GDT: 9/26 Boston Bruins @ Washington Capitals 7pm ET NHL Network

[DNE3]

Too me all the other prospects are the same....Pastrnak, spooner, koko, Griffith ...offensive guys...one dimensional....then guys like linblad, Florek, Caron , Cunningham.....ok, but plodding nothing really sticks out....

Florek is the best board man on the roster, and may be the best penalty killer.

 

[LouJersey]

other than Bobby Rockem Sockem Robbins did any forward have a hit? I was paying attention early keeping track and because there weren't any forget about it.

Is there a hit total somewhere? I think Florek might have had a check in the second at the 17 minute mark

Fraser a couple but nobody else. Not one guy in this game really had the speed to get in and hit. Hopefully Knight gets his chance tomorrow ... Only lucic had more than 100 hits of our entire roster of forwards last year... Need bangers somewhere to create turnovers.

 

[DKH]

Too me all the other prospects are the same....Pastrnak, spooner, koko, Griffith ...offensive guys...one dimensional....then guys like linblad, Florek, Caron , Cunningham.....ok, but plodding nothing really sticks out....

The three that HAVE to be on this team are Fraser, Knight and Robins....and when I say Robins I mean 13 th forward. Fraser is a perfect third line guy...and Knight could skate any RW 1-4. He'd bring speed, snarl AND skill. None of our other prospects have that.

Robbins tonight is classic Robbins- few fighters can hit like him, and he played college hockey legitimately ; he actually is a hockey player whether its the NHL caliber or not, he earned his college spot

 

[DKH]

Florek is the best board man on the roster, and may be the best penalty killer.

he makes MY team as well

 

[Fire Sweeney]

That defense is slow, soft, and bad.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Florek is the best board man on the roster, and may be the best penalty killer.

The best board man on the ENTIRE roster or just his preseason one? Interesting.

I would say that Marchand is better at both myself.

 

[HumBucker]

Really impressed with Warsofsky's skating in the O-zone on the PP. Very Krug-like.

 

[DNE3]

The best board man on the ENTIRE roster? Interesting.

Okay. Second to Bergeron anyway.

 

[LouisSleigher]

Too me all the other prospects are the same....Pastrnak, spooner, koko, Griffith ...offensive guys...one dimensional....then guys like linblad, Florek, Caron , Cunningham.....ok, but plodding nothing really sticks out....

The three that HAVE to be on this team are Fraser, Knight and Robins....and when I say Robins I mean 13 th forward. Fraser is a perfect third line guy...and Knight could skate any RW 1-4. He'd bring speed, snarl AND skill. None of our other prospects have that.

Robins would be quite a Cinderella. He turned 30 while still in the ECHL.

 

[DKH]

Fraser a couple but nobody else. Not one guy in this game really had the speed to get in and hit. Hopefully Knight gets his chance tomorrow ... Only lucic had more than 100 hits of our entire roster of forwards last year... Need bangers somewhere to create turnovers.

After Griffith goals tonight, Knight will be back to the Wicked Witch control .....he wont have to drive to Providence, Cassidy will send a couple of flying monkies to bring him home

 

[LouJersey]

After Griffith goals tonight, Knight will be back to the Wicked Witch control .....he wont have to drive to Providence, Cassidy will send a couple of flying monkies to bring him home

So Griffith gets judged playing with Bergeron and Soderberg but Knight gets bracken kearns?

 

[Sigh]

Robins looked great out there. Hopefully Stone Clode agrees.

 

[VanIsle]

Knight is the whipping boy Griffith produces where ever he plays.

 

[DKH]

So Griffith gets judged playing with Bergeron and Soderberg but Knight gets bracken kearns?

Griffith though played with Cunningham and Lindblad and scored twice. However, Claude likes back pressure, deep pucks, blah, blah, blah which is not really his game but goals are goals and he gets them.

still they got to start trading players- I'm worried McQuaid is going to be gone which would ssssssuck

 

[TwineTickler]

Griffith though played with Cunningham and Lindblad and scored twice. However, Claude likes back pressure, deep pucks, blah, blah, blah which is not really his game but goals are goals and he gets them.

still they got to start trading players- I'm worried McQuaid is going to be gone which would ssssssuck

I feel like he may go as well. I think Chia has a bit of a boner for Miller (rightfully so) and sees him as a McQuaid replacement. Seeing Quaider fight tonight though he looked in vintage form. I really hope he sticks around. Love the man

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Knight is the whipping boy Griffith produces where ever he plays.

Knight looked like he had the tools but not the toolbox Wednesday night.


This is a kid who hasn't played a whole lot of pro hockey I think he needs another 50 AHL games.

One thing is for sure with him though and that is that he has a skillset that we are desperately lacking and are in dire need of.

Think he makes the team next year but not this year think a few of the other kids along with our vet invites are in front of him.

 

[VanIsle]

One of McQuaid or Miller has to go similar bottom pairing guys.

 

[DKH]

I feel like he may go as well. I think Chia has a bit of a boner for Miller (rightfully so) and sees him as a McQuaid replacement. Seeing Quaider fight tonight though he looked in vintage form. I really hope he sticks around. Love the man

agree, he's still young, played in two Finals....I'm hoping they don't deal him he's got character and is a tough sob and great teammate (stuck up for Ference vs Torres, Horton vs Hendricks, and Scott when he hit Eriksson)

 

[Gordoff]

so do we care about back pressure, decision making, taking the body, and good fore check hard to reap dividends later or do we just go who scored and consider them all awesome.

Claude should go ballistic on some of these KIDS way worse than Spooner but he wont because they are wingers and Spooner is a threat to Campbell being moved for Cap reasons,

I saw a lot of stuff that is alarming but whatever

The bolded is alarming to say the least.
HATE when favorites are played over the best option for the overall team.

So Griffith gets judged playing with Bergeron and Soderberg but Knight gets bracken kearns?

Yeah, kinda sorta not fair. Wonder how Cam likes this?

Griffith though played with Cunningham and Lindblad and scored twice. However, Claude likes back pressure, deep pucks, blah, blah, blah which is not really his game but goals are goals and he gets them.

still they got to start trading players- I'm worried McQuaid is going to be gone which would ssssssuck

I think a lot of us feel this way. I have a gut feeling though that no matter where he plays he's going to have a great year. He just has the look of a vet d-man who's been there and done that. An air of confidence etc. Some guys just take longer to put it all together especially a big dood like him. IMO d-men improve with age and this year will be the turning point. Maybe it was the long layoff followed by the long summer. Too bad Hawaii doesn't have an NHL team so that he could be traded to the Pan-Asia division and not put any of our new smurfs through the boards.

It would've been nice to have been able to see the game, maybe if I lived in New Mexico..... I could've seen it ?!?

 

[pkunit]

agree, he's still young, played in two Finals....I'm hoping they don't deal him he's got character and is a tough sob and great teammate (stuck up for Ference vs Torres, Horton vs Hendricks, and Scott when he hit Eriksson)

Aree 100%. He's up there with Looch as one of the toughest (hockey players) in the league.

 

[BadBruins]

Just finished watching the game. Robins was great, as expected. I know he can play a little. Will make a great Thornton replacement. Better make this team. The lack of size and nasty in the current bottom-6 is disturbing. He knows his role and plays it well IMO. Also a RH shot.

I haven't read this thread yet, but I expect Eriksson is getting trashed on. He didn't look good. I say put him back in his comfort zone with Soderberg (at ES and PP). I wanted to see him thrive in that top line role and at the very least build up his trade value. Fraser looks like he's a more worthy candidate for that spot at this point.

Trotman did not look good (20+mins) and was simply overmatched. I like his game though. Not his night. Not ready to be an NHL regular. Warsofsky on the other hand...

Cunningham was surprisingly physical. Didn't hold up. Would like to see more of that from other guys without guaranteed spots.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Knight is the whipping boy Griffith produces where ever he plays.

Here is my question about Griffith, how high up the ladder can he go if he has to get by on brains and positioning alone?

I have not seen him enough to form my own opinions, but everybody that has seen him regularly (and whose opinions I trust) tells me this kid is all hockey IQ, guile, and he has a knack for being in the right spot at the right time. He doesn't have a great shot, and he isn't a great skater (relative to the NHL). I love players like this, everybody does because they are easy to root for.

Griffith is apparently smart enough and skilled enough to make it in junior hockey, and last year as a rookie he did pretty damn well in the AHL. So now the issue becomes when the bar gets raised again, is Griffith savvy enough to elevate his game to the next level, or is he Chris Bourque? A guy whose physical gifts were limited and whose skill could only take him so far.

I want Griffith to succeed, just like I want Knight and Ferlin to succeed, because if they can, and the B's can ice some young home grown players down the right side, they can spend money elsewhere to address other areas of need (like extensions, etc.). Unfortunately, I don't think a couple of preseason games is going to give definitive answers, and the B's are running out of time to "evaluate". I know Stone Clode is probably leaning towards the "safe" approach with the vets, but I hope that they put some faith in at least a couple of these kids so that they can give themselves some Cap maneuvering room at the deadline.

 

[DoubleAAAA]

Here is my question about Griffith, how high up the ladder can he go if he has to get by on brains and positioning alone?

I have not seen him enough to form my own opinions, but everybody that has seen him regularly (and whose opinions I trust) tells me this kid is all hockey IQ, guile, and he has a knack for being in the right spot at the right time. He doesn't have a great shot, and he isn't a great skater (relative to the NHL). I love players like this, everybody does because they are easy to root for.

Griffith is apparently smart enough and skilled enough to make it in junior hockey, and last year as a rookie he did pretty damn well in the AHL. So now the issue becomes when the bar gets raised again, is Griffith savvy enough to elevate his game to the next level, or is he Chris Bourque? A guy whose physical gifts were limited and whose skill could only take him so far.

I want Griffith to succeed, just like I want Knight and Ferlin to succeed, because if they can, and the B's can ice some young home grown players down the right side, they can spend money elsewhere to address other areas of need (like extensions, etc.). Unfortunately, I don't think a couple of preseason games is going to give definitive answers, and the B's are running out of time to "evaluate". I know Stone Clode is probably leaning towards the "safe" approach with the vets, but I hope that they put some faith in at least a couple of these kids so that they can give themselves some Cap maneuvering room at the deadline.

Cap wise, Gagne or Leino might give them even more flexibility. No need to worry about bonuses counting against the cap. Assuming you can get them well under $1M, they could wind up being cheaper.

I'm of the opinion that more time in the A never really hurt anyone, so all things equal, I have no objection to vets over kids, if a kid is fairly clearly the better option but doesn't get the look is where the issue arises IMO.

 

[VanIsle]

Here is my question about Griffith, how high up the ladder can he go if he has to get by on brains and positioning alone?

I have not seen him enough to form my own opinions, but everybody that has seen him regularly (and whose opinions I trust) tells me this kid is all hockey IQ, guile, and he has a knack for being in the right spot at the right time. He doesn't have a great shot, and he isn't a great skater (relative to the NHL). I love players like this, everybody does because they are easy to root for.

Griffith is apparently smart enough and skilled enough to make it in junior hockey, and last year as a rookie he did pretty damn well in the AHL. So now the issue becomes when the bar gets raised again, is Griffith savvy enough to elevate his game to the next level, or is he Chris Bourque? A guy whose physical gifts were limited and whose skill could only take him so far.

I want Griffith to succeed, just like I want Knight and Ferlin to succeed, because if they can, and the B's can ice some young home grown players down the right side, they can spend money elsewhere to address other areas of need (like extensions, etc.). Unfortunately, I don't think a couple of preseason games is going to give definitive answers, and the B's are running out of time to "evaluate". I know Stone Clode is probably leaning towards the "safe" approach with the vets, but I hope that they put some faith in at least a couple of these kids so that they can give themselves some Cap maneuvering room at the deadline.

Didnt Griffith play with Domi for the London Knights, and possibly Horvat?

If he keeps producing in the preseason and doesnt make the roster he will eventually be a call up.

great to see kids doing well, as we all know depth is now the most important thing in the big leagues, give the kid a couple games with Soderberg and Eriksson.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

agree, he's still young, played in two Finals....I'm hoping they don't deal him he's got character and is a tough sob and great teammate (stuck up for Ference vs Torres, Horton vs Hendricks, and Scott when he hit Eriksson)

I love McQuaid, and we are seeing how good he looks healthy. The only problem is how long can he stay healthy? With the lack of an enforcer type, McQ would be one of the guys picking up the slack in the fighting department and he certainly is capable. This is a plus in his favor, although if the B's kept Robins as the 13th F, it would negate some of that. The problem for McQ is that Miller has a very similar skillset and costs half the $$.

Another interesting area is the opposite spot (3rd pair Left side). This is a spot that we all assumed was going to be manned by Krug for the foreseeable future. However, now Krug is not in camp, and both Warsofsky and Bart have looked good playing there. Personally, I think there is a drop off from Krug to either of those guys offensively, but at what point does Chia start to look at the salaries and the performance and start weighing the Pros and Cons? Bart only makes $1.2m, and Warsofsky half of that at $600k. I don't see Krug being dealt and I think guys like Bart and DW playing well just gives the B's more leverage with Krug.

Some extremely interesting decisions need to be made in the next couple of weeks.