Tatar - Why so little ice time?

[Studz]

Neutral fan here.

Every time I see Tatar he is on the score sheet and making nice plays. Why does he get so little ice time when he is so productive?

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[TheMule93]

Because he is a defensive liability and a turnover machine. Quite frankly he sucks this year.

 

[BinCookin]

Neutral fan here.

Every time I see Tatar he is on the score sheet and making nice plays. Why does he get so little ice time when he is so productive?

LOL at ZB420. He is always so positive.

Tatar Sheahan Nyquist is currently our 3rd line; maybe even 4th line if you count how much time Glendening's line gets some nights. But this does give them favorable matchups. We simply are so deep on forwards that everyone's icetime is a little lower than expected.

I also feel blashill is still testing out the roster. Seems as though Ericsson has gone from #2 always, to #3/4 on D. The forwards are also rotating alot. I think Ice time is eratic right now due to these factors as well.

And yes, Tatar can over dangle sometimes into turnovers, but it occurs "minimally" considering his possession stats.

 

[Claypool]

Neutral fan here.

Every time I see Tatar he is on the score sheet and making nice plays. Why does he get so little ice time when he is so productive?

Detroit roles four lines pretty evenly. Tatar is averaging about 15 minutes per game. That's around the same amount as Nyquist, Richards, Sheahan, etc. Unless there's a ton of penalties to kill in a game his ice time is pretty in line with everyone else.

 

[sean3250]

Because he is a defensive liability and a turnover machine. Quite frankly he sucks this year.

He's not a liability defensively, although he has his share of turnovers. Our 3rd leading scorer sucks? Only 1 point behind everyone's Golden Boy, Larkin. Stop being so dramatic man.


To answer the OP's question, Blashill would rather play Glendening's line. They average the same amount of ES-TOI which is ridiculous.

 

[Studz]

Thanks for the reply, I have him in my pool and it's frustrating to see him play 12 minutes some nights and still put up points.

Seems like a waste of talent playing so little and I'm sure Detroit could flip him to a team that needs scoring if they don't think he deserves more playing time.

 

[Claypool]

I have him in my pool and it's frustrating to see him play 12 minutes some nights and still put up points.

There's a fantasy thread stickied at the top.

 

[Henkka]

Tatar was the difference today. He sucked and had an off night.

If he would have those (1 goal, 1 assist, 3 scoring attempts and 5 created) = 10 attempt nights like against the Oilers, we would have won this Panthers game.

But he had only one created attempt against the Panthers (total off day on his standards) and that was most abysmal effort from him at this season.

He deserves to be benched for Pulkkinen based on this game, because he was the worst forward on the ice.

 

[Mister Ed]

Helm, Miller then Tatar for least amount of ice time for yesterday's game. Something has to change.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Helm, Miller then Tatar for least amount of ice time for yesterday's game. Something has to change.

This stuff is brought up after every game that is heavily influenced by penalties. The thing that 'has to change'? Take less penalties.

Tatar averages borderline 2nd line minutes in terms of ES TOI per game on this team. Only Datsyuk, Z, Larkin and Abdelkader are significantly ahead of him there. Guess which 4 players have been the only guys that have played top 6 pretty much the entire time?
Only Abby, Z and Nyquist are significantly ahead of him in PP TOI per game among forwards.

Tatar's minutes are consistent with a guy that has been a middle-6 player this season. He has not been getting top 6 minutes because he hasn't gotten that role next to Datsyuk this season. And he hasn't really deserved it imo.
But he still gets solid minutes and plays a lot on the PP. There's no issue except for what people create in their minds when they go to the boxscore and see "omg Glendening with more icetime than Tatar!" and fail to see that Glendening spent about 6 minutes on the PK.

 

[Frk It]

To answer the OP, there is no good reason for Tatar to be getting as little minutes as he has so far.

The team needs goals, and he is either our best or 2nd best scorer.

Biggest issue with Blashill so far (for me) is the distribution of IT, and this is a prime example of that.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Someone's minutes have to be sacrificed at the expense of Glendening's.

 

[Frk It]

Because he is a defensive liability and a turnover machine. Quite frankly he sucks this year.

8 pts in his last 10 games with limited IT is not "sucking".

He deserves to be benched for Pulkkinen based on this game, because he was the worst forward on the ice.

Let's not bench one of our most productive players because of 1 bad game.

And he hasn't really deserved it imo.

His production says otherwise.

Oh, and people are mad about Glendening and Tatar getting comparable IT because that is just objectively stupid.

 

[Pavels Dog]

His production says otherwise.

Oh, and people are mad about Glendening and Tatar getting comparable IT because that is just objectively stupid.

He has been heating up lately. But his overall play this season has left something to be desired. He's been a giveaway machine and has tried to force too many plays. I can see why Blashill hasn't given him top 6 minutes.

And Glendening's line has been getting less icetime lately. Glendening had about 8 minutes ES TOI last night, Tatar about 10 minutes. I wouldn't be against putting Tatar with Dats and Richards though. Jurco and Pulkkinen aren't really good enough for the top 6.

 

[iDangleDangle]

He has been heating up lately. But his overall play this season has left something to be desired. He's been a giveaway machine and has tried to force too many plays. I can see why Blashill hasn't given him top 6 minutes.

And Glendening's line has been getting less icetime lately. Glendening had about 8 minutes ES TOI last night, Tatar about 10 minutes. I wouldn't be against putting Tatar with Dats and Richards though. Jurco and Pulkkinen aren't really good enough for the top 6.

Agree. Plus I think having Tatar and Nyquist - our two best wingers - in the same line is a waste with our forward depth. Add thef fact that Tats and Dats have proven to be a great duo, and Tatar and Richards showed some nice chemistry during pre-season and I think a line of BRichards-Datsyuk-Tatar could be a domimant one. Pavel and Richards have put on some clinics these last few games, and adding Tatar there should help them capitalize on the chances they create.

Tatar-Dats-Richards
Larkin-Z-Abby
Nyquist-Sheahan-Pulkkinen
Jurco/Miller-Glendening-Helm

 

[Classicnamesup]

Agree. Plus I think having Tatar and Nyquist - our two best wingers - in the same line is a waste with our forward depth. Add thef fact that Tats and Dats have proven to be a great duo, and Tatar and Richards showed some nice chemistry during pre-season and I think a line of BRichards-Datsyuk-Tatar could be a domimant one. Pavel and Richards have put on some clinics these last few games, and adding Tatar there should help them capitalize on the chances they create.

Tatar-Dats-Richards
Larkin-Z-Abby
Nyquist-Sheahan-Pulkkinen
Jurco/Miller-Glendening-Helm

Agreed. People must be forgetting what Tats and Dats were able to do together in the past. Slot them with Richards and see how it goes. Dats compensates for Tats awful turnovers, Tats brings some speed to the line.

Wouldn't mind swapping Jurco and Abby if Abby doesn't start doing something, or Nyq/Pulk in that spot instead.

I keep hearing all this talk about offensive depth but the biggest problem this team is facing right now is their complete inability to score goals. Near the bottom of the league and yesterday was yet another terrific example of it. Mrazek gave them every chance to win and the team blew it, 63 mins and one goal with some 5 on 3 and OT.

 

[Frk It]

Agreed. People must be forgetting what Tats and Dats were able to do together in the past. Slot them with Richards and see how it goes. Dats compensates for Tats awful turnovers, Tats brings some speed to the line.

Wouldn't mind swapping Jurco and Abby if Abby doesn't start doing something, or Nyq/Pulk in that spot instead.

I keep hearing all this talk about offensive depth but the biggest problem this team is facing right now is their complete inability to score goals. Near the bottom of the league and yesterday was yet another terrific example of it. Mrazek gave them every chance to win and the team blew it, 63 mins and one goal with some 5 on 3 and OT.

Inability to score goals is a lot because

1) we take a lot of penalties
2) our pp sucks
3) we like to play grinders as much as skilled wingers

That's what we should be trying to fix

 

[Classicnamesup]

Inability to score goals is a lot because

1) we take a lot of penalties
2) our pp sucks
3) we like to play grinders as much as skilled wingers

That's what we should be trying to fix

And that is exactly what we are talking about trying to fix

 

[Frk It]

And that is exactly what we are talking about trying to fix

As we should.

Oh, and I forgot 1/2 our defense can't make a breakout pass to save their life.

 

[RedWingzz]

I've been complaining about this all year.

It needs to change.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Detroit isn't scoring many goals right now. Solution? Give the snipers more ice time and the Miller/Glendening/Helm's less.

Seems like it is common sense, yet the head coach or some reason does not see a need to give Tatar more ice time. I guess Blash is happy being 25th in the NHL in goals/per and wants to win every game 2-1.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I've been complaining about this all year.

It needs to change.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Detroit isn't scoring many goals right now. Solution? Give the snipers more ice time and the Miller/Glendening/Helm's less.

Seems like it is common sense, yet the head coach or some reason does not see a need to give Tatar more ice time. I guess Blash is happy being 25th in the NHL in goals/per and wants to win every game 2-1.

I'm pretty sure that's been happening lately. Yesterday was an anomaly since we played like half the game on the PK.

 

[Winger98]

Inability to score goals is a lot because

1) we take a lot of penalties
2) our pp sucks
3) we like to play grinders as much as skilled wingers

That's what we should be trying to fix

The bad powerplay is killing us. If we bang home another couple of PP goals in some of these games that went to OT lately, those games are ending in regulation, we're walking out with wins, and the other guys leave with nothing. We really need to get that PP up and running.

 

[ap3x]

It's really simple like that. About time to get our PP back on track.