Half-Assed GDT: Game -1: HomeHawks

[JoshFromMO]

Haven't been active lately. Can you tell me more about these changes that Hitch talks about?

To my understanding, it's just a very aggressive style of play. Like hounding guys on the PK, and leaving no space for the opponent to set anything up. I think he's finally turning this team into a "skills" team and less of a grinder team.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Pietrangelo and Schwartz look ready for some big seasons. Pietrangelo looks to be back in Norris form and Schwartz looks like a 70+ point player. Possibly being away from Tarasenko will make him more assertive and aggressive with the puck. He really took the lead on one of the powerplays. Shattenkirk also hasn't missed a beat.

I thought Jaskin looked fantastic as well, he should have a big year. Speed has improved and he's showing his great hands that he had in juniors. I think he should get 25 goals.

Others played well, but I liked what I saw from Rattie. He isn't quite ready yet, but his overall game has really improved IMO, he's doing the little things better. If it wasn't for Fabbri, he'd have my vote for the 3rd line.

Parayko should make the team and play full-time on the 3rd pair. He's simply a step ahead of Bortozzo and Edmundson. He has a cannon and isn't afraid to let it go. Gunnarsson is still plenty safe despite fan speculation.

Once everyone is healthy:

Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo
Lindbohm-Shattenkirk
Gunnarsson-Parayko

 

[2 Minute Minor]

The Blues would have looked less effective against a non AHL team.

This is the first time I've climbed aboard the Jaskin train. He looks like he's ready to have a break out season. Maybe the Oshie trade had more to do with Jaskin than Fabbri.

 

[BlueDream]

Pietrangelo and Schwartz look ready for some big seasons. Pietrangelo looks to be back in Norris form and Schwartz looks like a 70+ point player. Possibly being away from Tarasenko will make him more assertive and aggressive with the puck. He really took the lead on one of the powerplays. Shattenkirk also hasn't missed a beat.

I thought Jaskin looked fantastic as well, he should have a big year. Speed has improved and he's showing his great hands that he had in juniors. I think he should get 25 goals.

Others played well, but I liked what I saw from Rattie. He isn't quite ready yet, but his overall game has really improved IMO, he's doing the little things better. If it wasn't for Fabbri, he'd have my vote for the 3rd line.

Parayko should make the team and play full-time on the 3rd pair. He's simply a step ahead of Bortozzo and Edmundson. He has a cannon and isn't afraid to let it go. Gunnarsson is still plenty safe despite fan speculation.

Once everyone is healthy:

Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo
Lindbohm-Shattenkirk
Gunnarsson-Parayko

Those pairings look great to me. Parayko will make it.

Man all offseason I had zero hope and I still want to keep my expectations low, but all the sudden now with Parayko and Jaskin about to break out, Fabbri's rookie year, Stastny will have a bigger season and hopefully Lehtera too, Brouwer filling a role, and still having the studs in Petro, Shatty, Tank and Schwartz, they are sucking me back in once again. I don't know how this team manages to do it but I'm excited again. Jesus Christ, this franchise. Hopefully they can win a playoff series.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I still have no hope in the franchise, but I do have hope in a good amount of the players. Not sold on system, coaching, goaltending in general, or vision for the team.

I'm just happy we have a big booming point shot for the first time since MacInnis/Pronger.

 

[BlueDream]

I still have no hope in the franchise, but I do have hope in a good amount of the players. Not sold on system, coaching, goaltending in general, or vision for the team.

I'm just happy we have a big booming point shot for the first time since MacInnis/Pronger.

The goaltending is still the biggest issue for me. It hasn't just been the scoring that's been the problem in the playoffs. It's been both.

I still don't expect the team to go far at all. Just happy about our young players.

 

[bleedblue1223]

The goaltending is still the biggest issue for me. It hasn't just been the scoring that's been the problem in the playoffs. It's been both.

I still don't expect the team to go far at all. Just happy about our young players.

Nice to know that we have a core group that could get it done if some people would get their heads out of their butts.

 

[MissouriMook]

The goaltending is still the biggest issue for me. It hasn't just been the scoring that's been the problem in the playoffs. It's been both.

I still don't expect the team to go far at all. Just happy about our young players.

I know it doesn't help much this year, but I'm not as worried about the goaltending as some. I believe the future #1 is in the organization already (1 of Binnington, Copley, Husso) even if it is a couple more years before they take the reins. Just need one of Allen or Elliott to step up and be above average so we can at least get out of the first round.

 

[Majorityof1]

Pietrangelo and Schwartz look ready for some big seasons. ...Schwartz looks like a 70+ point player. Possibly being away from Tarasenko will make him more assertive and aggressive with the puck. He really took the lead on one of the powerplays.

This was the first game I was actually able to see more than highlights this pre-season. And Schwartz was awesome, don't get me wrong. Had some great plays. So take the following with a grain of salt. Schwartz still seemed too hesitant to shoot the puck for my liking. He only had one shot on goal and I can think of 3-4 times when I was mentally screaming "shoot" at him. He is one of our better goal scorers with a really good shot. Playing with Tank, its understandable he isn't taking shots. But playing with Lehtera and anybody that's not Tank or Steen, he should be the guy looking to shoot. A line with Jaskin, Lehtera and Schwartz has the ability to become the prototypical playmaker, sniper and powerfoward line. Hopefully he becomes more sniper-like as he gets used to being "the man" on a line.

 

[Dbrownss]

It's so funny that we say Schwartz doesn't shoot enough when you see he had 28 goals last season lol.... o
Outsiders probably would give us a WTF look. It's good that Schwartz and Lehterä have chemistry, even if it's Schwartz turning Jori into a goal scorer.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I actually really like the potential look of a Schwartz-Lehtera-Jaskin line.

 

[Meatball]

I actually really like the potential look of a Schwartz-Lehtera-Jaskin line.

Me too, with that and the Steen, Staz and Tank line, we have a legit top six.

Then you factor in Fabbri. Damnit, I'm excited.

 

[Mike Liut]

Me too, with that and the Steen, Staz and Tank line, we have a legit top six.

Then you factor in Fabbri. Damnit, I'm excited.

And big boys Backes and Brouwer are no pushovers. Both will score 20+ this year

 

[Meatball]

Our top nine is interchangeable too. So many possible combinations.

 

[Majorityof1]

It's so funny that we say Schwartz doesn't shoot enough when you see he had 28 goals last season lol.... o
Outsiders probably would give us a WTF look. It's good that Schwartz and Lehterä have chemistry, even if it's Schwartz turning Jori into a goal scorer.

I don't think so. He has 28 goals with under 200 shots. He also has the ability to get open more than he shoots. He just defers. That is something I think lots of teams fans could understand. If we were asking why Steve Ott didn't shoot more, then we would be crazy.

 

[yogintheaveragebears]

I cant believe there's no mention of lehtera being the new oshie. Yes, his two on one was amazing, considering he lifted the puck but I feel every faceoff had his ass was on the ice. Once I saw broewer tackle two hawks at the faceoff, not sure if lehtera took it, but I was impressed. I feel like every faceoff he took he fell flat on the ice afterwards. Rattie impressed me since hes obviously fighting for a bottom 6 role and I think he did just fine, considering everyone thought it was top 6 or bust. The Gomez hate I don't understand, hes obviously capable of a top 9 spot, sorry not on the blues. The notion Upshall is better I obviously don't get compared to Gomez. Gomez will sign with a team this year the only way Upshall does is with us(God forbid or philly).

 

[Dbrownss]

Lehterä isn't a bad skater though, he's not fast, but he stays on his feet. In his own words..buttermilk legs, first game back.

The reason why I like Upshall more, he can play that bottom 6 role better. Gomez would end up being Derek Roy 2.0

 

[jura]

i got diarrhea just watching Gomez play

 

[DangledUpinBlues]

So, this happened.

 

[Dbrownss]

Last year......but still epic

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I've never seen that before, but that's friggin cool. Definitely a lot harder to do than Backes made that look.

 

[KirkOut]

also illegal I'm pretty sure. Still cool though

 

[rumrokh]

also illegal I'm pretty sure. Still cool though

I know that you have to use your hand to return a stick to the goalie - that's a specific rule; but I'm not sure about the rules for returning sticks to other skaters on your team.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Now that is stick control.

 

[KirkOut]

I know that you have to use your hand to return a stick to the goalie - that's a specific rule; but I'm not sure about the rules for returning sticks to other skaters on your team.

Between then and now I was on reddit and saw this gif on the top of /r/gifs and one of the top comments cites the NHL rule book indicating that this is in fact illegal. But I guess everything's legal if you don't get caught