Player Discussion: Cedric Paquette

[Callum]

Paquette's only a contributing factor when he's healthy, which means we've already gotten what we're gonna get from him for the year. He's never going to have a healthy season.

Exactly.

His role on the team can easily be filled from the next years free agency pool or within the system.

 

[These Are The Days]

Moar J.T Brown

 

[DFC]

I'm okay with that. Dumont hasn't shown well this year, and it doesn't seem like faceoffs are the major issue they've been in the past.

 

[Bolt 45]

To my eye, Dumont's a better chip-and-chaser, and I think he's a more complimentary player to Cally and Kunitz overall. He can be counted on to retreive the puck along the boards and dish off a quick pass, and that line's more dangerous when one of Cally or Kunitz is free to float around a little bit and find some space. Brown's looked a bit better these past two games relative to last year, more energized for sure, but his awareness hasn't really changed and he still looks like he's a step behind the play most of the time.

And as much as I like Paquette over Dumont or Brown, the injury thing really seems like it's a prominent feature of his game rather than a bug. He's out two weeks for every three he plays.

 

[DFC]

To my eye, Dumont's a better chip-and-chaser, and I think he's a more complimentary player to Cally and Kunitz overall. He can be counted on to retreive the puck along the boards and dish off a quick pass, and that line's more dangerous when one of Cally or Kunitz is free to float around a little bit and find some space. Brown's looked a bit better these past two games relative to last year, more energized for sure, but his awareness hasn't really changed and he still looks like he's a step behind the play most of the time.

And as much as I like Paquette over Dumont or Brown, the injury thing really seems like it's a prominent feature of his game rather than a bug. He's out two weeks for every three he plays.

It's the way he plays. We don't notice it like with Callahan because it's not at high speed. But he's banging it out every chance, blocking every shot, and on and on. He literally can't stay healthy for a ten game stretch. Not sure if he has any trade value, but it'd probably be best to start grooming his replacement(s).

 

[Sky04]

Dumont is about as useless as you can get offensively, Paquette is actually decent when he's healthy but the guys fragile - we could do better than both and it wouldn't be hard to find.

 

[Bolt 45]

It's the way he plays. We don't notice it like with Callahan because it's not at high speed. But he's banging it out every chance, blocking every shot, and on and on. He literally can't stay healthy for a ten game stretch. Not sure if he has any trade value, but it'd probably be best to start grooming his replacement(s).

I like the way Paquette's been playing with Cally and Kunitz, and looking ahead I thought we might actually get to see some of the guy with the surprisingly good wrist shot who was tasked with shutting down Toews in the SCF. But, yeah, I don't think it's possible for him to stay healthy with the way he plays.

Dumont is about as useless as you can get offensively, Paquette is actually decent when he's healthy but the guys fragile - we could do better than both and it wouldn't be hard to find.

I was mainly comparing Dumont to Brown. I agree about Paquette, although I feel like Dumont with Cally and Kunitz might allow us to play faster as a team then we ever have in recent memory. Which is just plain ridiculous. Toronto will be the final speed test. Paquette turns that line into a nastier line, which works well too, but the injuries are starting to be a thing with him. There are definitely still a few guys I'd think we should be able to replace easily enough.

 

[Werewolf]

Kunitz - Cirelli - Callahan ... that would be a great line next year.

 

[The Macho King]

Kunitz - Cirelli - Callahan ... that would be a great line next year.

Eh... I'd be fine if the Kunitz experiment is a one-year one. Not that he's played poorly by any stretch, but there are a lot of miles on that body.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Eh... I'd be fine if the Kunitz experiment is a one-year one. Not that he's played poorly by any stretch, but there are a lot of miles on that body.

Yeah I can't see Kunitz coming back next year unless he goes beast in the playoffs. Erne should be given that spot as he becomes waiver eligible next season so he needs to be on the roster regardless. I wouldn't bring up Cirelli yet unless he lights it up the rest of the year, he needs to develop his offensive game more before he comes up. If we bring him up too early just to play a 4th line role he'll never become more than a bottom 6 player. For 4th line center Dumont is under contract so maybe him, Paquette on a 1 year deal as a 13/14th forward isn't a bad option. Obviously is we retain Peca he needs to be on the team like Erne as he becomes waiver eligible. We could always find a 3RW and move Gourde down to the 4th line too.

 

[Werewolf]

Thought Kunitz was on a two year contract...

 

[Hoek]

Thought Kunitz was on a two year contract...

Looked it up since I wasn't sure and it's a one year.

https://www.nhl.com/news/chris-kunitz-signs-one-year-deal-with-lightning/c-290198042

 

[The Macho King]

Thought Kunitz was on a two year contract...

Girardi is on a two. Kunitz is on one.

 

[DFC]

Has Mitchell Stephens been playing any C in the AHL? Thought he looked really sharp in preseason, and would be a nice complementary player to Cally. Good wheels, good tenacity.

 

[Werewolf]

Has Mitchell Stephens been playing any C in the AHL? Thought he looked really sharp in preseason, and would be a nice complementary player to Cally. Good wheels, good tenacity.

He has some shifts at Center when Groulx decides to change the lines mid-game. But mostly winger. Played more on the left wing to start the year ... played right wing last game with Yan on the left. Cirelli, Lynch, Peca, and Akeson are the Centers so far.

 

[Leonardo87]

Has Mitchell Stephens been playing any C in the AHL? Thought he looked really sharp in preseason, and would be a nice complementary player to Cally. Good wheels, good tenacity.

Cally and Kunitz are locked in right now. That line has like 4 or 5 goals in the last 10 games, and are a plus 3, which is very good for a bottom 6 shutdown line. If they can get a natural center, who is able to open up some ice and make plays, can roll 4 scoring lines at any opponent. The duo are getting the same if not more ES ice time than Killorn and TJohnson and deservingly so. Their possession numbers have been very good, and the other team is not getting many shots against them. Just like to see them have a center that can get them more goals on the board, like last night.

 

[Bolt 45]

Cally and Kunitz are locked in right now. That line has like 4 or 5 goals in the last 10 games, and are a plus 3, which is very good for a bottom 6 shutdown line. If they can get a natural center, who is able to open up some ice and make plays, can roll 4 scoring lines at any opponent. The duo are getting the same if not more ES ice time than Killorn and TJohnson and deservingly so. Their possession numbers have been very good, and the other team is not getting many shots against them. Just like to see them have a center that can get them more goals on the board, like last night.

Increasingly it looks like Cally and Kunitz are going to play well no matter who we throw them out there with. As such, we should probably get used to the Brown-at-center experiment, because Coop likes a full season to evaluate whether or not something that looks nonideal on paper is nonideal in actual practice.

 

[Leonardo87]

Increasingly it looks like Cally and Kunitz are going to play well no matter who we throw them out there with. As such, we should probably get used to the Brown-at-center experiment, because Coop likes a full season to evaluate whether or not something that looks nonideal on paper is nonideal in actual practice.

There is no doubt Cally and Kunitz are driving that line, both have even gotten extra shifts with Johnson/Killorn pretty much every game. So even if they have been through 3 different centers, they have not missed a beat. It's hard to produce and get into a scoring rhythm without PP time or a playmaker on their line, and killing penalties between ES shifts, but they do what they can. Just reading up around the media, and they are loving that line, and they really have been a game changer.

 

[Bolt 45]

There is no doubt Cally and Kunitz are driving that line, both have even gotten extra shifts with Johnson/Killorn pretty much every game. So even if they have been through 3 different centers, they have not missed a beat. It's hard to produce and get into a scoring rhythm without PP time or a playmaker on their line, and killing penalties between ES shifts, but they do what they can. Just reading up around the media, and they are loving that line, and they really have been a game changer.

Good to hear the media's taking notice of those two. I'll be curious to see what happens to Dumont, and then to Paquette whenever he's healthy again.

 

[LightningStrikes]

 

[Stammertime91]

What a playoff boss he's been on that 4th with the exception of his bonehead penalty in game 3 of the first round. Hot Paquette is looking great out there!

 

[LightningStrikes]

I love me some Playoff Baguette!

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Yeah Cedric has stepped up. He showed it a bit at the end of the season and is now beasting in the playoffs.

 

[Hockey4Life91]

Cedy is in fact BEASTING. Admittedly he is often hurt. Sure, he disappears for long stretches during the regular season. And we of course have an immense amount of young talent ready to be infused into the lineup as early as next year. But like TJ and Palat, Cedy has an extra playoff gear - he played extremely well in the 2015 run, he was one of the few who was noticeable in every game versus Chicago. Right now, he's an absolute terror to play against. Winning draws, hitting everything that moves, stepping up for hit teammates, getting pucks to the net. The man deserves some respect.

 

[mrbaguette13]

Bonjour, friends.

I've noticed a trend in the last few years considering our 1C, Cédric Paquette. It's becoming pretty obvious that the NHL is trying to get rid of him for some reason. I've named this phenomenon Anti Paquette Propaganda, also known as APP. I'll give you some examples.

In a normal game, there are five players on ice for each team plus the goalies. That means 12 guys on the ice. But when another jumps on the ice, it becomes 13, and the rulebook says that that's a penalty. Why 13? You know who happens to wear that number? Coincidence?

Then, take a look at this video:



Notice anything weird? Which team is the first to come to anyone's mind when talking about the league's favorite team? That's right, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now listen closely to what the Pens announcer says at 0:37. "Letang had lost his stick and then grabbed Paquette's baguette..." It isn't shown on TV but the announcer says it, probably hasn't gotten a message from Bettman that the Anti Paquette Propaganda needs to be hidden from public. The poor man can't even eat his baguettes in peace.

Also, remember when the referee Gord Dwyer tried to assassinate Paquette with his glove? Another way of the NHL trying to eliminate him from the league.

Don't believe me yet? Here's more evidence from the 2015 Stanley Cup finals:



Pretty "funny" coincidence once again... The penalty box door just happens to open when Cédric Paquette of all people is going for a hit there. We've seen many injuries when players hit the doors on the penalty boxes and benches. Another pathetic attempt at getting Paquette.

But what does Cédric himself think of the situation? He doesn't care. He's a hero and he's just trying to eliminate all the fake Paquettes like Datsyuk, Gaudreau, Atkinson etc. from the league.



Go Cédric! I got your back.