OFF DAY THREAD! Postponement extraordinaire

[vodeni]

Well, yeah! I mean, it kind of is obvious. If a player requires to be sheltered, he is flawed. I do not think Cody Ceci is a world beater by any stretch of the imagination and I still would not have signed him. However, now that we have him, I can say that I am satisfied with both his usage and his performance.

I also think that most players can be good if used properly. Like, JJ would have been okay if he played exclusively on the PK... but you cannot waste a roster spot on a player like that

this whol "sheltered" narrative I don't get it...the guy plays north of 15 minutes a game, thats a solid contribution, nothing sheltering there...I expected all the worse from him...but watching him, the guy actually has a really high IQ, he shocked me with several smooth no-panic moves in d-zone...unlike much more praised dman we have...he has a good feeling for pinching, he may be at times little too passive around the net...but for this money and this injury situation, he has been a gift

 

[Scandale du Jour]

this whol "sheltered" narrative I don't get it...the guy plays north of 15 minutes a game, thats a solid contribution, nothing sheltering there...I expected all the worse from him...but watching him, the guy actually has a really high IQ, he shocked me with several smooth no-panic moves in d-zone...unlike much more praised dman we have...he has a good feeling for pinching, he may be at times little too passive around the net...but for this money and this injury situation, he has been a gift

Sheltered just means that they won't deploy him against top lines and stuff like that. They are carefully selecting how and when to deploy Ceci. He is a player you have to plan around his limitations and cannot just throw him out there and ask him to log quality minutes.

That's not a bad thing, that's just what it is... and that's why he costs as little as he does.

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[vodeni]

Sheltered just means that they won't deploy him against top lines and stuff like that. They are carefully selecting how and when to deploy Ceci. He is a player you have to plan around his limitations and cannot just throw him out there and ask him to log quality minutes.

That's not a bad thing, that's just what it is... and that's why he costs as little as he does.

again, you are just throwing this out cause someone says
look at the last night he played over 5 minutes against Ovi's line and had over 80% Corsi...yes comparing to 8 minutes that first and second pair had...Marino played 8 minutes too but got pushed around...so yes less minutes but not like he does not face first lines at all

 

[Empoleon8771]

Hextall's going to have to do something with the defense when Dumoulin gets back IMO. I don't think you can rationalize scratching POJ, especially when he's fitting seamlessly on the top pair with Letang. I also don't think moving POJ or Pettersson to his off-side to push Ceci out of the lineup is a smart move, either.

It seems like Matheson-Marino is going to stick as a pair for now. Pettersson-Ceci as the 3rd pair makes sense too. But are they really going to send POJ from a top pair role to the press box? I hope not.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

again, you are just throwing this out cause someone says
look at the last night he played over 5 minutes against Ovi's line and had over 80% Corsi...yes comparing to 8 minutes that first and second pair had...Marino played 8 minutes too but got pushed around...so yes less minutes but not like he does not face first lines at all
View attachment 396569

How many of those minutes were on the PK?

 

[vodeni]

How many of those minutes were on the PK?

that was 5 on 5...look there are many ways to skin this cat...he played half of this 15 minutes behind Sid's line and half behind the third line...that helps, but that means that he did help move the puck and the coach trusted him to play behind the first line and some hardest minutes...
anyways not trying to outsmart anyone here, just elated that he has been a very steady presence and one of our best dman...

 

[Andy99]

i guess we’re going to continue to bury our head in the sand about L2...

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

Nothing is going to happen on L2 unless there is an injury or a trade. This coach is ok with the 1st and 3rd lines playing well.

 

[Tom Hanks]

i guess we’re going to continue to bury our head in the sand about L2...

Not a lot of options. L1 is killing it. L3 is killing it since ZAR returned and L2 has a GF% of 83.33 in the last 7 games.

We need wins right now.

 

[Andy99]

Not a lot of options. L1 is killing it. L3 is killing it since ZAR returned and L2 has a GF% of 83.33 in the last 7 games.

We need wins right now.

i still think L1 would play well with Zucker on it...or L3...if the choice is L1-90% fantastic, L2- 25% fantastic and L3-90% fantastic versus L1-75% fantastic, L2-75% and L3- 60% fantastic, I’ll take the latter every time..

 

[Darren McCord]

Hextall's going to have to do something with the defense when Dumoulin gets back IMO. I don't think you can rationalize scratching POJ, especially when he's fitting seamlessly on the top pair with Letang. I also don't think moving POJ or Pettersson to his off-side to push Ceci out of the lineup is a smart move, either.

It seems like Matheson-Marino is going to stick as a pair for now. Pettersson-Ceci as the 3rd pair makes sense too. But are they really going to send POJ from a top pair role to the press box? I hope not.

Yes they are. What else would you do? You do not move Dumo right now if you intend to make a run. POJ is not proven and could crumble in the playoffs. The playoffs are a different animal and most likely someone get hurts.

I could see them rotating defensemen when dumo gets back based on play. It is a good problem to have. You dont trade a guy out in this situation. Any other year POJ would get sent down to play top minutes in WBS when dumo gets back.

 

[Tom Hanks]

i still think L1 would play well with Zucker on it...or L3...if the choice is L1-90% fantastic, L2- 25% fantastic and L3-90% fantastic versus L1-75% fantastic, L2-75% and L3- 60% fantastic, I’ll take the latter every time..

L2’s results are working well enough right now though. So even if it’s unsustainable stick with what’s working while you figure stuff out.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah, I think POJ will easily be scratched.

Also, I’m excited to get Petts back.

 

[Strakanator]

Keep L1 together right now. They are playing good enough to win games on their own.

I dunno, how about try anything different on the 2nd line? Maybe give one of the young guys a shot with Malkin, or even Tanev. How could you be the coach of this team and not try different things to get Malkin going? It’s like Sullivan hates Malkin. It makes no sense. Almost any other coach would be changing that line to get their superstar going. Sullivan does nothing.

I would like to see them try Lafferty-Malkin-Tanev, but it doesn’t matter really. Anything is better than watching the same 2nd line that doesn’t work be rolled out over and over again.

 

[The Old Master]

Yes they are. What else would you do? You do not move Dumo right now if you intend to make a run. POJ is not proven and could crumble in the playoffs. The playoffs are a different animal and most likely someone get hurts.

that's the big question. how far can we go if everyone is healthy, how much deference dose it make if we move someone? how would you rate our de-men if all are healthy?

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[Darren McCord]

that's the big question. how far can we go if everyone is healthy, how much deference dose it make if we move someone? how would you rate our de-men if all are healthy?

yes which is why you don’t make moves until you know what you have.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Keep L1 together right now. They are playing good enough to win games on their own.

I dunno, how about try anything different on the 2nd line? Maybe give one of the young guys a shot with Malkin, or even Tanev. How could you be the coach of this team and not try different things to get Malkin going? It’s like Sullivan hates Malkin. It makes no sense. Almost any other coach would be changing that line to get their superstar going. Sullivan does nothing.

I would like to see them try Lafferty-Malkin-Tanev, but it doesn’t matter really. Anything is better than watching the same 2nd line that doesn’t work be rolled out over and over again.

Why break up the 3rd line? They have amazing chemistry right now and are producing. Getting us a lot of O-zone time and momentum.
Tanev didn't do anything with Malkin the first time.

Sullivan doesn't have any options. L1 and L3 are dialed in. The onus is on Malkin and his 2 buddies to figure it out. Those are 3 highly skilled players.

As for Laff, sorry but I have zero faith that he can handle a 2nd line role. Zuck had a hot streak before. He'll have another and the numbers will balance out. Kap wasn't exactly put in a position to succeed playing 12 minutes yesterday either. I understand the reasons behind it though.

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[ownal]

Hextall's going to have to do something with the defense when Dumoulin gets back IMO. I don't think you can rationalize scratching POJ, especially when he's fitting seamlessly on the top pair with Letang. I also don't think moving POJ or Pettersson to his off-side to push Ceci out of the lineup is a smart move, either.

It seems like Matheson-Marino is going to stick as a pair for now. Pettersson-Ceci as the 3rd pair makes sense too. But are they really going to send POJ from a top pair role to the press box? I hope not.

Pettersson is going to have to go to the top pairing and Dumo work himself into the line up with Ceci. Dumo really will need 20-30 games of a limited role.

 

[Strakanator]

So let me get this straight...your answer for Line 2 is....do nothing.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

So let me get this straight...your answer for Line 2 is....do nothing.

I think people are focusing more on L2 because the PP has been so bad and Malkin's not getting points there.

I don't think there's much you can do in this situation. The team is scoring enough. I don't really believe in breaking up a line just because it consists of lower profile players. They're getting it done at both ends, and were a big part of the last 2 wins. If 2 lines are really going then you don't mess with things as a coach. You're very rarely going to have all your lines thriving at the same time.

Malkin has been provided with some of the best wingers he's had in his career. No reason they can't figure it out. It hasn't all been bad either. They had a stretch of good games. He had a 4 game point streak before yesterday.

They'll be fine IMO. Even if the chemistry isn't rolling on a given night Kapanen can have a moment or 2 of individual brilliance and get them some points.
Zucker's in a rut mentally right now but he'll get through it. Malkin was skating pretty hard yesterday. I'm not ready to give up on them yet. It's too soon. They've only been together 7 games. Like 3-4 of them were pretty good too.

Patience is a virtue.

 

[Tom Hanks]

 

[LOGiK]

"This is a real tough one for you, Tristan..."
"How do you think you performed yesterday..."


Jeez I know athletes are kind of stereotypically viewed as the dumb jock, but c'mon... is that REALLY a tough question?

So tough and Jarry is so obviously caught off guard the he gives his pre-thought out canned answer.

I like Jarry personally... seems like a good egg... I hope he gets it together --- for both our sakes.