GDT: Game 16: Blue Jackets @ Coyotes - 7PM - FSAZ+

[cobra427]

So you are finally admitting our PP is a core problem. Our PP is sinking faster than the Titanic, and the only reason it looked half assed for awhile was that two or three game hot streak it had. Our PP has been a problem for the last two years. We added Kessel and Soderberg to help the PP, and that hasn't helped. Why isn't Hayton on the PP? Why is Stepan even on any PP? I don't think we miss Richardson at all. If he was playing like the Richardson of last year, yes, but not the way he was playing this year.

Go read my post again. I said the D play was the core problem, along with our PP (last night). We were average on the PP before last night in the NHL, that is still better than last year. Richardson was playing well, just not scoring this year before he went out. Look at what happened to our PK since he went out.

Instead of looking at stats and goals, watch play especially on D when a player doesn't have the puck, this is why your whipping bot Stepan gets more TOI. To me Keller looks ineffective without the puck this year, never wins a board battle.

Bottom line to me is this: We lost 2 games in a row, should have won the first one. Our 2D/3D and one of our best D forwards in Richardson are out, its starting to show. PP is better than last year, still average in the NHL. Talent wise that might be about right because we have average talent in the NHL. I do think it can get a little better but I don't expect it to be top 5.

We are fine, no need to panic, teams lose 2 maybe even 3 games in a row in a season

 

[Bonsai Tree]

This is exactly who we are though. A fringe playoff team that needs good goal tending and defense to win. We hoped with the acquisitions and some health we'd score a little more. We have. We are who we thought we were imo. Team is more fun to watch and more competitive but still not a contender. Need a #1 center, LW that can score goals consistently and probably two more physical guys, one on D and one on O. That's a lot of missing parts and I think that's the minimum to become a solid contender.

A scoring forward and one or two tough players can be acquired as the trade deadline approaches. We won’t find a 1C. For that we have to wait for Hayton to mature.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

We got outworked and the pp needs to improve. Absolutely no reason to panic. Next game please.

 

[CNYCrunchfan1]

We got outworked and the pp needs to improve. Absolutely no reason to panic. Next game please.

What if we lose to Minnesota? Then I say panic looking at the schedule. If you can't beat Columbus and Minnesota at home with days rest in between then how good are you?

 

[Neighborhood Coyote]

Another frustrating loss. 2 in a row is more than enough. They need to put a stop to that right now and get their game together.

 

[LuckyNumber11]

Demers would've cleared the puck Capo whiffed on

 

[gorsk11]

Just fyi.... the penalty called on Hayton was not on him. The stick that tripped up the player was his from a Blue Jacket teammate. I replayed like 3 times until i could figure out what happened.

Not a good loss, not on kemper either. Power play has to be better

 

[Name Nameless]

Sadly, this game was boring... The team really hurts from the injured defencemen. Well well... Let's hope the next game goes better? The Wild has gotten itself a bit more together, though. I'm not so sure.

 

[Jakey53]

We got outworked and the pp needs to improve. Absolutely no reason to panic. Next game please.

Agree, but the "PP needs to improve" is getting old. It's going on a year and a half of sub par PP. Our PK can't do it all, as we are seeing with the injuries on the back end. The PP has me baffled. They look so out of sync out it is laughable.

 

[cobra427]

Agree, but the "PP needs to improve" is getting old. It's going on a year and a half of sub par PP. Our PK can't do it all, as we are seeing with the injuries on the back end. The PP has me baffled. They look so out of sync out it is laughable.

We are 19th on the PP and 21st on the PK this year. Our PP has been much better and our PK has been much worse than last year. What needs to get better more so is the PK. I think that problem is injuries to Demers(now)/Hammer/Richardson. All 3 will make us much better on the PK, likely back to top 5. If we get to top 5 on the PK and our PP gets a little better say 15th, we should be fine. You keep harping on how bad our PP is but its improved quite a bit. We aren't one of the worst in the NHL any more.

 

[Jakey53]

Go read my post again. I said the D play was the core problem, along with our PP (last night). We were average on the PP before last night in the NHL, that is still better than last year. Richardson was playing well, just not scoring this year before he went out. Look at what happened to our PK since he went out.

Instead of looking at stats and goals, watch play especially on D when a player doesn't have the puck, this is why your whipping bot Stepan gets more TOI. To me Keller looks ineffective without the puck this year, never wins a board battle.

Bottom line to me is this: We lost 2 games in a row, should have won the first one. Our 2D/3D and one of our best D forwards in Richardson are out, its starting to show. PP is better than last year, still average in the NHL. Talent wise that might be about right because we have average talent in the NHL. I do think it can get a little better but I don't expect it to be top 5.

We are fine, no need to panic, teams lose 2 maybe even 3 games in a row in a season

I'm not panicking, just tired of all this BS about our PP not being a problem. It was our biggest problem last year, and it is this year. If it wasn't for that little bit of a hot streak on the PP we would be bottom five. The PP has not pulled their weight for over a year. During that time Stepan has been a fixture on that first PP unit. Why? And please don't say it's because of his D. RT had DVO and Stepan on the first PP unit last night. Don't need both on a PP. Last nigh would have been a perfect time to try Hayton on the PP.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

I'm not panicking, just tired of all this BS about our PP not being a problem. It was our biggest problem last year, and it is this year. If it wasn't for that little bit of a hot streak on the PP we would be bottom five. The PP has not pulled their weight for over a year. During that time Stepan has been a fixture on that first PP unit. Why? And please don't say it's because of his D. RT had DVO and Stepan on the first PP unit last night. Don't need both on a PP. Last nigh would have been a perfect time to try Hayton on the PP.

PP has been bad since Yandle left. Fortunately it's improving, as the "hot streak" would verify. However, I would have liked to seen Hayton on the PP as well.

 

[TheLegend]

Iffa....

Coulda....

Woulda.....

Good grief.....

Our PP is better.... but still needs a TON of work since most of the success has come from off rushes.

Our PK is down for two reasons. Hammer and Richardson are MIA.

Hayton is beginning to make bonehead mistakes. It’s going to happen. However tossing him out there with even more responsibility is a recipe for disaster.

 

[Jakey53]

We are 19th on the PP and 21st on the PK this year. Our PP has been much better and our PK has been much worse than last year. What needs to get better more so is the PK. I think that problem is injuries to Demers(now)/Hammer/Richardson. All 3 will make us much better on the PK, likely back to top 5. If we get to top 5 on the PK and our PP gets a little better say 15th, we should be fine. You keep harping on how bad our PP is but its improved quite a bit. We aren't one of the worst in the NHL any more.

Two weeks ago you were screaming like a comanche because we were sixth on the PP after that little hot streak. Before that I believe we were in the mid twenties and now you say we are 19th. You are right though, our PP is better this year at 17.6% after adding Kessel and Soderbert, where last year we were 16.3% with all the injuries. If that is "improved quite a bit" in your eyes there is not much more that I can say.

 

[rt]

Hayton is beginning to make bonehead mistakes. It’s going to happen. However tossing him out there with even more responsibility is a recipe for disaster.

Hasn't it just been stick infractions while trying to make a defensive play? Not saying they were good penalties, just that I don't know if they have much to do with the PP.

 

[Jakey53]

Iffa....

Coulda....

Woulda.....

Good grief.....

Our PP is better.... but still needs a TON of work since most of the success has come from off rushes.

Our PK is down for two reasons. Hammer and Richardson are MIA.

Hayton is beginning to make bonehead mistakes. It’s going to happen. However tossing him out there with even more responsibility is a recipe for disaster.

Hayton is a very smart player, and on the PP gives him more room and time to make plays.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Never took the PP as a greater responsibility myself, merely an opportunity to excel.

 

[TheLegend]

Hasn't it just been stick infractions while trying to make a defensive play? Not saying they were good penalties, just that I don't know if they have much to do with the PP.

He’s made a few bad passes too.

Hayton is a very smart player, and on the PP gives him more room and time to make plays.

Smart.... but inexperienced at the NHL level.

I think they’ll eventually get him on the PP. But they have a process in place for him and they don’t seem to be willing to accelerate it at this point.

(watch.... they’ll troll me and put him on PO1 in Keller’s spot Saturday)

 

[cobra427]

Two weeks ago you were screaming like a comanche because we were sixth on the PP after that little hot streak. Before that I believe we were in the mid twenties and now you say we are 19th. You are right though, our PP is better this year at 17.6% after adding Kessel and Soderbert, where last year we were 16.3% with all the injuries. If that is "improved quite a bit" in your eyes there is not much more that I can say.

26th to 19th is a decent/quite a bit, whatever, its an improvement. You act like it is a bad or worse then last year, its just not.

 

[LuckyNumber11]

Personally, I would move Hayton off the top line, but put him on the power play. Bottom 6 even strength minutes but power play time is the move for him.

 

[Jakey53]

26th to 19th is a decent/quite a bit, whatever, its an improvement. You act like it is a bad or worse then last year, its just not.

You have to go by %, not position in the standings. You add in injuries last year and the new talent we added this year to help our anemic PP, I don't think it's much of an improvement if any at all. The only saving grace we have is that we have more talent this year so the PP might improve, it has to improve for us to make the playoffs.

 

[azcanuck]

Kessel was supposed to be the big addition to improve the PP and nobody has said a thing about him?

No way you burden Hayton with fixing the power play. Let the kid learn a little about the NHL.

 

[Jakey53]

Kessel was supposed to be the big addition to improve the PP and nobody has said a thing about him?

No way you burden Hayton with fixing the power play. Let the kid learn a little about the NHL.

Nobody is saying Hayton will be the fix on the PP, and I don't think you will burden Hayton if you put him on PP1 or PP2. He has the talent and should be there.

 

[azcanuck]

Nobody is saying Hayton will be the fix on the PP, and I don't think you will burden Hayton if you put him on PP1 or PP2. He has the talent and should be there.

I was impressed with his composure when I saw the game against the Habs.
Sometimes you got to bring them along slowly , incorporating them into the PP. Dont want to ruin confidence.

 

[cobra427]

You have to go by %, not position in the standings. You add in injuries last year and the new talent we added this year to help our anemic PP, I don't think it's much of an improvement if any at all. The only saving grace we have is that we have more talent this year so the PP might improve, it has to improve for us to make the playoffs.

Every team has injuries and every team got better on the PP/PK whatever. Its all relative to other teams as to how you rank, we are better. Disagree that it needs to be better to make the playoffs, we are in the middle third, not great but not as bad as you think. I think our PK needs to be better to make the playoffs, but it will be with Richie/Demers/Hammer coming back. PP just takes time and adjustments, I see it getting better but not top 5.