Post-Game Talk: Game 66: Preds @ Sabres | 6:00 PM CST | Fox Sports TN | Road-trip Game 2

[GeauxPreds]

I find it funny that trotz keeps rotating the third player on the line with Wilson and Smith. Earlier it was Spaling, then Cullen, now Clune.

 

[ThirdManIn]

I find it funny that trotz keeps rotating the third player on the line with Wilson and Smith. Earlier it was Spaling, then Cullen, now Clune.

"OK Wilson and Smith need some young blood out there. A guy who can skate and who can grind on the boards. Spaling! Get out there!"

"OK Wilson and Smith need more veteran presence out there. A guy who can skate, but will show some leadership qualities. Cullen! Get out there!"

"OK Wilson and Smith need to smile a bit more. They need a guy who can crack jokes, but will absolutely destroy all offensive potential. Clune! Get out there!"

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

OK.... Boys asleep. Can I get a quick recap? Looks like Wilson is playing well?

 

[ThirdManIn]

Smith and Wilson have had a good game. I've hardly been paying attention to the third period, though.

Stalberg had a bit of a breakaway. Shot the puck wide of the net. He later took a knee-on-knee from Konopka. Goose dropped them with Konopka. Didn't do so great in the fight, but didn't get his ass kicked. He was given 2 and 10 for instigating along with the 5 for fighting.

Ellis had a pretty nice diving play to break up a scoring chance. Jones had a pretty good poke check later to break up a scoring chance. Hutton hasn't looked too bad.

Our Weber >>>>>>> Their Weber

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

LOL...Perfect... Thanks!

 

[INDhockeyfan]

It has been a very boring 3rd period. Buffalo doesn't have the offensive talent Ottawa does to comeback. Hutton has played well. He's made the saves he's need to.

 

[ThirdManIn]

Spaling with another point.

Don't these guys know we need to lose games?

 

[INDhockeyfan]

Gaustad with an empty net goal on his former team. If we played Buffalo all the time we may actually look good.

 

[Marty Party]

Goose with the empty netter. Welcome back to Buffalo.

 

[101st_fan]

Smith was dominant. Wilson with his best game since moving to center. Weber excellent defensively although I can't remember seeing him in the offensive zone after his ES goal (but, he is a defender ... not a forward ... so he did his damned job). Hutton solid between the pipes and actually good moving the puck. Just what the team needed to do after the 3rd period goatscrew last night. Now on to Chicago and a test against a top team after beating two lower tier teams.

 

[triggrman]

polished turd indeed.

 

[Byrddog]

polished turd indeed.

Just slightly more polished

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=76786

Please refer to this or

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=73285

Smith has made some improvement, the way he is touted on the Preds HF board one would think he is Paul Karyia reincarnated. The guy has put up 20 goals if he is the ticket to the Preds promised land we are in deeper trouble than EVERYONE thinks.


INDEED

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Nick Spaling>>>>Viktor Stalberg

Don't want to buy too high on Smith right now, but I've seen the kid impose himself on games this season in a manner which I didn't think he was capable of. Confidence is a hell of a thing. Hope he keeps it up.

 

[101st_fan]

Just slightly more polished

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=76786

Please refer to this or

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=73285

Smith has made some improvement, the way he is touted on the Preds HF board one would think he is Paul Karyia reincarnated. The guy has put up 20 goals if he is the ticket to the Preds promised land we are in deeper trouble than EVERYONE thinks.


INDEED

Do you put hot sauce on that crow? Nice non-sequitur with the players you linked. Last time I saw something that misguided ... it was a 2LT with a compass.

 

[Byrddog]

Do you put hot sauce on that crow?

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1465877&page=15

Please refer to this thread And my post from a few days ago. Am I pleased that Smith has improved. You bet. I pull for this team. Do I think he will be as big of a part of the turn around needed. That's to be seen. I am not ecstatic like most here for a guy scoring 20 goals. If that's the weather mark for offense success for the Preds in a few years it will be the Hamilton Preds and we will have minor league hockey in Nashville.


I have eaten crow many times in my life but im not willin to take a bite of a crap sammich for 20 goals leading this team.

 

[101st_fan]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1465877&page=15

Please refer to this thread And my post from a few days ago. Am I pleased that Smith has improved. You bet. I pull for this team. Do I think he will be as big of a part of the turn around needed. That's to be seen. I am not ecstatic like most here for a guy scoring 20 goals. If that's the weather mark for offense success for the Preds in a few years it will be the Hamilton Preds and we will have minor league hockey in Nashville.


I have eaten crow many times in my life but im not willin to take a bite of a crap sammich for 20 goals leading this team.

You're the one that called Smith a "turd" .... and the Preds won't move to Hamilton. Go read the lease, NHL constitution and by-laws.

 

[Byrddog]

Yes and I still think hes a stinker. And the Hamilton statement was just that a statement about the success of the team. If the team digresses much more were back to the 99- 2002 teams and the fanbase will deteriorate. And It does not matter what the NHL or Bettman says if the team loses money like Atlanta did and Phoenix has the league will be the owners of the team. If they move it or not who knows. Phoenix was a face saving thing for Bettman.

 

[ThirdManIn]

w/r/t the Hamilton stuff:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1612871

When the Tennessean is running positive stories about the Preds and the support they get from fans you know something good is happening. I think we can all see a stark difference between how the team is covered now and how they were covered during the Titansean era. Newspapers the world over are struggling. You think they're going to write fluff pieces just for the hell of it, or do they do it because there is an audience?

 

[Byrddog]

w/r/t the Hamilton stuff:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1612871

When the Tennessean is running positive stories about the Preds and the support they get from fans you know something good is happening. I think we can all see a stark difference between how the team is covered now and how they were covered during the Titansean era. Newspapers the world over are struggling. You think they're going to write fluff pieces just for the hell of it, or do they do it because there is an audience?

Whats a newspaper

 

[ThirdManIn]

Haha

Questions The Next Generation Will Be Asking Us for $500, Alex

 

[jwhouk]

"Who's Alex?"

 

[PFL615]

Spaling must understand he is in the last year of a contract. Showing up and staying lately.

Buffalo looked very similar to the Preds can't pass and couldn't finish. If they could of controlled passes and got good shots off the game would have been a lot closer.

Wilson and Smith looked good together but i don't see the point in Clune on the same line.

 

[Persona5]

I really hope they keep Wilson and Smith together. They are really starting to gain chemistry and were by far our most consistent forwards in putting pressure on their D all night.

As for fighting...the NHL need to seriously figure out what they are doing. Either remove it from the game entirely or allow player to police the game like it was intended for. Get rid of the faceoff fights where it is just two guys that decide they want to fight for the sake of fighting. Allow guys to stick up for teammates by challenging guys to fights. If the guy being challenged doesn't want to go then he doesn't have to drop the gloves. Handing out a 2-5-10 to Gaustad is a disgrace. If you won't allow player to police the game in this way just take fighting out entirely!

 

[Phototropic]

It was good to see Wilson and Smith play well for sure. Makes it all the more frustrating that Trotz has tried to spread his talent across 4 lines all season.

 

[deanwormer]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1465877&page=15
Do I think he will be as big of a part of the turn around needed. That's to be seen. I am not ecstatic like most here for a guy scoring 20 goals. If that's the weather mark for offense success for the Preds in a few years it will be the Hamilton Preds and we will have minor league hockey in Nashville.

Plenty of guys have 1 good year and fall flat, but if Smith isn't part of the turnaround we, indeed, are in trouble. I'm more skeptical (but still hopeful) for Willy; I'm beginning to think some of this year was physical with the shoulders but also he needed a confidence boost and the challenge they threw at him giving him Leggy's minutes and responsibilities. (still don't like him on that PP unit, though)

FWIW - that 20 goals puts Smith on pace for 25; dunno about you, but I'd be pleased to have a guy around that can pot 25 consistently for a few years. We've had a few guys that did low 20s for several year runs, but nobody who put together a run of 25 except Arnott's 3 (and one before with Dallas). Even if it's just a reliable 22 - 23, that's as good as, actually better than, anyone (other than Arnie and 2 years of PK) we've EVER had.