Post-Game Talk: Staaaaaaalllll wins it in OT (Mod warning post #260)

MarkovsKnee

Global Moderator
Nov 21, 2007
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Toronto
They'll likely throw KK on the wing and bring in Evans until Armia is back.

Not sure why people get upset about moving KK to wing. Lots of centers get moved to wing for a time: Draisaitl, Malkin, ROR, have all consistently played wing when needed to stack lines.

We have 4 good centers. It isn't going to kill his development to play some wing.

Wouldn't mind a KK -- Staal -- Anderson line actually.
 

angry pirate

Registered User
Feb 9, 2009
2,144
266
I read that we can't put Chiarot on LTIR but I don't know if it's true or not. I figured the Habs would have done it if they could.

We can put him on LTIR, but it doesn't benefit us unless he was to be out until the playoffs started. If they were to LTIR him and use the bonus space, it would be extraordinarily difficult to be cap compliant upon his return. Post trade deadline, COVID, etc etc.

Is Armia even close to coming back?

Given the difficultly athletes in all sports have had returning to form post COVID, I wouldn't be shocked if Armia doesn't get much time the rest of the way.


Wennberg signing = Toffoli signing

Not that his 20% shooting % is sustainable, but it really shows how Torts schtick doesn't work for everybody.
 
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angusyoung

The life of..The Party
Aug 17, 2014
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Does anyone think that yet another fracture won't effect gally long term? Has yet to start that 6.5 and has his 3rd fracture to that hand.

Guy needs to drink milk( or whatever) or get some better gloves.

Having sustained a plethora of fractures over the years,they have all mended fine with minimal to no residual impact to date, keep you posted. However to which degree of severity he has been subjected,can't say. I can say that the soft tissue: cartilage,tendon,ligaments,etc damage has had a more profound impact much more than the fractures.
 
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jaffy27

From Russia wth Pain
Nov 18, 2007
24,984
21,985
Orleans
Nice game by Staal, although he is 36 he still has some serious talent, when getting a chance!!
Too bad about Gally. We have some depp though! It will be tested.
14 for 18 on faceoffs......for this alone he’s worth it!!!!

And yes, he still
Has talent, like Perry, he can think the game at an elite level, exactly what we need for a playoff run.
 

angry pirate

Registered User
Feb 9, 2009
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People need to pump the breaks on the KK fear mongering. Staal needs to get up to speed fast and wipe the Buffalo stink off. There is also a good chance there will be more injuries between now and playoffs given our schedule.

KK had 4 less shifts than Suzuki last night. Had we not taken penalties early into our powerplays that number would probably be 2 less shifts. Last night was not a big deal.
 

beowulf

Not a nice guy.
Jan 29, 2005
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Not sure why people get upset about moving KK to wing. Lots of centers get moved to wing for a time: Draisaitl, Malkin, ROR, have all consistently played wing when needed to stack lines.

We have 4 good centers. It isn't going to kill his development to play some wing.

Wouldn't mind a KK -- Staal -- Anderson line actually.
I guess because of the way Bergevin and the team marketed him as being the center they need. Taking him earlier than he was expected to go. If it works with him on the wing, then sure go for it.
 

Treb

Global Flanderator
May 31, 2011
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Montreal
To develop the players to their upside which makes the team far more viable in the long term to win the Stanley Cup vs. sacrificing development to win a couple lousy regular season games in the short term.

What about winning some PO games?
 

Leon Lucius Black

Registered User
Nov 5, 2007
15,741
5,250
Glad to see Byron picking it up lately, he was great in overtime.

Also, Romanov and Mete have quietly been very good together. After a rough start Mete has been playing pretty well the last few games.
 

sandviper

No Ragrets
Jan 26, 2016
13,364
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Toronto
Is there a big difference between AHL goons and NHL hockey players?

The AHL is a lower skill league, obvious since the NHL is the big show, but as such, developing prospects and those not good enough for the NHL play there. There tends to be more head hunters and cheap shot artists in the AHL simply because they aren't good enough for the NHL and I guess they need to do whatever to keep their jobs.

There are skilled players in the A of course, but the best and the most developed are in the NHL. Therefore, for higher end prospects, or more talented players (who really need seasoning to reach their ceiling), they have less talent to play with in the AHL. Using Caufield as a potential, he might have trouble scoring not because he isn't good enough to beat AHL goaltending, but because the players around him don't get the puck to him. On the flip side, this may help him develop the ability to generate his own offense, but he'd probably have an easier time scoring in the NHL, even though goaltending and defensive systems are better.
 

Habs Halifax

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Jul 11, 2016
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I guess because of the way Bergevin and the team marketed him as being the center they need. Taking him earlier than he was expected to go. If it works with him on the wing, then sure go for it.

I think Staal will be paired up with Suzuki for faceoff strategy. Right and Left handed shots. Staal was playing point in our own end which is winger responsibility. Not all the time but I noticed him in that spot a lot last night.

How things are lined up on paper is not necessarily how they employ their strategy once the face-off happens.
 

angusyoung

The life of..The Party
Aug 17, 2014
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The AHL is a lower skill league, obvious since the NHL is the big show, but as such, developing prospects and those not good enough for the NHL play there. There tends to be more head hunters and cheap shot artists in the AHL simply because they aren't good enough for the NHL and I guess they need to do whatever to keep their jobs.

There are skilled players in the A of course, but the best and the most developed are in the NHL. Therefore, for higher end prospects, or more talented players (who really need seasoning to reach their ceiling), they have less talent to play with in the AHL. Using Caufield as a potential, he might have trouble scoring not because he isn't good enough to beat AHL goaltending, but because the players around him don't get the puck to him. On the flip side, this may help him develop the ability to generate his own offense, but he'd probably have an easier time scoring in the NHL, even though goaltending and defensive systems are better.

Yup,pretty much how I see it as well. Still though I believe he should be able to score regardless of where he goes, frequency may alter however.
 

Habs Halifax

Loyal Habs Fan
Jul 11, 2016
68,164
25,915
East Coast
The AHL is a lower skill league, obvious since the NHL is the big show, but as such, developing prospects and those not good enough for the NHL play there. There tends to be more head hunters and cheap shot artists in the AHL simply because they aren't good enough for the NHL and I guess they need to do whatever to keep their jobs.

There are skilled players in the A of course, but the best and the most developed are in the NHL. Therefore, for higher end prospects, or more talented players (who really need seasoning to reach their ceiling), they have less talent to play with in the AHL. Using Caufield as a potential, he might have trouble scoring not because he isn't good enough to beat AHL goaltending, but because the players around him don't get the puck to him. On the flip side, this may help him develop the ability to generate his own offense, but he'd probably have an easier time scoring in the NHL, even though goaltending and defensive systems are better.

Skill is less in the AHL but still there with some players. Time and space and physical players that skate well is probably close to the same. This is Caufield's biggest challenge... Time/Space/Bigger and Faster Players.

Caufield needs to look at Gaudreau's game. Not the same exactly but skating is the key. He needs to play at a high tempo and his skating needs to be elite level. If he can be an elite level skater, he's going to create that time and space he needs which is key to his game. He's not going muscle his way out of trouble.
 
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WeThreeKings

Habs cup - its in the BAG
Sep 19, 2006
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People need to pump the breaks on the KK fear mongering. Staal needs to get up to speed fast and wipe the Buffalo stink off. There is also a good chance there will be more injuries between now and playoffs given our schedule.

KK had 4 less shifts than Suzuki last night. Had we not taken penalties early into our powerplays that number would probably be 2 less shifts. Last night was not a big deal.

The issue is that he did not see the ice for the last 10 minutes and OT.. despite playing better hockey than Danault and being infinitely better in the face-off dot.

I thought that was the thing.. KK couldn't play C in big moments until he improved his face-offs.. now what is it?
 
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Mrb1p

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Dec 10, 2011
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Not sure why people get upset about moving KK to wing. Lots of centers get moved to wing for a time: Draisaitl, Malkin, ROR, have all consistently played wing when needed to stack lines.

We have 4 good centers. It isn't going to kill his development to play some wing.

Wouldn't mind a KK -- Staal -- Anderson line actually.
Because all those players were moved to the wing for a certain goal and for very sensible reasons.

They all had either better centers ahead of them, they all were established top 6 centers who were allowed to flourish and because it was for a very short period of time, often just shifts.

The plan for Kotkaniemi isn't that, its just because he's the easiest to move, because seemingly, he won't say anything and he'll go about his day, he's a 20 years old kid. He is not a reigning art ross winner.

This is a false equivalence
 
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