New York Islanders: Roster Discussion: Filppula out 4 weeks; Boychuk, Eberle day to day

[DerekKingSnipes]

Going to guess Koivula's defensive game at center isn't as reliable as Fritz', which makes sense given the difference in their relative experience levels. We are replacing a bottom 6 defensive center, and that's typically the primary focus when doing so.

Koivula actually is very good defensively he needs work in circle and his skating isn’t there yet not the time to rush him up here at this point. Fritz can fill in at center and we will see how it goes.

 

[Skip To My Lou]

I'm not inspired. Puts even more pressure on Barzal, Nelson, and Cizikas.

I mean, nor am I. Our center depth is shot. Like really bad. Otto is viewed as still very raw, and still getting adjusted to the North American game. So, I'd rather have a guy with at least some NHL experience, who's a good skater filling in. It's not ideal, but that's all we can do right now.

 

[Volek25]

Fritz adds nothing to this team except another body that skates aimlessly around the rink. We already have Beau to do that for us.

I guess no real other options at center position but TF is a throw away player at the NHL level.

 

[doublechili]

Yeah that 3rd line does not look good on paper.

Well, fortunately for us the game is not played on paper.

Unfortunately for us, that line doesn't look any better on ice.

 

[doublechili]

Fritz is from western Canada like Trotz. They both have 5 letters in their last names, 3 of which are the same letters. Trotz is going to do some Center-Whisperer magic and Fritz is going to be one of those guys no one ever heard of who makes a run at the Conn Smythe Trophy.

 

[SI]

The other 2 options here is live with Komarov at C with Kuhnackl shadowing or tagging in (Trotz C by committee)

OR

Move Bailey into Filppula's role as the 3C and play Beauvillier on the PK to replace Filppula spot there -

Bring Ho-Sang up to play in the top 6 vacated by Bailey and replace Filppula on the PP#2.

Lee - Barzal - Ho-Sang
Ladd/Kuhn/MDC - Nelson - Eberle
Beau - Bailey - Komarov
Martin - Cizikas - Clutter

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I think they took one look at Kuhnhackl as a center in practice and then decided to call up Fritz.

I have absolutely no problem with Fritz filling in at this juncture. At least you know he'll do exactly what Trotz asks of him. Nothing more, nothing less.

Help is not coming from the outside...

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Fritz is from western Canada like Trotz. They both have 5 letters in their last names, 3 of which are the same letters. Trotz is going to do some Center-Whisperer magic and Fritz is going to be one of those guys no one ever heard of who makes a run at the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Don't forget that their names both end in "tz".

 

[crasherino]

I think they took one look at Kuhnhackl as a center in practice and then decided to call up Fritz.

I have absolutely no problem with Fritz filling in at this juncture. At least you know he'll do exactly what Trotz asks of him. Nothing more, nothing less.

Help is not coming from the outside...

Fritz is a fine short term solution. He won't kill you but won't add too much to the equation. Unfortunately, 4 weeks goes beyond "short term". Lets see what happens for now. Alan Quine scored a big playoff goal for us - you never know who's going to step up when given the opportunity.

Every team has injuries. Unfortunately for us, this injury comes at the position where we have the least amount of depth. But if a 4 week injury to our 3rd line Center is the thing that derails us, we shouldn't be in this position to begin with. And maybe we shouldn't....but also maybe the team steps up, Fritz holds his own, and they bounce back from that abortion of a game on Tuesday.

 

[RMimagery]

Move Bailey into Filppula's role as the 3C and play Beauvillier on the PK to replace Filppula spot there -

Bring Ho-Sang up to play in the top 6 vacated by Bailey and replace Filppula on the PP#2.

Lee - Barzal - Ho-Sang
Ladd/Kuhn/MDC - Nelson - Eberle
Beau - Bailey - Komarov
Martin - Cizikas - Clutter

Makes the most sense.

 

[seafoam]

Staple kept saying they only had like two more call-ups or something for the regular season before calling up Fritz. I know nothing about that, just wanted to share.

Regardless, the Ho-Sang saga seems to be coming to a close.

 

[saintunspecified]

Think about this - is putting Ho-Sang on the top line with Barzal really the answer here? Are we just shuffling things around and creating liabilities just so that we can put a player at center, Bailey, so that we can minimize his strength (ability to move the puck from the boards into and through the neutral zone), and maximize his liabilities (speed and agility through the middle of the ice)?

No that doesn't make sense. Either Ho-Sang is able to make an impact or he isn't. If he is, he should play for that reason, not to shuffle a player who has repeatedly failed in the C position into that position.

 

[PK Cronin]

Staple kept saying they only had like two more call-ups or something for the regular season before calling up Fritz. I know nothing about that, just wanted to share.

Regardless, the Ho-Sang saga seems to be coming to a close.

Yeah, you get four regular call ups from the AHL after the deadline I believe. Ho-Sang and Dal Colle were brought up in an emergency call up, which doesn't count towards the four. Both were then changed to a regular call up, so that was the first two, and now Fritz is third. One more left before the end of the season, unless it's an emergency.

 

[PK Cronin]

Think about this - is putting Ho-Sang on the top line with Barzal really the answer here? Are we just shuffling things around and creating liabilities just so that we can put a player at center, Bailey, so that we can minimize his strength (ability to move the puck from the boards into and through the neutral zone), and maximize his liabilities (speed and agility through the middle of the ice)?

No that doesn't make sense. Either Ho-Sang is able to make an impact or he isn't. If he is, he should play for that reason, not to shuffle a player who has repeatedly failed in the C position into that position.

Bailey hasn't played center in years now (when was the last time he was a regular in that spot? Early Capuano days, Gordon?), I wouldn't be shifting him to take over the job for an extended period when there are other guys who have played it more recently. Komarov and Fritz are definitely better options right now. No sense in experimenting this close to the playoffs.

 

[saintunspecified]

Bailey hasn't played center in years now (when was the last time he was a regular in that spot? Early Capuano days, Gordon?), I wouldn't be shifting him to take over the job for an extended period when there are other guys who have played it more recently. Komarov and Fritz are definitely better options right now. No sense in experimenting this close to the playoffs.

He hasn't had any extended looks at center, but he's played it occasionally. Also, he's taken some center assignments from Barzal when they play together, but plays an extremely conservative 3rd forward high in the O zone when he does so. And that's what he'd be in as a center - adequate defensively, and an absolute zero offensively and on the fore-check. No better and no worse than Fritz.

But Komorov is like this, but *worse* at C. He can't even keep up with all the ice to cover in the D zone.

There's no good choice. We have 3 lines and one you have to hide. There's no getting around it, because we only have 3 NHL centers.

 

[seafoam]

Bailey hasn't played center in years now (when was the last time he was a regular in that spot? Early Capuano days, Gordon?), I wouldn't be shifting him to take over the job for an extended period when there are other guys who have played it more recently. Komarov and Fritz are definitely better options right now. No sense in experimenting this close to the playoffs.

Fritz may be able to provide a jolt at 3C. He skates well and keeps his feet moving. Filppula’s legs were there for about 50 games, but they have since tapered off.

 

[PK Cronin]

He hasn't had any extended looks at center, but he's played it occasionally. Also, he's taken some center assignments from Barzal when they play together, but plays an extremely conservative 3rd forward high in the O zone when he does so. And that's what he'd be in as a center - adequate defensively, and an absolute zero offensively and on the fore-check. No better and no worse than Fritz.

But Komorov is like this, but *worse* at C. He can't even keep up with all the ice to cover in the D zone.

There's no good choice. We have 3 lines and one you have to hide. There's no getting around it, because we only have 3 NHL centers.

I don't mind Bailey filling in a game or two, he's versatile enough to do that, but not for 10. The team is struggling to score goals, so this is a time where I'd stack the top two lines and bury the third line and just never let them see the ice. I know that's not typically how this team plays, but giving a bad third line a lot of time is going to hurt more than help I think.

 

[PK Cronin]

Fritz may be able to provide a jolt at 3C. He skates well and keeps his feet moving. Filppula’s legs were there for about 50 games, but they have since tapered off.

He's speedy, and not afraid to grind, but he's smaller and not skilled. All he has to do is play defense and not get scored on. Hopefully he can do that.

 

[saintunspecified]

I don't mind Bailey filling in a game or two, he's versatile enough to do that, but not for 10. The team is struggling to score goals, so this is a time where I'd stack the top two lines and bury the third line and just never let them see the ice. I know that's not typically how this team plays, but giving a bad third line a lot of time is going to hurt more than help I think.

I agree. I'd go with a bottom six of:

Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck, which plays
and
Kuhnhackl-Fritz-Komorov, which barely plays

The point of the Kuhnhackl-Fritz-Komorov line is basically to not get scored on and have two PK forwards on it. Ladd is, IMO, a total waste at this point. Kuhnhackl should be in the lineup to replace Filppula on the PK.

 

[duster19]

I think they took one look at Kuhnhackl as a center in practice and then decided to call up Fritz.

I have absolutely no problem with Fritz filling in at this juncture. At least you know he'll do exactly what Trotz asks of him. Nothing more, nothing less.

Help is not coming from the outside...

Never know. Fritz could come out firing. Big opportunity for him.

Just sucks. Feels like things are starting to get away from them.

 

[wingnutks]

Never know. Fritz could come out firing. Big opportunity for him.

Just sucks. Feels like things are starting to get away from them.

He already had an opportunity, he wasent good then

 

[notDatsyuk]

This could be a thread unto itself.

The lack of transparency in the NHL with regards to injury reporting is insulting to the dedicated fans who are the lifeblood of the league, its owners and players.
I suppose the apologists will say that this keeps opponents from targeting the injured player upon his return.
I call BS on that.
When Flip goes off the ice hold his hand and is out 4 weeks, we can all figure out what happened. Same goes for the guy who gets his bell rung or grabs his shoulder.

I find the whole topic infuriating. It gives me a massive headache...I mean an upper body injury.

No idea who it was, but a couple of years ago I saw an interview with a player who had injured his wrist. When asked about it he had his hand down at his side, and he replied "lower body". Then he raised his hand to chest level, and said "upper body". Put his hand down, said "lower body", raised it, said "upper body"....

 

[Chardo]

If Lou had acquired another C at the deadline, a legit NHLer, what would Trotz have done? Sit Filpulla? Sit the new guy? Neither would go over well.

 

[YearlyLottery]

He already had an opportunity, he wasent good then

I will say that when I watch Bridgeport this season Fritz has some speed to his game that I like. I don't expect anything more than being a loser from him, but he did not have the greatest coaching staff to work with either. This is a big opportunity for him.

 

[PROMputt]

Yeah, you get four regular call ups from the AHL after the deadline I believe. Ho-Sang and Dal Colle were brought up in an emergency call up, which doesn't count towards the four. Both were then changed to a regular call up, so that was the first two, and now Fritz is third. One more left before the end of the season, unless it's an emergency.

I am pretty sure Ho-sang was returned before making him a regular call up(emergency recalls do not count).