Confirmed with Link: Athanasiou signed 1/$1.3875m

[Redder Winger]

Mantha and AA both played nice minutes yesterday because both guys were good and that is how it should work.

They both played big minutes yesterday because Helm and Abdelkader were out.

Mantha actually played a pretty poor game until the third period.

 

[datsyukfan]

I disagree.
You've complete bought into the BS narratives about these guys, and it's not very fair at all to either player.

If you take an honest look at Dylan Larkin, from February of his rookie year to about March of his sophomore year, he was brutal.
Awful.
Like - he didn't belong in the NHL.

93 games 18-9-8 -35 from Feb. 10 2016 to March 1 2017.

This isn't playing 10-12 minutes a night.
This is playing 16-18 minutes a night.

But as he aimlessly skated around his own zone, failing to pick up guys as they skated and scored, never once did Blashill criticize him in the media.
You know what his lowest icetime was -- besides the game he got hurt? He had four games in the 11-12 minute range.

What does Blashill do? He sings his praises, non stop. Even though, clearly, he'd stopped skating the way he skated early in his career.

He stopped shooting the puck they way he did.

And yet, never once did Blash say, "We need Larkin to skate and shoot and play the way he can."

Instead, he praised Larkin - built his confidence. Invited him to the World Championships and gave him big minutes there.

Do I think Athanasiou and Mantha hustle the same way Larkin does?
No.
But I also think the constant questioning of their heart, character and effort is wrong-headed.

And I think Blashill is doing more to harm their development than help their development.

These guys should be taking a regular shift in the top 6.
Larkin-Athanasiou-Mantha should be getting 17-20 minutes a night.

If that means Tyler Bertuzzi plays on line 4, oh well.

I agree with your statement of blashill questioning them. Clearly the method of calling them out publicly isn’t working so maybe he needs to do a better job in knowing his players and learning how to coach them. Not every player responds that the same coaching tactics so it’s part of blashill’s job to learn and know this

 

[TatarTangle]

I disagree.
You've complete bought into the BS narratives about these guys, and it's not very fair at all to either player.

If you take an honest look at Dylan Larkin, from February of his rookie year to about March of his sophomore year, he was brutal.
Awful.
Like - he didn't belong in the NHL.

93 games 18-9-8 -35 from Feb. 10 2016 to March 1 2017.

This isn't playing 10-12 minutes a night.
This is playing 16-18 minutes a night.

But as he aimlessly skated around his own zone, failing to pick up guys as they skated and scored, never once did Blashill criticize him in the media.
You know what his lowest icetime was -- besides the game he got hurt? He had four games in the 11-12 minute range.

What does Blashill do? He sings his praises, non stop. Even though, clearly, he'd stopped skating the way he skated early in his career.

He stopped shooting the puck they way he did.

And yet, never once did Blash say, "We need Larkin to skate and shoot and play the way he can."

Instead, he praised Larkin - built his confidence. Invited him to the World Championships and gave him big minutes there.

Do I think Athanasiou and Mantha hustle the same way Larkin does?
No.
But I also think the constant questioning of their heart, character and effort is wrong-headed.

And I think Blashill is doing more to harm their development than help their development.

These guys should be taking a regular shift in the top 6.
Larkin-Athanasiou-Mantha should be getting 17-20 minutes a night.

If that means Tyler Bertuzzi plays on line 4, oh well.

Larkin was bad but his work ethic was never in question hence why his minutes never dipped. AA has been bad (and good) but his work ethic has always been in question hence when it isn't there, he sees less minutes. This is the point they are trying to make. You can call it bullshit all you want, but this is how any professional team across all sports operates. It's pretty simple and straightforward, put in the work and get rewarded. The whole hard work pays off thing. This applies to any facet of life. If you coast and go through the motions don't expect much.

 

[Redder Winger]

Larkin was bad but his work ethic was never in question hence why his minutes never dipped. AA has been bad (and good) but his work ethic has always been in question hence when it isn't there, he sees less minutes. This is the point they are trying to make. You can call it bull**** all you want, but this is how any professional team across all sports operates. It's pretty simple and straightforward, put in the work and get rewarded. The whole hard work pays off thing. This applies to any facet of life. If you coast and go through the motions don't expect much.

In question by whom?

I could point to plays last year where Larkin wasn't skating defensively and wasn't thinking about taking his man.

 

[Dotter]

Double A has been good. Hope he keeps it up. He's fun to watch when he applies himself. When he doesn't, he's the most dreadful and appalling player in the entire NHL... because you know what he's capable of.

He really could be a star if he wanted to be. I'm afraid after he gets his big pay-day he'll turn into the ghost of Alex Semin.

 

[Henkka]

Larkin was bad but his work ethic was never in question hence why his minutes never dipped. AA has been bad (and good) but his work ethic has always been in question hence when it isn't there, he sees less minutes. This is the point they are trying to make.

On current season, I haven't seen much connection on his effort vs. icetime. This looks to be our message board "fact", but I just haven't seen it or don't find any proof of it. It hasn't been matching with my own statistical data at many many times. Sometimes he will get more minutes and sometimes not. Sometimes he will look good and is involved and getting chances and won't get minutes. Sometimes he will look bad and will get his minutes.

I understand that when we are protecting the lead, he won't get as much as a bad defensive player. And sometimes when we are trying to catch the lead, he will be used more. But also these won't go hand-in-hand. Just random. Has to be something which happens off-ice or at practise. Blashill thing.

 

[Flowah]

On current season, I haven't seen much connection on his effort vs. icetime. This looks to be our message board "fact", but I just haven't seen it or don't find any proof of it. It hasn't been matching with my own statistical data at many many times. Sometimes he will get more minutes and sometimes not. Sometimes he will look good and is involved and getting chances and won't get minutes. Sometimes he will look bad and will get his minutes.

I understand that when we are protecting the lead, he won't get as much as a bad defensive player. And sometimes when we are trying to catch the lead, he will be used more. But also these won't go hand-in-hand. Just random. Has to be something which happens off-ice or at practise. Blashill thing.

Really?

I see it more this year than last year. Last year it seemed totally arbitrary when he was getting IT. This year at least I recognized his IT was getting cut during his extreme cold streak where he looked pretty bad most of the time. As he's picked it up, his minutes have increased accordingly. I'm much happier with both his play and his usage this season than I was last season. I hope both trends continue.

 

[TheMule93]

Last year larkin was getting 14-15min a night on the 3rd line,... the same thing that AA was getting this year prior to the rangers game