Radim Vrbata Pt. 2

[vadim sharifijanov]

He's playing great. I'm starting wonder how many he can get this year, starting to feel like we should expect 40, maybe 50 though 50 might be optimistic without the Oilers leaving him unmarked all game.

well yeah, maybe we should wait to see his scoring rate against teams not from alberta before telling brett hull to start worrying about his RW scoring record. but obviously i'm liking what i'm seeing so far.

 

[Balls Mahoney]

Vrbata will have stretches where he disappears and where he's struggling with his confidence. That's just a reality with him. But as long as he keeps his effort up and gets a couple of shots on net a game, I couldn't be happier with him.

 

[HighAndTight]

^ The good thing is he's going to keep getting set up by the Sedin's and seems to fit their rotation perfectly.

 

[Pip]

Vrbata will have stretches where he disappears and where he's struggling with his confidence. That's just a reality with him. But as long as he keeps his effort up and gets a couple of shots on net a game, I couldn't be happier with him.

But, we haven't seen his shot be really successful thus far, I'd would call him fairly unlucky to start the season considering how many chances he's gotten (2 posts too so far iirc). I think those cold streaks will be offset by when his shot is on and the Sedins set him up for enough "tap-ins" that hopefully it isn't a huge issue.

But who knows how the three of them ego against better teams

 

[JA]

Counting the preseason, Radim has 6 goals in his last 6 games (3 in 3 so far since the start of the regular season).

Two more goals since then.

Radim now has 5 goals in 8 regular season games with Vancouver.



He's generating chances too.

 

[a Fool]

He's completely revived the 1st unit PP. Underrated playmaking ability.

 

[discordant concord]

Tough last few games for Vrbata. Methinks he gets demoted to Bonino's line. Although that might not necessarily be for the best.

 

[Pip]

I thought he looked a lot better tonight than he has in the last stretch of games. Needs to keep shooting! Anywhere and everywhere Radim!

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

From Elliote Friedman's 30 thoughts:

16. Vrbata said the Sedins really didn’t have many special instructions about fitting in with them. After a couple of exhibition games, the linemates made sure that whoever was in the middle on a rush made sure to drive the net. Other than that? “We decided we have to shoot more,” Vrbata said. Even Henrik? Vrbata paused, and you could hear the smile forming on his face over the phone. “When they said we have to shoot more, they were really saying I have to shoot more.”

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-its-not-going-to-be-easy-for-ted-nolan/

 

[DennisReynolds]

Is Vrbata known as a perimeter player? Everytime Henrik or Daniel has the puck behind the net, he doesn't actually go in front of the net and he just stays on the outside.

Burrows was great at actually going in front of the net and trying to find a little hole for a shooting lane whenever the Sedins had the puck behind the net

 

[Regal]

Is Vrbata known as a perimeter player? Everytime Henrik or Daniel has the puck behind the net, he doesn't actually go in front of the net and he just stays on the outside.

Burrows was great at actually going in front of the net and trying to find a little hole for a shooting lane whenever the Sedins had the puck behind the net

I don't think he's ever been much of a dirty areas type, but he's seemed to have backed off more than earlier in the season, and his shots are coming from further out. It's fine if he's a few feet to the side of the net but he's not going to score a lot from the far side of the circle like he's been trying.

 

[Lowkey]

Is Vrbata known as a perimeter player? Everytime Henrik or Daniel has the puck behind the net, he doesn't actually go in front of the net and he just stays on the outside.

Burrows was great at actually going in front of the net and trying to find a little hole for a shooting lane whenever the Sedins had the puck behind the net

I have a feeling this is by design a lot of the time as he's trying to get lost in the high slot and find a soft spot in the defense.

 

[Nucker101]

I have a feeling this is by design a lot of the time as he's trying to get lost in the high slot and find a soft spot in the defense.

Ye

Yeah, that's more of his game. I'm not worried about him, I wasn't expecting 40 goals like some were after his hot start anyway. 30 goals still seems very realistic.

 

[DennisReynolds]

I have a feeling this is by design a lot of the time as he's trying to get lost in the high slot and find a soft spot in the defense.

On 30 thoughts today, Vrbata said he and the Sedins didn't talk much about strategies and how he could fit in. So I'm going to assume that it's mostly his instincts telling him not to go in front of the net.

EDIT - completely misinterpreted what you said but yeah that I can get behind. Just hoping he'd go directly in front of the net when the Sedins have the back behind the net because when they do have the puck, nothing happens.

 

[thepuckmonster]

Vrbata will have stretches where he disappears and where he's struggling with his confidence. That's just a reality with him. But as long as he keeps his effort up and gets a couple of shots on net a game, I couldn't be happier with him.

Agreed. He's going to go through cold streaks. Otherwise he'd be getting Parise+ money and would have likely gone to a contender.

 

[denkiteki]

Vrbata will have stretches where he disappears and where he's struggling with his confidence. That's just a reality with him. But as long as he keeps his effort up and gets a couple of shots on net a game, I couldn't be happier with him.

Agreed although you could hope with the Sedins, those stretches will be kept short. Its kinda hard not to score into an open net... Sedins (beside last year) rarely go more than 2 games without a point, which more or less means Vrbata cold streaks can't be too long as long as he's their line-mate.

At the end of the day, i think most realistic fans really expected somewhere between 50 - 60 points from him. Anymore is a just a bonus.

 

[skyo]

Ye

Yeah, that's more of his game. I'm not worried about him, I wasn't expecting 40 goals like some were after his hot start anyway. 30 goals still seems very realistic.

What? you mean no 82 goal season?

#sarcasm

 

[Regal]

Is Vrbata known as a perimeter player? Everytime Henrik or Daniel has the puck behind the net, he doesn't actually go in front of the net and he just stays on the outside.

Burrows was great at actually going in front of the net and trying to find a little hole for a shooting lane whenever the Sedins had the puck behind the net

I don't think he's ever been much of a dirty areas type, but he's seemed to have backed off more than earlier in the season, and his shots are coming from further out. It's fine if he's a few feet to the side of the net but he's not going to score a lot from the far side of the circle like he's been trying.

 

[JA]

He has 10 goals, 17 points in 19 games played. He is a perfect fit with the Sedins, and he provides a skill set that few players have offered on a line with them. In fact, he has looked even better with them recently than he did at the start of the season; their offensive strategy has diversified, and their cycle game has kept the opposition hemmed in their own zone for extended periods of time, and the offensive pressure that the Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata line generates is exciting to watch.

 

[tantalum]

Best thing about Vrbata is he is willing to get to the dirty areas (see last night goal) and he tends to find the puck on his stick when he does. He is sort of like Burrows in that regard but unlike Burrows, Vrbata has much better puck skills and has a knack of knowing where the puck will be. This leads him to be able to get to pucks to continue the pressure where it would normally be coming out of the zone. He can contribute more to the line because of that. It also allows Burrows to slide down the lineup and be played in a much more advantageous spot for him and the team.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

before the season i posted:

but vrbata looks like the best pure shooter we've had since naslund, and that in and of itself is worth being excited about. good hands in tight too.

but i'll tell you guys what: if he hits 40 goals, i'll change my username to Vadim Rrbata. wouldn't even have to change my jersey number.

1/4 of the way there...

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Feels nice seeing the twins whip the puck around with a player who is on their level of skill and IQ. I new Radim Vrbata was skilled, I just didn't know he was this good a hockey player. Feels good man.

 

[The Gourmet]

Doubt he gets 40 but I would be very pleased with 30+.

 

[me2]

Doubt he gets 40 but I would be very pleased with 30+.

30 isn't very good.

 

[Oliewud]

50 or bust