Recalled/Assigned: Fiala called up

[Flgatorguy87]

Holy unattainable expectations batman....the kids 19 and getting good minutes against guys like Buff and Keith. He's not been perfect but he's made some really eye popping plays at the same time. I don't see us contending this year, so let him play to get experience for next year.

 

[Drake744]

I think the over analysis of whether or not Fiala should be here/is good enough to be here/might not be as good as advertised, etc is a clear indictment of how rarely we have potenially top 6 talent coming up through the system. We have almost no one who has taken the same path that he has so quickly. We have no idea how to handle our expectations for him because we have no history in dealing with it. Kind of pathetic actually.

 

[NSH615]

Holy unattainable expectations batman....the kids 19 and getting good minutes against guys like Buff and Keith. He's not been perfect but he's made some really eye popping plays at the same time. I don't see us contending this year, so let him play to get experience for next year.

I agree with this. Let him learn from playing against talent, not AHL no talent scrubs. Fiala actually looks to be able to take each game and learn from it unlike a lot of players. If anyone should be cut at this time, it should be Watson.

 

[token grinder]

I don't think a third line role is a bad idea. stick him with Fisher and Jankrok and see what happens. Not like they are handless grinders like 2blackhole4

Protect his minutes. Give him PP time. Let him develop

 

[chis]

But to think that Fiala is as good as Eichel or McDavid is, well homeristic at best. Those two are leaps and bounds better than Faila.

Who said he is as good as Eichel and McDavid?

 

[fiveAMpractice]

Let Fiala go back and forth with the AHL.
Not a better league in the world to prepare a young guy for his next step to the NHL.
You have big tough physical defence , young fast forwards all trying to get to the top of the heap and if you can't compete there then it's a huge sign that something is wrong.
Everyone wants to play top six with other talent in the NHL but it also hides a lot of defects in a young players game.
Bring him up to the show ,wet his whistle and dangle the paycheques. Then piss him off and send him down again. Character builder.
Fiala even mentioned in a article how he expected to walk right in and take a spot .
We need tough physical players down this last stretch .
Not more little guys who get knocked off the puck in the corner , a stat that shows up in the end for the final score.

 

[Byrddog]

Let Fiala go back and forth with the AHL.
Not a better league in the world to prepare a young guy for his next step to the NHL.
You have big tough physical defence , young fast forwards all trying to get to the top of the heap and if you can't compete there then it's a huge sign that something is wrong.
Everyone wants to play top six with other talent in the NHL but it also hides a lot of defects in a young players game.
Bring him up to the show ,wet his whistle and dangle the paycheques. Then piss him off and send him down again. Character builder.
Fiala even mentioned in a article how he expected to walk right in and take a spot .
We need tough physical players down this last stretch .
Not more little guys who get knocked off the puck in the corner , a stat that shows up in the end for the final score.

Exactly

Keeping him here does nothing but make a few fans that want only 20 and under players on the ice. Well we have seen a bunch of that this year and its not worked out very well.

 

[Drake744]

Exactly

Keeping him here does nothing but make a few fans that want only 20 and under players on the ice. Well we have seen a bunch of that this year and its not worked out very well.

Who are the bunch of players we've had out there who are 20 and under?

We suck this season and if we let him get accustomed to the NHL routine against the best competition it's not like it's going to ruin our year. If we were Chicago and actually going places this year I wouldn't care. It's like in baseball when a crappy team calls up a bunch of prospects in September to see what they can do and get them some reps because the team isn't going to be hurt by it.

 

[fiveAMpractice]

Who are the bunch of players we've had out there who are 20 and under?

We suck this season and if we let him get accustomed to the NHL routine against the best competition it's not like it's going to ruin our year. If we were Chicago and actually going places this year I wouldn't care. It's like in baseball when a crappy team calls up a bunch of prospects in September to see what they can do and get them some reps because the team isn't going to be hurt by it.

Isn't September in baseball the same as March in hockey.
It's January , we are still in the thick of the playoff hunt.
I can see come March and we don't have a chance bring em all up, who cares, to get a taste of the show.
Guys like Cody Bass on the 4th line that will go through a wall at this point in their career because they know it's getting down to their last chance. They take the heat off the top six when things get grinding this time of year when the idiots on the opposing teams are all over Joey, Ribs and Neal trying to get them off their game.
It's going to be playoff hockey for the next month if we stay in the hunt and you want every bit of experience available

 

[Byrddog]

Who are the bunch of players we've had out there who are 20 and under?

We suck this season and if we let him get accustomed to the NHL routine against the best competition it's not like it's going to ruin our year. If we were Chicago and actually going places this year I wouldn't care. It's like in baseball when a crappy team calls up a bunch of prospects in September to see what they can do and get them some reps because the team isn't going to be hurt by it.

While I did exaggerate the age some I should have pointed to non NHL ready or marginal young players we have had Fiala, Arvdsson, Scissions, Salomaki, Hodgson, Jarnkrok all of what I consider failures to play in the league above 4th line production. Three of these guys lead the Admirals last year and all had over 20 goals and 40 points none of the three will probably break 5 goals. Granted I have been the one that pointed out the drop in AHL to NHL production over time here but this it more than a drop for these guys.

Now you consider Fiala could not make the the team out of camp and other than the one goal he had in game 1 when called up he has not been very dangerous. Yres he has made a few pretty passes and some nice plays but he will make those with more experience as well. Add in the failure of Moses to make the team and Hodgson failure the horrid contracts given to Smith , Wilson, this was one of the worst summers Poile has had. Putting so much of the success into these AHL players CoHo Wilson 1turdhole5 and the collapse of Rinne has crippled this organization. The addition of RJ is of course a step in the right direction but it is not enough and to supplement the roster further lessor players from Milwaukee is futile. This team will not be close to the playoffs and it is a poor idea to put rookie like Fiala on the ice on a 3rd line his a failing Fish and a failure Jarnkrok he can prove little.

It is not my contention Poile needs to go out and get elite forwards but a couple more competent ones would be nice. When he flushes the toilet on Gaustad Jarnkrok Wilson and Smith should swirl down the hole as well. Nystrom has a BTC so were gonna have to hold our nose another year there. But we have more than enough 4th liners. Even if Poile happens to get a couple more top 6 guys we still have issues with the 3rd line. We are a 1 line team right now.

None of this is news we have went over and over and over this. The thing is we can't fix the team with the young guys in the system. And if Fiala is the player most think he is we can't ruin him playing with Jarnkrok Borque, Salomaki and others. If fiala is indeed going to be a top 6 guy he needs to be in that role and right now I do not think Lavi is comfortable with him there.

 

[wadesworld]

It is not my contention Poile needs to go out and get elite forwards but a couple more competent ones would be nice. When he flushes the toilet on Gaustad Jarnkrok Wilson and Smith should swirl down the hole as well. Nystrom has a BTC so were gonna have to hold our nose another year there. But we have more than enough 4th liners. Even if Poile happens to get a couple more top 6 guys we still have issues with the 3rd line. We are a 1 line team right now.

Since Gaustad, Jarkrok, Smith and Wilson are such utter garbage, they would have near-zero trade value. How is Poile going to go get forwards who are much better than them?

 

[deanwormer]

The roster, as currently composed, is a PO contender, but does not appear to be capable of a run. Even if you don't believe the roster has actually under-performed reasonable expectations - and I do - the main cogs are still on the younger-still-improving or at least in their steady-performing years - other than Peks, we don't really have any important older pieces who we should be expecting considerable drop-off from.

So, Goose goes this year, Ny/Fish/Ribs go next year; even if Poile doesn't add a thing other than bring up our kids, I'd argue we get better by virtue of improvements from a couple of younger guys and adding Fiala and Kamenev to the mix.

While that would still leave us a top 6 F away from what we need to make a run, it's absolutely not the hot-mess swirling the drain that many make it out to be.

 

[Byrddog]

The roster, as currently composed, is a PO contender, but does not appear to be capable of a run. Even if you don't believe the roster has actually under-performed reasonable expectations - and I do - the main cogs are still on the younger-still-improving or at least in their steady-performing years - other than Peks, we don't really have any important older pieces who we should be expecting considerable drop-off from.

So, Goose goes this year, Ny/Fish/Ribs go next year; even if Poile doesn't add a thing other than bring up our kids, I'd argue we get better by virtue of improvements from a couple of younger guys and adding Fiala and Kamenev to the mix.

While that would still leave us a top 6 F away from what we need to make a run, it's absolutely not the hot-mess swirling the drain that many make it out to be.

Time will tell, I admit Forsberg has exceeded my expectation both last year and this year. Perhaps Faila or Kamenev but I feel pretty confident both will not be 20 goals scorers in two years one maybe but not both. Honestly if we get one of them to score 20 I would be happy. That's pretty much what your scenario depends on. Without a 2nd scoring line the team is in the same shape they are now.

 

[NSH615]

Time will tell, I admit Forsberg has exceeded my expectation both last year and this year. Perhaps Faila or Kamenev but I feel pretty confident both will not be 20 goals scorers in two years one maybe but not both. Honestly if we get one of them to score 20 I would be happy. That's pretty much what your scenario depends on. Without a 2nd scoring line the team is in the same shape they are now.

I thought he was below expectations this year. I thought people were expecting him to be about where he was last year.

 

[Byrddog]

I thought he was below expectations this year. I thought people were expecting him to be about where he was last year.

Many people are and want to point to the soph slump. But he is quietly having a 50 point year. Im my book for a 20 year old that's pretty good. He should continue to mature his game over the next 3 or 4 years and if RJ and Neal are still around I can see him as a 65 to 75 point guy for a number of years.

There are a number of folks that think Fiala is better than FF well not yet. Maybe never. Fiala has done nothing in Europe or in NA yet. Could he maybe he has skills but they are wasted unless hes in a top 6 role and I do not think hes there nor does Lavi. He is played there now by necessity and possibly to showcase for a trade??? I don't know nor do any of us. There are a couple articles indicating he has made an attitude adjustment that might be true also we will see in time especially when he gets sent down again because its coming.

 

[Drake744]

I don't know what I think of Forsberg's performance this season. Not only has his offensive production dipped a little, he also turns the puck over way too often. That being said, I think a lot of his surprising numbers last year were directly related to our extremely hot first 60 or so games. Based on production compared to last year I'm a little disappointed this season (not just him but a lot of times in general), but in all reality he's doing fine and continues to grow as a player.

 

[Byrddog]

I don't know what I think of Forsberg's performance this season. Not only has his offensive production dipped a little, he also turns the puck over way too often. That being said, I think a lot of his surprising numbers last year were directly related to our extremely hot first 60 or so games. Based on production compared to last year I'm a little disappointed this season (not just him but a lot of times in general), but in all reality he's doing fine and continues to grow as a player.

Think about it a little. He did the same things last year but they were unnoticeable really since he had such a hot start. I have not looked at the turnovers year over year on him but I feel sure the increase has not been that much. They are just more noticeable. When a players numbers drop its easier to see there faults. The only thing I think we see more of is him trying to create more by his self that ends up badly. But we will forget that if he Johanson and Neal get it going. They need a line any line to take some pressure off them.

 

[Pred303]

No, his turnovers are that much higher. He has attempted to stickhandle far more often than he did lined with Ribeiro early last year because early on Ribs was puckhandling and Forsberg was simply moving more to get open. This year with all the center struggles he's tried to do much more to create his own shots (which is probably understandable) and it's resulted in far more stickhandling turnovers.

 

[Byrddog]

No, his turnovers are that much higher. He has attempted to stickhandle far more often than he did lined with Ribeiro early last year because early on Ribs was puckhandling and Forsberg was simply moving more to get open. This year with all the center struggles he's tried to do much more to create his own shots (which is probably understandable) and it's resulted in far more stickhandling turnovers.

To a point you can take the center out of the man but you can't take the man outta the centerman or something of the sort I guess. As odd as it seens im not nearly as disappointed in FF. Hes young and will rebound. It does irritate me that Josi pinches in so much now. puck handling thru the zone in behind the net trying to center. Its the lack of options from our centers I know. Guess its something I will get used too.

 

[Viqsi]

To a point you can take the center out of the man but you can't take the man outta the centerman or something of the sort I guess. As odd as it seens im not nearly as disappointed in FF. Hes young and will rebound. It does irritate me that Josi pinches in so much now. puck handling thru the zone in behind the net trying to center. Its the lack of options from our centers I know. Guess its something I will get used too.

If sound transition play from the blueline actually irritates you, no wonder you're so grumpy. Especially since it takes quality centers to be able to get away with making that play...

 

[Scoresberg]

Why is he scratched right now? I mean come on play him in the NHL or at least send him back to AHL to play there. Don't just let him rot in the press box.

 

[Enoch]

Why is he scratched right now? I mean come on play him in the NHL or at least send him back to AHL to play there. Don't just let him rot in the press box.

I agree with this. I think he plays tonight.

 

[RCola88]

Why is he scratched right now? I mean come on play him in the NHL or at least send him back to AHL to play there. Don't just let him rot in the press box.

He can learn a lot about the systems and where to be, while he's sitting in the press box. I have been very surprised by how much maturity I've seen in him compared to last year and what I mean is that his positioning has been much better and he doesn't try and do it all out there

I think he will play tonight too, and if he stays somewhat consistent, I think he stays.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

If fairness, he had some really, really bad turnovers the game before last night. Giving him some rest and letting him watch the game last night and then get back to it tonight isn't necessarily a bad thing for the youngster.

 

[Byrddog]

If sound transition play from the blueline actually irritates you, no wonder you're so grumpy. Especially since it takes quality centers to be able to get away with making that play...

I have no problem with sound transition play when we can. The thing is, Forsberg is playing on the wing. He too often lapsing back into that center role. I think that is one of his problems. It may be that is Lavi and Poiles plan to transition him to center at some point but I think it is creating challenges now with who ever is centering the line he is on.

No you speak of sound transition we are still struggling there. The lack of accurate passing continues to hobble this team and it is nothing we have not known for a long while. At this point at least we do have FF Josi Ekllis who can bring the puck into the zone. Hopefully we never return to the dump and chase days. When Kimmo was carrying the puck in you could always count he was going to dump the puck. That is one thing that I have seen enough of. We are not as efficient as most teams but its leaps and bounds better than years ago.