Post-Game Talk: Game 9: Predators @ Winnipeg

[Nashvols]

4-1-1 after that poor 0-2 start. Keep it up boys. Great job getting 4 points in a road b2b.

I think there were so many changing pieces that it took a little time for the team to start to gel. That's not always something that can be worked out in the preseason.

In any case, the offense still has a lot of room for improvement. We get some good chances here or there, but offensive zone possession (and not just possession by the means of being able to keep the puck in the zone) needs work, and the power play looks very disorganized.

On the flip side, I like the way the D is coming together...even without Josi. When Josi returns, he should be back with Weber...but I think Jones is really benefiting from his temporary promotion...nothing like on the job training with one of the best in the league. The surprising thing to me is how well the 2nd and 3rd pairs look. I can't complain much about the play of Ellis, Ekholm, and Bartley. For as young as our D core is in general, they are playing very well.

 

[nags]

Typical Winnipeg they hate Americans why else boo Jones???

19 JIM SLATER 6' 0" 200 9 DEC 1982 30 LAPEER, MI, USA
27 ERIC TANGRADI 6' 4" 221 10 FEB 1989 24 PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA
26 BLAKE WHEELER 6' 5" 205 31 AUG 1986 27 ROBBINSDALE, MN, USA
44 ZACH BOGOSIAN 6' 3" 215 15 JUL 1990 23 MASSENA, NY, USA
33 DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN 6' 5" 265 27 MAR 1985 28 MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA
5 MARK STUART "A" 6' 2" 213 27 APR 1984 29 ROCHESTER, MN, USA
8 JACOB TROUBA ** 6' 2" 187 26 FEB 1994 19 ROCHESTER, MI, USA
35 AL MONTOYA 6' 2" 203 13 FEB 1985 28 CHICAGO, IL, USA

Name another team in the NHL with more USA players.....guessing you can't.
Silly post.

 

[ICdave]

Preds audio: Coach Trotz, Wilson, Hutton and Cullen.

To listen click here.

 

[PFL615]

This team playing competitively is finally starting to show. We beat some good teams on the road this weekend. Keep in mind without two of are best players Josi/Fisher.

 

[RCola88]

I love our depth at D and forward. Seriously though, if our defense can keep up the solid play we should be a playoff team. The fowards just need to score by committee.

PS Love the Bourque Cullen Smith line hope they can continue to score!

 

[Marty Party]

Thanks for the IC links.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

19 JIM SLATER 6' 0" 200 9 DEC 1982 30 LAPEER, MI, USA
27 ERIC TANGRADI 6' 4" 221 10 FEB 1989 24 PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA
26 BLAKE WHEELER 6' 5" 205 31 AUG 1986 27 ROBBINSDALE, MN, USA
44 ZACH BOGOSIAN 6' 3" 215 15 JUL 1990 23 MASSENA, NY, USA
33 DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN 6' 5" 265 27 MAR 1985 28 MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA
5 MARK STUART "A" 6' 2" 213 27 APR 1984 29 ROCHESTER, MN, USA
8 JACOB TROUBA ** 6' 2" 187 26 FEB 1994 19 ROCHESTER, MI, USA
35 AL MONTOYA 6' 2" 203 13 FEB 1985 28 CHICAGO, IL, USA

Name another team in the NHL with more USA players.....guessing you can't.
Silly post.

Don't really see the point in getting stirred up over a "silly post." I'd guess most fans of other teams wouldn't know why Winnipeg decides to randomly boo players.

 

[Cashville]

Haha did anyone else see this in the WPG GDT thread?

 

[jntarheels]

Great win and goal scoring on the second night of a back to back. Hutton played a spectacular night, and i have to give him credit because I was very negative and low on him during pre-season and training camp. He played big minutes when we need him too!! I would love for Stalberg to move up a line when Fisher gets back, and for Hendricks to take a ride on the pine for a bit. I am very happy with how Nystrom and Cullen have played overall and would love to see Stalberg get back to 100% and start scoring some goals!!

Also, Where the hell is Klein at?!? We need him to bring back his good play from whereever he left it in the off-season.

 

[101st_fan]

Great win and goal scoring on the second night of a back to back. Hutton played a spectacular night, and i have to give him credit because I was very negative and low on him during pre-season and training camp. He played big minutes when we need him too!! I would love for Stalberg to move up a line when Fisher gets back, and for Hendricks to take a ride on the pine for a bit. I am very happy with how Nystrom and Cullen have played overall and would love to see Stalberg get back to 100% and start scoring some goals!!

Also, Where the hell is Klein at?!? We need him to bring back his good play from whereever he left it in the off-season.

Yeah ... Klein didn't break up any plays or create any rushes from his end. The less he gets mentioned, the better the game usually is.

 

[Persona5]

Didnt klein almost get a breakaway and drew a hooking penalty. He has played well along with the rest of our d.

 

[PredsV82]

Haha what the hell Horny; he just roofed it

that was the same shot Smith made on the empty net... if Horns actually had some shooting skill he's be a 40 goal scorer

 

[hockey diva]

Happy to see a win when I landed last night.

Hendricks is this season's Yip, Fiddler, etc. the grinder who gets ice time for no good reason.

 

[NSH615]

Happy to see a win when I landed last night.

Hendricks is this season's Yip, Fiddler, etc. the grinder who gets ice time for no good reason.

I don't understand this, when he was signed everyone was saying you will love him. Usually when a player is bad and is signed by another team they are like "Thanks for taking him off our hands"

He really needs to get going. He did have 1 penalty in each game this weekend, the first one being a stupid delay of game.

 

[darth5]

The guy has not found his game since donning the gold. Maybe the pressure of the contract? No consistent linemates? I am not sure. I always enjoyed watching him play with the Caps-- even when the rest of the team seemed to struggle (which was/is often) he played with lots of 'detail' in his game, finished checks, hard on the wall and corner, etc. Not a flash offensive player but a grinding heart and soul player. You know, the kind we have too much of and pay too much for...

Guy better find himself, Spaling brought more to the table than he did last night. And that is saying a LOT.

 

[Drake744]

Just looking at Hendricks pisses me off. But in all seriousness, major props to Hutton and Nystrom. I thought signing them was a hilarious joke that proved Poile was likely high on meth on signing day, but they've been very impressive. Let's be honest....if Hutton plays a normal game for an NHL backup who has too much rust to shake off, we're likely losing this game. He didn't and he played great, not even considering it was his first career start.

Looking forward to Stalberg getting it going some more, but I really hope he's not relegated down on the 4th line when he is or else he won't produce at all.

 

[PredsV82]

Just looking at Hendricks pisses me off. But in all seriousness, major props to Hutton and Nystrom. I thought signing them was a hilarious joke that proved Poile was likely high on meth on signing day, but they've been very impressive. Let's be honest....if Hutton plays a normal game for an NHL backup who has too much rust to shake off, we're likely losing this game. He didn't and he played great, not even considering it was his first career start.

Looking forward to Stalberg getting it going some more, but I really hope he's not relegated down on the 4th line when he is or else he won't produce at all.

Stalberg hasnt been 'relegated" to the 4th line he's just a victim of circumstance... he was out the first few games and by the time he came back the lines above him were all playing well togethter so he had to take the only slot available...

Im sure he'll get shuffled upward as soon as one of the other lines starts struggling or someone gets hurt

 

[jntarheels]

Yeah ... Klein didn't break up any plays or create any rushes from his end. The less he gets mentioned, the better the game usually is.

Didnt klein almost get a breakaway and drew a hooking penalty. He has played well along with the rest of our d.

I was talking more on the score sheet, although I know that is not his forte or where he contributes most; I thought he had picked that up the last season or 2 and would be on the score sheet for a least something after 9 games.

I am a huge fan of Klein, so much so that I defend him a lot with a few of my other Pred's fans, I was just pointing out what I had noticed.
I am very happy with how the team (defense and goal-tending especially) are playing and hope we can continue to improve our scoring and special teams play.

 

[Drake744]

Stalberg hasnt been 'relegated" to the 4th line he's just a victim of circumstance... he was out the first few games and by the time he came back the lines above him were all playing well togethter so he had to take the only slot available...

Im sure he'll get shuffled upward as soon as one of the other lines starts struggling or someone gets hurt

I wasn't implying that right now he's playing below where he should be. I know it's a circumstantial thing, I was just saying I hope he's given some minutes on a more offensive line when he's healthy and able to produce on one.

 

[PredsV82]

I wasn't implying that right now he's playing below where he should be. I know it's a circumstantial thing, I was just saying I hope he's given some minutes on a more offensive line when he's healthy and able to produce on one.

yeah thats what I meant... 'relegated' would imply that he's been demoted to the 4th line because of his play and thats not accurate...

 

[NSH615]

yeah thats what I meant... 'relegated' would imply that he's been demoted to the 4th line because of his play and thats not accurate...

It's sad but like in Chicago, the way the lines are working right now, there really isn't a place to put him. Too bad he was injured the first few weeks because now he's lost what would have been his spot. I would really like to see him with Wilson, but that would mean Hornqvist would be demoted. I think if they could just get Hendricks off of the 4th line he'd be a heck of a lot better. Hendricks has been weighing that line down.

Also, I have a feeling that Josi has lost his spot next to Weber with the way Jones has played there in his absence.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

A W against the Jets is as good as it gets for me during the reg season. Damn proud of this team.

-Hutton stood on his head and while he still needs to prove himself with solid follow efforts, Mitch K is looking like a genius. I like Huttons style of play as well, he was fun to watch.

- I think Forsberg had some nice chances; Want to see him with Stalberg and Fisher moving fwd.

- As long as Cullen puts up pts and creates chances, I can deal with his brain fades. Also think he is decent on the Pt.

- Bourque had another rough game IMO.

- Loved the effort from Nystrom on his goal...Lulz at Buff standing there with his pants down after getting muscled away from the puck by Ny-Dawg

- Any team with Olli Jokinen is destined for mediocrity.

 

[triggrman]

I actually thought Bourque had one of his better games on the forecheck.

 

[kypredsfan]

- Loved the effort from Nystrom on his goal...Lulz at Buff standing there with his pants down after getting muscled away from the puck by Ny-Dawg

Yeah, Buff looked very lazy at times last night. He looked especially bad on the shorty for us.

 

[Persona5]

It's sad but like in Chicago, the way the lines are working right now, there really isn't a place to put him. Too bad he was injured the first few weeks because now he's lost what would have been his spot. I would really like to see him with Wilson, but that would mean Hornqvist would be demoted. I think if they could just get Hendricks off of the 4th line he'd be a heck of a lot better. Hendricks has been weighing that line down.

Also, I have a feeling that Josi has lost his spot next to Weber with the way Jones has played there in his absence.

As the line-up stands now I wouldn't mind seeing Stalberg put with Legwand. Maybe put Bourque with them and put Wilson with Cullen and Smith. Lets face it. Bourque generally drives his line and I do not see him doing that with Smith and Cullen. He is simply another peice. I think having him with Legwand and Stalberg would be amazing. The issue with this is it leaves Hornqvist out to dry. Once Fisher is back however I could see Hornqvist and Nystrom joining in with Fisher.

I will probably be flamed for this but after watching Forsberg over the first 9 games I am not 100% sure he is ready right now. If he stays on the active roster I would put him on the 4th line and use him on the power play where he has been solid. His 5v 5 play really hasn't been that strong imo. With all that said this is how I would line the up once healthy and as always there is no top line. The top 3 lines would get equal time aside from special teams.

1A Nystrom/Fisher/Hornqvist (this line would do well against top lines of other teams as all of the players can be depended upon to play a full 200ft)

1B Smith/Cullen/Wilson (This would be our top scoring line imo but still would be strong on both ends.)

1C Stalberg/Legwand/Bourque (This could be the top scoring line but more than likely would be our second best scoring line. Lots and lots of speed!)

4 Spaling/Gaustad/Clune or Forsberg or Hendricks (Play Clune when you need a fighter. Play Forsberg when you think you can draw some penalties. Use Hendricks when his game finds him again.)

That is how I see our lines being well balanced and after watching the first 9 games I think these lines would be amazing together.