ATD 2021 - Jim Robson Division First Round (3) Arizona Coyotes v. (6) Gallifrey TARDIS

[tinyzombies]

Closer than it looks. I like an underrated (imo) Perreault at 2C (behind only Orr and Lafleur maybe in the 70s?) backed by an up-and-coming top 4/5 candidate already possessing bling (McDavid) as 3C... that's a terrifying 1-2 punch IN THE MIDDLE 6 NO LESS- McDavid is special I have no doubt he belongs there NOW. And then the Rocket close to cancelling out Roy, and that bastard Lindsay both on the same line? That line is near unstoppable with Francis. Would be better with a bit more offensive support from the blueline.

Edge on D behind Roy amplifies him. Closer than it looks at first glance for me anyway. Might come down to special teams, depth scoring?

Taylor/Newsy - two of the top 4 players of the first half century. I'm tempted to give it to Roy in game 7 with the edge on D, but you can't forget the Rocket (circa 1952 and 1953) in a game 7 either...

 

[ResilientBeast]

Closer than it looks. I like an underrated (imo) Perreault at 2C (behind only Orr and Lafleur maybe in the 70s?) backed by an up-and-coming top 4/5 candidate already possessing bling (McDavid) as 3C... that's a terrifying 1-2 punch IN THE MIDDLE 6 NO LESS- McDavid is special I have no doubt he belongs there NOW. And then the Rocket close to cancelling out Roy, and that bastard Lindsay both on the same line? That line is near unstoppable with Francis. Would be better with a bit more offensive support from the blueline.

Edge on D behind Roy amplifies him. Closer than it looks at first glance for me anyway. Might come down to special teams, depth scoring?

Taylor/Newsy - two of the top 4 players of the first half century. This needs better trained eyes than mine- too close to call and I'm tempted to give it to Roy in game 7, but you can't forget the Rocket in a game 7 either...

Yes but my opponent is relying on a platoon of Esposito/Thompson to outduel Patrick Roy behind a similar defence with less defensive support from their forward group

I don't deny having the Richard/Lindsay, Perreault and McDavid on separate lines looks awesome, but only the Richard/Lindsay line I think can be trusted to handle business at both ends of the rink if the game is on the line.

Offensively they have the advantage with two top 10 wingers of all time on the top unit, but the second unit is probably far closer than it looks as I've shown already Noble is the worst player offensively in out top 6s and ahead of just Jack Walker for forwards in the top 9s.

I'd give my second unit a moderate edge offensively, probably pretty close to even defensively because Smith is definitely below average-to bad

His third unit is geared around McDavid's playmaking with no defensive support in Rick Nash and Peter Bondra. My third unit is a hard working counterattacking unit capable of checking and scoring. At a definitely lower level than his offensively by virtue of McDavid.

His 4th line is spare parts and I'm not sure how much Irvin can really but them out there during this series. My 4th line with Prentice/Lepine combo can see significant ice time against quality opposition.

I don't think he has the horses to outscore us because he doesn't have the pieces to check my forwards while my bottom 6 is built to check centers and wingers.

 

[tinyzombies]

Yes but my opponent is relying on a platoon of Esposito/Thompson to outduel Patrick Roy behind a similar defence with less defensive support from their forward group

I don't deny having the Richard/Lindsay, Perreault and McDavid on separate lines looks awesome, but only the Richard/Lindsay line I think can be trusted to handle business at both ends of the rink if the game is on the line.

Offensively they have the advantage with two top 10 wingers of all time on the top unit, but the second unit is probably far closer than it looks as I've shown already Noble is the worst player offensively in out top 6s and ahead of just Jack Walker for forwards in the top 9s.

I'd give my second unit a moderate edge offensively, probably pretty close to even defensively because Smith is definitely below average-to bad

His third unit is geared around McDavid's playmaking with no defensive support in Rick Nash and Peter Bondra. My third unit is a hard working counterattacking unit capable of checking and scoring. At a definitely lower level than his by virtue of McDavid.

His 4th line is spare parts and I'm not sure how much Irvin can really but them out there during this series. My 4th line with Prentice/Lepine combo can see significant ice time against quality opposition.

I don't think he has the horses to outscore us because he doesn't have the pieces to check my forwards while my bottom 6 is built to check centers and wingers.

You guys always compare apples to apples, so I get confused at this time of the proceedings. To me you would do matchups now like a real hockey game. It's not Roy vs Esposito, it's team defense and goalie vs the other team defense and goalie - which would still back your argument. I don't think Ken Reardon on a second pairing of a small draft is particularly strong tho, is it?

 

[ResilientBeast]

You guys always compare apples to apples, so I get confused at this time of the proceedings. To me you would do matchups now like a real hockey game. It's not Roy vs Esposito, it's team defense and goalie vs the other team defense and goalie - which would still back your argument. I don't think Ken Reardon on a second pairing of a small draft is particularly strong tho, is it?

"Small" 24 teams, so there at 72 top 3 spots for a defenseman. Reardon is firmly in the middle of that 48-72 range of that pack. That's perfectly fine

He and Crawford together are pretty average at 24 teams, in terms of a 3D & 4D IMO

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

If there was EVER a 3 v 6 series that's the furthest thing from a foregone conclusion, it's this one.

Went into the Assassination Thread to see if either squad posted a time-on-ice chart. No(?) Okay, I'll continue contemplating.

Hypothesis that T. Esposito suffered from overwork has been presented. Hypothesis can graduate to "theory" status if supporting evidence is presented. Now would be a good time to do so.

Feel like Reg Noble's getting a little short-shrifted here.

In ATD-history, has Tarasov ever been used as Coach on a zero Eastern Europeans/almost all North Americans Roster?

 

[ResilientBeast]

If there was EVER a 3 v 6 series that's the furthest thing from a foregone conclusion, it's this one.

Went into the Assassination Thread to see if either squad posted a time-on-ice chart. No(?) Okay, I'll continue contemplating.

Hypothesis that T. Esposito suffered from overwork has been presented. Hypothesis can graduate to "theory" status if supporting evidence is presented. Now would be a good time to do so.

Feel like Reg Noble's getting a little short-shrifted here.

In ATD-history, has Tarasov ever been used as Coach on a zero Eastern Europeans/almost all North Americans Roster?

1) As I pointed out earlier for Noble...under similar conditions as a contemporary of Roberts/Smith/MacKay/Oatman/Walker his offence is only better than Walker. Every other player is either better by a lot or slightly better. He is the second weakest offensive player in the top 9s. Defensively Walker and MacKay are definitely stronger, and I'd go to bat for Oatman on a similar tier. Roberts is probably worse but not by much.

2) I'm not sure, but outside of the culture shock of coaching mostly early century Canadian players I've given Tarasov a roster that fits his strengths. Tarasov as evident by watching the soviets wanted strong skating and good passing teams. My team has skating in spades and several great playmakers to execute his vision. We're already taking a lot of liberties with history as it is with the changes in rules, Tarasov not having an Eastern European on the squad is the least of my worries.

Quotes about Tarasov from Dreakmur's 2013 bio, my roster fits this profile. The players and coach will be comfortable with the system being deployed and what it emphasizes which should smooth over these issues. Taylor & MacKay especially fit these descriptions almost to T. Even Walker who is a mostly defensive player, was a good playmaker, a well known stickhandle and an excellent skater. Tarasov would love to have this player on his units.

To me, a top class hockey player should be an all-round physically developed athlete with speed and strength plus. Such a player has an explosive starting reaction and a will that is as strong as iron. His bag of technical tricks should be big and varied, enabling him to perform his role in the line-up and make lightning decisions in tactics at any and every moment of the game. And all these qualities in modern hockey are absolutely out of the question if the sportsman lacks a high culture of the game: I have in mind tactical intuition, precision work with his partners, perfect orientation, a feeling of the game, the ability to see, understand, and even anticipate the actions of the closest and furthermost opponents and partners. And what is most important, all these qualities must be retained and put into use in the toughest moments of the game, when the pitch of a game is at its highest, when the emotions of players are as taut as bow strings.

I don’t think it’s possible to play a defensive game against a strong team and win, except perhaps once, by sheer luck. Because, when you play a defensive game, you forfeit the main thing – initiative. And it is initiative that most often decides who will win.

The second conclusion I made then was that the centre forward had to be the best player on the team.

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There is simply no place in the game for cowards, squeamish or weak-willed people - there is simply no reason for such people to come out on the ice.

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He defines courage as industriousness. Never being lazy on the ice. Patience and "constancy."

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Together, with Arkadi Chernishov we give ratings to each player after every game.

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Hockey is not a game of speed or courage, but of minds.

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He goes into a section about stars. Basically they have to selfless and be willing to fit into the team concept. Having players that are better than the others is fine, as long as they buy in.

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The essence of our teamwork? Passing!

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He focuses a lot on how he believes stick-handling is the most important aspect of hockey.

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Arkadi Cherishov has an easier nature than mine. He is more soft-spoken, he is more prone to forgive a person. But I have a reputation for being more than harsh.

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for our creative type of hockey, powerhouse hockey is out of the question. I prefer to see our boys strong and smart at the same time, even sly, in the good sense of the word.

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He really doesn't believe in puck-carrying when leaving the defensive zone. He mentions that he wants no more than two strides before a defenseman whips a pass up to another player who already has a head of steam.

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The number of passes in the offensive zone must be constantly increased.

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An attack should be built up rationally.

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Sometimes I have been asked if pressing [ed. note: his system] is a defensive or offensive system...Does this answer lie only in the difference of level of their technique and skills? I believe the answer lies in the following: one team employs attacking pressing, while the other resorts to defensive pressing.