Post-Game Talk: Pre-Season #4: Sat., Sept. 21, 2019, Rangers 1 at FLYERS 4

[Striiker]

No talent and no IQ

Yeah, it blows my mind that he's still in the NHL and especially still on this roster.

Cement hands and a cement head are a bad combination, but whats funny is he hits like a feather pillow. Gudas could actually hit people and do some damage... Hagg just lightly bumps into them after giving them the puck. The one thing he's known for and he sucks at it.

Then we watch Sanheim play and do stuff like in the gifs above and somehow that guy is the one who is consistently misused/underused.

 

[BernieParent]

I know we have the Conn Smythe for post-season play, but what is there for MVP of the pre-season? It clearly sounds like Twarynski won that last night. Shame I missed that performance for the ages.

Camp Smythe.

 

[TonyDeAngelo]

If Carter Hart isn't the No. 1 i'm going to be pissed.

 

[dragonoffrost]

If Carter Hart isn't the No. 1 i'm going to be pissed.

He's the #1. This will probably be Elliott's last preseason game.

 

[Rebels57]

If Carter Hart isn't the No. 1 i'm going to be pissed.

Theres no chance in hell he isnt

 

[dragonoffrost]

Theres no chance in hell he isnt

Monday during Football... aka Overreaction Monday. Due to the lineup for tonight with Els going full game.

 

[Starat327]

Didnt get to see the game but I see our usual suspects armed with their limited knowledge of the modern game are at it again.

 

[Tripod]

Monday during Football... aka Overreaction Monday. Due to the lineup for tonight with Els going full game.

At this point, you don't want Hart going in cold in a nothing game.

 

[dragonoffrost]

At this point, you don't want Hart going in cold in a nothing game.

Plus you really want both guys getting a full game against a decent lineup in before the season if possible.

 

[Chinatown88]

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Jesus f*** kid... c'mon, stay healthy.

 

[VladDrag]

RI-DIC-U-LOUS.

Bank pass saucer. How do you even anticipate that?

This is a terrible pass to Laugton

 

[VladDrag]

x2

This is a terrible pass to Hayes.

 

[Rebels57]

Jesus **** kid... c'mon, stay healthy.

Cancel this season.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Great start for the medical staff.

 

[Foggy14]

No one has mentioned that Provorov actually looked good on the PP, good crisp passes right on sticks.

Wonder if he got a Goldilocks stick this year (not too long, not too short . . .)

And not just the power play.

Aside from one flub against the Rags, Provy is looking a lot more like the pre-2018-19 version when he was so reliable with the puck, especially on exits from the defensive zone.

Ivan's mistakes with the puck last season were concerning and unexpected (by me, at least). Whether it was a radical change in stick pattern, a bum shoulder, defensive partner issues, a substantial increase in his TOI%, an uptick in quality of competition, or a combination of all of the above, it's a good sign that he seems to be getting this part of his game back on track.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Passing accuracy isn't Provorov's problem on the PP. It's the fact that he's exceptionally easy for PKers to read. He telegraphs everything. There is no element of deception to his game, and considering how much our PP units have relied on tricky play at the point (going back to Streit before Ghost, and Timonen before him), that's a problem. Our dmen have to operate as a secondary PP QB, not someone to be set up for bombs by forwards. Provy isn't good at that.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Passing accuracy isn't Provorov's problem on the PP. It's the fact that he's exceptionally easy for PKers to read. He telegraphs everything. There is no element of deception to his game, and considering how much our PP units have relied on tricky play at the point (going back to Streit before Ghost, and Timonen before him), that's a problem. Our dmen have to operate as a secondary PP QB, not someone to be set up for bombs by forwards. Provy isn't good at that.

Remember how we said that Provy could basically do things at almost a robotic pace and manner? Well...

 

[Rebels57]

And not just the power play.

Aside from one flub against the Rags, Provy is looking a lot more like the pre-2018-19 version when he was so reliable with the puck, especially on exits from the defensive zone.

Ivan's mistakes with the puck last season were concerning and unexpected (by me, at least). Whether it was a radical change in stick pattern, a bum shoulder, defensive partner issues, a substantial increase in his TOI%, an uptick in quality of competition, or a combination of all of the above, it's a good sign that he seems to be getting this part of his game back on track.

He does seem to be playing with more poise and decisiveness early on. I would not at all be surprised if his shoulder was an issue last season. I'm dealing with shoulder issues over 2 years after a hockey injury. Or maybe he was putting too much pressure on himself in a contract year. Could be a lot of things.

 

[Beef Invictus]

He does seem to be playing with more poise and decisiveness early on. I would not at all be surprised if his shoulder was an issue last season. I'm dealing with shoulder issues over 2 years after a hockey injury. Or maybe he was putting too much pressure on himself in a contract year. Could be a lot of things.

Maybe he had to poop the entire time.

 

[Curufinwe]

Provorov looked good in preseason last year, too.

His issues started once the regular season began.

 

[Rebels57]

Provorov looked good in preseason last year, too.

His issues started once the regular season began.

True. Guess we will have to revisit this a few months into the season.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Provorov looked good in preseason last year, too.

His issues started once the regular season began.

He looked good every time he was coming off of an extended break. Remember that 3 game stretch after the bye week?

 

[VladDrag]

Passing accuracy isn't Provorov's problem on the PP. It's the fact that he's exceptionally easy for PKers to read. He telegraphs everything. There is no element of deception to his game, and considering how much our PP units have relied on tricky play at the point (going back to Streit before Ghost, and Timonen before him), that's a problem. Our dmen have to operate as a secondary PP QB, not someone to be set up for bombs by forwards. Provy isn't good at that.

I don't think he'll ever be a true PP QB, in the way the aforementioned players are/were; however, I actually do think that Provy could be a semi-successful as a PP QB if he were to make a few adjustments to his game while on the PP. When you have a guy like Giroux and a secondary playmaker like Jake on your PP you don't need to be a primary playmaker. I can see a scenario with the personnel we currently have where he could be successful. He would need be a distributor of the puck, which he can do. It would be nice if he could develop a head fake or shimmy (really anything to buy himself an extra second with the puck) or develop consistent no look passes and really open his game. But just as a role of distributor, I think he could successful. However, he would need to understand that role, and not attempt things he can't do.

And, I think that's his problem - he's been too selfish on the PP. He holds the puck too long, and is prone to taking poor shots on net. Now this is pure speculation, but it wouldn't surprise me if he believes he's better at PP QP than he actually is.

All of this should be moot, however, as to me the problem with him on either PP1 or PP2 is that we have a better in house options and better options in the pipeline. @Magua mentioned this previously, and I am in agreement. There's no point in trotting him out there when we have better options ready to go now, and potentially better options in a few years. If we didn't have other options, or we were buying time for others, then send him out there. But since we have other options....

 

[Beef Invictus]

I don't think he'll ever be a true PP QB, in the way the aforementioned players are/were; however, I actually do think that Provy could be a semi-successful as a PP QB if he were to make a few adjustments to his game while on the PP. When you have a guy like Giroux and a secondary playmaker like Jake on your PP you don't need to be a primary playmaker. I can see a scenario with the personnel we currently have where he could be successful. He would need be a distributor of the puck, which he can do. It would be nice if he could develop a head fake or shimmy (really anything to buy himself an extra second with the puck) or develop consistent no look passes and really open his game. But just as a role of distributor, I think he could successful. However, he would need to understand that role, and not attempt things he can't do.

And, I think that's his problem - he's been too selfish on the PP. He holds the puck too long, and is prone to taking poor shots on net. Now this is pure speculation, but it wouldn't surprise me if he believes he's better at PP QP than he actually is.

All of this should be moot, however, as to me the problem with him on either PP1 or PP2 is that we have a better in house options and better options in the pipeline. @Magua mentioned this previously, and I am in agreement. There's no point in trotting him out there when we have better options ready to go now, and potentially better options in a few years. If we didn't have other options, or we were buying time for others, then send him out there. But since we have other options....

Yes. If you can't fool the PKers, then you better at least be making plays quickly, and Provorov doesn't do that. It isn't an ideal combination.