Pre-Game Talk: Montreal vs Pittsburgh

[MrBurghundy]

I guess this is what everyone refers to when they say Geno and Horns don't have chemistry -- and why having both Plotnikov and Hornqvist on the same line is not the best combo? That Geno needs someone with the wherewithal to pull up in the soft spot there, in the slot?

But advanced stats and stuff...

- Ryan Wilson

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I guess this is what everyone refers to when they say Geno and Horns don't have chemistry -- and why having both Plotnikov and Hornqvist on the same line is not the best combo? That Geno needs someone with the wherewithal to pull up in the soft spot there, in the slot?

Yup. Exactly.

And that happens half a dozen times a game or more.

Not that Malkin doesn't need to be more aware, there. And maybe... I dunno... try a little harder to adjust to his linemates. Regardless... those two will never look quite right on a line. I've said it over and over again but it's essentially the same thing as asking Dupuis and Malkin to look good together. They won't.

 

[Saints11]

So the two old farts who should be fighting to keep their jobs are skipping optionals....

Can correctly assume Kunitz and Scuderi are missing optionals because they are answering fan mail?

 

[cygnus47]

But advanced stats and stuff...

- Ryan Wilson

I tend to agree with Ryan most of the time, but he's very wrong about that combo. Their defensive stats together are far worse than either of them normally are and I'm not sure why he never took those into account.

 

[MrBurghundy]

I tend to agree with Ryan most of the time, but he's very wrong about that combo. Their defensive stats together are far worse than either of them normally are and I'm not sure why he never took those into account.

The problem with Ryan is that he's like a horse with blinders on. If the stats say something should be true, then it is true, eye test and real world be damned.

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

The team will start arriving on the red carpet soon.

 

[Winger for Hire]

The team will start arriving on the red carpet soon.

Wait, what? An actual red carpet arrival?

 

[Pancakes]

The team will start arriving on the red carpet soon.

How long until they arrive on the ice? I didn't see them in Dallas or Arizona.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Malkin needs his linemates to be one of two things, or ideally, one of each.

1. So simple that he always knows where they are going and what they will do, so he can adjust his play accordingly. Plotnikov and Hornqvist can be that. Simple, north south, go to the net, do your job. 0 creativity. Machine line.

2. Smart enough and skilled enough to see what Geno is doing and react to it to get in position to support him and receive the puck. Neal could do this. I think Perron can do this.

Too many guys trying to get creative are hard to get on the same page. Geno as the only guy trying to be creative kind of limits his options because the other two will always be doing the same thing. 2 and 1 works pretty well.

 

[steveg]

Malkin needs his linemates to be one of two things, or ideally, one of each.

1. So simple that he always knows where they are going and what they will do, so he can adjust his play accordingly. Plotnikov and Hornqvist can be that. Simple, north south, go to the net, do your job. 0 creativity. Machine line.

2. Smart enough and skilled enough to see what Geno is doing and react to it to get in position to support him and receive the puck. Neal could do this. I think Perron can do this.

3 guys trying to get creative are hard to get on the same page. 1 guy trying to be creative kind of limits his options because the other two will always be doing the same thing. 2 and 1 works pretty well.

I THINK what I understand you saying is that you feel Geno needs ONE winger (not two, as in that .gif) to go to the net, create havoc, forecheck, win puck battles, do the dirty work, and then -- one winger being a smart, skilled guy who can shoot the puck, who knows how to read Geno and get in position to receive Geno's passes. If this is what you are saying (I think it is), then I agree totally.

My take on that .gif was that Plots did a good job heading to the net, and taking a defender with him. Horny, however, did the same thing! As the F3 there, he should have read (IMO) that Geno was pulling up along the boards, and found the soft spot in the D there, between the circles (that "soft spot" partially created by Plots driving the net), and then pulled up and opened himself up for a one-timer.

Horny, of course, instead played his normal role -- and drove straight to the net. Now, that is not to fault Horny of course. He's great at that job, and he will be the first to tell you that's how he plays, and he doesn't play any other way. Problem is, as many have said, when it's Horny and Plots, it's too much of the same thing on one line, and no one playing the role of "find the soft spot in the defense and get in shooting position..."

I think Perron will do a better job of that -- and overall make the line more of the proper "blend" of players, and this is what many here have been saying over and over again.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I THINK what I understand you saying is that you feel Geno needs ONE winger (not two, as in that .gif) to go to the net, create havoc, forecheck, win puck battles, do the dirty work, and then -- one winger being a smart, skilled guy who can shoot the puck, who knows how to read Geno and get in position to receive Geno's passes. If this is what you are saying (I think it is), then I agree totally.

My take on that .gif was that Plots did a good job heading to the net, and taking a defender with him. Horny, however, did the same thing! As the F3 there, he should have read (IMO) that Geno was pulling up along the boards, and found the soft spot in the D there, between the circles (that "soft spot" partially created by Plots driving the net), and then pulled up and opened himself up for a one-timer.

Horny, of course, instead played his normal role -- and drove straight to the net. Now, that is not to fault Horny of course. He's great at that job, and he will be the first to tell you that's how he plays, and he doesn't play any other way. Problem is, as many have said, when it's Horny and Plots, it's too much of the same thing on one line, and no one playing the role of "find the soft spot in the defense and get in shooting position..."

I think Perron will do a better job of that -- and overall make the line more of the proper "blend" of players, and this is what many here have been saying over and over again.

Let me edit that to make a bit more sense.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

How long until they arrive on the ice? I didn't see them in Dallas or Arizona.

Stunt doubles! That would explain the two crappy games.

 

[MrBurghundy]

The team will start arriving on the red carpet soon.

I'd just heckle them as they walked down it. At least the ones deserving of such.

 

[MtlPenFan]

But advanced stats and stuff...

- Ryan Wilson

Jesse did the same **** too, and I actually like Jesse while Ryan seems like a sensitive little wiener boy.

He was talking about Geno being with two guys who can maintain possession along the boards, etc., and I kinda rolled my eyes at that. Fine, hold on to the puck for ages on end, but it's important to be able to do more with it than just hold on to it.

This is why I still roll my eyes at stat boys who think it's the be all, end all. Use your eyes, and let that be that.

For all the love I have for Hornqvist, he's not a playmaker and I can't even bring myself to call him skilled despite putting up some nice goal totals over the years. Everyone knows how he gets his goals, and it's not because he's creating room for himself with dazzling skill.

And Plotnikov, I mean...

The premise was flawed from the very beginning. Two crashers with limited skill crashing the nets while one guy has to do all the work (again) with the puck. It wasn't going to work, and that alone makes me question any of Johnston's "vision."

 

[MtlPenFan]

The problem with Ryan is that he's like a horse with blinders on. If the stats say something should be true, then it is true, eye test and real world be damned.

He still defends Kunitz. That's all you need to know about stat boy.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

The red carpet blows my mind. All sound and fury, signifying nothing. Perfectly describes this org the last few years. I should remember that if we make the playoffs. I can do a Shakespeare themed avatar haha

 

[JTG]

Yeah, you win.

 

[Frenchy]

closed , please use today's GDT : http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1966077