Post-Game Talk: Canucks 3 Oilers 2 - McDavid meets McCann (again)

[m9]

Right, but his CF was abysmal compared to the Sedins, which makes it seem like he must have really anchored them. How else do they end up 12+% higher without him on the ice?

Lots of suspect offensive players (Jeff Cowan et al) have "looked good" with the Sedins without actually helping them. Do you think he actually makes them functionally better in any way? What does he do for them that they don't already do for themselves?

I don't really care what Corsi says, the Sedins were poor through 40 minutes and then they were very good after that. Maybe the period splits show that, maybe they don't.

Sutter is a better defensive player than either of them, and provides speed and a right-handed shot/faceoff guy. I am thinking the line was put together for a preseason game to get some reps as they will play together in the last two minutes sometimes - not as a regular line. You have that line and then a Horvat line, and you hope they can defend a one-goal lead. I would be shocked if it is a line that is actually together when the real games start.

 

[PancakeHero]

It's the sample size everyone is using to claim he was a good acquisition, so why not?

My ruling isn't out on that. I'm not everyone and I certainly haven't seen "everyone" doing that.

 

[Hollywood Burrows]

The Sedins can make literally any player look decent, this is well established.

Mccann's progress means Sutter is maybe one year away from being definitively bumped to 4th on our centre depth chart. His contract is already a disaster. This might have been predictable if Benning had any confidence in his own draft picks. And maybe avoidable if he had waited until seeing Sutter play before re-signing him. Or maybe obvious if you have any, say, basic competency as an NHL GM?

 

[m9]

He reminds me of Hansen a bit, except faster. Truthfully I thought until late in the game the Sedins were pretty crappy. They were whiffing on passes/shots and had several egregious giveaways.

Agreed all-around.

 

[B-rock]

I don't really care what Corsi says, the Sedins were poor through 40 minutes and then they were very good after that. Maybe the period splits show that, maybe they don't.

Sutter is a better defensive player than either of them, and provides speed and a right-handed shot/faceoff guy. I am thinking the line was put together for a preseason game to get some reps as they will play together in the last two minutes sometimes - not as a regular line. You have that line and then a Horvat line, and you hope they can defend a one-goal lead. I would be shocked if it is a line that is actually together when the real games start.

The Sedins are great defensive players in that they are regularly capable of keeping a cycle going in the offensive zone for minutes at a time. The best defence is offence. Saddling them with Sutter who couldn't figure out how to play with them is a bad solution. They couldn't even get out of their zone, never mind start cycling down low with Sutter skating in Danny's lanes on the breakout. No coincidence the moment Hansen showed up on their line they actually made plays again. Burrows also briefly made some things happen on his brief interludes between changes. Sutter, not really.

 

[m9]

The Sedins are great defensive players in that they are regularly capable of keeping a cycle going in the offensive zone for minutes at a time. The best defence is offence. Saddling them with Sutter who couldn't figure out how to play with them is a bad solution. They couldn't even get out of their zone, never mind start cycling down low with Sutter skating in Danny's lanes on the breakout. No coincidence the moment Hansen showed up on their line they actually made plays again. Burrows also briefly made some things happen on his brief interludes between changes. Sutter, not really.

That's not really how I would define a great defensive player, but to each their own.

 

[Siludin]

I don't know if Sutter is the best choice with the Sedins but I think it's a way to get Sutter into the top-6 if Horvat is gonna be the second line centre

 

[deckercky]

That's not really how I would define a great defensive player, but to each their own.

It keeps the puck out of the net. Also, Henrik is badly underrated for his 'traditional' defensive contribution, particularly over the past two years where he's made a point to step up that part of his game.

 

[Win One Before I Die]

The Sedins are great defensive players in that they are regularly capable of keeping a cycle going in the offensive zone for minutes at a time. The best defence is offence. Saddling them with Sutter who couldn't figure out how to play with them is a bad solution. They couldn't even get out of their zone, never mind start cycling down low with Sutter skating in Danny's lanes on the breakout. No coincidence the moment Hansen showed up on their line they actually made plays again. Burrows also briefly made some things happen on his brief interludes between changes. Sutter, not really.

I wouldn't give up on it after 1 pre season game. Sutter fits the build of someone who can play with the Sedins.

 

[m9]

It keeps the puck out of the net. Also, Henrik is badly underrated for his 'traditional' defensive contribution, particularly over the past two years where he's made a point to step up that part of his game.

All I said was that Sutter is a better defensive player than them. They are fine defensively, and between the three of them it's a smart line to have out there in the last two minutes when you are protecting a lead.

 

[Regal]

All I said was that Sutter is a better defensive player than them. They are fine defensively, and between the three of them it's a smart line to have out there in the last two minutes when you are protecting a lead.

If he can't keep up with their cycle game though, it makes the line worse defensively by not being as good at possession. I don't see why Burrows wouldn't be the better fit if the line is trying to hold leads, as he's going to be better than Sutter at maintaining possession and is probably better defensively in the traditional sense as well.

 

[Proto]

Sutter's defensive talent (if he has that) is that he sits in his own end of the ice a lot and gets in the way of opposition players, seemingly forcing them to take lower-percentage shots, which represses shot quality (maybe). Putting him with the Sedins for defense makes no sense to me.

 

[me2]

Right, but his CF was abysmal compared to the Sedins, which makes it seem like he must have really anchored them. How else do they end up 12+% higher without him on the ice?

Lots of suspect offensive players (Jeff Cowan et al) have "looked good" with the Sedins without actually helping them. Do you think he actually makes them functionally better in any way? What does he do for them that they don't already do for themselves?

Think Hansen minus the board work and cycle.

He is OK for the first few seconds entering the zone, generated some chances, but then the mental gymnastics of the Sedins cycling just left him lost, he would just get the puck and throw it to the point.

Did his best work solo of the rush.

 

[Tim McCracken]

I don't know if Sutter is the best choice with the Sedins but I think it's a way to get Sutter into the top-6 if Horvat is gonna be the second line centre

Or maybe it was their way to just get him some ice time in the last exhibition game while still having a look at McCann and Cracknell before settling Sutter into that 3rd line role.

Kind of surprising Horvat appears to have easily taken that next step so soon.

 

[crazyforhockey]

It was a tough game to judge the s3dins and sutter..

Due to the refs deciding to call no penalties This allowed the oilers to do little trips,and interfere with all three players. ...if they called even a couple of those plays....Van has a chance to punish them for the infractions.

Beside that I thought the oilers played a good defensive game .....

A few very good chances buried or ppg and its a diffrent game for the oilers defensive game

 

[crazyforhockey]

Or maybe it was their way to just get him some ice time in the last exhibition game while still having a look at McCann and Cracknell before settling Sutter into that 3rd line role.

Kind of surprising Horvat appears to have easily taken that next step so soon.

I do agree you slot sutter out of the way
To see how the lines look with the guys your evaluating.

 

[Shareefruck]

Sutter's defensive talent (if he has that) is that he sits in his own end of the ice a lot and gets in the way of opposition players, seemingly forcing them to take lower-percentage shots, which represses shot quality (maybe). Putting him with the Sedins for defense makes no sense to me.

Yep. Sutter's strength on defense is that he's positionally conservative and sound when he does that-- His actual forechecking, backchecking, and puck battling abilities are average. The only way he can really help the Sedins defensive game is by somewhat hurting their offensive game, IMO. He's not going to be able to play a Burrows-esque role.

 

[vanuck]

Miller was awesome. He was stopping high scoring forwards for the most part. Must be tough from many fans when Miller plays well.

You're right. It's tough when he plays well because he doesn't do it enough to justify his salary.

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

How so? If there's anything Edmonton CAN do it's score.

The Oilers were 26th in the league in GF/GP last season.

Even Toronto was better.

 

[Samzilla]

Or maybe it was their way to just get him some ice time in the last exhibition game while still having a look at McCann and Cracknell before settling Sutter into that 3rd line role.

Kind of surprising Horvat appears to have easily taken that next step so soon.

It's not surprising at all. Horvat doesn't have a ceiling. Ceilings have a horvat.

 

[PancakeHero]

The Oilers were 26th in the league in GF/GP last season.

Even Toronto was better.

Yeah but I don't get the feeling that's going to continue this year. They have big guns on offense.

 

[Ainec]

Sad part is Benning would probably attempt to low-ball Hansen into a 2 year 2M deal if he was an upcoming UFA or trade him for scraps

 

[arttk]

Yeah but I don't get the feeling that's going to continue this year. They have big guns on offense.

It's not just about the top6, they lack offense from the bottom 6 and d. They have like one guy last year who can score from the backend, who knows if the new additions will improve that.

 

[Hit the post]

I'm thinking not have Dallas Eakins behind the bench automatically means the Oilers will improve this upcoming season even if everything else remains the same.

(granted the OTHER problem with the Oilers is the lack of stability in terms of number of coaches).

 

[Addison Rae]

That's not really how I would define a great defensive player, but to each their own.

they're by far the best two way players on the team, and top 10 in the league.