GDT: Game 2: Bruins @ Coyotes |10/5/19 18:00 FSA | half-assed edition

[Bonsai Tree]

Schmaltz was better. Not great, but better. It will take him some games to bet back from his injury, so I'm holding off on making an opinion about him at this time.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

What happened to Luke's postgame show? I liked to listen to the apologist extraordinaire on my drive back from the game, but 910 switched from the end of the game broadcast to some obnoxious guy named Arty Spanier.

 

[Heldig]

I remember an article this summer listing the Schmaltz contract as one of the 10 unmoveable (bad) deals in the league. Hope he starts earning that stupid contract soon.

 

[SniperHF]

What happened to Luke's postgame show?

He's an employee of KTAR. It's probably a contractual issue that he can't appear on Iheart's airwaves or something.

Lapinski does seem to still be affiliated with the team though as he just started a new podcast for them.

And yeah Spanier is horrible. The old FSR weekend guy Chis Plank was pretty good but I haven't listened in 4 years or so since I stopped working overnights.

 

[TheLegend]

He's an employee of KTAR. It's probably a contractual issue that he can't appear on Iheart's airwaves or something.

Lapinski does seem to still be affiliated with the team though as he just started a new podcast for them.

He was also on the radio intermission sections tonight doing player interviews so it looks as if he does have some flexibility with in game broadcasts. But as far as a stand alone post game show goes that's probably not an option anymore and the podcasts replace it.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

I think Garland is putting forth good effort, but it’s not the smartest play. He got some chances because he keeps his motor going, but as soon as he’s pressured he almost always defaults to throwing it on net. While it’s not always a bad idea, some of those shots were so low in chance and unlikely to produce a rebound that he essentially ended the possession for his line. It’s hard to fault him a ton for it though as in years past the team was notorious for giving up every chance for a shot by making a pass, but I don’t expect much out of him unless he can develop past just shooting at the first sign of danger.

Guys like Garland should be easy to play with...if the kid has the puck, go to the net because he's shooting it. I'm not expecting pass at all with him. Just go to the net.

 

[AJ171181]

2 games, 1 goal, 0 points.

 

[MIGs Dog]

It's early. No need to panic. The team has looked good IMO, but damn, the deja vu is strong.

 

[Llewzaher]

One thing I noticed was very good puck possession time. Pretty much the whole game.

I would still like to package 33 and 36 for a better player, even tho Fischer was a little better this game.

I want to see Hayton come in with top minutes to see what he can do . But if you cant play him on the top 2 lines send him back .

I wonder if we should take a chance on Marleau?

 

[BUX7PHX]

It's early. No need to panic. The team has looked good IMO, but damn, the deja vu is strong.

View attachment 261339

Meh, we also have the second best goals against in that group.

Schmaltz hasn't looked great. I don't think he has been poor either. There were some plays made to keep possession alive and create chances.

Soderberg plays the walls well. That's his game. He was very strong in that regard against a Bruins team that is usually tough in the boards.

I am taking a wide angle lens, but the only alarm bell going off is the lack of goals. Possession has been good. Opportunities have been good. We have seen two mistakes (a bad pinch attempt to intercept and a man getting lost in coverage) to get two goals. We have forced many more mistakes by teams, but have no capitalization on that.

We are still getting some players used to each other. Still another 6-8 games before we see what is for real and what isn't about our team.

I do see winning streaks in our future this year. Just a question of how long and how many. We are playing too well to not get rewarded that way.

And again, very glad we got Kuemper extended. Let Raanta ride out his last year here. We can afford it and have the room to absorb, unless the right deal comes along or Hill isnt where he needs to be.

 

[azcanuck]

Remember guys Schmatlz is coming back from an ACL and hasn't played in a long time. Not sure if any of you have played this game but it takes time. Give him 10 games.
Same old story though. No goals. I wanted Kessel to play with Keller for a reason and am glad RT listened to me when I talked to him over the summer. They should at some point break out.
Unlike the start last year it's a different feel this year. They play a much better style more RT less of what the GM wants.
The problem is in the west every point and every game is meaningful. They need to win the next game and not fall too far behind.

 

[moosemeister]

I’m not stressing either. We outplayed both teams we played. When the chemistry gets better we will see more goals.

Only one line from last season carried over and they shouldn’t be the one relied on scoring goals. It’ll take time because our coaching staff didn’t want to put other lines out there during preseason and keep them there

 

[AJ171181]

In both games we had many shots. But not many shots with quality.

I dont think the problem is luck, the goalie or more playtime.
We have a problem with scoring goals. Not the first time.
You can practice many things, but for high goal scoring you need players who have this goal scoring quality.

Yes, the Yotes will win games, maybe get some winning streaks. I think we habe a lot of good guys and teamplayers.
But it must be the aim to be a real contender in the league after so many years of nothing.

You dont need two top starter goalies, Gogo‘s money-Performance is a disaster, the hossa contract... dead money.

I how they know and work for solutions.

And yes, its early in the season.
But sometimes its not necessary to wait to long.

 

[Jakey53]

I really liked Kessel tonight. And Keller. And Chychrun. And many others.

OEL needs to get the idea that we don’t have to suck through his head and play like he plays when there’s something at stake.

Goligoski can get lost. Immediately.

Schmaltz. Damn. Damn. He’s so soft and lazy and ****ty looking out there. He’s like Peter Mueller after his seventh concussion. He better wake the **** up. It’s not just that he isn’t scoring. It’s that he’s so bad. So so so bad.

Basically the everyone else im happy with.

I wish Tocchet had the balls to scratch Schmaltz and dress Hayton. That’s the obvious move here. That’s the unemotional unbiased move that should be made.

Gogo played well last night. He is not playing up to his contract, but he was steady. I agree about Schmaltz, but I would add Vinnie to that list. At least the effort is there with him, but he makes so many bad passes, and the play usually stops with him on that line.

 

[Jakey53]

Like Stepan’s post game. Like his start to the year. All the signs are there. I’m believing in him. I think he’s finally bought back in and starting to play like the New York Ranger we were all so glad to acquire.

Goligoski....yeah...no....

Stepan is playing good, and that says a lot coming from me, but with Keller and Kessel as your wing men he should look good.

 

[Jakey53]

Schmaltz was better. Not great, but better. It will take him some games to bet back from his injury, so I'm holding off on making an opinion about him at this time.

Correct. It may take Schmaltz a bit more time to get his game together. Hopefully, that is the problem with him.

 

[rt]

Goligoski was passive and soft on the puck. His mistakes were limited but he plays a weak, limp wristed game, and he NEVER elevates. You could see the urgency building in guys like Oesterle, Chychrun, Hjalmarsson and even Demers.

Goligoski always looks like he’s playing with a two goal lead, after the team as been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Or like it’s the last pre season game, and he’s just trying not to get hurt. Like he’s trying to make sure he’s leaving as much in the tank as possible.

He’s played 800 mostly quality NHL hockey games but I’m not sure he’s ever dug deep in that time. He seems situationally agnostic, and either doesn’t recognize or react to the critical moments of a game.

I have a similar complaint about OEL. I’m starting to see an unsettling trend with him. He’s going to take the Goligoski approach until about February and then he’ll take a look around; if we are still in the hunt, he’ll step his game up and play his balls off. If we’re out of it - just keep mailing it in the rest of the way.

OEL absolutely digs deep. He absolutely elevates and plays up to the occasion. OEL can be an intense warrior of a player. He just seems so completely binary about it. Like he’s got a “go time” switch that he can only flip off/on one time in any given season. And he doesn’t want to burn out too soon, so his finger will hover over it until about February. It’s not selective from game to game or shift to shift based on situation and context.

 

[rt]

Stepan is playing good, and that says a lot coming from me, but with Keller and Kessel as your wing men he should look good.

His pace, effort, engagement and even the way he’s carrying himself with the he media are all looking so much more like the Manhattan Stepan than the Glendale Stepan. I don’t know if he’s been wallowing since the trade and has finally snapped out of it or what. He looks reborn.

 

[rt]

Remember guys Schmatlz is coming back from an ACL and hasn't played in a long time...Give him 10 games...

Good point. I hope the long layoff from last night until Thursday gives him plenty of time for practice and PP reps and everything else he needs to continue to recover without having to play super rusty in games that count.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

OEL continues to be hampered by a weak shot. He has to wriggle to find a window for that knuckling wrister of is. If he had a hard shot, he would be elite.

 

[Bondurant]

Anyone know where to find the Kachina beer at GRA?

Forgot to check. Did you find a place? I'll venture out for a sixer later. Allegedly available at Albertson's, Safeway and Total Wine. I have easy access to 2/3 of the list.

 

[Flyers Time]

What's the deal with Dvorak on the 4th line?

 

[CNYCrunchfan1]

Only 0-2 but I really dont want to get towards the end and come up just short again.

This may be the best team we've had in a while but it's still kind of cobbled together and not a finished product.

We finally have an owner that I think will hold people accountable. The fact Chayka has to now look over his shoulder a bit makes me happy.

 

[lanky]

What's the deal with Dvorak on the 4th line?

We have a 1st line and three other lines that will fight to become the 2nd line.

 

[rt]

OEL continues to be hampered by a weak shot. He has to wriggle to find a window for that knuckling wrister of is. If he had a hard shot, he would be elite.

In the half decade from 14/15 to 18/19 only one defensemen in the entire NHL has scored more goals than OEL. And that’s Brent Burns, who spent some of that time playing forward.

Even if you go all the way back to his first full-time NHL season eight years ago, he’s 3rd among all D (again, including Burns). (He’s 2nd in PPGs in that time).

Nothing has to be different about his shot to make him and elite goal scoring D. He’s possibly the most elite goal scoring D in the entire world.