Notes before Season Opener

[lhsgolf19]

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[raymond23]

Mantha now the net front for the second unit. Dang

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Mantha now the net front for the second unit. Dang

Pretty sure I called this and got my face ripped apart by everybody here

 

[Dotter]

Take AA off the 2nd unit and add Bertuzzi for the net front.

 

[Inspiration]

Take AA off the 2nd unit and add Bertuzzi for the net front.

Yep. AA is a terrific 5v5 point producer, but a poor 5v4 player. Maximize what he does well, minimize what he doesn't.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Mantha now the net front for the second unit. Dang

Oh Blashill.

 

[Tasteslikekevinbacon]

Why on earth would Mantha be your net front with Vanek on the ice at the same time

 

[TheMule93]

Oh Blashill.

I hope you realize Bylsma runs the pp, not Blashill

 

[Invictus12]

Oh Blashill.

It's not such a horrible logic to have a guy that's huge and good in tight spaces to be the net-front guy.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Hicketts is not a PP guy, that’s insane.

What’s REALLY insane is forcing this round peg through a square hole further by having your best offensive player not only on the second unit, but still trying to force them as a net front guy.

f***ing hell Blashill.

 

[CaptainZetterberg40]

Why on earth would Mantha be your net front with Vanek on the ice at the same time

Before reading the posts below the op, that was my same initial reaction. I mean the season hasn't started yet and it's subject to change, but that is Vanek's strength and one of the reasons I would imagine how you utilize him. For now, where is the gif of the Jacksonville Jaguars fan when you need it?

 

[sully6one]

Mantha scores about half his goals in front of the net last year? You guys always get mad at something you see on paper once but forget A LOT of things change throughout the season. Blashill has said he will probably try Mantha as a shooter on the PP as well, give it time, if the PP isn’t working it’ll change. People always try to find negatives, how about you look at the positives for once.

 

[joe89]

Eh, I'm not too bothered. Net front isn't just standing in the crease and doing nothing but screen the goalie.

 

[lilidk]

Yep. AA is a terrific 5v5 point producer, but a poor 5v4 player. Maximize what he does well, minimize what he doesn't.

Blush not so good at this at all, that's only my concern about him

 

[SCD]

Congrats to Cholowski, running the first PP.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Eh, I'm not too bothered. Net front isn't just standing in the crease and doing nothing but screen the goalie.

He's best utilized as a trigger man is the thing.

 

[Dotter]

I hope you realize Bylsma runs the pp, not Blashill

Needs to be quoted since everyone continues to tar-and-feather Blashill when Bylsma runs the power play.

People are so consumed with hate towards the guy they'll blame him for cancer, world hunger, and global warming.

 

[lomekian]

Would assume Mantha and Vanek would rotate positionally given both can be effective in either role.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Needs to be quoted since everyone continues to tar-and-feather Blashill when Bylsma runs the power play.

People are so consumed with hate towards the guy they'll blame him for cancer, world hunger, and global warming.

Potato, potato. Blashill is head coach, you really think he doesn't have a say in who plays where?

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

When everyone is healthy & assuming Umbrella PP set up, it should be:

1. Nyquist-Larkin-Mantha , Bertuzzi/Ras(net front) Green-PP1QB

Larkin in the slot as playmaker/sniper & defensive presence in case of breakaway, Nqyuist & Mantha - Left & Right Boards snipers
...Larkin & Nyquist are interchangeable.

2. Athanasiou-Nielsen-Bertuzzi/Ras (net front), Vanek- (Cholo/Hronek)-PP2QB

AA & Nielsen for zone entries & faceoffs, also has 2 C's for faceoffs & when PP time expires. F0llow up with Helm & Abby+ LGD/Ehn/Turgeon after PP.

2 Right handed shooters w/Vanek & Hronek is very appealing , but Cholo would be a good LHD option as well.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

^^in PP#1 scenario above, Mantha could also be in slot as a bigger bodied, double screen & puck deflector/redirector.

 

[Flowah]

Take AA off the 2nd unit and add Bertuzzi for the net front.

Totes fine with that. He seems completely lost on the PP. It is bizarre how much better he is at ES than PP.

 

[Flowah]

Mantha scores about half his goals in front of the net last year?

But you'd need to compare it to his production as a shooter to make a fair judgment.

 

[Dotter]

Potato, potato. Blashill is head coach, you really think he doesn't have a say in who plays where?

What I really think is if a coach's job is the PP, had previous success and has a Stanley Cup ring, I doubt the 3 year rookie who won nothing is going to pull the, "I'm the head coach and this is the way it's going to be!" card, but rather listen and take heed to his specialist who was brought here to improve the team, especially the PP.

I really think it is naive to think anything different.

However, if what you say is true, Blashill would have been fired long ago. I don't think even the great Scotty Bowman was that arrogant.

 

[Dotter]

Totes fine with that. He seems completely lost on the PP. It is bizarre how much better he is at ES than PP.

North and South player that doesn't effectively use his teammates. PP needs vision, anticipation, creative passing and be east-west player. PP doesn't need 0 to 60 skaters, but strong on the puck and high hockey IQ players. AA is none of those things. He is pretty decent dangler tho. That's probably what they want to see him do in the traffic areas to create space for other players for a slick pass to an open man for a one-timer.

They are paying AA to be a complete player, so they expect him to be a complete player and are going to hold him to that standard. Hopefully he grows into it.