Pre-season thread

[M88K]

Serious? That is what people are saying.. I disagree with it strongly but the same people whining about no depth are whining we didn't give up four player assets + 2-3 picks for a player.

Then you're really not paying attention.
We have no strong top 6 players in the pipeline it is all bottom 6 or bottom pairing d-men.
With what San jose gave up, we absolutely could have exceeded it and been in no worse of shape.
Trading picks especially with McDonnel running things is more likely addition by subtraction anyway. They've drafted garbage outside of the 1 almost impossible to f*** up pick at 3, with pretty much every pick they've taken.

Gurianov is garbage, Honka is garbage, Tufte won't likely make the AHL, Dellandrea is another bottom 6 that has "Character"
Dickinson is garbage, Oettinger is a goalie, Nichushkin is another bottom 6 guy.

I mean how many of these failed draft picks and crap players do we need to stock pile?
If Klingberg gets injured for any significant time there is nobody to replace him.
If Seguin gets injured for any significant time, we have a better chance of finishing with the #1 draft pick than making the playoffs.

"depth" isn't the problem, high end depth is.
You absolutely cut into our treasurer trove of 3rd-4th liners to add another high end guy, it isn't rocket science

 

[BrettHullsToe]

Montgomery said in one of the interviews that all of the guys wanted to play in the scrimmage, but if the medical staff found any excuse to hold them out, even minor, that they wouldn't be playing. So, maybe Heatherington picked up some minor injury from the first two days.

From Monty's interview today, this was exactly the reason Heatherington didn't play in the scrimmage - he's got a sore wrist and they need him healed up to play in several pre-season games.

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Heather looked pretty good, not out of place in his brief stint last year. Sounds like they prefer to go younger (probably due to speed of play) on D as well as Forwards, it at all possible, with Polak maybe playing only against some physical teams?

Everyone seems jazzed, but my guess is they usually are in camp. Still have to maintain that enthusiasm all year, which didn't happen last year.

 

[Hockey Dad]

My only issue with not trading is who is available. The stars need a forward. Karlsson would help get the puck to what we have but not sure who would finish. I am not sure what Patches has left. I hope Nill was talking to Ottawa for Duchene or Stone more than Karlsson. I just don’t know who is available. Skinner went where he wanted.

 

[Kcb12345]

My only issue with not trading is who is available. The stars need a forward. Karlsson would help get the puck to what we have but not sure who would finish. I am not sure what Patches has left. I hope Nill was talking to Ottawa for Duchene or Stone more than Karlsson. I just don’t know who is available. Skinner went where he wanted.

Panarin but he's a longshot. Stone or Duchene are the most likely available players that could be acquired for reasonably cheapish

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Would be more Nill's style to go after a Pitlick guy, who has flashed some potential, and plays cheap.

Would rather have Pitlicks 14 goals for $1M ($71,428 per) over Rads 27 goals for $6M ($222,222 per goal) Maybe two Pitlicks to equal one Rad with better injury protection?

 

[LT]

Would be more Nill's style to go after a Pitlick guy, who has flashed some potential, and plays cheap.

Would rather have Pitlicks 14 goals for $1M ($71,428 per) over Rads 27 goals for $6M ($222,222 per goal) Maybe two Pitlicks to equal one Rad with better injury protection?

What does this mean?

 

[Kcb12345]

Would be more Nill's style to go after a Pitlick guy, who has flashed some potential, and plays cheap.

Would rather have Pitlicks 14 goals for $1M ($71,428 per) over Rads 27 goals for $6M ($222,222 per goal) Maybe two Pitlicks to equal one Rad with better injury protection?

What did I just read

That's like saying you'd rather have 2 50 point guys instead of a Connor McDavid. Is this you talking or are you saying what Nill would probably rather have?

 

[Smelling Salt]

Nill again pumping the tires on the Stars' depth:

Heika: Stars believe pieces are in place to boost scoring depth

A lot of "ifs" in there.

 

[Kcb12345]

Nill again pumping the tires on the Stars' depth:

Heika: Stars believe pieces are in place to boost scoring depth

A lot of "ifs" in there.

Tbt to when he basically said that same thing but in a different way at the trade deadline. That really turned out just fantastic.

And ikr? "If" everyone gets better and produces a lot more, then we will have better depth. Uh obviously, but not every single player is just gonna score 5-10 more goals all of a sudden

 

[Starsfansfromqc]

Benn - Seguin - Pitlick
Janmark - Spezza - Radulov
Comeau - Faksa - Nichushkin
Ritchie/Elie - Shore/Hintz - Smith/other??

Pitlick can score and is proved to be a good defensive player. I see a good fit in the big line there..
Janmark and Spezz add some chemestry before and adding a guy like Rads could be interresting.
I can see Nichuskin switch with Pitlick too in this line up.

Defense is all set for me.. Lindell/Klingberg - Johns/Heiskanen and Methot/Honka

I can see Bayreuther or Polak take the spot of Honka if he does'nt look good in pre-season.

What do you think about it and what is your expected line up for the start of the season?

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

What does this mean?

Just reading what I think Nill is doing. While he was all in on JT and EK as top 5 in the NHL at their positions, there were no reports of him going after either of MTL's wingers, who are next tier, but wanting big money. When you consider value and cap, you can only have so many $5-6M players. And, they don't always produce, get injured (Hanzel, to a degree Bishop) etc. Less vulnerability to injury if a lot of guys can step up. Unless its a mortal lock, I don't see him swinging for the fences again. Some mention standing pat as not working out, but he went on a spending spree last year, and it didn't help a lot, either. I am sure that figures into his decisions.

NJ won a lot of cups with depth scoring, a lot of guys hitting 10-15 goals. In our 2015 season, where we led the NHL in scoring, we had our then top 3 each score 30, and then Cody Eakin had 16, Janmark had 15, Ales Hemsky had 13, Vernon Fiddler had 12 and Colton Sceviour posted 11.

So, you can score a lot (or enough) with a big three producing equal to last year, and everyone else improving by a bit. Of those five, I think the first two had disappointing totals as second line guys, but the 3-4 line guys were pleasant surprises, so you don't need every single guy to step up, although I will admit there is little room for the FW core players to decrease production. That said, we have to remember that even once you have your top players (and agree Stars need one more to be true contenders) everything still has to go right to win the conference or Cup.

I believe there is less risk on taking a chance on a once talented player like Pitlick, who had injury problems, getting better for $1M than an aging Patches getting worse for $7M. I bet either type of acquisition works out as well as expected at about the same rate. So, yeah, while some of you guys would say I'm drinking the Kool Aid, I can see where Nill is coming from, from the POV of building and running a hockey team.

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

I also suggested Pitlick as a possibility on the first line. Monty seems to like Comeau up there, too. He also commented on putting Nuke with RAds to mentor him and said he saw some chemistry, which might change up that order.

I don't like Nuke on the third. The Pit Bulls should probably stay together for chemistry, hoping Comeau seamlessly takes the role of Antoine (whi is already out with a concussion in VAN, BTW) That line was the prototypical third line, and could score, too. If Pitlick moves up, I don't know where Nuke would be useful. Elie seems like a better fit on the Pit Bull line.

Guess we will leave it to Monty to figure out.

Benn - Seguin - Pitlick
Janmark - Spezza - Radulov
Comeau - Faksa - Nichushkin
Ritchie/Elie - Shore/Hintz - Smith/other??

 

[Starsfansfromqc]

It could be like this maybe if you switch position of Janmark and Nuke.. Then you got Nuke in the top 6 and he play with the great Rads!

Benn - Seguin - Janmark
Nichuskin - Spezza - Radulov
Comeau - Faksa - Pitlick
Ritchie/Elie - Shore/Hintz - Smith/Dickinson

This could also be a interresting line up

 

[Smelling Salt]

Benn - Seguin - Pitlick
Janmark - Spezza - Radulov
Comeau - Faksa - Nichushkin
Ritchie/Elie - Shore/Hintz - Smith/other??

I like your lines.

That 3rd line could be very interesting if Nichushkin is effective. Doesn't have to be a stud - just effective. But yeah the Stars' 4th line is possibly going to be a disaster. Also Dickinson to consider there. I'd give Hintz a real look in preseason and I hope does well to show Ritchie/Shore/Dickinson you boys need to step up big time or you won't be seeing the ice, and I wouldn't hesitate to shoot Elie into the sun.

 

[Starsfansfromqc]

Maybe some of the guy's in the battle for the fourth line will be trade or waived...

There's just Hintz we could drop AHL right? The others have to be waived before?

 

[WhatWhat]

Benn - Seguin - Pitlick
Janmark - Spezza - Radulov
Comeau - Faksa - Nichushkin
Ritchie/Elie - Shore/Hintz - Smith/other??

Pitlick can score and is proved to be a good defensive player. I see a good fit in the big line there..
Janmark and Spezz add some chemestry before and adding a guy like Rads could be interresting.
I can see Nichuskin switch with Pitlick too in this line up.

Defense is all set for me.. Lindell/Klingberg - Johns/Heiskanen and Methot/Honka

I can see Bayreuther or Polak take the spot of Honka if he does'nt look good in pre-season.

What do you think about it and what is your expected line up for the start of the season?

If Polak has a reasonable chance to take Honka's spot then Monty isnt as patient as he preaches and Nill needs to be fired into the sun. As for Pitlick on the top line that just a straight up no from me. He doesnt have the hands to be used by Seguin and Benn well enough. Dude is a relentless skater and him on the shut down line with Faksa is perfect.

I honestly want to see how Nuke looks on the top line and I want to see Comeau there for a preseason game. Benn and Seguin have always played stupidly well with a defensive complimentary winger like Peverly or Eaves. Im intrigued to see how the Comeau chemistry works

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

The 4th line would be built on speed with Elie-Shore-Smith. Those guys created with a bit of speed last year. I guess Ritchie could slot in there against more physical teams. That would be okay.

How is Hintz's speed? If he or JD blossomed into something of a scoring forward, maybe we get that vaunted depths scoring Nill seeks.

 

[LT]

NJ won a lot of cups with depth scoring, a lot of guys hitting 10-15 goals. In our 2015 season, where we led the NHL in scoring, we had our then top 3 each score 30, and then Cody Eakin had 16, Janmark had 15, Ales Hemsky had 13, Vernon Fiddler had 12 and Colton Sceviour posted 11.

So, you can score a lot (or enough) with a big three producing equal to last year, and everyone else improving by a bit. Of those five, I think the first two had disappointing totals as second line guys, but the 3-4 line guys were pleasant surprises, so you don't need every single guy to step up, although I will admit there is little room for the FW core players to decrease production. That said, we have to remember that even once you have your top players (and agree Stars need one more to be true contenders) everything still has to go right to win the conference or Cup.

I believe there is less risk on taking a chance on a once talented player like Pitlick, who had injury problems, getting better for $1M than an aging Patches getting worse for $7M. I bet either type of acquisition works out as well as expected at about the same rate. So, yeah, while some of you guys would say I'm drinking the Kool Aid, I can see where Nill is coming from, from the POV of building and running a hockey team.

Last year, we had 3 25+ goal scorers and 7 10+ goal scorers. What we really need is 3 30+ goal scorers and 9-10 10+ goal scorers (e.g. WSH had 11 10+ goal scorers). You either need a bunch of depth, or a handful of great depth (e.g. WPG having 5 20+ goal scorers). Right now, we're pretty clearly going to need to hit on the former if we want to contend this year.

I definitely agree with most of this. Pacioretty really struggled last year - who's to say he returns to being a 30 goal scorer? If he doesn't, that's an albatross of a contract. With EK and JT, you know for sure what you're getting.

 

[serp]

Maybe some of the guy's in the battle for the fourth line will be trade or waived...

There's just Hintz we could drop AHL right? The others have to be waived before?

I mean Elie or Smith aren't exactly a huge losses if they get picked off waivers. Neither is Ritchie or probably even Dickinson. If Hintz is good enough to make the team there will be a roster spot for him or for whoever else does . Gurianov aparently was great in the scrimmage Game and scored two goals so who knows.

Nobody on we have currently penciled on the fourth line would be a missed if a younger guy takes his roster spot.

 

[Starsfansfromqc]

I still think Gurianov have a very good potentiel to be a goal scorer in the NHL. He just need again some time to find is game.

 

[Smelling Salt]

Maybe some of the guy's in the battle for the fourth line will be trade or waived...

There's just Hintz we could drop AHL right? The others have to be waived before?

I believe that to be correct.

 

[Starsfansfromqc]

Someone have a link for the streaming of the preseason game tomorrow? Could be interresting to watch.

 

[LT]

I still think Gurianov have a very good potentiel to be a goal scorer in the NHL. He just need again some time to find is game.

He's already had 3 years and hasn't shown much of anything beyond flashes. How much longer does he get?

 

[Kcb12345]

Someone have a link for the streaming of the preseason game tomorrow? Could be interresting to watch.

Unfortunately they aren't streaming it at all anywhere :/