Post-Game Talk: #77 | Islanders 3 at FLYERS 6 | Thursday, March 30, 2017

[Tripod]

Couturier dominant in the first period.

It boggles the mind how this player goes from slow beta scrub to two-way power forward-slash-creator.

This happened last year as well (or was it the year before), where he flipped a switch and shined for about 6 weeks.

I'd like a full season of this guy please.

From Nov 28th until the end of the season last year....so for over 4 months....he was on a 60+ point pace. So a bit more than 6 weeks.

The thing is, even if he is not getting points, his wingers usually are. And that gets ignored by certain people. TK and Jake were racking up points as his wingers to start the season, even if he was not. And certain people were saying Couts had nothing to do with it. Then Couts gets hurt, Schenn becomes their C, and they both fall off a cliff.

Maybe there is a pattern developing that certain people will see. EVERY winger produces with Couts....regardless if Couts is getting points himself. He makes his wingers better. Maybe it's because he focuses more on D, so they can on offense. Or maybe he plays a simple game that others can read off of. Regardless, he produces at ES as well as anyone else on the team yet again.

My only beef is how when he IS putting up points, certain haters just disappear. They only show up when he struggles. But whatever, that's on them being that way.

Nice that we will have C depth entering next year already in place and when Lindblom joins, and TK is released from his anchors, we can legit have 3 lines who could provide offense.

 

[Rebels57]

No love for Thornton's skunk stripe?

That beard is an abomination.

1 - because he copied his teammate, which is lame
2 - because it's nasty looking
3 - because he is a *********

 

[deadhead]

I think we can stop blaming the scheme for the forward's struggles.

Weise - Couts - Schenn have been dominant, why? I think because they play more N/S, not a lot of fancy skating and passing, shoot and attack the crease.

And I think Hextall is watching and thinking about who fits going forward.
He can see what Weal is doing, and what some other forwards aren't doing.

I don't think the main focus of the offseason is going to be excessive concern with 4th line wingers who play 8 ES minutes a night, but finding the right 9-10 forwards who play real minutes.

 

[Rebels57]

From Nov 28th until the end of the season last year....so for over 4 months....he was on a 60+ point pace. So a bit more than 6 weeks.

The thing is, even if he is not getting points, his wingers usually are. And that gets ignored by certain people. TK and Jake were racking up points as his wingers to start the season, even if he was not. And certain people were saying Couts had nothing to do with it. Then Couts gets hurt, Schenn becomes their C, and they both fall off a cliff.

Maybe there is a pattern developing that certain people will see. EVERY winger produces with Couts....regardless if Couts is getting points himself. He makes his wingers better. Maybe it's because he focuses more on D, so they can on offense. Or maybe he plays a simple game that others can read off of. Regardless, he produces at ES as well as anyone else on the team yet again.

My only beef is how when he IS putting up points, certain haters just disappear. They only show up when he struggles. But whatever, that's on them being that way.

Nice that we will have C depth entering next year already in place and when Lindblom joins, and TK is released from his anchors, we can legit have 3 lines who could provide offense.

Yep. Excluding Weal who has not been here all season, Couturier is our top ES point producer at the moment.

 

[DutchDennis]

WHY
are we winning when we don't have to?

WHY
do we lose when we have to win?

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

That beard is an abomination.

1 - because he copied his teammate, which is lame
2 - because it's nasty looking
3 - because he is a *********

I hate that beard as much as you do, but NOBODY hates that guy as much as you do
Hakstok-level hate going on.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

I think we can stop blaming the scheme for the forward's struggles.

Weise - Couts - Schenn have been dominant, why? I think because they play more N/S, not a lot of fancy skating and passing, shoot and attack the crease.

And I think Hextall is watching and thinking about who fits going forward.
He can see what Weal is doing, and what some other forwards aren't doing.

I don't think the main focus of the offseason is going to be excessive concern with 4th line wingers who play 8 ES minutes a night, but finding the right 9-10 forwards who play real minutes.

You're right - like you, hockey professionals will just ignore the 4th line, because it doesn't matter at all.

BAD LINES MATTER

 

[Rebels57]

I hate that beard as much as you do, but NOBODY hates that guy as much as you do
Hakstok-level hate going on.

He's a perennial playoff failure with a big mouth. What's not to love?

 

[deadhead]

You're right - like you, hockey professionals will just ignore the 4th line, because it doesn't matter at all.

BAD LINES MATTER

No, he just won't obsess over it unlike some posters.

How well your top three lines play matters a heck of a lot more than how bad your last couple players play, because most teams, even playoff teams, have marginal talents at the bottom of the roster.

Given the salary cap, the bottom players are going to be either inexperienced (pre-RFA years) or low cost (limited talent). If you have a deep organization, then those inexperienced players will have talent, but they'll be constantly replaced as they move up the food chain (or move out).

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

No, he just won't obsess over it unlike some posters.

How well your top three lines play matters a heck of a lot more than how bad your last couple players play, because most teams, even playoff teams, have marginal talents at the bottom of the roster.

Given the salary cap, the bottom players are going to be either inexperienced (pre-RFA years) or low cost (limited talent). If you have a deep organization, then those inexperienced players will have talent, but they'll be constantly replaced as they move up the food chain (or move out).

phone ringing


deadhead: "Hello?"
voice on phone: "Hi head, it's 1992 calling."
deadhead: "Yes? How can I help you?"
voice on phone: "I want my ideas about 4th lines back."

 

[WIP CALLER]

I think we can stop blaming the scheme for the forward's struggles.

Weise - Couts - Schenn have been dominant, why? I think because they play more N/S, not a lot of fancy skating and passing, shoot and attack the crease.

And I think Hextall is watching and thinking about who fits going forward.
He can see what Weal is doing, and what some other forwards aren't doing.

I don't think the main focus of the offseason is going to be excessive concern with 4th line wingers who play 8 ES minutes a night, but finding the right 9-10 forwards who play real minutes.

LOL one stretch of 3 straight games where they've scored more than 2 goals since december(Ottawa was a shootout win so not really even 3 games) and all of the sudden hakstol has a winning system again. yeah, let's just ignore the majority of the season's offensive struggles because they scored 6 goals on the islanders...

 

[Flyerfan4life]

LOL one stretch of 3 straight games where they've scored more than 2 goals since december(Ottawa was a shootout win so not really even 3 games) and all of the sudden hakstol has a winning system again. yeah, let's just ignore the majority of the season's offensive struggles because they scored 6 goals on the islanders...

lol one game were the flood gates open... system is fixed..

hahah might aswell just hand us the cup i guess.

 

[WIP CALLER]

I don't think it's a coincidence the first line has sucked ever since Matt "solid season" Read was put there. Have no idea what Hak has seen this year to give him that promotion.

 

[Rebels57]

I don't think it's a coincidence the first line has sucked ever since Matt "solid season" Read was put there. Have no idea what Hak has seen this year to give him that promotion.

He has that old school "every line needs a defensive presence" mentality. If Giroux and Voracek were carrying the line and scoring, than I would have no problem with Read riding their coat-tails, but they're not. They could use Konecny's speed, creativity, and shot on their line.

 

[BernieParent]

Honestly he skipped my mind

He's been around pretty much my entire life so I sometimes forget that he isn't retired yet

Third best beard then.

This is how I think Gudas grows his facial hair:

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

This is how I think Gudas grows his facial hair:

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

Matt Read is out with upper body injury for 8 weeks. Might explain VDV's minutes.

 

[Curufinwe]

If anyone has the game recorded, Read's last shift was with 6 minutes left in the 3rd.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I think we can stop blaming the scheme for the forward's struggles.

Weise - Couts - Schenn have been dominant, why? I think because they play more N/S, not a lot of fancy skating and passing, shoot and attack the crease.

And I think Hextall is watching and thinking about who fits going forward.
He can see what Weal is doing, and what some other forwards aren't doing.

I don't think the main focus of the offseason is going to be excessive concern with 4th line wingers who play 8 ES minutes a night, but finding the right 9-10 forwards who play real minutes.

Well the scheme changed after the Calgary game and centers have been far more involved with a bit less perimeter at, so yeah we can stop blaming the system for someone like, say, Giroux.

They system is still exceptionally questionable, but better when more than one forward can provide pressure while the other two pass back and forth along the boards.

 

[deadhead]

He has that old school "every line needs a defensive presence" mentality. If Giroux and Voracek were carrying the line and scoring, than I would have no problem with Read riding their coat-tails, but they're not. They could use Konecny's speed, creativity, and shot on their line.

And if the puck goes into a corner, who's gonna got get it?
And who's gonna screen the goalie?
You can't pass it back and forth indefinitely in today's NHL.

 

[deadhead]

Well the scheme changed after the Calgary game and centers have been far more involved with a bit less perimeter at, so yeah we can stop blaming the system for someone like, say, Giroux.

They system is still exceptionally questionable, but better when more than one forward can provide pressure while the other two pass back and forth along the boards.

I don't know if it changed, but since Calgary:
58 goals (11 PP)
54 goals allowed
Out shot their opponent 13 times, outshot 6 times, tied once.

To me the big change was Weal replacing Raffl, Pilppula allowing Schenn to move to RW with Couts, and MDZ playing better.
Better balance on the lines, but they're still a bit dysfunctional.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I don't know if it changed, but since Calgary:
58 goals (11 PP)
54 goals allowed
Out shot their opponent 13 times, outshot 6 times, tied once.

To me the big change was Weal replacing Raffl, Pilppula allowing Schenn to move to RW with Couts, and MDZ playing better.
Better balance on the lines, but they're still a bit dysfunctional.

THose changes occurred. On top of that Centers became engaged in offense in a manner similar to what we'd seen the year before, instead of serving chiefly to fetch pucks behind the net and fill in for W and D while they try to score. That's pretty big.

 

[CodyTheHuman]

That beard is an abomination.

1 - because he copied his teammate, which is lame
2 - because it's nasty looking
3 - because he is a *********

Why do you hate him so much? If I could grow that beard I would.