PK Cronin
Bailey Fan Club Prez
- Feb 11, 2013
- 34,250
- 23,615
Here's my breakdown for who played tonight:
Barzal line - Looked the same as last year, sometimes they were obviously just going through the motions. No worries, other than Beauvillier's new number.
Cizikas line - Looked the same as when we last saw them. Lots of energy and some offensive chances. Kind of annoyed they were the second PP unit. Wanted to see more of the other guys there.
Bellows - Limited time with the puck on his stick, but made smart plays when he did. Wasn't afraid to dig in the corners. It's true that he's not the fastest skater but he's already been involved in more plays this pre-season than Dal Colle in all of the years he's been around. Great shot, isn't afraid to go to the front of the net, and he seemed to create some space to receive passes pretty well.
Kovar - Seemed hesitant or reluctant early in the game, but he got better as it progressed. No glaring issues, but he's not a blazing fast skater and didn't look like he was going to dangle anyone. Could be a low end #2 center or a good #3 center potentially.
Bernier - We know what he is. Emergency call up at best.
Turcotte - Guy has a motor but just seems to run around aimlessly, hitting everyone. Took a penalty and just didn't seem to have the brains/skill for much else. Good speed in a straight line.
Gionta - He worked hard, but he's also an emergency call up at best. We knew this.
Koivula - Complete non-factor. Barely noticed him and when I did, it wasn't in a good way. Very soft and seems to have struggled with the spacing/time in the North American game. At the end of the game he tried to stick handle through a few players and eventually turned the puck over. He needs a few more years and to adjust his game if he'll ever stick.
Leddy - Didn't really like Leddy with Dobson, but Leddy did a nice job easing Dobson into the game. Same old Leddy.
Dobson - Looked mediocre at the start of the game but got better as it progressed. I'm not gushing over him like some other are. This was a bad Flyers squad and he wasn't great.
Helgeson - Worst defenseman of the night. Gross.
Pulock - Had a very solid game. Didn't show off too much offensively, but he did let a few shots go and made some really smooth defensive plays.
Aho - Another who started a bit slow, but by the end of the game he was doing a great job. He got physical and was making smart reads.
Sbisa - Was the surprise of the game, keeping things simple and effective. I think he's better than Seidenberg and would be fine as an extra at this point. Need to see more though.
Lehner - Calm, collected, and decisive in his decision making and movement. Not a lot of action for him though.
Gibson - Kept the puck out of the net, but the game became a lot more dicey with him in net. I don't know if he'll ever be a quality backup at the NHL level.
Barzal line - Looked the same as last year, sometimes they were obviously just going through the motions. No worries, other than Beauvillier's new number.
Cizikas line - Looked the same as when we last saw them. Lots of energy and some offensive chances. Kind of annoyed they were the second PP unit. Wanted to see more of the other guys there.
Bellows - Limited time with the puck on his stick, but made smart plays when he did. Wasn't afraid to dig in the corners. It's true that he's not the fastest skater but he's already been involved in more plays this pre-season than Dal Colle in all of the years he's been around. Great shot, isn't afraid to go to the front of the net, and he seemed to create some space to receive passes pretty well.
Kovar - Seemed hesitant or reluctant early in the game, but he got better as it progressed. No glaring issues, but he's not a blazing fast skater and didn't look like he was going to dangle anyone. Could be a low end #2 center or a good #3 center potentially.
Bernier - We know what he is. Emergency call up at best.
Turcotte - Guy has a motor but just seems to run around aimlessly, hitting everyone. Took a penalty and just didn't seem to have the brains/skill for much else. Good speed in a straight line.
Gionta - He worked hard, but he's also an emergency call up at best. We knew this.
Koivula - Complete non-factor. Barely noticed him and when I did, it wasn't in a good way. Very soft and seems to have struggled with the spacing/time in the North American game. At the end of the game he tried to stick handle through a few players and eventually turned the puck over. He needs a few more years and to adjust his game if he'll ever stick.
Leddy - Didn't really like Leddy with Dobson, but Leddy did a nice job easing Dobson into the game. Same old Leddy.
Dobson - Looked mediocre at the start of the game but got better as it progressed. I'm not gushing over him like some other are. This was a bad Flyers squad and he wasn't great.
Helgeson - Worst defenseman of the night. Gross.
Pulock - Had a very solid game. Didn't show off too much offensively, but he did let a few shots go and made some really smooth defensive plays.
Aho - Another who started a bit slow, but by the end of the game he was doing a great job. He got physical and was making smart reads.
Sbisa - Was the surprise of the game, keeping things simple and effective. I think he's better than Seidenberg and would be fine as an extra at this point. Need to see more though.
Lehner - Calm, collected, and decisive in his decision making and movement. Not a lot of action for him though.
Gibson - Kept the puck out of the net, but the game became a lot more dicey with him in net. I don't know if he'll ever be a quality backup at the NHL level.