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Post-Game Talk: Sharks 3 @ Canucks 2 | 3/3/16

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orcatown

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San Jose played just well enough to win. Seems like lot of teams doing that lately. would kind of relieve the tensionis they just came in a blew us out early.

Might be Desjardins is getting on board with the tank the way he is shorting player who are playing well. However, won't fully think this until he finds a reason to sit out one or both of the Sedins. Yet Vey being used as an effective anchor on the Horvat line

Good

Virtanen
Biega (only player going to the body outside of D. Sedin)
Baertschi
Hutton

HM

Dorsett (well sort of)

Bad

McCann
Bart

Ugly

Vey (defense is again tragically poor)

Others

Gaunce didn't show much. Skating still an issue. Overall line was not effective. got some PK time and did ok.

Miller was no better than mediocre and far the lesser of the two goalies. That's fine as far as the tank/rebuild is concerned.

Almost comical the way the latter part of the season has turned into a race to bottom among Canadian teams. Losses in every Canadian city (maybe with the exception of Ottawa) are gratefully accepted.
 
DFAC

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Virtanen has been our best forward lately and he only gets 11 minutes of ice time tonight? #justwilliethings
 
Huggy

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I went to the game and its kind of crazy how big virtanen is. Not big or strong or fast but like all three together in such a perfect way. If only we didnt have a bad coach his game would explode even more.
 
MikeK

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Bowie Horvat said:
I went to the game and its kind of crazy how big virtanen is. Not big or strong or fast but like all three together in such a perfect way. If only we didnt have a bad coach his game would explode even more.
Click to expand...

He's 19. He has a bright future in the NHL.
 
tantalum

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Best player on the ice for the first 20 minutes of the game gets 7 minutes the rest of the way (and only 4 in the first).

This organization is still attempting to make the playoffs. No doubt about it.
 
NuxFan09

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orcatown said:
San Jose played just well enough to win. Seems like lot of teams doing that lately. would kind of relieve the tensionis they just came in a blew us out early.

Might be Desjardins is getting on board with the tank the way he is shorting player who are playing well. However, won't fully think this until he finds a reason to sit out one or both of the Sedins. Yet Vey being used as an effective anchor on the Horvat line

Good

Virtanen
Biega (only player going to the body outside of D. Sedin)
Baertschi
Hutton

HM

Dorsett (well sort of)

Bad

McCann
Bart

Ugly

Vey (defense is again tragically poor)

Others

Gaunce didn't show much. Skating still an issue. Overall line was not effective. got some PK time and did ok.

Miller was no better than mediocre and far the lesser of the two goalies. That's fine as far as the tank/rebuild is concerned.

Almost comical the way the latter part of the season has turned into a race to bottom among Canadian teams. Losses in every Canadian city (maybe with the exception of Ottawa) are gratefully accepted.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's pretty sad, actually. The morale in this country, at least as far as hockey goes, it's really low right now. Our teams have to get their **** together!
 
Intangibos

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thepoeticgoblin said:
True enough, if he's a Kreider + I'll be thrilled. I think he can reach higher than CK though.
Click to expand...

There's always an outside chance he develops more than anyone thought he would, like Horvat. It's pretty rare for players who's hockey IQ is their main weakness, though. He certainly has all the tools to be a player. If something just 'clicks' in him, he could be amazing. In all likelihood he'll be a middle 6 player though, but that's fine too. I just don't know who's going to step up once the Sedins are gone
 
BloatedGuppy

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Intangibos said:
There's always an outside chance he develops more than anyone thought he would, like Horvat. It's pretty rare for players who's hockey IQ is their main weakness, though. He certainly has all the tools to be a player. If something just 'clicks' in him, he could be amazing. In all likelihood he'll be a middle 6 player though, but that's fine too. I just don't know who's going to step up once the Sedins are gone
Click to expand...

Replacing the Sedins will require two top 3 picks. You're not going to fill that void with a 6th overall, barring exceptional good fortune.

Almost as many 6th overall picks in the NHL bust as turn into serviceable players. Jake's projecting very well.
 
Scurr

Scurr

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Intangibos said:
There's always an outside chance he develops more than anyone thought he would, like Horvat. It's pretty rare for players who's hockey IQ is their main weakness, though. He certainly has all the tools to be a player. If something just 'clicks' in him, he could be amazing. In all likelihood he'll be a middle 6 player though, but that's fine too. I just don't know who's going to step up once the Sedins are gone
Click to expand...

What do you mean by that?

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/rat...wards&minutes=50&disp=1&sort=PCT&sortdir=DESC
http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/rat...wards&minutes=50&disp=1&sort=PCT&sortdir=DESC

It's truly amazing how differently these guys are viewed around here given those numbers.
 
Intangibos

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Scurr said:
What do you mean by that?

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/rat...wards&minutes=50&disp=1&sort=PCT&sortdir=DESC
http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/rat...wards&minutes=50&disp=1&sort=PCT&sortdir=DESC

It's truly amazing how differently these guys are viewed around here given those numbers.
Click to expand...

Numbers have nothing to do with it. In fact I've said all year that his possession numbers are solid.

Would you agree Horvat has far surpassed expectations? He had a weak start to the year but he's young, but watching the playoffs last year was amazing when he was our best player. When we drafted him people were furious we drafted a "3C over a powerforward like Nichushkin". I don't think there are too many of those people clinging to that opinion.

Horvat's biggest weakness coming out of the draft was his skating ability, and last post season he started making end to end rushes. He still hasn't put it all together but he's made some pretty big steps IMO. I'm merely stating the fact that it's easier to improve your skating than it is to improve your understanding of hockey at an NHL level. That's why you have guys like Booth with all the tools only be a 25 goal scorer, and a guy like Burrows who lacks a lot of the tools but has heart and brains put up 35 (albeit with two of the best playmakers in hockey). He worked hard every year to improve from the ECHL all the way to being on a top line with two Art Ross winners. Just like Kesler was able to go from being unable to break a pane of glass with his shot to the one he has now.

Virtanen has speed, size, attitude, a shot. Even his positioning seems fine. His biggest weakness seems to be using teammates effectively. Now maybe playing in the NHL with other NHL players, he may find it easier to use his teammates, we'll see. I'm just stating that by the time you reach the NHL, it's a lot rarer for a player to suddenly become a 'smarter' hockey player than it is for a player to drastically improve one of his skills.

I'm a fan of Virtanen, I really like players with his attitude. Maybe I'm outdated and still like players who goon it up a little bit, as long as they can play hockey. I love it when I see the Sedins get chippy, and I loved watching Lapierre smile at people. I just think there is a very fair criticism in his game that he's lacking some hockey intelligence. If he wasn't, we wouldn't have even had the option to draft him at 6.
 
Scurr

Scurr

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Intangibos said:
Numbers have nothing to do with it. In fact I've said all year that his possession numbers are solid.

Would you agree Horvat has far surpassed expectations? He had a weak start to the year but he's young, but watching the playoffs last year was amazing when he was our best player. When we drafted him people were furious we drafted a "3C over a powerforward like Nichushkin". I don't think there are too many of those people clinging to that opinion.

Horvat's biggest weakness coming out of the draft was his skating ability, and last post season he started making end to end rushes. He still hasn't put it all together but he's made some pretty big steps IMO. I'm merely stating the fact that it's easier to improve your skating than it is to improve your understanding of hockey at an NHL level. That's why you have guys like Booth with all the tools only be a 25 goal scorer, and a guy like Burrows who lacks a lot of the tools but has heart and brains put up 35 (albeit with two of the best playmakers in hockey). He worked hard every year to improve from the ECHL all the way to being on a top line with two Art Ross winners. Just like Kesler was able to go from being unable to break a pane of glass with his shot to the one he has now.

Virtanen has speed, size, attitude, a shot. Even his positioning seems fine. His biggest weakness seems to be using teammates effectively. Now maybe playing in the NHL with other NHL players, he may find it easier to use his teammates, we'll see. I'm just stating that by the time you reach the NHL, it's a lot rarer for a player to suddenly become a 'smarter' hockey player than it is for a player to drastically improve one of his skills.

I'm a fan of Virtanen, I really like players with his attitude. Maybe I'm outdated and still like players who goon it up a little bit, as long as they can play hockey. I love it when I see the Sedins get chippy, and I loved watching Lapierre smile at people. I just think there is a very fair criticism in his game that he's lacking some hockey intelligence. If he wasn't, we wouldn't have even had the option to draft him at 6.
Click to expand...

What about his game right now speaks to being more than a 3C at the NHL level?

The curve these guys are being graded on doesn't make sense.
 
604

604

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Scurr said:
What about his game right now speaks to being more than a 3C at the NHL level?

The curve these guys are being graded on doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...

Yep, Virtanen has actually been outplaying Horvat lately, yet Horvat is still the golden child destined for the first line while Virtanen is a middle six guy at best.

Both have a long road but Virtanen plays a very disruptive game which is hard to find.
 
Last edited:

MS

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Good first period, then easily outclassed the rest of the way.

- very impressive games for Baertschi and Virtanen. Biggest development for Virtanen - and this is the first time I'm really seeing this at any level from him - is that he's developing a motor and using his speed to pressure the puck on the forecheck and in the neutral zone, rather than being a stationary player who just has bursts of impressive speed with the puck on his stick. If he can keep it up, it's a huge leap forward and the biggest hurdle he had to overcome to be an effective NHL player.

- that said, Willie is still braindead. In a meaningless game where Virtanen looks great, plays him 11 minutes. Good job, idiot. Baertschi gets 13.

- Granlund not impressive at all, was a passenger on that line.

- Sedins mailed it in save for a blip late in the game. Etem is a lousy linemate for them, simply doesn't have the hockey sense to play there.

- Gaunce looked good. Not his best game but made smart plays with the puck on his stick and did a good job on the PK.

- Vey is showing more confidence moving the puck through the neutral zone, but defensively is just blech.

- didn't really like Horvat's effort level. He's skating really well and looks extremely dangerous in 1-on-1 situations, but is doing flybys and needs to get a lot 'dirtier' in the offensive zone.

- Hutton was awesome. Best development of this season. Tanev and Hamhuis were also good.

- poor Biega worked so hard tonight but was babysitting a trash can in Sbisa. What a terrible player. Bartkowski not a lot better. Effort on the winning goal from him was pathetic for a guy whose career is probably on the line right now.

- Miller not good. Still no idea why he's playing so much.

Refereeing would have been extremely upsetting if this game had mattered at all. 2-1 goal was pretty clearly over the crossbar, and penalty distribution was ridiculous.
 

HankNDank

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orcatown said:
San Jose played just well enough to win. Seems like lot of teams doing that lately. would kind of relieve the tensionis they just came in a blew us out early.
Click to expand...

Now its not enough to just lose the game, we have to lose the game in a big way so that its extremely boring to watch? :shakehead A loss is a loss, regardless of how quickly we are out of it by, may as well be entertained for the full 60 minutes and get the young kids some valuable developmental in game situations in the process.
 
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