainboards like some of the Canadian teams fanbases.