GDT: Game 9: Coyotes @ Blues - 6PM - FSAZ

[Coyotedroppings]

Garland is tiny, and he'll get no support from the other two. This will be a short-lived experiment.

That’s my fear, need a big body out there with them.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

We haven't taken care of business so far. I know what you are saying, but we can not dig our self a deep hole and expect to make the playoffs. We are hopefully a bubble team up to the end.

Okay Mr Glum, we got it!

 

[_Del_]

That’s my fear, need a big body out there with them.

Keller looked his best when Brassard and Pitlick were doing the dirty work and letting him dipsydoodle. Need three lines like that and to separate our lazy, soft wingers.

 

[TheLegend]

 

[Muppet]

If somebody told me we traded Christian Fischer 3 years ago, I'd believe them.

 

[PainForShane]

Garland is tiny, and he'll get no support from the other two. This will be a short-lived experiment.

I hope you're wrong! We'll see. I don't disagree that Garland won't get physical support from the other two but it's not like he's been getting physical support from anyone else on this team anyway.

You and I talked about the Schmaltz - Keller pairing late last year (maybe summer), you raised a lot of good points on how bad they were at even strength together / how much bigger of a liability they were defensively than they realistically had any right to be. All great points backed up by relevant data that actually supported your point (something that is too often missing in the boards, thx for including all of that).

But, if this line can be average defensively I think they have the chance to be a better than average top line if they get the time to build up some chemistry together.

I think that's what all of should be hoping to see because it's our best chance to develop lasting chemistry / firepower up front which we absolutely need. Lots of ifs but worth an extended look imo.

In short? I hope you're wrong, we'll both see what happens in real time against one of the league's tougher matchups

 

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

Keller looked his best when Brassard and Pitlick were doing the dirty work and letting him dipsydoodle. Need three lines like that and to separate our lazy, soft wingers.

Mmmmmm, lazy soft wings.

 

[_Del_]

it's not like he's been getting physical support from anyone else on this team anyway.

I'm not even talking about them dropping gloves or something. Just supporting him on the boards or in a puck battle. Kessel is doing a better job than those two. Phil freaking Kessel.

I think they have the chance to be a better than average top line if they get the time to build up some chemistry together.

Look at the projected St. Louis lineup and tell me which line you think they match up well against.

 

[_Del_]

Mmmmmm, lazy soft wings.
View attachment 391822

You are in peak form already this season haha

 

[Jamieh]

I'm not even talking about them dropping gloves or something. Just supporting him on the boards or in a puck battle. Kessel is doing a better job than those two. Phil freaking Kessel.


Look at the projected St. Louis lineup and tell me which line you think they match up well against.

The penalty kill line.

 

[PainForShane]

I'm not even talking about them dropping gloves or something. Just supporting him on the boards or in a puck battle. Kessel is doing a better job than those two. Phil freaking Kessel.

That's bad. Is that accurate?

As everyone knows I am the biggest Kessel defender on these boards but winning board battles is not and never has been his game. Keller definitely tried during the first half of his rookie year, if he's stopped playing hard that's a very bad sign for his long term 7m+ contract. Maybe playing with Garland will shame him into playing harder

Look at the projected St. Louis lineup and tell me which line you think they match up well against.

EDIT: sorry I replied to your post before seeing your edit. Imo the new line will get eaten by the ROR line and likely the Barbashev line, which is bad considering they're the 4th line over there. The other two line matchups I'm ok with.

That said though as you have obviously seen STL's roster, they are a big heavy team and we are not. Given STL's roster, how would you put together our lines? It's a mismatch all around this at least gives our young guns a chance to grow together

 

[_Del_]

will shame him into playing harder

Over half of last season's holdovers have no shame as we saw in the playoffs.

 

[ParisSaintGermain]

It will be interesting to see if the Blues send O'Reilly against that line. Face off wise there would be a serious risk that our three offensively talented players are starting many shifts chasing the puck.

 

[XX]

The Blues are a machine and in good form. There's 4 excellent teams in the division and 4 mediocre ones. The next 8 games are against excellent teams.

Good luck, Tocchet.

 

[WrinkledPossum]

Garland is tiny, and he'll get no support from the other two. This will be a short-lived experiment.

I don't like going small vs STL. Against other teams then sure. Ideally I'd put Crouse in Keller's spot this game but he's out.

Bad game to have Crouse and Fischer out. I'll be easier on Tocchet for the lines because of that.

 

[PainForShane]

The Blues are a machine and in good form. There's 4 excellent teams in the division and 4 mediocre ones. The next 8 games are against excellent teams.

Good luck, Tocchet.

What's the 4th excellent team? The Wild? They've scored 29 given up 28. Not sure that counts as excellent esp when you consider they split a 2 game series with COL and the only other teams they've played so far are this year are the Kings (x4), Sharks (x2, split series), Ducks (x2, split series).

But yes, good luck Tocchet we will need it to get into that fourth playoff spot regardless

 

[Tom Polakis]

With Hayden and Hunt in, maybe we'll get a response when Garland inevitably gets cheap-shotted.

Also wearing #28 for the Coyotes in the past 15 years were John Scott, Lauri Korpikoski, Jeff Hoggan (who?), and Steven Reinprecht.

 

[SniperHF]

I couldn't even remember we signed this character.

 

[_Del_]

how would you put together our lines?

Schmaltz -Dvo-Garland
Keller-Brassard-Pitlick
Hayden-Larsson-Caggiula
Hunt- Hayton-Kessel

 

[PainForShane]

Also wearing #28 for the Coyotes in the past 15 years were John Scott, Lauri Korpikoski, Jeff Hoggan (who?), and Steven Reinprecht.

John Scott! I remember John Scott. Great all-star performer. Also Phil fought him once back in the day -- and by fighting I mean Phil skated away from him (as he should have) and then got a 3 game suspension (in preseason) for whacking him multiple times with a stick while skating away / avoiding confrontation.

Ahh... hockey. Great game

 

[PainForShane]

Schmaltz -Dvo-Garland
Keller-Brassard-Pitlick
Hayden-Larsson-Caggiula
Hunt- Hayton-Kessel

Yep, those lines make sense too. Not sure we'd score many (any?) goals, but we wouldn't be checked off the ice. Not sure if Keller would be able to do anything with Brassard / Pitlick but maybe Brassard is better offensively than I remember him being

 

[awfulwaffle]

Are we on national television or something? NHL.tv says i'm blacked out(Dallas, TX). Maybe it'll go away closer to the game. For some odd reason I thought the game started at 6pm my time. Darn time zones.

 

[RemoAZ]

John Scott! I remember John Scott. Great all-star performer. Also Phil fought him once back in the day -- and by fighting I mean Phil skated away from him (as he should have) and then got a 3 game suspension (in preseason) for whacking him multiple times with a stick while skating away / avoiding confrontation.

Ahh... hockey. Great game

That's probably my favorite fight of all time. Kessel whacking away with the stick is priceless.

 

[_Del_]

Yep, those lines make sense too. Not sure we'd score many (any?) goals, but we wouldn't be checked off the ice. Not sure if Keller would be able to do anything with Brassard / Pitlick but maybe Brassard is better offensively than I remember him being

They started the season together and were fine. Pitlick and Brassard did the hard work. Keller looked for open ice. Best Keller has looked in a long time, imo. Let's him play the perimeter playmaker like he wants, and those guys drew enough bodies deep on the forecheck that they made it easier for Keller to go inside occasionally.

Four lines like that, getting the puck deep and controlling the boards, running Larsson against top-six lines will generate matchup problems for most teams and won't get caved in most nights. They can't victimize our lines, and one of the Garland, Keller, or Kessel lines is going to get a fourth line or weak matchup.

The Blues are going to run four lines and wear us down, but most teams aren't the Blues. Tonight they just have to muck with the their top lines and hold on and depend on goaltending. There are no easy matchups against the Blues. You just want lines that won't get caved in, and cross your fingers.

 

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

If somebody told me we traded Christian Fischer 3 years ago, I'd believe them.

Because...