Observations XXIX

[desmondtootoo]

You know what is hard to play against? Teams that are good, score goals, and win games.

You know, it probably IS hard to play against the Preds right now.
Like if some Special Olympics folks came to you and I, and said “we need you to be competitors, right in there with the kids. Be sure to make everyone happy and thrilled at the end of events”.
This is probably how our opponents feel at this point. Need to pull back and not win 9-0. Don’t outshoot the Spedators 50-5. Try to keep your tough guys from abusing 3-4 Nedators every night. Try to only score 2 or 3 ..... if you can help them score a goal .... please do.

 

[glenngineer]

That might work with other teams, but I'm not sure it works for us. From what I've seen, we decided we need to be harder to play against and are trying to throw a lot of hits, but we're throwing them in meaningless situations. Throwing a big hit on the dump and chase is meaningless if there's nobody there to pick up the puck, or when you do pick it up, you throw it into a guys' skates and its a turnover going the other way. These meaningless hits get us out of position and unable to counterattack quickly.

We're not throwing them at all which is part of the problem. If we come out immediately and set the tone that every time you touch the puck, you're going to get hit, the other team will not make good decisions with the puck every single time. I'm not saying, we're down 2-0 in the third, we need to hit like crazy, but jeez, we play so freaking passive in every situation it's a joke.

You go down 1-0, the next shift you either put out guys who can control the puck in the offensive zone or you put out an energy line, that's exactly what they're there for. How many times did we need a shift in momentum and Trotz would throw out Tootoo and Smithson and let them create havoc. If nothing else, it got the crowd into the game. In many instances, it got the team back into the game. We get a goal scored on us and we're like, ok, here we go again.

Change the story by your actions, not by feeling sorry for yourself. I'm tired of hearing, we played the right way and we didn't get the results we wanted. Well, the right way isn't winning hockey games so it can't be right. Maybe that's what the coaches want the players to be doing and if these are the results, the coaches need to be gone.

There is nothing fun about watching this team right now and I mean nothing. We suck on offense. Our special teams are a joke. We're not fast. We're not physical. We don't do anything well other than suck.

 

[desmondtootoo]

Reminds me of coaching soccer for the little tiny guys at the Y. We would end up with a little game at the end of practice with all the moms and dads in there, trying to help the little people play together and score some goals against us.
So one dad, who I think had some challenges himself, boots the ball as hard as he can for some inexplicable reason. Of course it takes off like a rocket and hits some little bitty girl square in the head, thereby causing her to do 3 complete somersaults through the air, and land in a heap.
So I have two immediate worries, how badly is the little girl hurt, and how badly does her father beat this guy.
Amazingly, she pops right up and keeps running around playing.
And her dad is the quietest, nicest guy ever, and is not outraged. Craziness, miracles.
I see them at church now and then, and we joke about being on that team together ~ 20 years ago.
Though I never say “remember that dumbass dad who nearly ripped your little head off ?”

 

[desmondtootoo]

We're not throwing them at all which is part of the problem. If we come out immediately and set the tone that every time you touch the puck, you're going to get hit, the other team will not make good decisions with the puck every single time. I'm not saying, we're down 2-0 in the third, we need to hit like crazy, but jeez, we play so freaking passive in every situation it's a joke.

You go down 1-0, the next shift you either put out guys who can control the puck in the offensive zone or you put out an energy line, that's exactly what they're there for. How many times did we need a shift in momentum and Trotz would throw out Tootoo and Smithson and let them create havoc. If nothing else, it got the crowd into the game. In many instances, it got the team back into the game. We get a goal scored on us and we're like, ok, here we go again.

Change the story by your actions, not by feeling sorry for yourself. I'm tired of hearing, we played the right way and we didn't get the results we wanted. Well, the right way isn't winning hockey games so it can't be right. Maybe that's what the coaches want the players to be doing and if these are the results, the coaches need to be gone.

There is nothing fun about watching this team right now and I mean nothing. We suck on offense. Our special teams are a joke. We're not fast. We're not physical. We don't do anything well other than suck.

What you say about toughness is quite true.
You don’t just do it for 3 minutes, carefully picking the most proper prudent 3 minutes.
Either you’re a tough / strong team or you ain’t .... we ain’t,
X 1000.
The Flyers and Shero didn’t win 2 cups by pretending to be tough every other game for 2-3 minutes.
They were badass every night for 60 minutes.
Pretending just makes you look stupid and wussified.
I do give Trotz a bad rap for his general weakness while in Nashville. But do remember that he did allow one of his teams to ice Walker, Tootoo, Stevenson, Allison, Hartnell, Nichol, etc.
I think those are the guys who gave us the 9-fight-night against DET.
Better than Hynes, who claims to have a tough team lol.

 

[PredsV82]

Need 6 more just like that.... in a row, not spread out over the rest of the season...

 

[desmondtootoo]

Auston Matthews going crazy with the goals, AND he looks like a 1930’s gangster with that ‘stache.
McDavid going nuts with the assists.

 

[MrJoshua]

Well where the hell have they been hiding all that aggression and drive all season? That was like watching a completely different team.

I thought Forsberg-Granlund-Arvidsson looked really good together. I really liked the fourth line. And I can't argue with two goals from Jarnkrok. The only line I thought didn't work at all was the third line. Haula and Cousins I thought struggled all night and Tolvanen looked completely out of place on that line, but I liked most of his game tonight (with the exception of not picking up the man on the back door for the short-handed goal, but I tend to cut a lot of slack for a winger trying to cover defense).

 

[Flgatorguy87]

If the Friedman report is remotely accurate, that feels very much like Poile has his mind made up about being a seller.

 

[BigFatCat999]

If the Friedman report is remotely accurate, that feels very much like Poile has his mind made up about being a seller.

Or he's using Friedman to fire a shot across the bow, but, yeah, there have been other signs the Preds will sell.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Or he's using Friedman to fire a shot across the bow, but, yeah, there have been other signs the Preds will sell.

I thought of that as well, but floating this to the media sure feels different than anything else we've experienced in our franchise. At least to my recollection...

 

[BigFatCat999]

I thought of that as well, but floating this to the media sure feels different than anything else we've experienced in our franchise. At least to my recollection...

Agreed, I did the Poile career analysis and his record screams get all the 1st but I am not sold on this draft.

The Canadian quarantine changes prices. It would be hilarious if Forsberg were to get a couple of younger Forsbergs so Erat -> Forsberg -> stars of the future.

 

[PredsV82]

So being realistic.... next 4 games are 2 v DET and 2 more v CBJ.

4-0-0 or 3-0-1 and we can realistically consider the season still viable. 2-2-0 or worse and we need to start selling off the guys on one year deals and bringing up the youth

 

[Legionnaire11]

So being realistic.... next 4 games are 2 v DET and 2 more v CBJ.

4-0-0 or 3-0-1 and we can realistically consider the season still viable. 2-2-0 or worse and we need to start selling off the guys on one year deals and bringing up the youth

Yes, last night was a good amount of relief for the fanbase, but this team scored 6 against Florida a couple of weeks ago and then went into a spiral of suck. We need to avoid that for the next eight days, because the next month afterwards could be pretty brutal.

 

[PredsV82]

Yes, last night was a good amount of relief for the fanbase, but this team scored 6 against Florida a couple of weeks ago and then went into a spiral of suck. We need to avoid that for the next eight days, because the next month afterwards could be pretty brutal.

I'd be curious to know how the report of Poiles comments about everyone but Josi and Ellis(and Rinne) being available is going to play in the room. Obviously it could be a motivator but it could also be a "yes please trade me out of this dysfunctional crapfest"

Also does it send the message that Poile blames the players more than Hynes and how does that play?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I'd be curious to know how the report of Poiles comments about everyone but Josi and Ellis(and Rinne) being available is going to play in the room. Obviously it could be a motivator but it could also be a "yes please trade me out of this dysfunctional crapfest"

Also does it send the message that Poile blames the players more than Hynes and how does that play?

Was it a report of Poile's comments, or just speculation from a reporter based on general networking? (Granted, a connected and reliable reporter).

 

[PredsV82]

Was it a report of Poile's comments, or just speculation from a reporter based on general networking? (Granted, a connected and reliable reporter).

Friedman reported it during intermission on HNIC. There is a thread on the trade board. Sounded like a pretty definite statement

 

[Predsanddead24]

Poile did say we were open for business last season too. Then we proceeded to only make the blockbuster trade of Irwin for Holzer. Granted we looked better last season than we have so far but still not sure I put too much stock into this.

 

[herzausstein]

So being realistic.... next 4 games are 2 v DET and 2 more v CBJ.

4-0-0 or 3-0-1 and we can realistically consider the season still viable. 2-2-0 or worse and we need to start selling off the guys on one year deals and bringing up the youth

we are 7 points back of Tampa (4th in central) and have played 2 more games.

we are 8 points back of Chicago (3rd in central) and have played 2 less games.

i guess we can catch up some but beating the teams at par or behind of us that doesn’t do us much good in the long run. We have to beat the teams in front of us. If we can’t beat Tampa, Carolina, Florida, Dallas, etc then we have no chance of making the playoffs

 

[NoNecksCurse]

we are 7 points back of Tampa (4th in central) and have played 2 more games.

we are 8 points back of Chicago (3rd in central) and have played 2 less games.

i guess we can catch up some but beating the teams at par or behind of us that doesn’t do us much good in the long run. We have to beat the teams in front of us. If we can’t beat Tampa, Carolina, Florida, Dallas, etc then we have no chance of making the playoffs

we could finish the season around a .600% point percentage and still miss. we’re gonna lose more than we win against tampa and Carolina. Florida too. We might have a 10% chance of making the playoffs at this point.

 

[czechczech]

Or he's using Friedman to fire a shot across the bow, but, yeah, there have been other signs the Preds will sell.

Or, the boys are trying to improve their stock --- now that they know they are on the block to be traded!

 

[Byrddog]

we could finish the season around a .600% point percentage and still miss. we’re gonna lose more than we win against tampa and Carolina. Florida too. We might have a 10% chance of making the playoffs at this point.

Like the history of the team be just good enough to sneek in if they can prey on weaker teams, I have been just as suprised at how poorly Dallas and Columbus have been this year. I expected Dallas to win the division and they may well still if they can get the team on the ice for more than 10 days the covid missed games and now the Texas freeze out has crippled them. They have 3 or more games in hand against the entire division. Columbus between the Lainie trade and Elvis bumbling in net has left them venerable. Getting knocked out in the 1st round last season has effected them too.

Honestly the Preds are only better than Detroit right now in the division, but then again for a couple hours yesterday even Detroit had more points than the Preds. Yes the Preds have three games in hand with Detroit. If they can go 3-1 in the next four they are still behind Columbus assuming the loss is to the Jackets. Then they have 9 games against the Panthers (the hottest team in the division) Carolina who leads the division and the Bolts who despite missing critical players every game this year are still getting the job done looks like they will finish 3rd in the division(Kuch loss has been that impactive) as deep as the Bolts are each line has been effected and the depth on D is not as good as last year and if one of the top two parings lose a player like they have done in nearly every season the struggle will grow worse. Vasi is a tick off right now as well. He is the best tender in the league but something is just not right.

 

[GeauxPreds1]

No matter how we play the next month I would trade our ufas and ekholm. I think you can get a lot for ekholm and I think farrance will sign with us if he knows he’ll be a top 4 playing with his old teammate in fabbro.

 

[Legionnaire11]

No matter how we play the next month I would trade our ufas and ekholm. I think you can get a lot for ekholm and I think farrance will sign with us if he knows he’ll be a top 4 playing with his old teammate in fabbro.

I don't disagree with this at all, but man... A second pair of Farrence - Fabbro and having Saros/X in goal again next season would be rough, but we'd have another very high pick in 2022 and it would probably be a big boost to our prospect pool and overall success when the Askarov era begins.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I still wouldn't make it any kind of priority to trade Ekholm. Not without knowing his contract demands/intentions first, anyway. We won't have another defenseman like him for years. IF he wants big money or wants to test free agency, that's another story. Then we would have to look at trading him. But unless that is known, I'd keep him, pending somebody absolutely blowing me away with a trade offer. And that doesn't make him different than any other player on the roster in that respect. Blow me away with a trade offer for ANYBODY, and I'm ready to deal.

 

[triggrman]

I know small sample size, bad team whatever but Harpur looked serviceable. I’d really like to see Allard in that defensive defenseman role.