GDT: Game 1: Jets @ Coyotes | Oct 9th, 2014 | 7PM Arizona Time

[IPreferPi]

Yeah. That!

2 clear "scoring" lines, a shutdown/energy line, and a line of "Anything ******* Goes."

But yeah, Korpikoski w/ McM and Joey Victory should make that line a decent shutdown line.

 

[rt]

2 clear "scoring" lines, a shutdown/energy line, and a line of "Anything ******* Goes."

But yeah, Korpikoski w/ McM and Joey Victory should make that line a decent shutdown line.

I like it.

 

[Jakey53]

I got on the case of Maloney because of his actions/inactions over the past few seasons where the budget itself isn't an issue. Yes, he can't go after the likes of Kessel but he could have kept players like Rozi, Torres, Gordon(though it appears we have a replacement for him) etc. Just because someone hands are tied behind they back that doesn't mean there is no accountability.

So you would overpay for those three?

 

[Jakey53]

The entire Blueline was bad. Especially OEL and Yandle. Both were nearly as bad as Smith, who was awful. I will say Michalek didn't embarrass himself and Summers got less awful as the game wore on. He did a couple of positive things in the second half of the game.

Saw a lot of bright spots among the forwards. Doan and Vermette had great games. Doan was basically amazing. Srtill love that Vitale and McMillan duo. Sam Gagner is awesome. Tons of skill, and damn does he play a gritty game. Guy takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. Boedker's shot was awesome. Klinkhammer played with good pace. Best energy game from him in ten months.

Moss sucks.

I only saw a few minutes of the first and the second, but I agree with your assessment. I was not impressed with Crombeen either.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Wasn't that game completely devoid of younger players? I believe they had all been sent down prior.

Yes. That was the game that was supposed to be THE BIG TEST for the opening night lineup.

 

[Jakey53]

Well in all fairness, part of the problem that limited who we were able to bring in, was due to having to buy out Ribeiro, a player Tippett was were extremely gung-ho about bringing here, and someone who Maloney was more than happy to give a full NMC/NTC to, despite his prior history.

The decision to trade for Erat, was also bizarre in hindsight, because we now have to sit around and hope he can rebound into 15 goal, 50 point player, when we could have just never traded for him, and used that money to re-sign Vrbata, who was willing to take a discount on his last contract to stay with us. Not to mention Vrbata can usually score around 20 goals and 50 points even with crap line-mates. We now have to hope that Erat can do the same if everything goes absolutely perfect for him this year. We honestly should have just never traded for Erat, and just given Vrbata a No-move clause.

In hind sight maybe you are right, but at the time most thought the Erat trade was a good one. Also, no one knew what was going to happen to Vrbata, and don't forget a lot of us were not happy with his play last year.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

You guys that think Tip should be fired for not playing young guys are ridiculous, because this would have been much worse, and the season much worse.

I don't think Tip should be fired (yet) but HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA to the rest of your comment.

The objective data we have from the preseason is that every time a mostly-veteran lineup was iced, THIS TEAM WAS COMPLETE ASS.

There is literally no way last night's game could have been worse unless Smith decided to stand BEHIND the damn net.

 

[BAdvocate]

Thankfully we have chips waiting in the wings to right this opening night fiasco.

 

[Jakey53]

It would depend on the relationship the owners have with GMDM. If they are aware of how ****** of a position they've been putting him in, they might lay off the axe. It doesn't hurt that they'd have to write him a check to make him go away. I don't think that's a bulletproof vest, but it helps.

Maybe Don has been feeding us ********, or the owners ********. We don't know how they get along behind the scenes. Maybe Maloney dislikes Tippett and is giving him the rope he wanted to hang himself. "Oh, you want Moss back? No kids? Sure thing buddy."

Maloney is many things, but he's not dumb. This may be his way of tanking in a way that is acceptable and will ultimate rid the franchise of its biggest obstacle - Tippett.

You are saying that DT is the biggest obstacle for this franchise? LOL, you are a funny man today.

 

[hbk]

OEL and Smith had horrific games by any standard. It's good to get that stinker out of the way now. For some reason I've always felt the opening night game meant the reverse for the season. In years past we seemed to come out and dominate on opening night and then the rest of the season is mediocre. When we did poor on opening night we seemed to have a successful season. My memory is selective though. I have done zero research on this.

 

[BUX7PHX]

OEL and Smith had horrific games by any standard. It's good to get that stinker out of the way now. For some reason I've always felt the opening night game meant the reverse for the season. In years past we seemed to come out and dominate on opening night and then the rest of the season is mediocre. When we did poor on opening night we seemed to have a successful season. My memory is selective though. I have done zero research on this.

This has merit. Past two years we won our first game and no playoffs. 2011-12 season we lose to San Jose 6-3 and go to WCF. Year prior, we won against Boston in our first game (played in Czech Republic) and we got swept in the playoffs. 09-10 season we lost to Columbus 2-0.

 

[Sciamachy]

Thankfully we have chips waiting in the wings to right this opening night fiasco.

He'll have to wait a little longer to save us:

Sarah McLellan @azc_mclellan · 2h 2 hours ago

A few changes among #Coyotes forwards today. Klinkhammer now with Hanzal and Erat. Moss with Korpikoski and Gagner. Rest is same, even on D.

 

[Mosby]

So that's:

Boed - Vermette - Doan
Klink - Hanzal - Erat
Korpi - Gagner - Moss
McM - Vitale - BJC

 

[CC96]

Klinkhammer in the top 6, yeah that'll turn things around.

 

[ibroce]

This is already reminding me of the Tim Kennedy ********.
This time we don't even have Vrbata to play on that line though. We are so ****ed.

 

[CC96]

This is already reminding me of the Tim Kennedy ********.
This time we don't even have Vrbata to play on that line though. We are so ****ed.

Pretty much.

 

[XX]

So that's:

Boed - Vermette - Doan
Klink - Hanzal - Erat
Korpi - Gagner - Moss
McM - Vitale - BJC

Someone should probably explain to me what Moss did in his 9:37 of icetime that warranted a promotion. Where is Hodgman? Tippett is aware that he can play the wing too, right?

These are not iterations of a roster created by someone who is being objective or rational.

 

[_Del_]

Someone should probably explain to me what Moss did in his 9:37 of icetime that warranted a promotion. Where is Hodgman? Tippett is aware that he can play the wing too, right?

These are not iterations of a roster created by someone who is being objective or rational.

Just like the Kennedy infatuation. He had lots of effort, but no talent. He was probably a swell guy, too. Tipp is loyal to "his" guys.

I think Tipp is one of the best coaches out there. Top 5 on anyone's list I'd think, but I have serious doubts whether I'd keep him if I were in charge right now. Going a different direction could be best for everyone involved. Tipp would get scooped up in 48hrs by someone. We could go with Sutter or whoever gets canned for Tipp.

 

[Sinurgy]

Here's the thing that worries me most.

An egg that gets laid like this could be written off as an aberration, a quirk, a bad night.

...if it hadn't been for the fact that the Coyotes played EXACTLY this badly in the final preseason game. And by EXACTLY, I mean an identical style of directionless, non-executing, crease-sieving awfulness that submarined us last night.

In other words, it's officially a trend.

2 games does not make a trend.

 

[strizzy16]

Boedker was one of the only players who showed up for that game

Doan had some good energy

OEL looked AWFUL. Like so bad. The worst i have seen him play

The first goal was a pretty nice shot, on second and third goals Smith really didnt have a chance. On the fourth goal he 100% should have stopped that, and then the game was over

Apologies if this has already been said like 100 times but i have no intention of reading back through this thread and reliving the agony of last night. Hoping for the best tomorrow against LA but expecting us to get blown out again. Now it's time to get extremely drunk to cope with the past 24 hours (#freegurley) and then it'll be time to get drunk again tomorrow night to cope with watching this team. howllllll (that was a halfhearted howl let's be honest )

 

[rt]

So that's:

Boed - Vermette - Doan
Klink - Hanzal - Erat
Korpi - Gagner - Moss
McM - Vitale - BJC

Someone should probably explain to me what Moss did in his 9:37 of icetime that warranted a promotion. Where is Hodgman? Tippett is aware that he can play the wing too, right?

These are not iterations of a roster created by someone who is being objective or rational.

Yeah. I'm okay with the other components, I guess. But it should be...

Boed - Vermette - Doan
Klink - Hanzal - Erat
Korpi - Gagner - Hodgman
McM - Vitale - BJC

or

Boed - Vermette - Doan
Klink - Hanzal - Erat
Korpi - Gagner - Hodgman
McM - Vitale - Moss

Still, I much, much, much prefer IPPI's line-up:

Doan-Verm-Boed
Gag-Hanzal-Erat
McM-Vitale-Korpi
Klink-Hodg-Moss

 

[wpgyotes]

Yeah. I'm okay with the other components, I guess. But it should be...

Still, I much, much, much prefer IPPI's line-up:

Doan-Verm-Boed
Gag-Hanzal-Erat
McM-Vitale-Korpi
Klink-Hodg-Moss

Ditto. Hodgman deserves a shot after having such a strong camp. There are at least a half dozen guys who could be scratched for poor performance.

Last night sucked. Watching alongside Jets' fans didn't help. But it's only one game. I'm willing to wait it out for awhile longer, but this roster isn't going to win giving up odd man rushes / defensive breakdowns to that degree. Playing from behind early may have played into that, but somehow they have to manufacture a team defense like 09-10, and I'm not sure enough guys have it in them.

I'd much rather see Vrby flanking Hanzal and Gagner, but we're stuck with Erat. He just seems to be a step late and is too easily muscled off the puck when he does get there. He was such a spark plug in NSH too - not sure what gives? Largely washed up at 33?

 

[The Feckless Puck]

2 games does not make a trend.

Fine - let's ALSO count the games from last season that our precious veterans so nobly lost for us in the same lackadaisical, disinterested, head-scratchingly terrible fashion.

NOW is that a trend?

 

[rt]

Fine - let's ALSO count the games from last season that our precious veterans so nobly lost for us in the same lackadaisical, disinterested, head-scratchingly terrible fashion.

NOW is that a trend?

Given how little the roster has changed, I think this is fair.

 

[Sinurgy]

Fine - let's ALSO count the games from last season that our precious veterans so nobly lost for us in the same lackadaisical, disinterested, head-scratchingly terrible fashion.

NOW is that a trend?

Given how little the roster has changed, I think this is fair.

IMO no, give it another 9 games and see how things are looking. If the play is still the same, you'll have your trend. Personally I'd like to see Smith play like an NHL starting goalie for several games in a row before I pick up my torch and pitchfork in regards to the rest of the team.