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Pre-Game Talk: Anaheim @ Ottawa Oct. 25 (7:30 p.m. Eastern, 4:30 p.m. Pacific)

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John Holmes*

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Gryba is a project, but he seems to be a decent investment.

He's raw. His decision making is where he needs to improve IMO, and that's certainly learnable.
 
Kalv

Kalv

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Last time you guys had a 2nd day of back-to-backs against us. Now we are in the same situation - Ducks lost in Montreal last night. I`m pretty sceptical about this game from Anaheims POV


I hope you`re enjoying Bobby!
 
NyQuil

NyQuil

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Kalvinators said:
Last time you guys had a 2nd day of back-to-backs against us. Now we are in the same situation - Ducks lost in Montreal last night. I`m pretty sceptical about this game from Anaheims POV

I hope you`re enjoying Bobby!
Click to expand...

I can never decide if I want to play a team on a losing streak or not.
 
SenzZen

SenzZen

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John Holmes said:
Gryba is a project, but he seems to be a decent investment.

He's raw. His decision making is where he needs to improve IMO, and that's certainly learnable.
Click to expand...

I agree. In fact 4 of our 7 D are far from finished developing, and growing pains are inevitable.

But for all their warts they're on the right track.
 

Lenny the Lynx

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Sep 20, 2008
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John Holmes said:
Gryba is a project, but he seems to be a decent investment.

He's raw. His decision making is where he needs to improve IMO, and that's certainly learnable.
Click to expand...

People need to remember he's only played 40 NHL games or so, he's going to continue to define himself and improve.

He uses his size well, skates and moves the puck better than I expected when he came in. When he's on and playing against teams with big physical forwards (ie Boston) you really see his value.
 

H2O

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Sep 18, 2005
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Gryba sucks. He had a good game against Detroit, but I bet we'll quickly learn how awful he is tonight. Unfortunately, we don't have a good replacement for him right now.
 
Nac Mac Feegle

Nac Mac Feegle

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I dunno. Gryba hasn't played many games, but at 25, the odds of a big leap in decisions making and overall play doesn't really seem all that likely. I'm going to guess he pretty much maxes out as an everyday #6D.
 
Tuna99

Tuna99

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Sep 26, 2009
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Answer said:
I wonder how long will this Conacher experiment will last?
Click to expand...

Come playoff time I see Concher on the 3rd line LW with Smith and Neil providing speed and energy goals, the kind that kill opposing teams in the playoffs.

I think we're going to make a deadline acquisition to fill that top line spot:

CLB: OTT 1st 2015
OTT: Gaborik

FLO: 3rd rounder 2014 (Versteeg has a high salary so won't be in big demand)
OTT: Vertseeg

EDM: Stone, 2nd rounder
OTT: Hemsky

I'd go with Vertseeg, he has that grit/big game element that Gaborik and Hemsky don't have and comes cheap.

Michalek - Spezza - Versteeg
Mac - Turris - Ryan
Conacher - Smith - Neil
Greening - Zibby - Condra

Grant - Pageau - Kassian
 
Tuna99

Tuna99

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Nac Mac Feegle said:
I dunno. Gryba hasn't played many games, but at 25, the odds of a big leap in decisions making and overall play doesn't really seem all that likely. I'm going to guess he pretty much maxes out as an everyday #6D.
Click to expand...

That's okay, he can hold the blue line at both ends really well, he hits and is big, he's pretty mobile around his own net and can catch guys, he PK's.

I don't know why people hate Gryba around here, the guy is an excellent #6 Dman. Coach has him in the lineup because come playoff time when you need size on the blueline, Gryba will be the guy that steps in front of Ovechkin slapshots and makes series changing hits.
 
SenzZen

SenzZen

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Nac Mac Feegle said:
I dunno. Gryba hasn't played many games, but at 25, the odds of a big leap in decisions making and overall play doesn't really seem all that likely. I'm going to guess he pretty much maxes out as an everyday #6D.
Click to expand...

#1 PK either way. At least on a team with Karlsson, whom we want on the ice on all other situations.

Unless you want to see more PW and Uh-oh Corvo on the PK...
 

corksens

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Jul 19, 2005
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Cowen is a complete mess this year.

Absolutely zero poise with the puck. Total grenade on his stick. Painful to watch.
 
NyQuil

NyQuil

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corksens said:
Cowen is a complete mess this year.

Absolutely zero poise with the puck. Total grenade on his stick. Painful to watch.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go that far.

Since the horrid Western road trip, our defence has been much better.

And I attribute a good part of that on the forwards not contributing in their own zone until recently.

I don't think it's a coincidence that every defenceman looked pretty bad in those early games.
 
YNWA14

YNWA14

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Tuna99 said:
Come playoff time I see Concher on the 3rd line LW with Smith and Neil providing speed and energy goals, the kind that kill opposing teams in the playoffs.

I think we're going to make a deadline acquisition to fill that top line spot:

CLB: OTT 1st 2015
OTT: Gaborik

FLO: 3rd rounder 2014 (Versteeg has a high salary so won't be in big demand)
OTT: Vertseeg

EDM: Stone, 2nd rounder
OTT: Hemsky

I'd go with Vertseeg, he has that grit/big game element that Gaborik and Hemsky don't have and comes cheap.

Michalek - Spezza - Versteeg
Mac - Turris - Ryan
Conacher - Smith - Neil
Greening - Zibby - Condra

Grant - Pageau - Kassian
Click to expand...

I feel like if we're making a deadline acquisition it will be for another legitimate top 3/4 defenceman. Spezza can carry his line no problem, and the Turris line is running. Zibanejad is going to give a major boost to his line.

Greening - Spezza - Michalek
MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Conacher - Zibanejad - Condra
Smith - Grant - Neil

That's a fine group of forwards going forward, but our D needs to be shored up a bit. I wouldn't be opposed to adding a forward, but if we do it probably bumps out Grant who has been very useful so far.
 
NyQuil

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Hossa18 said:
Can't question his heart but 2 or 3pts in 9 games as a 1st\2nd line player just isn't going to get the job done.
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Small sample size.

I don't mind him playing in the bottom six but I don't think that this 9-game stretch proves that he can't play in the top six.
 

IranCondraAffair

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Mar 10, 2006
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Pageau and Zibanejad can job share between the NHL and AHL for all I care. They need to maximize their minutes AND play them against good competition, so there's no perfect solution unless Turris/Spezza go down.

Cowen's been uneven. I don't think he's been "good" but he's a lot better offensively than people give him credit for. He's been taking a lot of Chara penalties because of his size/strength combo. Honestly, I've been impressed with him. Consistency is a big issue. I don't know how people can watch him and not see a young Chara. He's a god damn monster out there.

Gryba and Phillips still lack consistency, IMO. If they can get it together, I expect big things from the team, if they remain bad and our PK doesn't return to superhuman levels, I don't see us getting very far.
 

Tampacuseforever

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Hossa18 said:
Can't question his heart but 2 or 3pts in 9 games as a 1st\2nd line player just isn't going to get the job done.
Click to expand...

First off he has played plenty outside of the top six this year. He was gold on the second line the first few games but was the one that got bumped when Ryan wasn't clicking with Spezza. They are obviously telling him to go to the net which is what he is doing, this opens ice for other players (Spezza) but sure doesn't give you points. He has played well and I have always said he would be best as a rookie playing on the third line with Zibanejad, but to insult him due to his point totals ? Are you watching the games ?
 
aragorn

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BumperStumper said:
People need to remember he's only played 40 NHL games or so, he's going to continue to define himself and improve.

He uses his size well, skates and moves the puck better than I expected when he came in. When he's on and playing against teams with big physical forwards (ie Boston) you really see his value.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

Tuna99 said:
That's okay, he can hold the blue line at both ends really well, he hits and is big, he's pretty mobile around his own net and can catch guys, he PK's.

I don't know why people hate Gryba around here, the guy is an excellent #6 Dman. Coach has him in the lineup because come playoff time when you need size on the blueline, Gryba will be the guy that steps in front of Ovechkin slapshots and makes series changing hits.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I would like to see Gryba play with more of a mean streak, a little like Cowen does at times, we could use a little more nastiness on our defence to give opposing forwards soemthing to think about when they cross our blueline.

If PM moves Greening back up to that top line where I would like to see him & moves Conacher down I would like to see Conacher with Zibanejad. They had some chemistry during the rookie tournament & preseason & IMO would create a third scoring line along with Grant.
 
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