Observations, Part X

[Scoresberg]

Goose was a whopping 17% at the dot tonight. Thank goodness we have him there to take key faceoffs.

 

[drwpreds]

Just a few thoughts on another unbelievably frustrating night:

This was yet another microcosm of our entire season. I agree with all the comments on Rinne- it is hard to put a finger on it but he just seems..... off. I don't know how to describe it but he always seems to be flailing out there. I have never, ever in 30 years of watching hockey seen a season like this where every single mistake winds up in the back of our net.

I keep wondering in my mind what our record would be if Rinne had even a .915 save percentage (even that is below average for him normally). Even with all of the other frustrations we would be in dang good shape.

I will repeat that this whole season has been maybe the most frustrating one I have ever had as a fan of any sports team- and that covers 40 years. With the exception of a few blowout, fun wins, every single night feels like nails on a chalkboard- nothing but stress and misery. Every time we have a game I simultaneously look forward to and dread it- because I know its going to be 3 hours of angst and agony.

Kudos to the fans in the building- 2 standing O's in a game like this??? Totally and completely awesome.

Finally, if Rinne's subpar play continues the rest of the season, it is going to be fascinating to see what we do in the offseason. Hutton's contract is up and there is no way we can go into next season with Rinne/Hutton if what we are seeing now is what we are going to get from Rinne from here on out.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I'm gonna say something that isn't going to be popular here but... tonight's loss isn't on Pekka's shoulders. It's on everyone in front of him. Dis be have a great game? No. Did he give us a chance to win? Yes.

Washington capitalized (pun intended) on every mistake we made. We did not. Pekka played a fine game even though his sv% was poor.

I blame lack of consistent net presence, failed power plays and poor team defense much more for this loss thank Pekka.

One last thought, if we wanna make the playoffs, we have to improve our forwards. WSH provided what scoring depth does tonight. Their third line is better than a third of our top 6 wingers. Not good

 

[Montross]

I will repeat that this whole season has been maybe the most frustrating one I have ever had as a fan of any sports team- and that covers 40 years. With the exception of a few blowout, fun wins, every single night feels like nails on a chalkboard- nothing but stress and misery. Every time we have a game I simultaneously look forward to and dread it- because I know its going to be 3 hours of angst and agony.

The entire season has felt like every single mistake gets behind Rinne and every goalie to play the Preds has a career night. I am exaggerating, but that is the best way I can describe it.

I remain concerned that the 7 million dollar goalie here is done, and there is not any real answers on what can be done to fix it.

 

[Scoresberg]

I'm gonna say something that isn't going to be popular here but... tonight's loss isn't on Pekka's shoulders. It's on everyone in front of him. Dis be have a great game? No. Did he give us a chance to win? Yes.

Washington capitalized (pun intended) on every mistake we made. We did not. Pekka played a fine game even though his sv% was poor.

I blame lack of consistent net presence, failed power plays and poor team defense much more for this loss thank Pekka.

One last thought, if we wanna make the playoffs, we have to improve our forwards. WSH provided what scoring depth does tonight. Their third line is better than a third of our top 6 wingers. Not good

I agree with you completely. He could've maybe gotten that first goal but even that was east-west in the crease. Those goals are on our defense. WSH went to the net hard all night and capitalized almost every chance they got. That's confidence.

 

[King Weber]

Goose was a whopping 17% at the dot tonight. Thank goodness we have him there to take key faceoffs.

Time to scratch him and let Sissons take over as our 4C.


Also time to send Bass back to Milwaukee and start playing Watson.

 

[Armourboy]

Ok didn't get to see the game but watched all the highlights and I'm still trying to figure out how people are putting this game on Rinne? I buy the argument that we aren't getting the timely super save, but all of those, save the first, are goals on just about every goaltender in the league.

I agree that he isn't have a good season, and I get that he isn't standing on his head, but good lord he isn't exactly getting a ton of help out there. Washington is the top team in the league for a reason, and you give them those kind of chances? You bet your ass you are losing most of the time. They have been doing it to far better teams than us all season.

 

[Scoresberg]

Time to scratch him and let Sissons take over as our 4C.


Also time to send Bass back to Milwaukee and start playing Watson.

Yep yep, time to invest to the future.

Would this "every mistake leads to a goal" thing be just that team has got used to Rinne bailing them out and therefore playing every defensive play with 50% and trying to comcentrate on counter-attacking. Anyway, that's just the way I've been thinking.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

I think Shea weber has been awful as of late.

 

[glenngineer]

Here's a major problem that no one is addressing. We add Johansen. We have Neal. Together they make up a top line. They are both good at holding on to the puck and generating chances. Problem is, they need a third guy out there who can control the puck with them. Jarnkrok, for all the good he does out there, is horrible with the puck. How many times does he turn the puck over and kill any offense that might be generated. Yeah, he had an assist by flinging it around the boards which Ekholm barely gets to and then flings at the net where Forsberg makes a great tip. Not what I'd called a skill assist, he just happened to touch the puck. He too often loses the puck entering the offensive zone because he doesn't know what to do with it.

I remember a 3 on 2 rush where Neal is in the middle and he passes to Krok going down the right wing side and he takes a slap shot and it was an easy save for Holtby. His slap shot was as bad as Suter's used to be. The other team can focus on Neal and Joey because they know Krok is not going to beat them. I hope Lavy puts Wilson back on the top line because at least Wilson is a possession machine with the puck and can keep teams honest to some degree. He won't get knocked off the puck and in doing so it will equate to more chances for the top line.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, Krok has no business being in the top 6, let alone the top line.

And as someone said, Gaustad with a 17% faceoff percentage last night? Really? Glad he fills a role. He needs to be gone as well. Bring up Sissons. Flank him with Salomaki and Watson and let them wreak havoc out there.

 

[predfan98]

I'm gonna say something that isn't going to be popular here but... tonight's loss isn't on Pekka's shoulders. It's on everyone in front of him. Dis be have a great game? No. Did he give us a chance to win? Yes.

Washington capitalized (pun intended) on every mistake we made. We did not. Pekka played a fine game even though his sv% was poor.

I blame lack of consistent net presence, failed power plays and poor team defense much more for this loss thank Pekka.

One last thought, if we wanna make the playoffs, we have to improve our forwards. WSH provided what scoring depth does tonight. Their third line is better than a third of our top 6 wingers. Not good

I agree about rinne. Has he been horrid, yes, but the team in front of him has been worse.

I sat with a friend game before last and had a different sight angle of the game. The Preds are on the pp and there is no net presence for the entire pp. none, ever, fior 2 minutes....

Where to lay the blame for this abysmal performance in this instance and other play like this.

You have to ditch every coach. What other option do you have. I wish I thought poile was looking for another coach but I have doubts. And if they feel like they have to stick with lavy...... Why hasn't he replaced every assistant and the goalie coach.

I think rinne should sit for a week. Not that I think this is all on him, but to shake up the team.

 

[predfan98]

Yep yep, time to invest to the future.

Would this "every mistake leads to a goal" thing be just that team has got used to Rinne bailing them out and therefore playing every defensive play with 50% and trying to comcentrate on counter-attacking. Anyway, that's just the way I've been thinking.

Agreed this is part of it.

 

[Scoresberg]

Here's a major problem that no one is addressing. We add Johansen. We have Neal. Together they make up a top line. They are both good at holding on to the puck and generating chances. Problem is, they need a third guy out there who can control the puck with them. Jarnkrok, for all the good he does out there, is horrible with the puck. How many times does he turn the puck over and kill any offense that might be generated. Yeah, he had an assist by flinging it around the boards which Ekholm barely gets to and then flings at the net where Forsberg makes a great tip. Not what I'd called a skill assist, he just happened to touch the puck. He too often loses the puck entering the offensive zone because he doesn't know what to do with it.

I remember a 3 on 2 rush where Neal is in the middle and he passes to Krok going down the right wing side and he takes a slap shot and it was an easy save for Holtby. His slap shot was as bad as Suter's used to be. The other team can focus on Neal and Joey because they know Krok is not going to beat them. I hope Lavy puts Wilson back on the top line because at least Wilson is a possession machine with the puck and can keep teams honest to some degree. He won't get knocked off the puck and in doing so it will equate to more chances for the top line.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, Krok has no business being in the top 6, let alone the top line.

And as someone said, Gaustad with a 17% faceoff percentage last night? Really? Glad he fills a role. He needs to be gone as well. Bring up Sissons. Flank him with Salomaki and Watson and let them wreak havoc out there.

Agreed, last night you could totally see Jarnkrok getting exposed. He has no business in the top-6, as a bottom-6 F, I'll take that.

 

[Scoresberg]

I liked what Lavy said in that post-game interview, about us having to trail almost everytime from the get-go. It's like we dominate the play but the first mistake we make is crucial and it ends up into the back of our net. We have to focus on those starts of the games and have to get that first goal. Remember when at the start of the season we were winning and hadn't given up a goal in the first period in like 10games?

 

[Enoch]

I think Lavi is correct. Playing from behind changes the game flow. The other team takes less risks, is more opportunistic, while the Predators have to press, take more risks, etc. It isn't just that Rinne isn't making saves, but how often he gives up poorly timed goals.

The guy is off this year. He strung together a string of good games, but 2 of his last 3 have been vintage 2015-16 Rinne (i.e., guessing, poor rebound control, untimely goals, unable to stop quality scoring chances.)

 

[FossilFndr]

I think Shea weber has been awful as of late.

I sure put that 4th goal on him. Left his position and was at opposite goal line facing away from the play leaving the left offensive point area completely undefended. And where did the scoring play come from ....

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Last night I saw a classic Barry Trotz coached team.

Too many men on the ice penalties
Centers being key cogs of the defensive scheme
Terrible power play (I don't count the empty net)
Every golden opportunity they had (and they didn't have too many) ended up in the back of the net.

It was so classic Trotz except for the last eight minutes of the third when the game really opened up for us.

Look, I'm not going to dog pile on Rinne. First goal was a 100% atrocious play by Weber. I mean atrocious. Not only does he turn the puck over, he loses his man who ends up scoring back door.

Second goal is essentially a 3v1, one timer from the faceoff circle. Saveable? Maybe, but poor team defense once again cost us this one. Not to mention a perfect shot.

Third goal pekka should've had.

Fourth goal, Pekka makes a fantastic, diving save rebound kicks out to Johansen who stuffs it home. Pekka almost made that save if he had gotten his glove up about six inches. I'm not really faulting him for that one either.

My point being, it's easy to blame the goaltender when things aren't going right, but there are five guys in front of him not doing a great job either.

I am once again staggered that we have two tweeners in our top six. They aren't legitimate top six wingers right now.

 

[Byrddog]

Last night I saw a classic Barry Trotz coached team.

Too many men on the ice penalties
Centers being key cogs of the defensive scheme
Terrible power play (I don't count the empty net)
Every golden opportunity they had (and they didn't have too many) ended up in the back of the net.

It was so classic Trotz except for the last eight minutes of the third when they game really opened up for us.

Look, I'm not going to dog pile on Rinne. First goal was a 100% atrocious play by Weber. I mean atrocious. Not only does he turn the puck over, he loses his man who ends up scoring back door.

Second goal is essentially a 3v1, one timer from the faceoff circle. Saveable? Maybe, but poor team defense once again cost us this one. Not to mention a perfect shot.

Third goal pekka should've had.

Fourth goal, Pekka makes a fantastic, diving save rebound kicks out to Johansen who stuffs it home. Pekka almost made that save if he had gotten his glove up about six inches. I'm not really faulting him for that one either.

My point being, it's easy to blame the goaltender when things aren't going right, but there are five guys in front of him not doing a great job either.

I am once again staggered that we have two tweeners in our top six. They aren't legitimate top six wingers right now.

Agreed with most all of this. The part with the tweeners is killing the team. We are essentially short a 2nd line now. With Fish Wilson and Smith on the 3rd we have one of if not the highest paid 3rd lines in the league. Combine that with the overpayment of Nystrom and Goose on the 4th well Poile needs to pull a miracle to get a 2nd line.

All the hate on Rinne while much is deserved the system is responsible for some of it. Recall not long ago a 4 game win streak where the team was playing defensively and goaltending was not an issue. The consider two of our goals last night Holtby wishes he had back especially the first Forsberg goal should have been stopped. Bottom line Rinne is aging he will drop off even more. We have enjoyed his best now we need to adjust to help him now.

Im glad im not the only one disappointed in Weber he has been just another warm body for a while now.

Last night it seemed that the goal was to shut down OV and they did that. The secondary scoring from the Caps ate our lunch. Combined with horrid turnovers Webers turnover lead to the 1st goal directly. Forsberg turned one over for a goal and another goal was scored after Rinne made a save leaving a rebound with 3 of our guys in the area that could now clear the puck.

The Preds offense is trying to be that high flying goal scoring type but when they do that they can not score enough to make up for the mistakes that style creates for the other team. When Dallas or Washington gets down there O can make up the difference.

 

[Pred303]

not much else to say than has already been said. we won't win consistently until we get better goaltending, play less wide open, play better on the PK, our forwards play better defensively, get more offense from every forward not named Neal, Johansen, Forsberg.

all these failures are interrelated, which is why they are so difficult to fix. rinne isn't stopping difficult shots, but we continue to play wide open hockey, turn pucks over in danger areas, playing poor forward defense and therefore giving up too many high quality shots. the pk has struggled because rinne has struggled, but rinne has struggled on the pk because we have given up too many shots. we can't generate offense without either our dmen pinching or three forwards selling out down low, but if we do that we give up high quality chances the other way, which rinne isn't saving.

it's no easy problem to fix. any of them. to fix one you have to change things that you do. we aren't changing things.

scoring first really determines our game right now. score first and we can go into a defensive first-counterattack off mistakes type game. if we don't, we open the game up, and then bad things happen because we aren't getting good goaltending on dangerous shots and we take risks to try to score goals and therefore give up more dangerous shots. it becomes a vicious cycle of fail for us. .

 

[Pred303]

counting the last playoff we are now 33-37-11 in our last 81 games. one game from a normal full season. feels like we are 33-37-11 too.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

counting the last playoff we are now 33-37-11 in our last 81 games. one game from a normal full season. feels like we are 33-37-11 too.

Sweet baby Jesus

 

[MrJoshua]

IMO, this team needs to get back to what was working on the four-game sweep through western Canada. Tighten the screws defensively. Focus on playing a solid game in front of Rinne, then be opportunistic on offense. Work more on generating high-quality chances rather than a ton of shots. Get traffic to the net.

This team isn't built to be a wide-open offensive juggernaut. They're build to be a blue collar workhorse. Yes, they have more top-end skill now with a solid top line, but if this team is going to be successful they need to get back their defensive work ethic. They have to start playing smart defensive hockey again. The nice thing about having guys like Johansen and Neal and Forsberg on the team is that they don't need a ton of chances to put the puck in the net. Focus on defense, and get these guys each a handful of quality looks at the other goalie and the team will start to win games.

 

[Scoresberg]

IMO, this team needs to get back to what was working on the four-game sweep through western Canada. Tighten the screws defensively. Focus on playing a solid game in front of Rinne, then be opportunistic on offense. Work more on generating high-quality chances rather than a ton of shots. Get traffic to the net.

This team isn't built to be a wide-open offensive juggernaut. They're build to be a blue collar workhorse. Yes, they have more top-end skill now with a solid top line, but if this team is going to be successful they need to get back their defensive work ethic. They have to start playing smart defensive hockey again. The nice thing about having guys like Johansen and Neal and Forsberg on the team is that they don't need a ton of chances to put the puck in the net. Focus on defense, and get these guys each a handful of quality looks at the other goalie and the team will start to win games.

This.

 

[handtrick]

He has a pretty wife, a good job, and a good family, he has to have something that's not perfect...... Probably doesn't like scotch.

I actually love single malt scotch, but been on huckleberry mule kick lately, lol

 

[triggrman]

IMHO it's pathetic to pay a goalie $7m and then have to protect him like he's an AHL call-up.