Player Discussion Erik Haula

[Nino Noderreiter]

When Grandelholm returns, I wouldn't mind seeing..

Parise - Koivu - Coyle
Nino - Grandelholm - Pominville
Heatley - Haula - Fontaine
Cooke - Brodziak - Mitchell

That is if Haula keeps it up. That would give us 3 scoring lines and one solid shutdown line.

Not saying, but just saying I could totally dig a top 3 lines of...

Parise-Koivu-Coyle
Nino-Granlund-Pominville
Zucker-Haula-Fontaine

 

[Lapa]

Not saying, but just saying I could totally dig a top 3 lines of...

Parise-Koivu-Coyle
Nino-Granlund-Pominville
Zucker-Haula-Fontaine

That is a sexy lineup as well. However, I'd like to see Heater rewarded because he has been better lately.

Maybe next season when Heater's gone we'll see that.

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

That is a sexy lineup as well. However, I'd like to see Heater rewarded because he has been better lately.

Maybe next season when Heater's gone we'll see that.

Yeah, that's what I was more saying. Heater deserves some more minutes. Although he still holds onto the puck for years too long and is a turnover machine who doesn't win that many battles. However, he's been finding ways to put the puck in the back of the net and when he's doing that you can forgive a lot of his other deficiencies.

 

[Lapa]

Yeah, that's what I was more saying. Heater deserves some more minutes. Although he still holds onto the puck for years too long and is a turnover machine who doesn't win that many battles. However, he's been finding ways to put the puck in the back of the net and when he's doing that you can forgive a lot of his other deficiencies.

Agreed. He scores goals, and that's what matters. I've liked how he has been driving to the net more.

 

[Haite]

5'11-5'11-5'10

Intimidating

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

Intimidating

That speed tho.

And both Zucker and Haula seem like they can play a little bigger than their size if you know what I mean. (Haven't really seen it as much this year from Zucker. But if you remember last year and last year's playoffs...Zucker was delivering some huge hits in the corners and stuff)

 

[Lapa]

Intimidating

Size doesn't matter when nobody is able to catch you.

 

[Minnewildsota]

I know it's just one game, but Haula showed more than most of our prospects have. Coyle and Granlund aren't centers. Haula is.

Yeah, ok...

 

[BigT2002]

Well it appears Haula may be able to fill a center role. Now....which one is the right fit?

 

[Minnesota]

Zucker/Neiderreiter - Haula - Coyle/Neiderreiter

Plz.

 

[00xtremeninja]

Haula played a good game. lets see if he can do more of the same tonight

 

[Puhis]

Zucker - Haula - Coyle


Dear GOD.

 

[Keeptdos]

Ughh our team is starting to resemble the Red Wings as in gritty guys without tough guys. And that our system resembles a bit except they do it a lot better as in puck control.

We need an Iginla type of player who can contribute in the top6 and also fight.

 

[Minnesota]

We need an Iginla type of player who can contribute in the top6 and also fight.

With his size and strength, I hope Coyle learns to fight at some point in his career.

 

[AJ Thelen]

With his size and strength, I hope Coyle learns to fight at some point in his career.

We have seen him in some scraps already. I think his fighting will get better just like his game.

 

[Lapa]

I dunno, he's done a decent job fighting so far..





Of course, he can be even better, but I think he's a decent fighter right now.

 

[Keeptdos]

Must have missed those then.

 

[youvegotit]

Ughh our team is starting to resemble the Red Wings as in gritty guys without tough guys. And that our system resembles a bit except they do it a lot better as in puck control.

We need an Iginla type of player who can contribute in the top 6 and also fight.

Do well really need tough guys thou?

Looking at the last three season I don't really see any correlation between being in the top half of fighting and making the playoffs.

2012-2013 (7/16 playoff teams in the top 15 of fighting)
2011-2012 (9/16 playoff teams in the top 15 of fighting)
2010-2011 (7/16 playoff teams in the top 15 of fighting)

 

[Keeptdos]

Do well really need tough guys thou?

Looking at the last three season I don't really see any correlation between being in the top half of fighting and making the playoffs.

2012-2013 (7/16 playoff teams in the top 15 of fighting)
2011-2012 (9/16 playoff teams in the top 15 of fighting)
2010-2011 (7/16 playoff teams in the top 15 of fighting)

The point is not to have a guy who is a goon but a guy who will stand up if something happens in the rink as in goalie is driven over, illegal hit etc.

At the moment that's hardly the case and opponents exploits it. I want less injuries in the team.

 

[Jarick]

We had the best enforcer in the league for many years and we still got run by other teams. It doesn't make a difference in the modern NHL.

 

[Avder]

The only way we stop getting run all the time like this is if we're not afraid to run people ourselves AND we have a powerplay that can make them pay on the 5 minute major. And even then we'll still get ran occasionally by ****ers like Kadri. That's just how it is in the NHL, especially with the instigator.

 

[Suurikelmi]

Mostly for the Swedish/Finnish speakers out there: there was a good documentary on Swedish channel of Yle about Haula and about the transition from University hockey to AHL to NHL in general. Lots of comments from Fletcher, Yeo, Koivu etc. too.

You can watch it here:
http://areena.yle.fi/tv/2069307

 

[Jarick]

The only way we stop getting run all the time like this is if we're not afraid to run people ourselves AND we have a powerplay that can make them pay on the 5 minute major. And even then we'll still get ran occasionally by ****ers like Kadri. That's just how it is in the NHL, especially with the instigator.

If you're dangerous on the PP, other teams will avoid penalties.

 

[BigT2002]

If you're dangerous on the PP, other teams will avoid penalties.

Which is exactly why we need to worry about that moreso than someone who can fight

 

[Jarick]

You're in the NHL locker room and the coach is giving the pre-game speech. Which seems the more likely scenario:


1. "Defense has to watch out for Pominville when he's on the ice...he's got a way of sneaking behind the D and finding loose pucks. Make sure to keep the forwards to the outside. Defensemen, gap up and take away their ice and force them to dump it in. Now listen guys, there's a couple players on that team who will run you over if you play dirty. We don't want anyone getting hurt. Make sure your hits are clean out there."


2. "Defense has to watch out for Pominville when he's on the ice...he's got a way of sneaking behind the D and finding loose pucks. Make sure to keep the forwards to the outside. Defensemen, gap up and take away their ice and force them to dump it in. Now listen guys, this team is LETHAL on the power play. They're going to kill us if we make mistakes. We have to avoid penalties at all costs. Make sure your hits are clean and watch the hooks and holds."