Confirmed with Link: #MikaFreed

[L'Aveuglette]

The message was sent just by sending him down. It's a terrible feeling to get cut if you've ever played hockey, especially if you were already on the team the year before. Not only that, but he had to play three days in a row already, take long bus rides, eat worse food than he's used to, etc.

Be it 6 games or 60, it's the whole principle of sending him down that was the point of all this, not the number of games he would be down.

So you think the point wasn't also to have him playing top-6 minutes each night instead of lingering on the 3rd-4th line in Ottawa? How is he going to achieve his potential?

The message may have been sent, but that doesn't change those facts. He'll get almost no PP time here and won't play with any of our top players. I think some people here just want our top prospect in Ottawa no matter the circumstances.

 

[SebFromHawk]

Thank you melnyk!

 

[StefanW]

I agree with your general point, but sweet jesus would I like to see what Zibby can do alongside Stamkos and St Louis.

I get your general point, but you can't fairly compare what Zibby might do against what Conacher did do. Maybe Zibby would have been in the minors there as well instead of earning his way onto the top line. When thinking about potential I always keep in mind that Conacher made it onto the top line with two different teams in consecutive seasons.

I would just say that Zibby has the higher ceiling of potential, but Conacher has been better at taking advantage of the chances given to him in both Tampa and Ottawa.

 

[Sensinitis]

So you think the point wasn't also to have him playing top-6 minutes each night instead of lingering on the 3rd-4th line in Ottawa? How is he going to achieve his potential?

The message may have been sent, but that doesn't change those facts. He'll get almost no PP time here and won't play with any of our top players. I think some people here just want our top prospect in Ottawa no matter the circumstances.

He won't achieve his potential dominating against AHL players, he'll achieve it playing well against NHL players.

And playing big minutes might have been part of the equation, but it definitely wasn't what the decision was based on. If it were, Murray wouldn't have called him up 6 games in. He knows full well what he's doing.

I agree with both approaches, but that's not the point. He was sent down for a reason. They called him up now, and it's up to him to work himself up the lineup and earn that PP time and more minutes.

 

[Sensinitis]

I get your general point, but you can't fairly compare what Zibby might do against what Conacher did do. Maybe Zibby would have been in the minors there as well instead of earning his way onto the top line. When thinking about potential I always keep in mind that Conacher made it onto the top line with two different teams in consecutive seasons.

I would just say that Zibby has the higher ceiling of potential, but Conacher has been better at taking advantage of the chances given to him in both Tampa and Ottawa.

I wasn't refuting anything, it was just a neutral comment. I'd love to see what that line could do.

 

[KarlssonnSchultz]

NHL Totals:
Conacher: 55 GP--- 13 goals, 18 assists, 31 points.

Z-Bad: 51 GP----- 7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points.

You have the right to your own opinion, but the numbers do not support your argument at all. Zibby probably has a higher ceiling in terms of potential, but when discussing where a player is at right now potential does not matter much.

Yeah, I just like what Zibby brings to the table more.. Also here are their stats this year and last year as Sens.

Conacher: 20GP-4G-3A-7P
Zibanejad: 42GP-7G-13A-20P

I think their offensive skill are definitely similar, but Conacher has gotten to play with Stamkos and St Louis in tampa and now Spezza Michalek in Ottawa, whereas Zibanejad has gotten constant third line time. Zibanejad also had one extra point in the playoffs not that that really matters at all .

 

[Micklebot]

NHL Totals:
Conacher: 55 GP--- 13 goals, 18 assists, 31 points.

Z-Bad: 51 GP----- 7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points.

You have the right to your own opinion, but the numbers do not support your argument at all. Zibby probably has a higher ceiling in terms of potential, but when discussing where a player is at right now potential does not matter much.

Well, I'd certainly say Zibanejad's game is more well rounded. As for posting straight up numbers, it's a little disingenuous don't you think? Conacher's most common linemate over his career has been Stamkos, while Zibanejad's has been Silfverberg. The only players on Ottawa that are close to the same league as Stamkos are Spezza and Karlsson, which Zibanejad has totaled 105 mins with combined. Conacher has 170 with Stamkos alone, not to mention 77 with St.Louis, and 44 with Karlsson and 35 with Spezza. And that's only Even strength time.

Conacher has had the benefit of more offensive linemates hands down; I'm still a big fan of his game, but I think your claim that the numbers don't support his position is a bit dubious.

 

[SebFromHawk]

 

[Tampacuseforever]

Obviously Zibanajad has much more upside than Conacher, Zibanejad is the complete package, but when Conacher got his 12 point in 7 games to start last year it was with Lacavalier and Purcell. This Stamkos and St. Louis crap gets nauseating after a while !! As much as how fortunate he was with points at the beginning of last year, he has been very unlucky with points so far this year. He's still a rookie with only 55 games in the league.

 

[StefanW]

Well, I'd certainly say Zibanejad's game is more well rounded. As for posting straight up numbers, it's a little disingenuous don't you think? Conacher's most common linemate over his career has been Stamkos, while Zibanejad's has been Silfverberg. The only players on Ottawa that are close to the same league as Stamkos are Spezza and Karlsson, which Zibanejad has totaled 105 mins with combined. Conacher has 170 with Stamkos alone, not to mention 77 with St.Louis, and 44 with Karlsson and 35 with Spezza. And that's only Even strength time.

Conacher has had the benefit of more offensive linemates hands down; I'm still a big fan of his game, but I think your claim that the numbers don't support his position is a bit dubious.

I absolutely, positively do not think it is disingenuous. As I said further up in the thread, it is grossly unfair to assume Zibby would have done as well as Conacher if their roles were reversed. First off, maybe Zibby would not have made the big club at all. Second, he may not have showed the skill to get onto the top line. Third, who is to say he would have potted the same amount of goals or more if he was actually playing with Stamkos and St Louis? Every season there are loads of prospects who do not show the touch you expect them to show, mostly because they are adapting to the big leagues. Add to that the fact that Zibby was playing sheltered minutes, while Conacher would have been facing top D pairing when on a line with Stamkos.

Assuming you can slot another rookie into Conacher's spot on Tampa's top line last year with the same or better results is unfair at best, and possibly even unrealistic at worst.

 

[Qward]

Is it a coincidence that Zibby gets recalled the same time Melnyk settles his financial dispute with Heatley?

 

[Quo]

Is it a coincidence that Zibby gets recalled the same time Melnyk settles his financial dispute with Heatley?

Safe bet it is 100% coincidence. Yes.

 

[melnyk budget*]

Is it a coincidence that Zibby gets recalled the same time Melnyk settles his financial dispute with Heatley?

too many coincidences...

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Don't forget, Zibby was considered one of the most raw players in the draft back in 2011. He's not going to magically be the best player around a mere two years later.

It would've been nice to see him get a few more games in Bingo, but whatever. Let's just see what he does now that he's here (for however long it is).

Can't expect miracles walking in against Detroit.

 

[Micklebot]

Obviously Zibanajad has much more upside than Conacher, Zibanejad is the complete package, but when Conacher got his 12 point in 7 games to start last year it was with Lacavalier and Purcell. This Stamkos and St. Louis crap gets nauseating after a while !! As much as how fortunate he was with points at the beginning of last year, he has been very unlucky with points so far this year. He's still a rookie with only 55 games in the league.

Well sort of; Of his first 4 pts, 3 were with one or both of Stamkos or St.Louis on the ice. He also played a fair bit with Pouliot and Malone instead of Purcell on the Lecavalier line. The point remains that his production was not solely because of Stamkos and St.Louis, but a quarter of the limited sample you're asking us to use was.

I absolutely, positively do not think it is disingenuous. As I said further up in the thread, it is grossly unfair to assume Zibby would have done as well as Conacher if their roles were reversed. First off, maybe Zibby would not have made the big club at all. Second, he may not have showed the skill to get onto the top line. Third, who is to say he would have potted the same amount of goals or more if he was actually playing with Stamkos and St Louis? Every season there are loads of prospects who do not show the touch you expect them to show, mostly because they are adapting to the big leagues. Add to that the fact that Zibby was playing sheltered minutes, while Conacher would have been facing top D pairing when on a line with Stamkos.

Assuming you can slot another rookie into Conacher's spot on Tampa's top line last year with the same or better results is unfair at best, and possibly even unrealistic at worst.

He had 6 pts in his last 16 games with Tbay (no longer on the Stamkos line at that point), and produced a modest 5 pts in 12 games with Ottawa. So which Conacher is the "real" one? To me he seems like a streaky player, so it's probably neither.

Of course it's unrealistic to think that Zibanejad would do the same, but it's probably unrealistic to think that today's Conacher would do it either. He caught lightning in a bottle and put up 40% his pts that season in 7 games.

 

[BurgoShark]

Now he's back ... where does he play?

From a few highlights it seems he was manning the point on the PP in Bingo. Might be an option there for the second unit over Cowen/Phillips.

Now that Ryan is on the Turris line, is there a chance are we going to see Z play on Spezza's wing? That would allow JGP to play with his playoff linemates and also give us a nice 4th line of Smith/Grant/Neil.

 

[jasonjim]

Now he's back ... where does he play?

From a few highlights it seems he was manning the point on the PP in Bingo. Might be an option there for the second unit over Cowen/Phillips.

Now that Ryan is on the Turris line, is there a chance are we going to see Z play on Spezza's wing? That would allow JGP to play with his playoff linemates and also give us a nice 4th line of Smith/Grant/Neil.

I would like to see Ziban play on Spezza's wing, and move Conacher onto another line. This would give Ziban the playing minutes he needs to develop his potential.

 

[Sensinitis]

Zibanejad on the point or on the left side 2nd PP please.

 

[StefanW]

Of course it's unrealistic to think that Zibanejad would do the same, but it's probably unrealistic to think that today's Conacher would do it either. He caught lightning in a bottle and put up 40% his pts that season in 7 games.

100% agreed. His point totals were above his skill level during that period. The thing that makes me think Conacher is not just a flash in the pan is that he managed to work his way into the lineup of two different teams as an undersized rookie forward, and that he had stints on the top line in both. Points aside, this is pretty impressive for a very small forward.

 

[sensfandan]

Zibanejad on the point or on the left side 2nd PP please.

You can't have a forward on the point of the second unit, as you're seriously risking him having to play defence 5 on 5 after the penalty expires. Given how much our power play is struggling however, I'm almost certain he'll get a chance at some point on one of the two units.

 

[Tampacuseforever]

100% agreed. His point totals were above his skill level during that period. The thing that makes me think Conacher is not just a flash in the pan is that he managed to work his way into the lineup of two different teams as an undersized rookie forward, and that he had stints on the top line in both. Points aside, this is pretty impressive for a very small forward.

Did people really think an undersized undrafted rookie was going to keep pace with 12 points in 7 games ? Conacher is a rookie with good upside when he is not putting up points he is hustling and stiring up ... he never takes a shift off. He's a great little depth forward that shows great heart, people expect way too much. We traded Ben Bishop for him (you know the guy who got pulled by TB last game) not Lehner ? I just hope people don't think Zibanejad is suddenly our savior now that he is back. Zibby is a 20 year old ROOKIE who still has a lot to learn, would hate to see people on this board turn on him now because of unrealistic expectations too soon in his development. You don't just throw him on the first line because he has potential and you don't put him on the point on the power play. Why put him on the wing when he is a center, has he ever played the point on a power play ? When we switched Conacher and Ryan both lines started to produce, our problem has been the bottom six and own defensive play now we want to screw with the top six because Zibby is back ? To finish my ramble Conacher has been given nothing he has fought off many top prospects to play in the top six for Tampa and now Ottawa. I would never bet against him and when he has 2 or 3 years under his belt I am curious to see how good he could become. What he has battled through to get to this point is amazing and I for one would go to war with this kid. I think he will end up being Zibanejad's winger for many years.

 

[Carrie Underwood]

Cory Conacher is yet to reach his peak. He is still only 55 games into his NHL career...

 

[BUCKLE UP]