GDT: Game 31: Habs @ Wild - 7PM CT

[Bazeek]

@

Going purely by the standings, this is a pretty even match-up?

Do we even care about the standings anymore, or just feeding Faber for the Calder race?​

Click to read more...

 

[BagHead]

I would prefer they cared about the standings less.

BTW, give the sponsorship to the next guy to post, not me.

 

[Bazeek]

I would prefer they cared about the standings less.

BTW, give the sponsorship to the next guy to post, not me.

Edit: FFS, I've been handing these out for weeks and it still hasn't fixed the image thing.

 

[Wasted Talent]

I'm not sure if there even is a Calder race anymore. Faber should probably be the consensus runner-up (at least if the voting criteria wasn't just more points = more votes)

 

[BagHead]

I'm not sure if there even is a Calder race anymore. Faber should probably be the consensus runner-up (at least if the voting criteria wasn't just more points = more votes)

Agreed. I think in another season he'd be in a really good spot in the race, but Bedard is putting up points, and has a hype machine behind him.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

I am hoping for some offense in this one, we’ve had some high scoring games against Montreal lately, Kap hopefully has some confidence going and the boys got a little bit of rest in, the vet d men could probably use some more of it. Gus planned to be in net, let’s get a rebound performance after his last game was pretty poor by his standards IMO.

 

[Sweetnut]

Anyone know the status of Vinnie? It looked like he broke his leg last game, blocking a shot. Who's next up, any recalls?

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Anyone know the status of Vinnie? It looked like he broke his leg last game, blocking a shot. Who's next up, any recalls?

This is the last that I saw on it from Smith’s recap.

“Lettieri got hurt on Tuesday and was helped off the ice by teammates after blocking a Brad Marchand shot. He couldn’t put pressure on his left leg but later indicated he was fine when walking out after the game”

 

[57special]

The Calder should go to MN rookie, and be accepted by Faber with Rossi piggybacking on his shoulders

 

[aonb]

Hello guys, i only had an opportunity to see a few highlights of Faber's play from this season and i do agree he's gonna be a stud. But one question - what about his shot? I know he's a rookie, playing big minutes and in a huge role too, but only one goal (in his first game lol) and that's it. Iirc he was never a huge goalscorer even as a junior but im curious if there's a room for improvement there or he's just pass-first excellent 2-way D on his way and will bring 2-4G/40-50A to the table per season. Kinda like prime Suter, but more mobile i guess.

Lets say its a jinx post and he'll pot one tonite

 

[Luceni]

The Calder should go to MN rookie, and be accepted by Faber with Rossi piggybacking on his shoulders

Points and Offense matter the most to the voters so I guess he won't win it unfortunately. At least he should be a finalist and overall I'm happy that the Wild found themselves a great 2-way #1D it seems, which is almost as valueable as a legit #1C.

 

[AKL]

Hello guys, i only had an opportunity to see a few highlights of Faber's play from this season and i do agree he's gonna be a stud. But one question - what about his shot? I know he's a rookie, playing big minutes and in a huge role too, but only one goal (in his first game lol) and that's it. Iirc he was never a huge goalscorer even as a junior but im curious if there's a room for improvement there or he's just pass-first excellent 2-way D on his way and will bring 2-4G/40-50A to the table per season. Kinda like prime Suter, but more mobile i guess.

Lets say its a jinx post and he'll pot one tonite

Kinda hard to say, he rarely uses it. Definitely one of the few weaknesses of his game so far (the lack of shooting, if not the shot itself).

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Hello guys, i only had an opportunity to see a few highlights of Faber's play from this season and i do agree he's gonna be a stud. But one question - what about his shot? I know he's a rookie, playing big minutes and in a huge role too, but only one goal (in his first game lol) and that's it. Iirc he was never a huge goalscorer even as a junior but im curious if there's a room for improvement there or he's just pass-first excellent 2-way D on his way and will bring 2-4G/40-50A to the table per season. Kinda like prime Suter, but more mobile i guess.

Lets say its a jinx post and he'll pot one tonite

He definitely isn’t afraid to shoot it, gets it off quickly but the power isn’t more than average and he is figuring out how to get them through consistently still. I would guess over half his assists are from rebounds on his shots and I don’t find myself complaining about him passing up shots at all for the situations he has seen. So far that’s the only part of his offensive game that may have actually come as advertised though, a work in progress, the rest of it has been a pleasant surprise IMO.

 

[57special]

In general i would say that dmen are focussing way more on getting their shot off quickly and through traffic than winding up for the big slapper.

 

[Sweetnut]

So now NHL.com says Hartman is a game time decision, WTF is going on? Are they gonna go with 11 F, 7 D if he is a no go?
When is the roster freeze?
Can't trust anybody these days eh?

 

[AKL]

So now NHL.com says Hartman is a game time decision, WTF is going on? Are they gonna go with 11 F, 7 D if he is a no go?
When is the roster freeze?
Can't trust anybody these days eh?

 

[BagHead]

Hello guys, i only had an opportunity to see a few highlights of Faber's play from this season and i do agree he's gonna be a stud. But one question - what about his shot? I know he's a rookie, playing big minutes and in a huge role too, but only one goal (in his first game lol) and that's it. Iirc he was never a huge goalscorer even as a junior but im curious if there's a room for improvement there or he's just pass-first excellent 2-way D on his way and will bring 2-4G/40-50A to the table per season. Kinda like prime Suter, but more mobile i guess.

Lets say its a jinx post and he'll pot one tonite

His shot is not powerful, but I think he uses it well. Some of his assists have been off of rebounds from his shot. It's not powerful, but he's smart enough to throw it into traffic and sometimes that leads to fortunate bounces. I don't think it'll ever be a great weapon, but I think he's at his best when skating and distributing anyway.

 

[Roman Maroni]

Agreed. I think in another season he'd be in a really good spot in the race, but Bedard is putting up points, and has a hype machine behind him.

I view it like this as an old baseball player and catcher.
A pitcher throws a no hitter (Bedard) and has a hell of a fastball. Example Nolan Ryan
Now you have the catcher (Faber) who does so much to help pitcher get that no hitter. Calls the pitches, helps set the defenses to make those pitches effective, goes to the plate, knocks in a run or two. All the while having a major impact on the pitchers success.
If I remember right Ryan had 7 no hitters. Nobody looks at how many homers he gave up and walks. They look at strikeouts and no hitters, I can’t tell you one of the catchers that caught any of those games.

It is what it is. Just happy that the Wild have Faber, and hope Faber understands how much the Wild and its fanbase value him as a person and player.

And lastly, all the Bedard/Faber talk, just give me Faber and Rossi both in contention and I’m way happier having 2 players being talked about.

 

[AKL]

I view it like this as an old baseball player and catcher.
A pitcher throws a no hitter (Bedard) and has a hell of a fastball. Example Nolan Ryan
Now you have the catcher (Faber) who does so much to help pitcher get that no hitter. Calls the pitches, helps set the defenses to make those pitches effective, goes to the plate, knocks in a run or two. All the while having a major impact on the pitchers success.
If I remember right Ryan had 7 no hitters. Nobody looks at how many homers he gave up and walks. They look at strikeouts and no hitters, I can’t tell you one of the catchers that caught any of those games.

It is what it is. Just happy that the Wild have Faber, and hope Faber understands how much the Wild and its fanbase value him as a person and player.

And lastly, all the Bedard/Faber talk, just give me Faber and Rossi both in contention and I’m way happier having 2 players being talked about.

A good catcher is so fun to see. I'm a Diamondbacks fan and it was a blast to watch Gabriel Moreno become one of the best young catchers in the sport this year. He got his praise too but it still doesn't feel like enough for how much he helps the team.

 

[Roman Maroni]

I caught from 2nd year pee-wees, through VFW Teeners and American Legion, played a couple years of amatuer ball until having a job won out over all of the baseball. Think it was 16 years total. It’s the only position to play, you control everything. I had to ask the ump what the count was after every pitch because I’d concentrate so hard on where everybody was at and what pitch we needed. Total blast and mentally draining at the same time.
I just can’t believe these catchers at the pro level and how long they’ve been doing it. Their knees must be shot. Mine aren’t good at all approaching 60 years old.

 

[57special]

I caught from 2nd year pee-wees, through VFW Teeners and American Legion, played a couple years of amatuer ball until having a job won out over all of the baseball. Think it was 16 years total. It’s the only position to play, you control everything. I had to ask the ump what the count was after every pitch because I’d concentrate so hard on where everybody was at and what pitch we needed. Total blast and mentally draining at the same time.
I just can’t believe these catchers at the pro level and how long they’ve been doing it. Their knees must be shot. Mine aren’t good at all approaching 60 years old.

A brutal position. Hands, knees, hell, everything gets so beaten up it's really hard to take your AB's.

It's even worse now because the expectations for blocking off target pitches are way higher than eras past. Used to be that if it was in the dirt it was a wild pitch, and the pitcher felt bad about it. Now the catcher's block 95% of them.

The only thing that was much worse back then were the home plate collisions, but i actually loved them. To me, it was just a continuation of playing hockey.

 

[Wabit]

Edit: FFS, I've been handing these out for weeks and it still hasn't fixed the image thing.

I haven't been paying attention to much on here lately. What issues?

 

[Sweetnut]

BG recalled forward Jake Lucchini under emergency conditions.
Looks like Hartman is out then.
Lucc is 28 years old and only has 11 NHL games. Scored 1 goal on January 1 2023 for Ottawa. No high hopes for him.
Played in 261 AHL games, 68 goals. Highest goal total in a season is 20. Has only played 2 PO games.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Hello guys, i only had an opportunity to see a few highlights of Faber's play from this season and i do agree he's gonna be a stud. But one question - what about his shot? I know he's a rookie, playing big minutes and in a huge role too, but only one goal (in his first game lol) and that's it. Iirc he was never a huge goalscorer even as a junior but im curious if there's a room for improvement there or he's just pass-first excellent 2-way D on his way and will bring 2-4G/40-50A to the table per season. Kinda like prime Suter, but more mobile i guess.

Lets say its a jinx post and he'll pot one tonite

Fine shot, not great. He'll score a heck of a lot more jumping up in the play than he will blasting it by a goalie from distance.

Suter had 11 seasons of 5-10 goals, and I'd expect more than just 2-4 from Faber.

 

[Roman Maroni]

A brutal position. Hands, knees, hell, everything gets so beaten up it's really hard to take your AB's.

It's even worse now because the expectations for blocking off target pitches are way higher than eras past. Used to be that if it was in the dirt it was a wild pitch, and the pitcher felt bad about it. Now the catcher's block 95% of them.

The only thing that was much worse back then were the home plate collisions, but i actually loved them. To me, it was just a continuation of playing hockey.

I didn’t mind the plays at the plate at all. If I had a little time, I’d get set and basically lead with my knees so the shin guards would take all the blow. Only got lit up by a shoulder a couple times…

Worst night I ever had was in amateurs I caught a foul tip right in the throat protector(the plastic ones that were tied to the mask). The force ripped the protector loose and that actually split the helmet right down the middle. Couldn’t believe it. I had to borrow the opposing catchers head gear (knew him real well) to continue. Next pitch the batter singled. Next batter comes up, 1st pitch fouls another one right in my face. This time it broke the weld in the mask, the vertical rod broke loose from the double horizontal rods (all 3 were caved in various amounts. I could stick my middle finger between the vertical and horizontal bars. I said right there I’m done for the night and took the rest of the double header off. Happened in first inning of the double header. It was still fun though….