Post-Game Talk: Devils 7 Canucks 2 (Podkolzin, Pearson)

[Tact]

I'm sorry but that confirms Chiasson stays in and this is Boudreau's fatal flaw showing. Leans on the most useless vets. Not that Hoglander is lighting it up but this is so stupid.

I’ve always thought Hog-Peter-Pod line has played well. Not sure why it was broken up. Just like Mottes line - don’t break it if it’s not broken…

 

[Regress2TheMeme]

I’ve always thought Hog-Peter-Pod line has played well. Not sure why it was broken up. Just like Mottes line - don’t break it if it’s not broken…

I suspect they know what they have with the Motte-Lammikko-Highmore line and want to try Motte higher up the lineup before they decide to resign or trade him.

 

[Zippgunn]

As we saw in the Luongo years, even superstar vezina calibre goalies have bad nights.

Luongo was hardly a "superstar Vezina" goalie, in fact he was arguably the most overrated goalie in NHL history. Certainly he was never a "money" goalie...

 

[Zippgunn]

I think part of it is that this is what Benning would have done, which is be very partial to Halak and his contract.

Personally, I am a little annoyed that they aren't being cutthroat enough but that is my bias towards the previous regime and their moves which were for dumb reasons.

For now I'm willing to give JR/PA the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps treating him well will help him waive his NTC in the off-season.

At least with the current management there's some chance that this was done for strategic reasons rather than just bending over backwards for a player's agent.

Still, would have been great to get out from under yet another bloated contract......

PS You still should rest Demko. He has now played more games than he ever has in his career at this level, even more than he has in the AHL. A lot of things broke in his favour such as extended time off (yes, his rhythm was disrupted but overall it was probably good for him physically). This is the time when you would start to see signs of loss of mental focus and/or physical fatigue when a first-time starter tries to take on this workload. If he plays all the remaining games that will be 43+27 = 70 games (according to hockey ref they have played 55 games).

That is a dumb workload in today's NHL. The days of Brodeur/Roy playing 70+ games was a fluke and created unrealistic expectations in head coaches. You could see Marky in years past start to accumulate fatigue and he only got in 60 games max with the Canucks. Vasilevsky has only played max 65 and he's probably the best goalie on the planet. Pre-lockout guys were topping off around 67 GP, and I think that's a bit high.

I don't think is going to be a playoff team, so why risk letting him get injured if we're out of it? If we do make the playoffs, managing his starts is doubly important because you want him to have gas in the tank for the important games. Either way, your rest management of him has to start now, which is why Halak started this game, and rightfully so IMO.

Putting Marky in the same league as Roy/Brodeur is something of a gigantic stretch but the Canuck fans historically overrate their goalies by a ridiculous margin. As for Demko I am getting frustrated by the usage of our goalies as of late. IMHO we should have played Halek against the tired Rangers and saved Demko for the more rested Devils but for whatever reason our SOP is to give the backup goalies the shit starts and then jump all over them when the wheels come off the whole team. Not that Halek wasn't bad last game; he was but an awful lot of those goals weren't on him just like Holtby before him and just like goalies of the bygone era like Skudra who, like Holtby was hounded off the team only to thrive once he landed elsewhere (in Skudra's case Russia where he was goalie of the year). We should plan our goalie starts with the eye towards winning games not coddling goalies.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

So you're totally ok with the team's highest achievement being the participation trophy? Got it. And 6-4-0 record is totally acceptable? Got it.

And again, you're believing every word Moleman says, assuming it's truth. Has it ever occur to you that he and others MAY not say what's in their mind?

The bar is just getting lower and lower and lower isn't it?

I haven't 'set the bar' of where the team currently sits, ..anywhere,.. or claimed this roster is close to the cup (more of your straw filled garble).

I've only claimed that the squad should be commended from scraping themselves off the mat at 8-15-2..to the current 26-23-8....'Shit rosters' don't/cant do that...and its beyond comprehension what you find 'sad and pathetic about it...

Rutherford has stated that comment in two interviews (Halford and Bough,Sekeres and Price)..and explains the rationale behind it.

Starting at 7.04 minutes..

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Benning the boogeyman is gone….Its no coincidence you only come out of the woodwork after losses..To justify your labeling of them as a ‘shit roster’

Two months ago ,this team didn’t even have a pulse,and they’ve fought back..demonstrating that they do indeed have some internal pride….and you find that ‘sad and pathetic’…?

It's also no coincidence that "Benning the boogeyman is gone" and the team "scraping themselves off the mat" occurred at the same time. What a terrible leader, the entire team must be relieved he got shitcanned.

 

[valkynax]

I haven't 'set the bar' of where the team currently sits, ..anywhere,.. or claimed this roster is close to the cup (more of your straw filled garble).

I've only claimed that the squad should be commended from scraping themselves off the mat at 8-15-2..to the current 26-23-8....'Shit rosters' don't/cant do that...and its beyond comprehension what you find 'sad and pathetic about it...

Rutherford has stated that comment in two interviews (Halford and Bough,Sekeres and Price)..and explains the rationale behind it.

Starting at 7.04 minutes..

For the 20th time, I know what Moleman said, what I am telling you, and you chose to ignore consistently, is that what he said doesn't always mean that's what he thinks. And you know what's sad and pathetic? Build a "playoff team" and let it forever wander in round 1 and indulge in the delusion that anything can happen, that's sad and pathetic. And it's even more pathetic if fans think that's acceptable.

But hey, like I said, I'm a pragmatic utilitarian, if Moleman can make this team work all the way to showing some legit hope for the cup, I'm more than happy to eat a bowl of crow with a silver spoon. What the f*** do I care about what happens between A and B, as long as that 45 lb monster gets raised by the orcas, they can do whatever they want that could help the team. But if those initially unpopular methods that they chose to stick with does not work out, they'll have to face the fury of the fanbase.

 

[48MPHSlapShot]

Decent Music. Too many posts.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

Team is 6-4-0 in the month of Feb ... Of course you only like to cherrypick, and focus the sequence of games in Jan, where they had a skeleton lineup (with key players out), and were playing their 4th string goalie....Yes, all teams had to deal covid protocols, ours just happen to be in January (which affected the results)...The Canucks also have the best defensive record on the NHL since BB took over.
Whoever said this current roster was close to the cup, .?...lol..That's one hell of a straw filled comment...I'll tell you who believes that 'anything can happen' in the playoffs, (if you have a good goalie, and 4 solid lines)..Jim Rutherford.
I 'm not lying or making up BS......Its a 'shit roster', and and watching them claw their way back in the standings is 'sad and pathetic'...Your words, not mine.

We haven't been the "best defensive team" in the NHL since Boudreau has taken over. We have simply gotten great goaltending. Our other defensive stats since Boudreau have taken over have been averag-below average. There can be difference between being the best defensive team and the team that allows the fewest goals( we aren't that either by the way).

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

We haven't been the "best defensive team" in the NHL since Boudreau has taken over. We have simply gotten great goaltending. Our other defensive stats since Boudreau have taken over have been averag-below average. There can be difference between being the best defensive team and the team that allows the fewest goals( we aren't that either by the way).

Goaltending isn't part of the team..?...No we don't have the the top defensive stats for shot suppression, opposition zone entries etc...but as a whole.... (keeping the puck from going across our goal line)..., the Canucks have been one of the best in the league going forward.(since the hiring of BB).

This isn't endorsing that the hot goalie/ middling D method is a good idea going forward.. because you're literally only one injury a way from collapse.

 

[me2]

I've only claimed that the squad should be commended from scraping themselves off the mat at 8-15-2..to the current 26-23-8....'Shit rosters' don't/cant do that...and its beyond comprehension what you find 'sad and pathetic about it.../

They can and the do. Those are not abnormal hot and cold steaks.

 

[geebster]

I dont think anyone can consider 25 games going 8-15-2 just a "bad streak". I think thats more than enough of a sample to say a team is bad or fundamentally flawed in some way. All excuses like Petey wasnt playing at his peak (which he hasnt for most of Bruces tenure either, and not at all during the original win streak), or that there were injuries or w/e, its pretty clear management and coaching was part of the problem, and to this point the coaching has been better. Will it last? Is it just new coach effects? Who knows, but as of right now its an improvement and that isnt really debateable. They might not be the best at anything other than some goaltending stats, but they are much closer to middle of the league than they were under Green.

We didnt become Tampa, but we became a middling team with excellent goaltending and some exciting young players that are fun to watch again. Some retooling and they could be good though.