I like what he has done so far. Bednar seems to trust him pretty good for the amount of time he has been up. He needs better player to play with than Dermy and Jones to really see what he can provide though.What do we think of Polin? Any chance he becomes a 13th forward or 4th line regular?
I kind of liked his game since he’s been up but also his competition has been KMac and Caleb as a forward
Over prostate? Probably a bit that he sucks and a bit trying to see if they can get away with not getting a legit backup (that would be a mistake but here we are)I missed it - why did Annunen get the start last night?
From Injury Thread: And I'm not set on trading Bo, but I do agree with PH that Girard has been the better D man this year, and should be the guy listed as the #3.
Unless you don’t pay for OEM parts on your car and you get a bunch of aftermarket shit that don’t fit… lolInsurance is always nice!
I missed it - why did Annunen get the start last night?
Don't act like Bo has been perfect this season. Go back and watch Bo's last few games. You'll find similar mistakes, especially on the PK. Both of them have been making multiple mistakes every game. That's why their middle pairing defensemen. And yes G has been better than Bo this season.I really don't want to bash on G, he’s a really great PMD, but I just don't think this is accurate.
I feel compelled to point out that G wasn't playing that great before he left, and he's still making mistakes every game that don't get pointed out, that Bo would be dragged through the mud for.
Just last game for example, G played pretty well overall, helped to create some offense, but he also made some mistakes that almost cost them. As usual, I didn’t see anyone mention them after the game the way they do with Bo.
Misplayed a 2 on 1 and let the pass get by him, and then the return pass a second later as well. Would have been a back door tap in if Drouin hadn't hustled back.
Caught playing too “high risk” trying to join the rush as the only D man back, and gives up a breakaway to the Sens best goal scorer Tkachuk.
The shift right after the Avs battled back to tie it 4-4 in the 3rd, he dumps the puck in, then with three forwards deep in the zone, he gets caught playing too “high risk” again and makes a really bad pinch all the way to the circle. Causing a 2 on 1 that Colton has to rush back to defend, and putting his partner Manson in a tough spot to defend a nice move from Stutzle on his off side, and Annunen to make a nice save to prevent giving up the lead right after they just tied it.
Misreads the shot on the PK, leaving the shooting lane where he could have blocked the shot, and gives up a dangerous chance while the Sens still have plenty of time to come back with 5 minutes left.
Don't act like Bo has been perfect this season. Go back and watch Bo's last few games. You'll find similar mistakes, especially on the PK. Both of them have been making multiple mistakes every game. That's why their middle pairing defensemen. And yes G has been better than Bo this season.
Malinski is a copy cat. He tries to make the same moves as Makar.Ive liked malinski so far myself.
Malinski does have some traits that are similar to Makar, especially in how he "walks" the blue line with the puck. And his shot is sneaky good.He looks like Makar out there
I think there's more than enough evidence to make the claim the G has been better this year. Puck retrieval and transition is something that Girard provides in spades and something Bo, Manson, JJ, Jone and Malinski struggle with. Bo has been putting up more points, but in terms of generating offense, Girard has done plenty of tha, but there's no denying that Bo has better finish. I'm also not exactly sure who you're referring to, but it's definitely not me. You won't find many, if any negative posts by me about Bo from me. All I've been saying is that G has been better this year, which he has been.I don't think these kind of responses are fair at all. I've acknowledged all year he's made mistakes. What I haven't been is exaggerating those mistakes, or blaming him for goals that weren't his fault.
When I point out Girard's mistakes, to show that he hasn't been playing the way people claim, the response is always whataboutism about Byram. Just feels very biased.
Both of them have been making mistakes, but only one of them has been heavily criticized this year. This was the case before he left the team as well, not just after. And G has had the same issues before and after he left. He's just playing better with the puck now.
And no, G has NOT been better than Bo this season. There's simply no argument for it. They've both made some mistakes defensively, at very similar rates, and Bo has been better offensively.
Defense is not Girard's strong suit. Even Byram's haters think he should be a defensive guy, and yet Bo still leads the team with six 5v5 goals. Girard has 1 goal total all year. There's no argument for G being better.
Trade Girard. What does he even do?I really don't want to bash on G, he’s a really great PMD, but I just don't think this is accurate.
I feel compelled to point out that G wasn't playing that great before he left, and he's still making mistakes every game that don't get pointed out, that Bo would be dragged through the mud for.
Just last game for example, G played pretty well overall, helped to create some offense, but he also made some mistakes that almost cost them. As usual, I didn’t see anyone mention them after the game the way they do with Bo.
Misplayed a 2 on 1 and let the pass get by him, and then the return pass a second later as well. Would have been a back door tap in if Drouin hadn't hustled back.
Caught playing too “high risk” trying to join the rush as the only D man back, and gives up a breakaway to the Sens best goal scorer Tkachuk.
The shift right after the Avs battled back to tie it 4-4 in the 3rd, he dumps the puck in, then with three forwards deep in the zone, he gets caught playing too “high risk” again and makes a really bad pinch all the way to the circle. Causing a 2 on 1 that Colton has to rush back to defend, and putting his partner Manson in a tough spot to defend a nice move from Stutzle on his off side, and Annunen to make a nice save to prevent giving up the lead right after they just tied it.
Misreads the shot on the PK, leaving the shooting lane where he could have blocked the shot, and gives up a dangerous chance while the Sens still have plenty of time to come back with 5 minutes left.
I think there's more than enough evidence to make the claim the G has been better this year. Puck retrieval and transition is something that Girard provides in spades and something Bo, Manson, JJ, Jone and Malinski struggle with. Bo has been putting up more points, but in terms of generating offense, Girard has done plenty of tha, but there's no denying that Bo has better finish. I'm also not exactly sure who you're referring to, but it's definitely not me. You won't find many, if any negative posts by me about Bo from me. All I've been saying is that G has been better this year, which he has been.
Girard makes plenty of good defensive plays, and is even more physical than Bo. The defensive flaws you pointed out are the same that Bo has been doing all season as well. Which I believe is more of a whole team defensive system problem. So many of our wingers and defensemen just get lost in our own zone. Guys like Nuke, Lehky, Kadri and Bura were very compatible with this system and we're able to hide it's flaws, but it's clear that it's very hard for most.I wasn't referring to you with that.
My point is that if both have struggled at times defensively this year, while even his biggest critics value Byram's defensive ability, and want him to focus on that instead of offense, and he provides a fair amount more goals than Girard who nobody thinks should focus on defense, it's hard to make an unbiased case for Girard being better.
G brings plenty to the team with puck retrievals and transition, but if he's not better defensively, or offensively, how is he better overall?
Puck retrievals and transition help the team for sure, and they're great for analytics, but they're not more important than goals, or your ability to prevent goals with pure defensive ability.
Girard makes plenty of good defensive plays, and is even more physical than Bo. The defensive flaws you pointed out are the same that Bo has been doing all season as well. Which I believe is more of a whole team defensive system problem. So many of our wingers and defensemen just get lost in our own zone. Guys like Nuke, Lehky, Kadri and Bura were very compatible with this system and we're able to hide it's flaws, but it's clear that it's very hard for most.
The only thing I think Bo does better is net front, and goal scoring.
You're leaving out the fact that Bo has played 15 more games and Bo only has 1 more point than Girard overall.I disagree with the subjective comments here, but objectively, Girard is not at all more physical than Bo.
Bo is 2nd on the D core with 41 hits at 5v5. Girard is 6th with 24.
He's also still tied for the team lead with 46 blocked shots at 5v5. Girard is 6th with 37.
Offensively, as I mentioned, Byram is still tied for 1st among D men with 6 goals at 5v5. Girard has 1 at both 5v5 and overall.
Bryam was 1st among D men in 5v5 high danger chances with 8, but was just passed by Toews who has 9 now. G is tied with Malinski for 6th with 3.
Byram is still 4th with 35 scoring chances at 5v5. Girard is 6th with 23.
Byram was 2nd in 5v5 rebounds created with 11, but is now 3rd. Girard is 6th with 7.
You're leaving out the fact that Bo has played 15 more games and Bo only has 1 more point than Girard overall.
To the bolded, yes. 15 games is a large number of games. And it's even more behind Toews and Makar.Does that make up for Girard being 6th-8th in all those other categories while Bo is 1st-2nd?
Also, Bo was forced into being Girard's anchor while G rushed the puck for a good portion of the season. It helped Girard defensively, but it hurt Bo's offensive game, specifically his assist totals.
If you pay attention, G doesn't defer too much to his D partner with the puck. Bo would go D to D in both the D zone and O zone to set him up, but G wouldn't do the same. He even looked off Cale in this game to take a low percentage shot himself.
To the bolded, yes. 15 games is a large number of games. And it's even more behind Toews and Makar.
Girard didn't drive down Bo's numbers. If Bo was clearly superior, Bednar wouldn't have forced him to play the right side and would have made G the 3rd pair guy. Bo just didn't play good enough to earn that from Bednar.
Also G not using his D partners is a bunch of crap. Looking off Makar one time doesn't mean shit. It's clear the team wants him driving the net and to be making chances. He's been do exactly that since he's been back.
Bo isn't more physical. Hits aren't the only thing that means physical. Girard edges and pins guys a lot more than Bo.He moved Byram to his right side, because he trusts him more defensively than Girard. He was also very reluctant to play JJ on his off side, but started doing it more a couple months ago with guess who?
Girard was on the defacto 3rd pairing with JJ after they split up the Byram-Girard pairing because it wasn't working. So how does that square with your comment about not earning Bednar's trust?
Not to mention once again that Byram gets paired with Manson to protect leads in the final minute of periods and games, and had for a month or so. He obviously trusts him fine.
If Girard was superior offensively like you say, he wouldn't pair Byram with Makar halfway through the 2nd period when they need a goal. Even when they don't need one most games. He did this before and after G got back.
He tried pairing G with Makar in the 2nd period this game, but only for a shift or two before he abandoned it, even when they were still behind and tied.
The last part is not at all crap. You just haven't noticed it, like you hadn't noticed that Byram is way more physical, and that Girard was the 3rd pairing guy.
It's not just one time either. It's not that big a deal, but he's done it his whole career, because rushing the puck is his biggest strength, so he tries to play to it.
Bo isn't more physical. Hits aren't the only thing that means physical. Girard edges and pins guys a lot more than Bo.
It's clear we're never going to see eye to eye with these two. But if Bo was as superior as you make him out to be, Bednar wouldn't have been giving G 20+ minutes a night.
And the ppg pretty clearly speak for themselves. Girard's have been fine and Bo's has taken a drastic nose dive this season. But I'm sure you're just going to blame that on being paired with G too.