News Article: News and Note XXVIII: The Jerky Boys

[raynman]

I’m hoping that Staal’s struggles this year before the concussion were due to a minor injury of sorts. Maybe the extra time off from the concussion was a bit of a blessing in disguise for him?

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

I'd have no issue with J. Staal if he were used as a shutdown 3rd line guy with two cheap players to cancel out a top line. But Rod uses him like he's...Rod Brind'Amour. And he just plainly isn't. It's frustrating watching a guy struggle because he's asked to do too much.

Well a week ago Rod was bemoaning how difficult it is to do anything without Staal. In the middle of our run? Then said the guys had been doing a good job picking up the slack, but he doesn’t know how we’re doing it. Rolling his eyes like it’s awful without the guy. When we are crushing it without him.

It was nauseating. Just isn’t getting it.

Maybe J. Staal feels bad the team has been killing it without him? Kinda a blow to the ego when you're getting top minutes on your team, you go down, and suddenly they roar back and play like they're a top 5 team in the League. Such an odd thing to say. But it's not like he's wrong, after Aho the center depth is AHL'er 4th line winger AHL'er, it's downright ludicrous they fought back with what they have up front.

 

[zman77]

I think Rod will be very careful with the amount of minutes given to Jordan.
Rod knows the game well and will watch Jordan closely as he progresses with his conditioning to game pace . He'll be slotted as a 3rd-4th line centre who plays the PK and critical FO's throughout the game. Rod is focused on winning and gaining a Play-Off spot this spring and hopes Jordan buys into a much different type of role than what he's used to in the past.
Play the guys who got your here with big minutes.
All good for all parties. imho

 

[bleedgreen]

I’d be fine if he was third line center, if the team didn’t go downhill with him playing. This reminds me of thinking last season that when Rask went down and Lindy went to center that we immediately looked quicker and realized I didn’t really want Rask back. Staal does a lot of good things but Wallmark does a bunch of those things too. Sometimes just having a quicker and younger lineup is just an improvement.

Though I have no doubt Staal would be a good playoff player.

 

[My Special Purpose]

I think we're clearly over-analyzing things when we've convinced ourselves that Jordan Staal returning from injury doesn't make us a better team. It also makes zero sense to worry about "chemistry" when Niederreiter stepped in right in the middle of this streak and Jordan's been here from the start.

 

[zman77]

 

[Roboturner913]

The concern that Wallmark's quickness lends something to the lineup that Staal's doesn't is a fair one but I'd rather put Staal on the 3rd line with Svech and Martinook anyway. McGinn down to the 4th, Melantonin or Foegele to the pine.

 

[MinJaBen]

The concern that Wallmark's quickness lends something to the lineup that Staal's doesn't is a fair one but I'd rather put Staal on the 3rd line with Svech and Martinook anyway. McGinn down to the 4th, Melantonin or Foegele to the pine.

Not something I'd ever thought I'd see used as a positive.

 

[raynman]

Am I the only one who hasn’t noticed Wallmark being any faster than Staal? He’s definitely more agile but then again a Volvo sedan generally handles better than a Ford F-250 with a diesel engine.

 

[RodTheBawd]

Am I the only one who hasn’t noticed Wallmark being any faster than Staal? He’s definitely more agile but then again a Volvo sedan generally handles better than a Ford F-250 with a diesel engine.

Pretty sure when people are commenting on Wallmark being faster, they're coming from a short burst/agile standpoint. North/south they're pretty comparable.

 

[MinJaBen]

Am I the only one who hasn’t noticed Wallmark being any faster than Staal? He’s definitely more agile but then again a Volvo sedan generally handles better than a Ford F-250 with a diesel engine.

No, you are not the only one. And I do agree with most that he is a bit more agile in changing directions, but I think that is mostly due to the mass difference between the two players. Staal is obviously much larger, which has some advantages. Walmark can more reliably pick corners on his shot, however. I don't think either is a #2 center, really. Just different #3 centers. Unfortunately, we don't have a #2 center, so one of them will have to play it. I prefer Walmark in that role as he is just a bit more likely to turn a good pass from TT or Ferland into a goal than I think Staal is.

 

[Roboturner913]

Am I the only one who hasn’t noticed Wallmark being any faster than Staal? He’s definitely more agile but then again a Volvo sedan generally handles better than a Ford F-250 with a diesel engine.

I said that earlier in the thread. I don't think Wallmark is faster at all but he is defintely more agile and he probably has better offensive instincts. Neither one of them can finish worth a lick obviously but it seems to me that Staal is still a hell of a lot closer to being a #2C in the league than Wallmark will ever be.

 

[raynman]

I said that earlier in the thread. I don't think Wallmark is faster at all but he is defintely more agile and he probably has better offensive instincts. Neither one of them can finish worth a lick obviously but it seems to me that Staal is still a hell of a lot closer to being a #2C in the league than Wallmark will ever be.

I agree about Staal being a better fit for #2 center, at least on the current roster. Ideally they could pick up a real #2 forcing Staal to #3 and Wallmark to #4. But considering Staal’s biggest fan is probably Brindy I have a feeling it’s gonna be Staal at #2 for the foreseeable future.

 

[RodTheBawd]

It'll be interesting to see the usage regardless. I don't think RBA started rolling top vs. top until Staal was out, but it's working.

 

[The Faulker 27]

I think we can all agree that we have arguably one of the best shut down, role playing 3rd line centers in the League with Jordan Staal. The concern is when he's slotted on the 2nd line his value depreciates. I'd be 150% for leaving Wallmark on the 2nd line, and having Staal beast it out on the 3rd. I just worry that Rod will move him to the 2nd line the first chance he gets.

My opinion is let the mule be the mule, and not a race horse. Wallmark is probably comparable in straightline speed, but his burst/agility keeps that top 6 moving quicker. Let Staal work the PK, and if draws are imperative, he get's that too.

Ultimately Wallmark is a band-aid. We desperately need another Center.

 

[Joe McGrath]

It'll be interesting to see the usage regardless. I don't think RBA started rolling top vs. top until Staal was out, but it's working.

This is the key to me. Playing Staal with Ferland and TT indicates he had no intention of changing that. TT and Ferland don’t scream shut down line to me.

 

[GoldiFox]

This is the key to me. Playing Staal with Ferland and TT indicates he had no intention of changing that. TT and Ferland don’t scream shut down line to me.

Sounds like he is going to try to use Staal in an offensive role and continue to let NAW play against top lines. I can't imagine his plan is to put Ferland and TT on Staal's wings to be a shutdown group.

Given Rod's fondness for Jordan that might be the best easing in we are going to get. IMO it is still preferable to throwing out McGinn-Staal-Martinook for 15 minutes a night against the other teams best players.

 

[zman77]

 

[Roboturner913]

There probably is a lot to the notion that Rod sees a lot of himself in Jordo and it's not without merit. We've lost at least a couple games that we probably would've won if anybody else on this team could win a faceoff. I don't want to see Staal playing 20 minutes either but I'm betting if we really sat down and looked at his usage situationally, it'd probably be difficult to argue against.

 

[HisIceness]

View attachment 189115

How long until someone comes out and accuses us of "appropriating" the Sons of Ben? (Philadelphia Union supporters).

 

[Joe McGrath]

How long until someone comes out and accuses us of "appropriating" the Sons of Ben? (Philadelphia Union supporters).

Probably a long time because despite the limited number of people who give a shit about the Hurricanes, even less people give a shit about some dogshit MLS team.

 

[My Special Purpose]

Probably a long time because despite the limited number of people who give a **** about the Hurricanes, even less people give a **** about some dog**** MLS team.

Ouch. That seemed ... unnecessary.

 

[FreshSeabass]

Someone bit boys lol. Let's get those f's on the chat I'm going in boys.

 

[Discipline Daddy]

What is section 328 like?

I sit there for my 11 game pack with my Dad and friends. I love it. There are a couple of pretty loudmouth fans. They can be intimidating at first, but they never actually cause trouble. We have a few of our own chants and cheers. We take our fandom pretty seriously. The best thing we do is when the Canes are playing sluggish late in the game, sometimes one person will just yell "aaaaaahhhhh" until they run out of breath and then another fan does the same to take its place. It's obnoxious and hilarious at the same time. I've been in the section for 10 years and I love it. But yes, I am biased. Also one time Oscar Lindholm (Elias's brother) joined us randomly one game two years ago and it was amazing. He led us with a ton of cheers. We lost the game but Oscar was amazing, he also looked identical to Elias. I have no idea why he didn't sit in the good seats where players' families normally sit.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Definitely going to sit there next time!