This is the lineup I like. Maybe switch between Etem and Fast to keep them fresh, and switch out Boyle to Mcilrath to keep the old man legs fresh as well. We have lots of depth this year....hopefully not too much where we will end up losing a guy or two.
Post-Game Talk: PS #6: Bruins @ Rangers
- Thread starter Megustaelhockey
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This is the lineup I like. Maybe switch between Etem and Fast to keep them fresh, and switch out Boyle to Mcilrath to keep the old man legs fresh as well. We have lots of depth this year....hopefully not too much where we will end up losing a guy or two.
NYR's NYR Notes:
JT Miller – He was very noticeable again minus that bad give away in the 3rd. How sweet was that dangle sauce goal? The kids a top sixer for sure.
McIlrath – He tends to want to do a little too much but other than that, he looked like a vet out there tonight. He was great positionally, he's directing traffic and communicates very well with his line mates. A few great hits and a fight. He made his presence known and in a good way. It would be an absolute crime if he didn't make it into the opening night line up over Diaz. I love his game.
Glass – Disagree if you must but he severely outplayed Etem tonight. Etem has absolutely no business in the NHL. Nope, none nada....Period!
JT Miller – He was very noticeable again minus that bad give away in the 3rd. How sweet was that dangle sauce goal? The kids a top sixer for sure.
McIlrath – He tends to want to do a little too much but other than that, he looked like a vet out there tonight. He was great positionally, he's directing traffic and communicates very well with his line mates. A few great hits and a fight. He made his presence known and in a good way. It would be an absolute crime if he didn't make it into the opening night line up over Diaz. I love his game.
Glass – Disagree if you must but he severely outplayed Etem tonight. Etem has absolutely no business in the NHL. Nope, none nada....Period!
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
Inferno
Registered User
Well I've seen a few more than two, but I was mainly referring to the people actually making decisions. Clearly he has some of the brass in his corner. I don't know how you could argue that Diaz deserves the spot because he's outplayed McIlrath, hence the question regarding whether or not they think they can develop McIlrath without him getting legitimate NHL time.
we want cup
Registered User
I can't believe it is even a question whether people would rather have a journeyman #7 now over a potential hard-nosed 2nd pairing RHD in a couple of years.
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
Dylan should make the team as hes the guy the team is most heavily invested in. Really though, Diaz has had his moments too. He does have offensive skills and plays to what av really likes.
Question. Would mcilrath make this team this year if he could be sent back to Hartford ?
I still wonder.
BlueshirtBlitz
Foolish Samurai
Finish law school just last year and you've already turned your back on us normal folk?
--------------
Miller is ready to be given a shot in the top six. I'd like to see him with Brassard and Zuke.
McIlrath looks better than Marc Staal and Klein combined. Staal contract is atrocious and Klein should be traded. McIlrath should be the 6th D-man before Christmas.
Diaz is a fine 7th Dman.
haveandare
Registered User
If the question is whether or not he's been one of the 7 best d-men we have, I'd say yes and it's not very close.
eco's bones
Registered User
For me--yeah McIlrath would. He's played 5 preseason games and has been very competent in his own end. There have been no egregious errors that I can think of. He's moved the puck somewhere between okay and well. Diaz has put up points but he's also an adventure (and not always a good one) in his own end. And again I think Klein is on his way out and I like Kevin a lot but if we're giving a big raise to Chris Kreider next summer and keeping Yandle--Klein at $2.9 mil and playing 3rd pair--sometimes 2nd pair is a luxury we won't be able to afford. Getting McIlrath up to speed is the only coherent way to go. He looks pretty good now and there's good reason to think that by the end of this season he'll be even better.
aufheben
#Norris4Fox
Skill doesn't equal points. Diaz just doesn't seem useful to me anywhere other than the PP, and even then he's never been a point producer. If this team was so deep on defense already, McIlrath would absolutely be in the top six.
Diaz is 29 and this is his 5th try on a team from 2013-2014 to now. Ya know for the shot that guy has, his career highest total is 3 goals.
GeorgeKaplan
Registered User
we want cup
Registered User
Some notes on tonight.
Miller looked good, but would like for him to be more physical.
I did not like Hayes on the the wing with Kreider and Stepan.
Staal and Klein were the worst pairing tonight.
Diaz would be a fine 7th D.
I thought tonight was McI's worst game, but he still played better than Staal and Klein.
Girardi is terrible on break outs. But is very solid and sound defensively. Can't excel at everything, let's appreciate what he is good at.
Please break up Nash-Brass-Zucc.
This was Lindberg's quietest game. The puck didn't seem to find him as often as it has the previous 4 pre-season games (that he played).
Glass deserves to be cut.
Etem deserves to be the 13th F.
Miller looked good, but would like for him to be more physical.
I did not like Hayes on the the wing with Kreider and Stepan.
Staal and Klein were the worst pairing tonight.
Diaz would be a fine 7th D.
I thought tonight was McI's worst game, but he still played better than Staal and Klein.
Girardi is terrible on break outs. But is very solid and sound defensively. Can't excel at everything, let's appreciate what he is good at.
Please break up Nash-Brass-Zucc.
This was Lindberg's quietest game. The puck didn't seem to find him as often as it has the previous 4 pre-season games (that he played).
Glass deserves to be cut.
Etem deserves to be the 13th F.
Miamipuck
Al Swearengen
If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck it's a duck. Diaz has been on 4-5 teams in 3 years and is a basically a journeyman. To give him spot over a guy that's largely outplayed him and is 6 years younger is ridiculous.
If skill translated Diaz might be a top 4 guy but it doesn't. When the going gets tough and the checking tighter, I don't want Diaz anywhere near the top 6. He isn't Matt Hunwick, who I thought was exemplary when given the chance. I remember Diaz sucking the last time around and I can't think another go around will be any different.
I think it's weird this is even a discussion but it is. I would rather McI sit as the 7th guy now because he will for sure get a bunch of chances either from injury or AV switching guys in and out because of poor play (Klein for instance).
Anyway out of the top 6 this is how they played this preseason in my opinion: I am certain about the order of the top 4 not the order for the back 4:
McD
Yandle
Girardi
McI
Boyle
Staal
Diaz
Klein
The forwards I have to say the odd men out are Glass and Megma. I am not going to list them all but the better forwards this camp were: Lindberg, Nash, Zucc, Kreider (I think he upped his skill level).The bottom tier would be Etem, Stoll. It was a tough preseason to gauge forward wise only a few were consistent.
If skill translated Diaz might be a top 4 guy but it doesn't. When the going gets tough and the checking tighter, I don't want Diaz anywhere near the top 6. He isn't Matt Hunwick, who I thought was exemplary when given the chance. I remember Diaz sucking the last time around and I can't think another go around will be any different.
I think it's weird this is even a discussion but it is. I would rather McI sit as the 7th guy now because he will for sure get a bunch of chances either from injury or AV switching guys in and out because of poor play (Klein for instance).
Anyway out of the top 6 this is how they played this preseason in my opinion: I am certain about the order of the top 4 not the order for the back 4:
McD
Yandle
Girardi
McI
Boyle
Staal
Diaz
Klein
The forwards I have to say the odd men out are Glass and Megma. I am not going to list them all but the better forwards this camp were: Lindberg, Nash, Zucc, Kreider (I think he upped his skill level).The bottom tier would be Etem, Stoll. It was a tough preseason to gauge forward wise only a few were consistent.
aufheben
#Norris4Fox
wat
Idk I thought Dylan played well. That penalty was complete bs btw. Miami's ranking is pretty good more or less.
Idk I thought Dylan played well. That penalty was complete bs btw. Miami's ranking is pretty good more or less.
I'm convinced him and Yannick Weber are clones.
Ail
Based and Rangerspilled.
Ail
Based and Rangerspilled.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
Glen Sathers Cigar
Sather 4 Ever
How about the 3-1 in OT and Klein holds onto the puck himself and shoots it wide, springing the Bruins for a 2-0 if that kid would've corralled the puck (if this was the regular season and that were any of the B's top 6 players instead, they certainly would've had the 2-0. What a dumb decision.
broadwayblue
Registered User
Tawnos
A guy with a bass
Glen Sathers Cigar
Sather 4 Ever
Speaking to these two points specifically:
Giving Danny G credit for something else he's also really good at but rarely seems to get credit for: He is very good at knowing when to activate in the offensive zone and to slide down towards the slot, or come down for a pinch. He might be the most effective defenseman at pinching on the entire team. He almost always makes the right decision. For a guy who is considered a defensive D man (which he is) he really is very smart with when to slide down, when to pinch, when to carry to the corner to keep a play alive. It makes you remember that he is a guy who is slow and bad at moving the puck up the ice, but he has made it to the NHL and become a legit top 4 D because of his hockey IQ.
Etem was good tonight on the cycle. He is effective on the boards and if nothing else he can cycle down low, something that 80+ games (reg season and playoffs) of Glass last season has shown us that he just can't do. The guy is one of the worst board players and ineffective at cycling players that I have ever seen in a 4th line role. Ever. It's basically the 4th line's role on the offensive side to just chip it in and cycle. Boyle-Moore-Dorsett were awesome at it. Glass is never in the right spot and loses every single board battle. How anyone thinks he is a more effective player at this point in time than Etem is beyond me. That's not even taking into account the fact that etem is young, new to the team and has potential. He should absolutely be on this roster.
Nash-Brassard-Zucc
Kreider-Stepan-Miller
Stalberg-Hayes-Fast
Lindgberg-Moore-Stoll
Etem
McD-G
Staal-Boyle
Yandle-Klein
McIlrath
That is what the starting roster should be and needs to be.
Hayes needs to be at center, Miller needs to be with Kreider-Stepan.
Stoll replaces Glass' "leadership" and "veteran presence." Hayes-Fast played well together at times last season, now let Stalberg slide in and fill the Hagelin role.
Lindberg-Moore-Stoll can be a monster possession 4th line. That line could cycle non-stop.
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