Matt Kassian Player Appreciation/Goodbye Thread

[pepty]

Seems like a great guy, popular with the others but if the sens have a tough guy he should be able to play more than 2 or 3 minutes. .

Really got a kick out of his @HAMRofjustice twitter account thing with Jim OBrien.

Good luck to him with his next team

 

[John Holmes*]

The Gervais Towing Eagles must be happy.

 

[armani]

We should have a rally. A thank you rally.

Yeah, a thank you for finally leaving rally!

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Isn't exactly the point? lol

Sometimes a coach wants to roll 3 lines, sometimes 4... It's their job, NHL coaching and I'm not qualified enough to tell you more about this, it probably has to do with things like game plans vs certain teams and health status of the team.

I see your point, but my eyes told me there was a direct connection to the 4th line being benched when Matt was in the lineup. Pretty tough to put a guy on the ice as bad as he was. Seems like a good guy though, I'll give him that.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Ya, pretty much this. He looked like an entertaining guy off the ice, though. If there is really a disconnect in our locker room, it ain't his fault.

Had a look at his stats for fun. 33 GP, 2 pts, -1, 4:26 ATOI. Granted he wasn't often on the ice long enough to actually get scored on, but it could be worse

Not surprising. I could have lived with his poor play on the ice if he were at least a good heavyweight. I don't buy into the intimidation argument either when it's an exclusively staged fighter, we'll be fine without him.

 

[Iconoclast]

That's because he is a useless hockey player that stage fought once in a while to try to justify his being on the team.

Im sure he's a fine fellah, but enforcers need to be able to play these days. Gotta be a hybrid like Neil.

Neil can no longer play hockey either.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Neil can no longer play hockey either.

Anyone should be able to see that Neil brings a lot more to the table than Kassian. He gets involved in the play, he's hard on the boards, drives the net, smokes people every chance he gets. While not fast, he blows Kassian out of the water with speed.

How many hits did Kassian throw? How many times did he drive into the slot and screen a goalie, or win puck battles along the boards?

Not many.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Neil can actually fight too. He's not just a bearhugger...

 

[DrEasy]

The best thing he can do for the Sens is go occupy another team's roster spot. Hopefully the Leafs'.

 

[HockeySens]

I do not know of this Kassian you speak of. What position did he play?

Left bench

 

[SilverSeven]

I wish we kept McGrattan

His...issues....would have caused problems for other players on the team...mostly Spezza. Same reason we got rid of Emery.

 

[krapsik]

Neil can no longer play hockey either.

Thats just stupid. Neil is role player. And he play that role well.
8 goals in 73 games is good number for 3-4 line enforcer. By the way, 7 goals is full season projected number for beloved winger Hoffman in a moment

 

[SilverSeven]

Thats just stupid. Neil is role player. And he play that role well.
8 goals in 73 games is good number for 3-4 line enforcer. By the way, 7 goals is full season projected number for beloved winger Hoffman in a moment

The hate for Neil stems from his overuse this year. Im a big fan, but he isn't the player he was 5 years ago, and he should be used in a 4th line role now. I pushed for him to have PP time in the past, and was one of the few who did, but he shouldn't be getting it today.

With a reduced role he will be appreciated again IMO.

 

[saskriders]

He played his role fine. Just isn't needed here

 

[Iconoclast]

The hate for Neil stems from his overuse this year. Im a big fan, but he isn't the player he was 5 years ago, and he should be used in a 4th line role now. I pushed for him to have PP time in the past, and was one of the few who did, but he shouldn't be getting it today.

With a reduced role he will be appreciated again IMO.

This. Neil is a fourth line player, therefore should have fourth line minutes, not 15 per game. And be scratched on occasions when he's not needed. Of course, with the A on his jersey I can't see that happening.

He's just not good enough anymore to be getting that much ice time, same situation as with Phillips, whose ice time should be limited to winter skates with his family (ie. away from the Sens.)