General Preds Talk Part IV

[triggrman]

It's my opinion that we're far stronger at center now with the addition of Cullen and Gaustad. I think Erat's and SK's loss while it will hurt will be negated by the growth of Wilson and the addition of Stalberg, I think Bourque's growth and the talent of Forsberg will also tilt the wingers in favor of this year's team.

Defensively is different. The Weber-Suter pairing was by far the best in the league. Weber-Josi isn't really on the same level, although Josi continues to improve to close the gap. On the same token, the Klein-Josi pairing was more effective than the Klein-Bartley pairing. Can Ekholm or Jones replace what Josi was on that pairing? I don't know, they have the talent too, Josi didn't have experience that year either so experience is a wash.
I do think though that Boullion-Hillen were 2 of the least effective defensemen we've had and whatever combo of Jones/Ekholm/Bartley/Ellis ends up on the bottom pairing will be far better than those 2.

I fail to see where the doom and gloom is though when I put the teams side to side.

 

[Seth Lake]

I fail to see where the doom and gloom is though when I put the teams side to side.

That's where I am. We have an identity once again. Last season was flat out embarassing.

 

[Top 6 Spaling]

I agree we are marginally better than last year, which is why I'm saying we finish somewhere between 20 and 25 instead of 27 like last year.

Before people say injuries, those will happen this year. Maybe as bad, maybe not, but they will happen for every team.

 

[Seth Lake]

I agree we are marginally better than last year, which is why I'm saying we finish somewhere between 20 and 25 instead of 27 like last year.

Before people say injuries, those will happen this year. Maybe as bad, maybe not, but they will happen for every team.

We have better depth to prepare us to handle the inevitable injuries this season. Injuries are a part of the game...

 

[triggrman]

I agree we are marginally better than last year, which is why I'm saying we finish somewhere between 20 and 25 instead of 27 like last year.

Before people say injuries, those will happen this year. Maybe as bad, maybe not, but they will happen for every team.

The comparison isn't to last years team that finished 27th or whatever, it's to the 2012 team that finished 5th in the league.

 

[NSH615]

I agree we are marginally better than last year, which is why I'm saying we finish somewhere between 20 and 25 instead of 27 like last year.

Before people say injuries, those will happen this year. Maybe as bad, maybe not, but they will happen for every team.

I think that the injuries was most of the problem last year. The other being that there was absolutely no training camp and no pre-season. I know that every team was also in this boat but I think that this team in general takes a bit longer to warm up than most. It looked like they had trouble getting going, but they were gaining momentum when the injury fiasco began. At one point the team was losing almost a player a game.

When you have 7 players make their NHL debut (Beck, Bartley, Bang, Watson, Forsberg, Henderson, & Rask) in the last 60% of the season , that and several other call-ups/waiver wire pick ups (Ekholm, Boychuk, Butler, Mueller) few teams do deal with that, and those that do usually finish where this team finished. Without the injuries, I do feel like the team would have made the playoffs, probably exited first round, but they would have made it.

 

[PredsV82]

I agree we are marginally better than last year, which is why I'm saying we finish somewhere between 20 and 25 instead of 27 like last year.

Before people say injuries, those will happen this year. Maybe as bad, maybe not, but they will happen for every team.

The comparison isn't to last years team that finished 27th or whatever, it's to the 2012 team that finished 5th in the league.

injuries on the scale they happened last year dont happen every season, and they have never happened on that scale in our teams history

and as trigg pointed out, this team, when healthy, actually will match up favorably with the team that beat detroit in the first round....

we are not and never were a bottom ten team with a healthy Rinne

 

[Dave is a killer]

injuries on the scale they happened last year dont happen every season, and they have never happened on that scale in our teams history

and as trigg pointed out, this team, when healthy, actually will match up favorably with the team that beat detroit in the first round....

we are not and never were a bottom ten team with a healthy Rinne

The question is, which Rinne comes back next season ? ... the injured one or the one that was top 5-3 the few years before last season.

 

[PredsV82]

The question is, which Rinne comes back next season ? ... the injured one or the one that was top 5-3 the few years before last season.

if the surgery didnt work we are screwed, thats a given..

if it did, well... Tim Thomas won his Cup after having this surgery...

 

[AintLifeGrand]

how does one smuggle a Catfish into the arena?


It would be sweet if right before the game, like when players step back onto the ice prior to the Anthem if Gnash tows a small trailer with a giant catfish onto the rink right next to where the players go onto the ice...

kind of like UGA at Georgia Games

I think Catfish can survive several hours w/o water so it would be feasible

 

[MrJoshua]

how does one smuggle a Catfish into the arena?


It would be sweet if right before the game, like when players step back onto the ice prior to the Anthem if Gnash tows a small trailer with a giant catfish onto the rink right next to where the players go onto the ice...

kind of like UGA at Georgia Games

I think Catfish can survive several hours w/o water so it would be feasible

If he was towing a trailer why wouldn't it just be a tank so the fish wouldn't HAVE to survive without water? I have to imagine that would get some animal cruelty groups fairly annoyed. They don't half-suffocate UGA at Georgia games lol.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

I think a baby pool would suffice

 

[triggrman]

So the Tootoo thread got me thinking. Let's say Trotz wants to create 4 balanced lines, what would they be? Each line needs some offense, some grit and some speed. Don't think of it as line 1 line 2, etc, just straight lines with the same amount of time, like rec league.

Bourque-Fisher-Nystrom
Hornvist-Cullen-Hendricks
Wilson-Legwand-Clune
Stalberg-Spaling-Forsberg
Beck-Gaustad-Smith

 

[BigFatCat999]

how does one smuggle a Catfish into the arena?

Smuggle THAT! In your pants! Walk in with a catfish, walk out with a porn contract.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

So the Tootoo thread got me thinking. Let's say Trotz wants to create 4 balanced lines, what would they be? Each line needs some offense, some grit and some speed. Don't think of it as line 1 line 2, etc, just straight lines with the same amount of time, like rec league.

Bourque-Fisher-Nystrom
Hornvist-Cullen-Hendricks
Wilson-Legwand-Clune
Stalberg-Spaling-Forsberg
Beck-Gaustad-Smith

1 word - gross ...

 

[triggrman]

1 word - gross ...

yeah, it's not sexy but no one would want to play against it in back to backs for sure.

 

[Top 6 Spaling]

yeah, it's not sexy but no one would want to play against it in back to backs for sure.

Sure they would, fairly easy four points.

It wouldn't fun for other teams, but they'd win more than they'd lose.

 

[triggrman]

Easy? Nothing is easy when you're getting pounded.

I'm sorry though, I've interrupted the naysayers this team sucks post.

I just don't see it. This is our most balanced team, IMHO, and is better on paper than the 2012 team, prior to the deadline.

 

[101st_fan]

Easy? Nothing is easy when you're getting pounded.

I'm sorry though, I've interrupted the naysayers this team sucks post.

I just don't see it. This is our most balanced team, IMHO, and is better on paper than the 2012 team, prior to the deadline.

There is a lot of talent and potential in the parts Poile assembled, but how the hell do they all fit together into a cohesive team is the huge question. I'm assuming Fisher, Legwand, Cullen (in some order of 1-3), and Gaustad down the middle with Spaling capable of filling in on the bottom two lines if needed. Somehow Trotz needs to fit some combination of Stalberg, Wilson, Bourque, Hornqvist, Forsberg, and potentially Smith into four winger slots on the top lines. Then there is how do Clune, Hendricks, Nystrom, Spaling, along with Smith and Forsberg (if not on the top two lines) fit onto the bottom lines. That is without Beck or Budish having a stellar camp and making a case for the big squad. Plenty of balance ... but too few slots for what we are working with.

 

[PredsV82]

There is a lot of talent and potential in the parts Poile assembled, but how the hell do they all fit together into a cohesive team is the huge question. I'm assuming Fisher, Legwand, Cullen (in some order of 1-3), and Gaustad down the middle with Spaling capable of filling in on the bottom two lines if needed. Somehow Trotz needs to fit some combination of Stalberg, Wilson, Bourque, Hornqvist, Forsberg, and potentially Smith into four winger slots on the top lines. Then there is how do Clune, Hendricks, Nystrom, Spaling, along with Smith and Forsberg (if not on the top two lines) fit onto the bottom lines. That is without Beck or Budish having a stellar camp and making a case for the big squad. Plenty of balance ... but too few slots for what we are working with.

a much better problem to have than having solts and no nhl capable bodies to fill them.

Trotz will be in line-shufflng heaven

 

[101st_fan]

a much better problem to have than having solts and no nhl capable bodies to fill them.

Trotz will be in line-shufflng heaven

Too few options for shuffling onto a top line ... too many for the 4th line.

 

[WartracePred]

Too few options for shuffling onto a top line ... too many for the 4th line.

Never stopped him before. Trotz loves the line-shuffle. Either produce consistently, or you're bumped down a line. Trotz will definitely be in line-shuffling heaven with this roster.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Just saw this on Facebook:

Purchase a ticket to the Nashville Predators Craft Beer Festival TODAY and receive a FREE ticket to the Oct. 10 Toronto Maple Leafs game. For more information call 615-770-2328 or click the link below.


If I was in town, I wouldn't think twice. Awesome deal.

 

[NSH615]

Does anyone have any clue on how long they will wait before they assign numbers to the other 4 new guys. Cullen has already been given 7.

 

[INDhockeyfan]

Does anyone have any clue on how long they will wait before they assign numbers to the other 4 new guys. Cullen has already been given 7.

Cullen has been #7 for a long time so not surprising he requested that number. The other guys must not have a number preference or the number they want is taken. I'm sure they'll have it by training camp but I would think Stalberg at least would have one sooner for marketing purposes.