GDT: PreSeason Game #2: Sabres @ Blue Jackets; 7 PM ET

[Aladyyn]

If Mittelstadt looks outmatched physically he has no business being in the NHL, period. No sheltering will override that, give him a full year at a lower level to get his body up to par, just like Reinhart.

 

[GOALOFSSON]

He’s probably the best option there, which is insane. The GM didn’t do his job and fill an extremely important position. We’re going to be icing the same team as last year, plus VO, Vesey, and Miller, which is so damn depressing. Any improvements will have to come from development...again.

Johansson, Montour, Pilut, maybe Jokiharju?

Not the same team.

 

[Gabrielor]

If Mittelstadt looks outmatched physically he has no business being in the NHL, period. No sheltering will override that, give him a full year at a lower level to get his body up to par, just like Reinhart.

No way Botts would have the coursge to do that, sadly.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Johansson, Montour, Pilut, maybe Jokiharju?

Not the same team.

I forgot about Johansson but Montour and Pilut were on the team last year, and Joki will be on the Amerks unless Risto is traded. And we lost Pomminville. Still nothing to improve this team. A Risto trade COULD change all of that.

 

[Dingo44]

Still nothing to improve this team.

Something is not nothing.

 

[OkimLom]

He looks ready to me, although I’m not trying to imply it’s the best development path for him. But selfishly I’d much prefer to watch him over the likes of Sobotka, Vesey, Wilson, Girgs.

I think developing Asplund in Rochester giving him primary minutes and responsibilities, is the better route than having him alternate with vets from being dressed to being in the pressbox. We're not in a rush to NEED to see him on the main roster. Let Asplund compete hard for a spot next year when not saddled with so many vets blocking him.

 

[Aapo]

You couldn't ask Mittelstadt for more favorable minutes, and he did nothing with them. He needs his development put back on the right path. We shouldn't be double-downing on treating him the exact same way as it was last year. He should be sent down to the AHL. Or at the very least be sent to the pressbox more often to learn the game from the pressbox. At this point, I think I'd rather trust Thompson at the spot that Mittelstadt is in right now than Casey. He has already shown he has a better grasp on playing the center position better than Mittelstadt.

I'd do:

Skinner - Eichel - Girgensons
Johansson - Reinhart - Olofsson
Sheary - E-Rod - Vesey/Mittelstadt/Thompson
Asplund - Larsson - Okposo/Smith

First two lines might work, although Girgs wouldn’t be my first choice to try there just yet. It seems likely Vesey will see some time there though. It’s also far from sure Reinhardt will be tried at centre. If not, Larsson is currently our second best option there. 3rd line looks way too weak IMO which would lead to playing the 4th line more minutes and situations than Asplund/Okposo/Smith can handle...

I don’t believe Mitts is going to the AHL.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I think developing Asplund in Rochester giving him primary minutes and responsibilities, is the better route than having him alternate with vets from being dressed to being in the pressbox. We're not in a rush to NEED to see him on the main roster. Let Asplund compete hard for a spot next year when not saddled with so many vets blocking him.

Agreed but why do you assume we wouldn't be saddled with so many vets when that's literally the exact thing Botterill does (on purpose) every off season?

 

[joshjull]

Wrong. What has held us back is getting rid of ROR and hoping Mittlestadt could take over 2C duties. I'm tired of waiting to see if Mittlestadt can step up which he cant, I've said it all along his game is best suited for the wing so if you can get a good 2C for Mittlestadt do it, age be damned and hope Cozens can fill that spot in a few years after being sheltered properly as 3C.

You’re getting angry over a fallacy you’ve created in your mind. Sadly you're not the only one that believes it.

Mitts was never going to be tasked with or asked to be the 2C last year. He was never going to take over the role of “he who shall not be named’s”role as 2c. Honestly having a clue about what the 2C role was on Phil’s team should make it fairly obvious Mitts was never getting tasked with or expected to play the role.


Mitts last year was always going to be tasked with the exact same center role Sam had in his brief stint there. As the 3rd line secondary scoring line center. A role I might add Sam struggled mightily to produce offense in. The difference though is Phil moved Sam to wing and eventually to the top 6 with more talented players to help get him going but for whatever reason did nothing to help Mitts. He just left him in the role and hoped for the best. He could have put him on the wing or given him a better winger like Sam. Who didn’t need to stay on a line with Skinner and Jack line.

 

[Buffaloed]

He’s probably the best option there, which is insane. The GM didn’t do his job and fill an extremely important position. We’re going to be icing the same team as last year, plus VO, Vesey, and Miller, which is so damn depressing. Any improvements will have to come from development...again.

I think Skinner is the best option for #2 center. He was a center in juniors and has been used there in Carolina. He's not bad on faceoffs and can carry the puck. Put Johnasson on one wing to be the line's Jochen Hecht.

 

[OkimLom]

Agreed but why do you assume we wouldn't be saddled with so many vets when that's literally the exact thing Botterill does (on purpose) every off season?

Plenty of contracts coming off the books.

 

[OkimLom]

First two lines might work, although Girgs wouldn’t be my first choice to try there just yet. It seems likely Vesey will see some time there though. It’s also far from sure Reinhardt will be tried at centre. If not, Larsson is currently our second best option there. 3rd line looks way too weak IMO which would lead to playing the 4th line more minutes and situations than Asplund/Okposo/Smith can handle...

I don’t believe Mitts is going to the AHL.

Oh, I'm counting on Reinhart not being a center under this management. I'm just stating what I would do. Girgs has had good success playing with Eichel.

 

[GOALOFSSON]

I forgot about Johansson but Montour and Pilut were on the team last year, and Joki will be on the Amerks unless Risto is traded. And we lost Pomminville. Still nothing to improve this team. A Risto trade COULD change all of that.

Did they really play on the team last year?

Played a combined 53 games for us.

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

VO-Eich-Sam
Johansson-Skinner-Mitts
TT/Sheary-Erod-Vesey
Sheary/TT-Larsson-Ox
Girgs/Smith

Or
Skinner-Jack-VO
Johansson-Mitts(does not belong-Reinhart
Sheary-Erod-Tage
Girgs-Larsson-Vesey
Ox

 

[Aladyyn]

No way Botts would have the coursge to do that, sadly.

Then we should find a GM who does.

 

[tsujimoto74]

You couldn't ask Mittelstadt for more favorable minutes, and he did nothing with them. He needs his development put back on the right path. We shouldn't be double-downing on treating him the exact same way as it was last year. He should be sent down to the AHL. Or at the very least be sent to the pressbox more often to learn the game from the pressbox. At this point, I think I'd rather trust Thompson at the spot that Mittelstadt is in right now than Casey. He has already shown he has a better grasp on playing the center position better than Mittelstadt.

I'd do:

Skinner - Eichel - Girgensons
Johansson - Reinhart - Olofsson
Sheary - E-Rod - Vesey/Mittelstadt/Thompson
Asplund - Larsson - Okposo/Smith

He got soft usage last season, but he was largely with terrible linemates. When he had Reinhart on his RW, he was having some success. I think we all know that putting Reinhart on Eichel's wing is a waste of his talent for driving his own line, so why not let Mitts be the beneficiary of that?

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I think Skinner is the best option for #2 center. He was a center in juniors and has been used there in Carolina. He's not bad on faceoffs and can carry the puck. Put Johnasson on one wing to be the line's Jochen Hecht.

Now that's the kind of outside-of-the-box thinking this team needs

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Plenty of contracts coming off the books.

We had a lot coming off the books last season too -- he re-signed them all.

 

[Chainshot]

Oh, I'm counting on Reinhart not being a center under this management. I'm just stating what I would do. Girgs has had good success playing with Eichel.

In so far as he elevates the shots for and against, particularly defensively for Jack, it might be worth trying so that they have some defensive chops for that top line. Think Hecht ultralight. Or Hyman in a way with the Leafs.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Did they really play on the team last year?

Played a combined 53 games for us.

Yes, they played on the team. Pilut was injured, and the GM kept him in the minors, which he very well might do again since he doesn't have to pass through waivers (as far as I know). Doesn't mean you get to call him an addition to the team this season.

 

[joshjull]

Mitts or Sam should not have struggled against CBJ’s B team. Sam didn’t have a great game but he looked like he belonged on the ice. Mitts was overmatched at every faucet and continues to look slow and out of shape.

Almost the entire forward group struggled. Olofsson played over 15mins and had roughly 3mins of PP ice time and didn’t get single shot on goal the entire game. But he’s a golden boy at the moment so not a peep about it. Montour was train wreck most of the game. But I don‘t think it matters at all just like with Mitts. But thats because I don’t have an ax to grind with certain players like some of you do with Mitts. I also realize its the first preseason game for everyone with a mishmash of players. So it doesn’t really matter that much beyond getting their legs under them at game speed.

I mean Ullmark, Fitzgerald, McCabe and Hickey had good to strong games. CJ Smith was ok and that was about it. But you and others only targeted one guy for your rage. As I said previously, its almost as if you came into this predisposed to be mad at him. When he struggled it was game on to start attacking.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

I forgot about Johansson but Montour and Pilut were on the team last year, and Joki will be on the Amerks unless Risto is traded. And we lost Pomminville. Still nothing to improve this team. A Risto trade COULD change all of that.

Miller?..oloffson?

 

[Chainshot]

Almost the entire forward group struggled. Olofsson played over 15mins and had roughly 3mins of PP ice time and didn’t get single shot on goal the entire game. But he’s a golden boy at the moment so not a peep about it. Montour was train wreck most of the game. But I don‘t think it matters at all just like with Mitts. But thats because I don’t have an ax to grind with certain players like some of you do with Mitts. I also realize its the first preseason game for everyone with a mishmash of players. So it doesn’t really matter that much beyond getting their legs under them at game speed.

I mean Ullmark, Fitzgerald, McCabe and Hickey had good to strong games. CJ Smith was ok and that was about it. But you and others only targeted one guy for your rage. As I said previously, its almost as if you came into this predisposed to be mad at him. When he struggled it was game on to start attacking.

Good points. And even for the guys who played well there were some moments that we could look at and critique. It’s the second preseason game so finding a balance around patience versus confirmation bias is probably an issue in observation.

One downside of the roster last night was the top line would not be the same as top line under normal circumstances. We don’t know if Casey and Sam and CJ would be able to eat up a different pairing or a different forward matchup. I thought the caught Jones a lot.

And yes, it would be nice to see high potential players clicking immediately in expanded roles. Let’s see what phase 2 of their preseason does. I’m trying very hard not to thin slice two partial line up games.

 

[joshjull]

It wasn’t the results from playing those minutes that matter me. If he got kicked in on the statistical front but played hard, was winning battles, able to breakthrough guys to get to the puck, shield guys away from the puck, then I’d consider the night a success. It’s HOW Casey played those minutes that mattered to me.

He was getting shielded from the puck, his acceleration is was not there, he looked lethargic and slow to respond to plays on the ice. He was bumped off the puck quite easily. I was hoping he would have a little more strength to deal with the NHL players. He looked just like last year where I feel he was out of shape and not in game time shape. I said earlier that this was a game to see the results of Mittelstadt's offseason workout routine. For the first test, it didn't look good.

Reinhart didn't play all that well as well. But I've seen enough games from him to know he'll bounce back. For vets like him, Eichel, Girgs, and Larsson, I wouldn't be shocked to hear they used these games as getting their skating up to speed in gametime situations. I feel there's a lot more that Casey needs to prove to show what type of professional he can be when he's NOT around the guys.

I don’t think Mitts played well at all but I’m not concerned about it yet. I also look at the entire forward group pretty much struggling to do anything. Krueger mentioned how Columbus’s size was something they struggled with. Most posters saw that with the comments about how slow and small we looked last night. You can come up with a game play to attack it tactically but they aren’t doing that yet.

I will say the one repeatable thing from this game that concerns me with Mitts is face offs. He was demolished. Thats something I hope he works on and it may be better against other teams.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Miller?..oloffson?

What about them? Those are literally the ones I listed in my original post.