Post-Game Talk: Jackets @ Sens October 18 | Bob Cole: The Lucky Buddha

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Too early to judge any of our regulars yet. Wait til after the 10-15 game marks and see if some guys like Zibby and Michalek pick up.

Most of the guys on the team have really worked hard and hustled, which is great to see. But, we've also been kinda lucky to escape a couple of those games with wins. Really hard to tell which way this team will go.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

And after watching johansen play last night (given he was matched up against boro and gryba for some reason) I think it's very odd to use him as a comparable to zibanejad. Johansen is a beast. An absolute power forward with great hands and vision. Really impressed

 

[simplefan]

I absolutely love the speed, offensive pressure Ottawa puts on teams and the good defensive game, despite the shots.

Our team looks like a Scoring Forward and a Stud D away from doing a lot of damage in the playoffs.

 

[bornNraised Sens]

I absolutely love the speed, offensive pressure Ottawa puts on teams and the good defensive game, despite the shots.

Our team looks like a Scoring Forward and a Stud D away from doing a lot of damage in the playoffs.

could argue if Ryan starts scoring and Methot comes back and plays well, that they are your scorer and defender there

 

[Benjamin]

And after watching johansen play last night (given he was matched up against boro and gryba for some reason) I think it's very odd to use him as a comparable to zibanejad. Johansen is a beast. An absolute power forward with great hands and vision. Really impressed

and Johansen looked like Zibby 2 years ago.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

and Johansen looked like Zibby 2 years ago.

Okay. Fair enough. We will see.

 

[BigBush*]

And after watching johansen play last night (given he was matched up against boro and gryba for some reason) I think it's very odd to use him as a comparable to zibanejad. Johansen is a beast. An absolute power forward with great hands and vision. Really impressed

For sure . Lars Eller is more realistic in my opinion. A good defensive 3rd line centre who would be a beast if he had more explosive offence

 

[Burrowsaurus]

For sure . Lars Eller is more realistic in my opinion. A good defensive 3rd line centre who would be a beast if he had more explosive offence

Yeah I don't mind the "more offensively gifted Lars Eller" comparison. I wouldn't be upset wih that outcome either.

 

[Minister of Offence]

For sure . Lars Eller is more realistic in my opinion. A good defensive 3rd line centre who would be a beast if he had more explosive offence

It's too early to go either way. 21 year olds can take developmental turns on a dime. The game does appear to be going too fast for mika to play offensively but it's early.

 

[BigBush*]

It's too early to go either way. 21 year olds can take developmental turns on a dime. The game does appear to be going too fast for mika to play offensively but it's early.

Oh ya for sure. Keep playing him as the 2C and his game will pick up.
But I do see 70 point 2 way centre man as his ceiling thrown around on this site too much. I'm hoping though!

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

All depends how much Zibby wants it. How hungry he is. He has some impressive physical tools, decent hands, some good wheels (at least before bulking up this summer), a wicked shot, and some decent vision. His hockey IQ is still a bit of a question exactly what level it's at.

 

[Lundmark17]

Loving this team right now. I also like how most fans are viewing this team. We aren't out of touch with this team's holes. Someone said it best earlier in the thread that it's great to be banking these points while the team irons out the kinks.

- Those last 5-10 minutes were stressful. Felt like a playoff game. Ryan and Legwand were both way too fancy in the defensive zone. I expect it from Ryan, not from Legwand.
- As mentioned before, Lehner does have some rebound controls. Hopefully he doesn't get distracted by the results in order to make the improvements he needs to.
- Hoffman was impressive. I think his speed makes him at least a valuable 3rd liner.
- Let's give Zibby some more time, this feels like the first true shot at being an offensive centre (not counting the lockout season because that was due to injury)

 

[Cosmix]

Yeah, and the next one will be another four days later.

I don't like this kind of scheduling one little bit.

I get drug-like withdrawal symptoms and become difficult to live with!

 

[Cosmix]

And after watching johansen play last night (given he was matched up against boro and gryba for some reason) I think it's very odd to use him as a comparable to zibanejad. Johansen is a beast. An absolute power forward with great hands and vision. Really impressed

Yes, Johansen impressed me too. Really aggressive player. I hope Zibanejad was watching him play and learned from him.

 

[Minister of Offence]

Oh ya for sure. Keep playing him as the 2C and his game will pick up.
But I do see 70 point 2 way centre man as his ceiling thrown around on this site too much. I'm hoping though!

I think if he was gonna be a 70 point guy (or to me a 60-80 range guy) we'd see obvious consistent glimpses of it.

So far in 2 years I've seen stone appear to be the guy with the point scoring potential between those two.

You've gotta be special to score in the league without high end hockey sense.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I think it's far more likely that Zibanejad ends up a decent 50 point guy

He'll be a slightly more impressive Mike Fisher

 

[BigBush*]

I think if he was gonna be a 70 point guy (or to me a 60-80 range guy) we'd see obvious consistent glimpses of it.

So far in 2 years I've seen stone appear to be the guy with the point scoring potential between those two.

You've gotta be special to score in the league without high end hockey sense.

I disagree. I love Stone but I don't think he'd be producing the way he is now if he wasn't playing on a great line with Mac and Turris.
Still gonna be a good player though but I like Zib's ceiling more

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I think it's far more likely that Zibanejad ends up a decent 50 point guy

He'll be a slightly more impressive Mike Fisher

Which is really fine. By my own standards id be pretty happy about that. Maybe some on this board would be dissapointed though. Mike fisher was never really able to establish himself as a 2C because he was missing something's that I think zibanejad has. Even if the point totals are similar I think zibanejad can be a 2C while fisher could never really be that guy consistently

 

[Minister of Offence]

I disagree. I love Stone but I don't think he'd be producing the way he is now if he wasn't playing on a great line with Mac and Turris.
Still gonna be a good player though but I like Zib's ceiling more

Stones hockey sense is obvious wherever he plays. Every top line players game is pushed forward by playing with other top forwards.

He's not riding coat tails. That happens sometimes

 

[BigBush*]

Stones hockey sense is obvious wherever he plays. Every top line players game is pushed forward by playing with other top forwards.

He's not riding coat tails. That happens sometimes

Yup incredible hockey sense. I still see a guy who needs to improve his skating to become a top line player. He needs to play on a fast line to be successful.

Not trying to sell him short. He's awesome, certainly can be a solid first liner in the league. He's young and jut getting a taste of the NHL so I expect his skating to improve

 

[Minister of Offence]

Yup incredible hockey sense. I still see a guy who needs to improve his skating to become a top line player. He needs to play on a fast line to be successful.

Not trying to sell him short. He's awesome, certainly can be a solid first liner in the league. He's young and jut getting a taste of the NHL so I expect his skating to improve

He's right in the middle of a very fast line right now.

 

[SlapJack]

He was on a 39 pt pace last year over 82 games. If he can't improve to the tune of 6 pts with an extra year of experience and hopefully a team that is no worse, than yes that is failure. Winning faceoffs is not why he is here. He isn't even really a playmaker, he is a goal scorer. His linemates need to get him the puck and he needs to finish. I would think that most of us will be disappointed if he doesn't notch 20. A 20 goal 25 assist season is the standard I hold him up to.

He very well could and should get 20 goals this year, but putting out ultimatums after 5 games is ridiculous.

 

[DylanSensFan]

I think it's time for Zbad to sit for a game or two and bring up Pageau to play with Chiasson. That line with Ryan was just a big bust tonight. Ryan and Chia need a speedy guy to produce and Mika isn't doing it at all right now. He's hurting the team.

No body on that line played well tonight... to focus on Zibanejad is ridiculous. When Zib is earning as much as Ryan then we can question him. Ryan looked tired all night... he needs to pick it up. Maybe he was ill?

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Enough on the Zibanejad crap. The criticism is way off base. That whole line was a bit off last night. I'm loving Zibanejads game!!

There is no way in hell he gets scratched. Also scratching him my have a negative impact.

So it's ok to crap on Cowen for getting scratched despite him playing relatively OK for the most part but Zibanejad should get some slack because?

 

[NyQuil]

So it's ok to crap on Cowen for getting scratched despite him playing relatively OK for the most part but Zibanejad should get some slack because?

I think Cowen deserves another start.

I don't think Zibanejad should be scratched.