Injury Report: Jan. 9 update: Erik Gustafsson (knee) activated from IR; now available to play

[King Forsberg]

Can't wait for Gus to he healthy. Mez makes some nice plays here and there but Gustafsson still looks better and Luke Schenn looks better when paired with Gus.

 

[FlyersFan61290]

Can't wait for Gus to he healthy. Mez makes some nice plays here and there but Gustafsson still looks better and Luke Schenn looks better when paired with Gus.

If the team keeps winning he won't get back in, that's just Chief's style. It's a shame cause he's definitely earned that spot over Mez.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Jan. 9: He is removed from IR and is activated.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

as much as I dislike Meszaros and being a fan of Gustafsson, i really cant see the need to make a switch now. the team has been rolling of late and Meszaros is coming off a strong game. I am sure Gus will be ready to go when asked.

 

[usurp]

Let Gus get his legs back in shape in practice to get in shape for when he needs to make the transition back up in the line up. Mez has been playing well as of late so no need to rush Gus if he's not 100% ready to play at a full games pace.

 

[dingbathero]

as much as I dislike Meszaros and being a fan of Gustafsson, i really cant see the need to make a switch now. the team has been rolling of late and Meszaros is coming off a strong game. I am sure Gus will be ready to go when asked.

agree... don't mess with a good thing.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

^ According to Tim P., Gustafsson is on a fourth pairing with Hal Gill at this morning's skate. (the extra pairing)

 

[Hiesenberg]

Berube doesn't mess with what works unless you are a significant upgrade. Gus isn't that right now. He'll sit until Mesz looks awful, which could be as early as tomorrow.

 

[Curufinwe]

I think it'll be Saturday at the earliest before Mez looks awful again.

 

[Hiesenberg]

I think it'll be Saturday at the earliest before Mez looks awful again.

I said tomorrow.

 

[kelmitchell]

i guess im the only one who fees Gus isn't that good although neither is mez lol can we fast forward a few years to where our defense is actually good

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

i guess im the only one who fees Gus isn't that good although neither is mez lol can we fast forward a few years to where our defense is actually good

no you arent the only one who feels that way even tho its wrong IMO.
People are so quick to judge and label young players. the guy has barely had enough time to show what he can and will be. less then 100 games played is not enough of a time frame.
We know what Meszaros is.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Gus has the tools, he skates well, passes and shoots well. I don't know if he needs a Schenn/Gross like partner or somebody like Streit/Coburn.

I'm not ready to cut bait, however the time is running out, Ghost/Hagg/Morin will be arriving in 2-3 years, gotta know what they have in this kid.

 

[kelmitchell]

Gus has the tools, he skates well, passes and shoots well. I don't know if he needs a Schenn/Gross like partner or somebody like Streit/Coburn.

I'm not ready to cut bait, however the time is running out, Ghost/Hagg/Morin will be arriving in 2-3 years, gotta know what they have in this kid.

i understand all that completely but i just don't see him as a nhl regular here in the next few years, on most teams he'd most likely still be in the ahl

 

[Appleyard]

i understand all that completely but i just don't see him as a nhl regular here in the next few years, on most teams he'd most likely still be in the ahl

I dunno about that, on an awful team he made the AHL look like his own personal playground at times, and put up AHL allstar kind of numbers from the moment he arrived. He then went to the WC last year and was one of Swedens best D men there... though ofc on a weakened team.

His AHL PPG was 0.66, and NCAA 0.76. Look up guys who produce 0.60+ PPG from D in the AHL... not many don't make the NHL.

From the 09-10 season only 2 of the 22 Dmen over 0.6 PPG (in 10 or more games) did not end up in the NHL. The figures from 10-11 were 2 out of 18. Guys who put up those numbers make the NHL unless their D is useless or they cannot skate... maybe they don't stick forever, but they make it.

The jump to the NHL you would expect a drop to 0.44 of production from AHL and 0.41 from NCAA.

That would put his 'expected' NHL production at ~0.3-0.32 PPG in the NHL, his production in both the AHL and NCAA were almost perfectly linear as well.

He has so far produced 22 NHL points in 87 NHL games... 0.25 PPG, in 2011-12 there were only 119 defencemen in the NHL over 0.25 PPG... so ~4 on every team. So his offence in the NHL so far has been NHL standard, his AHL offence from statistical models should translate ok to the NHL (which it seemingly has), his advanced stats would indicate he is NHL standard, and I think watching him he has not looked out of place at all.

Is he a top 4 D man... probably not, though he filled in pretty well last year, but he seems a solid bottom pairing Dman who can move the puck, play 2nd PP if needed, is solid on D and is going to be a sensible value. Does he stand out? No. But how often does he make glaring mistakes? Not often.

 

[BackWithaVengeance]

I believe Gustafsson could be the additional piece to upgrade our D in the offseason.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Happy that he can play again tomorrow .

 

[thelos]

Happy that he can play again tomorrow .

I think Berube will keep Mez in at least for a little longer. Let Gus get a few full practices in

 

[dats81]

While I think Gus has played well overall this season so far, for the first time this year Mesz actually somewhat deserves being in the lineup over him based on his recent hot streak... at least until he craps the bed again.

The team is winning, Luke Schenn looks like he is not a complete disaster waiting to happen on that 3rd pairing which gives Meszaros a chance to pinch and join the rush rather aggressively. That's his game.
That's why he was playing his best hockey when paired with Sean O'Donnell who covered up for him...

 

[CTU2fan]

While I think Gus has played well overall this season so far, for the first time this year Mesz actually somewhat deserves being in the lineup over him based on his recent hot streak... at least until he craps the bed again.

The team is winning, Luke Schenn looks like he is not a complete disaster waiting to happen on that 3rd pairing which gives Meszaros a chance to pinch and join the rush rather aggressively. That's his game.
That's why he was playing his best hockey when paired with Sean O'Donnell who covered up for him...

That's exactly right. I think Mez would do well with Nik Grossmann but Streit needs a good defensive partner too.