GDT: A game of utmost importance: Islanders vs Hurricanes 2/16/18

Boom Boom Apathy

I am the Professor. Deal with it!
Sep 6, 2006
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I'd really like Tripp and Chip Alexander to stop characterizing the Hanifin-to-Faulk play as a "bad pass." The pass was perfect. Faulk missed it with his skate and his stick on the second chance, then got beat up the ice.

No, just no. That pass was anything but perfect. When you are on the blueline and simply need to make a pass across to your partner and not send it in his skates, it's far from perfect. That said, Faulk took a poor pass and made it infinitely worse with how he played it so not absolving him at all as he f***ed it up also. In the end though, that was irrelevant when you score zero goals.

Watching live, it was painfully obvious that the Canes can't pass in transition. So many passes in skates, behind guys, to the other team, too far in front, etc. When a team does like NYI did, just clog the neutral zone and pack it it, the severe lack of passing skills turns the Canes into a weak dump and chase team. To me, it was less about Peters adjusting than it was about the Canes not having the skill to make quick passes in transition to solve the other team's plan. Was one of the more boring games I've seen in a while, and that's shocking considering how the Islanders play. There was a short stint in the 2nd where it was more up and down, but that's it.
 

My Special Purpose

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Apr 8, 2008
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We've missed the playoffs for nine straight seasons, we've drafted fairly well, we're in season 4 of a 5-year-rebuilding plan, we're outside the playoffs and we have a combined *nine* points (1G, 8A) in 59 games played from rookies this season. How can a team in our position, that as drafted as high as we have, manage that? Also keep in mind that the guy who contributed that rookie goal isn't even a current member of the team.
 

My Special Purpose

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No, just no. That pass was anything but perfect. When you are on the blueline and simply need to make a pass across to your partner and not send it in his skates, it's far from perfect. That said, Faulk took a poor pass and made it infinitely worse with how he played it so not absolving him at all as he ****ed it up also. In the end though, that was irrelevant when you score zero goals.

Sorry, but when you have 85 feet to catch a full-width rink-wide pass, you move yourself to get into position to catch the pass. Very few passes in the NHL are pinpoint perfect (as displayed when the best passers in the game have trouble hitting a six-inch net in the skills competition). Players regularly catch passes from skate-to-stick, or some other way, especially when they have all day to do it. Hanifin shouldn't have to put it in a six-inch space on Faulk's stick. It was a very good pass considering the pressure Hanifin was under and Faulk handled it like a hand grenade (twice). It was only in his skates because Faulk *decided* to take it off his skates during the full second he had to think about it. Then he missed.
 

Boom Boom Apathy

I am the Professor. Deal with it!
Sep 6, 2006
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Sorry, but when you have 85 feet to catch a full-width rink-wide pass, you move yourself to get into position to catch the pass. Very few passes in the NHL are pinpoint perfect (as displayed with the best in the game having trouble hitting a six-inch net in the skills competition). Players regularly catch passes from skate-to-stick, or some other way, especially when they have all day to do it. Hanifin shouldn't have to put it in a six-inch space on Faulk's stick. It was a very good pass considering the pressure Hanifin was under and Faulk handled it like a hand grenade (twice).

I'm not disagreeing that Faulk f***ed it up, but for you to say that pass was "perfect" is just wrong. An AHLr or Dhalbeck could have the same pass Hanifin made. Again, not at all disagreeing that Faulk played it as poorly he could have, but disagree completely that it was perfect. These guys are "supposedly" highly skilled. It was a sub par pass given the situation and his skill level.

Anyhow, in the end it's irrelevant when the Canes can't even score 1 goal.
 

My Special Purpose

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Apr 8, 2008
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I'm not disagreeing that Faulk ****ed it up, but for you to say that pass was "perfect" is just wrong. An AHLr or Dhalbeck could have the same pass Hanifin made. Again, not at all disagreeing that Faulk played it as poorly he could have, but disagree completely that it was perfect. These guys are "supposedly" highly skilled. It was a sub par pass given the situation and his skill level.

OK, I'll come down from perfect to adequate. If Faulk had moved his body to take the pass on his stick instead of deciding early to take it with his skate (then missing), we're not having this conversation.
 

Boom Boom Apathy

I am the Professor. Deal with it!
Sep 6, 2006
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OK, I'll come down from perfect to adequate. If Faulk had moved his body to take the pass on his stick instead of deciding early to take it with his skate (then missing), we're not having this conversation.

Fair enough. It was an so-so pass, but IMO, subpar for a guy of Hanifin's ability. No disagreement that Faulk completely f***ed it up from there though. He looked like he was in no mans land and didn't play it with his skates or his stick.

To me, it's what I saw a lot of tonight. The passing, particularly through the neutral zone was brutal, which stopped any flow and ended up in a shitty dump and chase game.
 

My Special Purpose

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We've missed the playoffs for nine straight seasons, we've drafted fairly well, we're in season 4 of a 5-year-rebuilding plan, we're outside the playoffs and we have a combined *nine* points (1G, 8A) in 59 games played from rookies this season. How can a team in our position, that as drafted as high as we have, manage that? Also keep in mind that the guy who contributed that rookie goal isn't even a current member of the team.

The Bruins have 128 points from rookies this season. New Jersey has 115. The Islanders, 98. Tampa Bay 78. Washington 58. But somehow, for all our lack of success, we have nine.
 

My Special Purpose

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I have to agree that it was a bad pass. Faulk exacerbated the mistake with his wild flailing of his stick but a NHL d-man of Hanifin's supposed high caliber needs put that pass right on Faulk's tape. It was just one of many Hanfin's horribly placed passes tonight.

I was *totally* ready to give this up until you joined in. Now I'm forced to post this image:

View media item 1349
From this point where Hanifin released the pass, Faulk is moving backwards. It should have been *very* easy for an NHL defenseman to move himself into position to catch this pass. My 12-year-old son could do it very easily.
 

Brock Anton

flames #badnwagon
Nov 8, 2009
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Every time you start to find a little optimism, this team finds a way to kill it.

I'm not advocating for anything at the deadline and really wouldn't care if/when we do nothing, but if Francis goes another offseason without acquiring a legitimate top line forward, he's on the hot seat for me. Don't care about all the other good work he's done.
 

Lucky Lindy

Registered User
Jun 24, 2012
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Greiss with a second 50 shot shutout in back to back nights. Calling it now.

Because Canes.

That was close.

We now need 15-8-0 to hit 93 points. Or:

14-7-2
13-6-4
12-5-6
11-4-8
10-3-10
9-2-12
8-1-14
7-0-16

AKA RIP making the playoffs

7-0-16 would be so Canes.

Not surprised they blew it. They always blow it. So Francis, blow it up please.
 

Blueline Bomber

AI Generated Minnesota Wild
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Oct 31, 2007
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7-0-16 would be so Canes.

Not surprised they blew it. They always blow it. So Francis, blow it up please.

Nah, Canes are going to tie on points and regulation wins, but lose in goal differential to miss the playoffs. Because they need to find a new and better way of breaking their fans' hopes and dreams, while simultaneously leaving the idea open that they'll be better next year.
 

The Faulker 27

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Nov 15, 2011
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I turned it off after 2. Couldn't stomach another must-win-auto-loss this team is now famous for.

SCS has our chances of making the playoffs now at 26.2. Down 13.2 after last night.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in a Dundon/Francis meeting.

Dundon: What can we do, we need to make the playoffs like yesterday Ron?

Ron: shh shh I'm trying to schedule a tee-time for April.
 

Joe McGrath

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Oct 29, 2009
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I was *totally* ready to give this up until you joined in. Now I'm forced to post this image:

View media item 1349
From this point where Hanifin released the pass, Faulk is moving backwards. It should have been *very* easy for an NHL defenseman to move himself into position to catch this pass. My 12-year-old son could do it very easily.

While true, your 12 year old son could’ve made a pass to the forehand side too. They are both at fault.
 

Joe McGrath

Registered User
Oct 29, 2009
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The Bruins have 128 points from rookies this season. New Jersey has 115. The Islanders, 98. Tampa Bay 78. Washington 58. But somehow, for all our lack of success, we have nine.

Aho and Hanifin are same age or younger than all the Bruins rookies minus McAvoy. The Canes are one of the 2 or 3 youngest teams in the league. Why does it matter how many are designated as rookies?
 

My Special Purpose

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Apr 8, 2008
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Aho and Hanifin are same age or younger than all the Bruins rookies minus McAvoy. The Canes are one of the 2 or 3 youngest teams in the league. Why does it matter how many are designated as rookies?

Because that's not how you rebuild. Instead of "seeing what we have" or letting players get used to the speed at this level, we've wasted space on veterans who we know can't play. And we continue to waste space on guys like Ryan, Stempniak and Nordstrom when better players are in the AHL That's just not how rebuilding works.

I'd probably feel differently if our veterans were giving us *anything* but they're not.
 
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sabremike

Friend To All Giraffes
Aug 30, 2010
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You just don't understand the fancystats, which clearly indicate that we're due for a 20 game Billy Beane-esque Moneyball winning streak.
I understand your frustration but don't think you understand fancystats and their value. For the most part they are a fancy way of restating common sense. If you have more shots, possess the puck longer and spend most of the game in the opposing end you are clearly much more likely to win. If you want an example of a team that confirms fancystats look no further than last night's opponent the Isles. Despite having among the very best top 6 in the league they are a considerable longshot to make the playoffs (much to my schigrin as an Isles STH looking forward to paying $22 a game for first round tickets at Barclays). It's not a coincidence that the team is a fancystats dumpster fire that is as bad in those categories (and in some cases even worse) than the infamous 2014-15 Sabres team that was literally designed to lose as many games as possible. And if it wasn't for the Barzal line led by a possession unicorn the stats would be even worse. I've seen people give reasons why superior fancystats haven't amounted to much for the Canes and that's entirely fair, but I don't think totally dismissing or ridiculing them is wise either.
 

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