Post-Game Talk: Movin' on up...

[hyduK]

The hit couldn't be that bad. I don't even see a thread on the main board.

 

[Claypool]

There was clearly an upwards move. Suspension incoming and rightfully so. Bad hit.

lol. sure

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

The hit couldn't be that bad. I don't even see a thread on the main board.

Well Ducks fans will agree with the Panthers fans, I doubt it will get a lot of traction outside of that.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

That's a good hockey hit. If his head was up he wouldn't even hit the chin and he barely hit the chin.

Not abdelkaders fault he's the same height. Especially when his head his down. In fact it's more cleaner then the Anaheim hit a couple years ago. Which was still a good hockey hit

Why am I saying hockey hit?

 

[The Zermanator]

Missed this one.

Saw the highlights and its great to see Dats and Z playing together and enjoying it.

How did the D look? I'd imagine decent since it was a shutout. But that brings up a question. If this D can lose 2 of its top 3 guys and not miss a step, is the D better than we thought (i.e. coming together as an effective unit), just as bad as we thought (doesn't matter who they lose, they just suck), or is it Mrazek's influence?

I would guess a mix of the 2nd and 3rd options? Mrazek is obviously the most important part of that, but I also feel that we don't really have any game-breakers on D. So losing Kronwall and Green is a big blow, but they don't really single-handedly have an impact on games so losing them is manageable. I don't know, just speculating.

 

[hyduK]

Missed this one.

Saw the highlights and its great to see Dats and Z playing together and enjoying it.

How did the D look? I'd imagine decent since it was a shutout. But that brings up a question. If this D can lose 2 of its top 3 guys and not miss a step, is the D better than we thought (i.e. coming together as an effective unit), just as bad as we thought (doesn't matter who they lose, they just suck), or is it Mrazek's influence?

I would guess a mix of the 2nd and 3rd options? Mrazek is obviously the most important part of that, but I also feel that we don't really have any game-breakers on D. So losing Kronwall and Green is a big blow, but they don't really single-handedly have an impact on games so losing them is manageable. I don't know, just speculating.

I think it really points to how mediocre the D is. We don't really have that top end guy. On one hand it means it's not a huge loss when one goes down, on the other hand the extra upside is minimal when fully healthy.

 

[FissionFire]

I think those stills really don't give an accurate account. Also the tweeters reasoning is very flawed. Going low to hit a player who is crouched low is normal and actually the way players are supposed to hit now. Lower your shoulder to hit their shoulder. Exploding upwards is pretty much normal for any big hit. The elbow garbage is all after contact, he didn't initiate contact with the elbow which is why it is not a penalty. Really it all comes down to whether the head was the first point of contact (inconclusive from what I've seen so far) and whether contact with the head was inevitable based on Barkov putting himself in dangerous position with his head down (this seems to be the case). It doesn't look like a predatory hit and it wasn't a blindsided shot so arguing intent to injure is foolish. It really doesn't look like a suspendable hit unless I see new camera angles that show something else. Maybe the fact that Barkov is star and Abdelkader has a history might earn him a token 1 game at most.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Smith is playing great

Larkin is getting better

Petr Mrazek, enough said.

Sheahan is doing wonders for that 4th line... needs PP time over Helm tho

Awesome hockey tonight. Keep it up boys!

 

[aar000n]

That's a good hockey hit. If his head was up he wouldn't even hit the chin and he barely hit the chin.

Not abdelkaders fault he's the same height. Especially when his head his down. In fact it's more cleaner then the Anaheim hit a couple years ago. Which was still a good hockey hit

Why am I saying hockey hit?

because if someone did that to you at the grocery store it would be assault

 

[theYman]

Do you think if Howard was there it would've been 6-3 loss again?

My heart says no but my brain says probably.

 

[Flowah]

I think it really points to how mediocre the D is. We don't really have that top end guy. On one hand it means it's not a huge loss when one goes down, on the other hand the extra upside is minimal when fully healthy.

Wishful thinking. Kronwall and Green are a both huge upgrades over Kindl. He played a good game today but it won't last as we well know. And who wouldn't want either of them over E? He's been atrocious lately.

They aren't clear #1D or anything but they're easily better than half our crop back there.

 

[The Zermanator]

Smith is playing great

Larkin is getting better

Petr Mrazek, enough said.

Sheahan is doing wonders for that 4th line... needs PP time over Helm tho

Awesome hockey tonight. Keep it up boys!

I know, I'm so ****ing excited to see how he ends up. He's just got that drive and attitude to always want to get better. And to commit to a 200ft game at his age is damn impressive. And he has the two best mentors you could possibly have. And a coach who has a good track record at developing forwards. Whatever you think of Blashill, he did a great job in GR with the forwards and I'm glad he's handling Larkin's early NHL development.

Honest question and not meant to be a Blashill vs. Babcock thing. How do you think, if at all, Babcock remaining in Detroit would have affected Larkin's path to the NHL and career so far? Would he have started in GR? Although even then, it's hard to imagine Larkin not playing in a way that made his AHL career very short.

 

[Lampedampe]

Man, dats looked so happy after his second goal, I really hope he a Z will continue to play on the same line!

 

[TCNorthstars]

The key for me tonight is smith saying he would like to be the president of the United States and mickey calling him out for being Canadian.

He is so stupid.

Besides that I will say I thought he looked good this game.

C'mon man. They asked him IF he could be anybody for a DAY who would it be. Not what his plans are after hockey.

 

[DanZ]

Man, dats looked so happy after his second goal, I really hope he a Z will continue to play on the same line!

Agreed. Those two looked like they were having fun in the third and Datsyuk was back to trying some of his fancy dangles. It was really good to see.

 

[Shoalzie]

No such thing as "big wins" in February but I'd call this an important 2 points. Quite the battle for 2nd place in the Atlantic. Glad to see the Hank and Pavel show back for another run. Mrazek continues to impress.

 

[joe89]

Every time this team starts to slip a bit and gets into wild card area they pick themselves up. That's good I guess, good mentality. But I also wish they'd play with that urgency more often so that we'd legitimately compete for the division. Absolutely, that's what separates a good team from the pack, but I don't see Florida as a special team whatsoever.

Other than that.. Mrazek.. Larkin. Future is bright with those two.

 

[Mister Ed]

Yesterday, the lines just worked. Keep those lines together and we can string some wins. When Kronwall gets back, it will send down Kindl (who had a decent game too) and I don't expect Green back for a couple of weeks. The D remains steady, which is good.

 

[Obe2kenobe]

ES IT, this game. From the bottom:

AA 5:50
Jurco 7:06

Fine. Whatever. Next two?

Tatar 7:52
Nyquist 8:20

What in the actual bleep is going on with these two guys and Blashill? Holy hell.

The top 2 goal scorers from the last 2 seasons playing that little, makes no sense. I've wanted to see

there ice time go up and it seems to be going down. In the long run, I think Z and Dats minutes need to

shortened and guys like Nyquist,Tatar, Larkin should be played more. Blashill needs to give bigger roles

to players other than Z and Dats. Another thing is when he gets a lead, he plays to protect it, playing

Glendenings line too much. It worked last night, but has bit him in the *** quite often this season.

 

[Frk It]

Missed this one, got stuck watching the stupid Pens game.

Saw the highlight of the Z + Dats goal, still love those 2 making plays like that

 

[RedMachine87]

Textbook clean hit when targetted Barkovs head? There was clearly an upwards move. Suspension incoming and rightfully so. Bad hit.

https://www.nhl.com/video/t-277984190/c-41021603

That is 100% a clean hit. If that's a suspension they should just take checking out of the game altogether. Barkov will keep his head up next time!

 

[Claypool]

The top 2 goal scorers from the last 2 seasons playing that little, makes no sense.

They've been below average when they play. What makes you think they deserve more minutes?

 

[skate skate skate]

ES IT, this game. From the bottom:

AA 5:50
Jurco 7:06

Fine. Whatever. Next two?

Tatar 7:52
Nyquist 8:20

What in the actual bleep is going on with these two guys and Blashill? Holy hell.

One reason for this is that there was so many penalties. Neither one of those guys played on the PK, and Tats/Gus play on the 2nd PP-unit. Still, not a fan of playing Abby/Dats/Z over 20 minutes a night with these guy's getting under 10 minutes. Need to distribute the minutes more evenly to stay fresh.

 

[mindfly]

At last... 0 goaldifferential... 134 scored, 134 allowed.. gotta up that differential, it's been embarassing with negative differential

 

[Hammettf2b]

My highlight of the night was watching Dats and Z have fun together just like old times.

So can we officially put this thing to bed that they shouldn't play together because of lack of speed? They looked pretty damn effective to me out there. (not saying you were the one saying this btw)