Is there anyone here who isn't panicking?

[triggrman]

Losing Suter hasn't been the issue.

 

[Soundgarden]

Losing Suter hasn't been the issue.

Yes, Josi's been real solid. Rinne has been shaky and rusty so far. We've rolled out a roster with one or more of Clune, McGratten and Yip playing in the same game. Hannen and Gill haven't been up to snuff either IMO.

I'll attribute most of our problems to post-lockout rustiness and not getting enough time to let our new comers get acquainted.

 

[StarvinArvyn33]

what i find extremely ironic, are Gills comments during the offseason about how easy is it for players to get complacent here. Well he is the only one Ive noticed being complacent. Lolly gagging around like a giant with dull skate blades. Take a couple laps Hal.

 

[ILikeItILoveIt]

Lets face it. We are insecure about this team. Until they string together wins and look like a team that's playoff bound, we're going to see them for what they appear to be: Except for Weber, mid-range talent with some previous pieces missing. We will argue about Suter but when we had him, we had the best d-man combo on the ice for 48% of every game. We were comfortable with what he provided (solid D, outlet passes, puck moving out of our end, and passes to Webs on the PP). Josi has done great so far but he doesn't do any of those four things better than Suter. Not yet. So we're worse off in that aspect. We were better with Rads and AK46 than we are without them. I know we were good in the reg season without them, but they gave us an offensive gear we don't have right now. They have ........ talent. They don't play great D and they're not great for the Trotz system, but they have talent. Without them, our Top 6 (except Erat) are high-end grinders. Teams feared our offensive ability more with them. We're not feared now.

We also lack excitement. Say what you want about Toots, but he was a difference maker by playing the "energy" guy in a manner that drew penalties, not taking them, and shot the pucks from all angles just to get things going. We were also more physically feared because Toots intimidated. Clune is an awful version of Toots. Takes penalties instead of drawing them, lacks good hockey skills, and is never in a position to shoot the puck. Our 4th line with Ern and Clune may be the worst line the Preds have ever fielded.

I am confident we'll play more game like we did against the Wild, and fewer games like last night. Losing a bar stool leg like Suter makes shakier and has us questioning whether we're good enough without him to do it again. Because we're unsure, bad games get amplified. They support an inner fear we all have. Our run of getting max effort and results out of a talent pool that's shallow, may be over. I hope not. Beat Ducks and we're on top of the world again. Lose to them and Katy bar the door.

 

[drwpreds]

Heaven forbid that fans (see: Fanaticals) get pizzzzzzed off after their team gets shutout EASILY and showed no signs of being able to mount any type of offensive pressure.

Why didn't anyone complain about the excitement on the boards after the Preds beat Minnesota?

I knew this was going to happen, but you are not getting the point of my post. I am ticked off about the game last night, too- I said so in my post- it was HORRIBLE. I can complain and get upset with the best of them- if we play like that against Anaheim on Saturday, I will be the first one in here complaining.

I’m just talking about those who act like the franchise is doomed, we have no hope, and we need to blow everything up simply because of one loss to the best defensive team in the league.

That’s all.

 

[drwpreds]

sorry got the goal totals messed up. I dont count legwand's goal in the sense it doesn't happen without backstrom's brain fart. ( if gonna be negative, got to go all out )

top notch means just if we need a piece we go get it. and right now, there's alot we need to win a cup. ive just been a fan of this team so long, it just gets frustrating to be so close but can't get there because of "payroll".. it sucks.

Listen man, I hear ya- I have pulled for a bunch of losing teams in my life (Thrashers) and it does suck. If we start stinking it up like this the rest of the year, I will be in here complaining right along with you. But the Preds have been one of the winningest teams in the NHL, so at least for now, they have earned the right to be given the benefit of the doubt- FOR NOW.

Also, and I know you know this, more payroll doesn't automatically get you jack- Toronto and Montreal have unlimited resources and are in the best hockey markets in the world- how is that been working out for them? It has been almost a decade since the Leafs even made the playoffs.

And finally, not to beat a dead horse about the goals scored, but why do you keep saying Legwand’s goal would not have happened? That was just a normal power play goal- no reason to exclude that goal

 

[BigFatCat999]

Here's my thoughts.

Do I want to win? YES! **** yes! but if I have to lose, let it be this year simply because of the quality of the draft. I wouldn't even cry if the Preds got a 5-10 pick.

 

[drwpreds]

Here's my thoughts.

Do I want to win? YES! **** yes! but if I have to lose, let it be this year simply because of the quality of the draft. I wouldn't even cry if the Preds got a 5-10 pick.

Now this I agree with 1,000000%. If we are going to have a down year- this is an ideal time- we don't have to suffer through Oct, Nov, Dec, and most of January, and may get to draft a stud prospect as well.

 

[deanwormer]

Well, I think I'd challenge your premise regarding panic; it assumes certain expectations - like we were gonna' win the division or something. Even if we kept Suter all we get to do is let our D-kids grow a little more in more sheltered rolls, but Poile still wasn't gonna' go out and sign that stud forward we're all craving. Maybe we challenge for 2nd. Without Suter, you have to be thinking we're 3rd in the division and, at best, 6th in the conf. So, we've played meh so far and laid an egg last night - that's different how from other years when you're playing 4 games in 6 nights? We should probably have 1 more point than we do - you simply can't not beat the BJs at home - beyond that, exactly what expectations should we have that we're panicking over?

Am I happy with last nights' effort? Nope. Am I happy we didn't beat the BJs? Nope. But, overall, Wilson is playing closer to where we all would like, Marty continues to be a true 1st-liner, Bork gives us some energy and he's back sooner than expected, Ellis has played better than I bet most of us expected, Josi looks fine - albeit he's not RS. Webs is still adjusting. Rinne hasn't been the Peks we know-and-love, and Smith has been a complete disappointment. Rest of the guys pretty much playing how we'd expect (and heck, Mase stopping 29/30) Just not sure I see why we'd be panicking quite yet?

 

[101st_fan]

I'm not in a panic ... I just have all my Preds gamers in the washing machine to wash away the evil spirits.

 

[RaiderDoug]

I think we need to tip our cap to the Blues. They've always had a stifling defense, and Tarasenko looks freakin' unbelievable. That guy is what Radulov shoulda/coulda/woulda been for us. We've played half our games against them, and maybe they really are just that good.

Lets see how we look vs some of the other teams on this road trip.

 

[Byrddog]

The next 5 games are crucial we may be in pre panic now, but if they do not wrangle a couple wins out west with 20% of the season done all that will be left to talk about is draft picks. While the team is pretty much the same offensivly as last year they made no improvments. Some may say that the team absent Suter is a notch below last year. The one certian thing is the team can not rely on holding teams to two goals ore less every night. The 75 shots in 4 games is really disturbing. With the salary cap dropping next year to 64 mil there just not going to be much room to sign the talent that most here would like to see. The team is at 45.3 going into the year with 9 contracts to negotiate. It boils down to having some players that are overpaid in comparision to there performance there will be some buyouts but to be competitive Poile is going to have to spend to the cap and make some tough decisions. the core of the team is going to look much different.

 

[roseyc]

It's not panic by any means. But they are some alarming things that are going on. We are known for our bad starts for the last two years that I can remember. Trotz has always righted the ship. But with this shorten season and the offseason trials and tribulations; we don't have the time for big time loosing streaks. We have always been a team that lacks offense but last night we weren't even a threat. If Rinne does not play great or very good we have troubles. We could have won the first two games but Rinne has looked horrible in shootouts this year. The game against Columbus and St.Louis at home were just what the doctor ordered. But Rinne couldn't stop anyone on the shootout and Trotz starts his mad scientist thinking about who he picks as the shooters. Lucky to get 2 points. The Wild game looked like the Preds. Tight checking and wait for the mistake and Backstrom gave us one and Preds Win. The one thing Suter gave us was that him and Weber could shut a line down and Trotz would double shift them if they had to shut down two lines. Now that Suter is gone the defense will take some time before being of that calibur. Josi will be a good defenseman. How good that is still to be determind. That really hasn't been the problem. The offense can't find itself. You have 4 players who are playing lost. Fisher and Sk and Legwand and Smith. Maybe one player we could overcome but not 4 players. Legwand has his usual look lost and score in streaks with empty nets to keep him somewhat viable. Sk looks as if he doesn't won't to be here. Smith maybe is not ready to play with the big boys. Fisher just look terrible last night giving the puck away and playing terrible defense. This road trip can put us in a hole that we won't recover from or makes us better. Everyone is trying to figure how the schedule will effect teams. The things that can be fixed is Fisher and Legwand they can play better. Sk is alway an enigma. Smith may need to be sent down. But the real problem is Rinne he hasn't looked great and he has to for us to be a viable contender. If he is average then look to next year. If can regain his form then will pull out this but we failed to get a proven scorer. Instead of subtracting from our defense we didn't upgrade on our offense at all. Our offense has to be better since Suter is gone and until Josi can get experienced. We'll see.

 

[Predatorbill]

I think that the Blues may be the best team in the west. It's clear that not having a preseason has hurt some teams more than others (it hurt the Preds). Pekka shouldn't be rusty, he's been playing all year. Not really concerned about him, but his overseas numbers were not that great.

 

[drwpreds]

I think we need to tip our cap to the Blues. They've always had a stifling defense, and Tarasenko looks freakin' unbelievable. That guy is what Radulov shoulda/coulda/woulda been for us. We've played half our games against them, and maybe they really are just that good.

Lets see how we look vs some of the other teams on this road trip.

I agree 100%- I do think they have the best defense in the NHL. If there is one team I don't want to face as a Preds fan, it's the Blues. And we have already played them twice- half of our season thus far. That's why I'm not ready to write our offense off just yet. One thing no one is mentioning much is St Louis did the same thing to Detroit (shutout, 14 SOG) that they did to us, and the last time I looked the Red Wings still have some highly skilled forwards.

Will be interesting to say the least to see what happens in Anaheim.

 

[Drake744]

I'm not panicking because I'm not surprised and didn't have very high hopes in the first place. My preseason prediction was that we would end up in 7th place and lose to the Blues in the first round. And quite honestly I may be giving us the benefit of the doubt because I'm so used to success. When people say "we're basically the same team as last year", I don't necessarily care about that. We are largely the same team, just without one of the league's best defensemen and no key additions at all. Other teams were getting better while we were busy staying the same.

I'm sure some of it is being rusty but I'm more worried about our continued lack of offensive firepower more than anything else. People like to harp on the fact that we had the best power play in the league last year, but elite teams use the power play as a compliment to the rest of their game plan. I feel like we rely too much on it.

Right now we look like a team with no identity. A team that can't put anything together, because quite frankly, other teams got better and we didn't. With that said I know we were awful at the beginning of last season too, but I'm just calling it like I see it.

 

[kypredsfan]

I won't read through all of this but yes, I am not panicing. It was a stinker yes, but we play again tonight. And I saw the move the team to canada posts, I couldn't help but shake my head. We have never been able to afford to ice a top notch team, why is it a big deal now? We are a small market, probably gonna be this way for awhile. I am with the Preds through good and bad. This season just started.

 

[Drake744]

I won't read through all of this but yes, I am not panicing. It was a stinker yes, but we play again tonight. And I saw the move the team to canada posts, I couldn't help but shake my head. We have never been able to afford to ice a top notch team, why is it a big deal now? We are a small market, probably gonna be this way for awhile. I am with the Preds through good and bad. This season just started.

It's been this way for years, but every fan base in every sport except one always has something to complain about at the end of the day. Some people get really irrational when it comes to our lack of financial power. It's as if we didn't recently extend two massive contracts.

 

[adsfan]

I think St. Louis is strong again. The Preds have lost a little compared to last season. Nashville can and should improve during the season. I expect them to lose in the first round of the playoffs. That puts them in the #8 to 16 range for the season.

I did enjoy opening up the newspaper and seeing Detroit in 5th (last) place. It could be worse Preds fans!

 

[kypredsfan]

It's been this way for years, but every fan base in every sport except one always has something to complain about at the end of the day. Some people get really irrational when it comes to our lack of financial power. It's as if we didn't recently extend two massive contracts.

I just don't get it. It's not like it's a new problem for us. We've always relied on revenue sharing and spending very cautiously. Now we have paid big for both Rinne and Weber but we aren't affording top notch players? Well not offensively no, but we can't spend to the cap. NEVER have been. It's not a new problem around here.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

I won't read through all of this but yes, I am not panicing. It was a stinker yes, but we play again tonight. And I saw the move the team to canada posts, I couldn't help but shake my head. We have never been able to afford to ice a top notch team, why is it a big deal now? We are a small market, probably gonna be this way for awhile. I am with the Preds through good and bad. This season just started.

that was me and me alone. if you're gonna cite me, might as well quote me...

 

[sparkle twin]

I don't think people were panicking. We were all just pissed that the team didn't even look competitive last night. And that with the exception of a few players, didn't even look like they cared or even knew what they were doing.



And by the way St.Louis was playing their 3rd game in 4 nights as well.

 

[Drake744]

I just don't get it. It's not like it's a new problem for us. We've always relied on revenue sharing and spending very cautiously. Now we have paid big for both Rinne and Weber but we aren't affording top notch players? Well not offensively no, but we can't spend to the cap. NEVER have been. It's not a new problem around here.

I think some people confuse lack of moves for lack of money. We were spending money last season. We were active at the deadline. There were rumors abound that we made a big offer to Columbus for Nash last year and they turned it down. We spent tons on Rinne, Weber, and offered tons to Suter. We're more willing to spend now than ever before IMO. I think some of our fans are frustrated that we've done well the last two seasons, or have progressed anyway, and use the "we have no money" excuse when we start struggling and (seemingly) taking a step back.

I can guarantee this wasn't a hot topic last season when we were scoring goals. Offensive struggles bring out frustration more than defensive ones. Offensive players are synonymous with making big money, and so when we have trouble scoring goals, a lot of peoples' default reaction is "Ohhhh we need to spend money and bring in a scorer. We have no money.". We're a defensive-minded organization and we draft, sign, and spend accordingly. That's where our money is being spent right now and that's fine.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

No panic here. Shoot, this is the first season I can remember not taking every win and loss to heart, primarily because the Rinne, Weber, and Suter situations have been resolved. At this point, I'm just enjoying seeing the team out there again. They'll find a way to get it together and end up in the post-season, as they usually do. Or...they won't, and we'll have a higher draft pick. Either way, our backbone will be here for years to come, so hard for me to get too upset..

 

[kypredsfan]

that was me and me alone. if you're gonna cite me, might as well quote me...

Ok then can you clarify your words? We've never spent a crap ton of money. Why get mad about it now?