TEAM SPEED: How would you evaluate ours?

[koreaboy]

in our recent struggles, we've heard a lot (especially from guys like sean simpson) about how our team is not fast. while I agree we aren't a top end speed team, I just don't see how we could be called a "slow" team. here's how I would evaluate each of our skaters in terms of speed. love to hear what you guys think or if you agree/disagree.

Spezza: average speed. better than he was, decent top end, still not great accel.
Michalek: + speed. not ++ like he used to be
Ryan: average to slightly below
Turris: + speed
MacArthur: average speed
Conacher: + speed
Z-bad: + speed
Smith: + speed, especially for a big man
Neil: below average speed
condra: average speed
greening: + speed
pageau: + speed
kassian: below average speed

karlsson: ++speed
methot: average speed
wiercioch: average speed
Phillips: average to slightly + speed
cowen: below average speed
corvo: average to slightly + speed
gryba: average speed

you look there, and I agree there aren't a lot of top end skaters, but there aren't many plodders either. I can't see how we're being called a "slow" team. thoughts?

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[sensR4real]

in our recent struggles, we've heard a lot (especially from guys like sean simpson) about how our team is not fast. while I agree we aren't a top end speed team, I just don't see how we could be called a "slow" team. here's how I would evaluate each of our skaters in terms of speed. love to hear what you guys think or if you agree/disagree.

Spezza: average speed. better than he was, decent top end, still not great accel.
Michalek: + speed. not ++ like he used to be
Ryan: average to slightly below
Turris: + speed
MacArthur: average speed
Conacher: + speed
Z-bad: + speed
Smith: + speed, especially for a big man
Neil: below average speed
condra: average speed
greening: + speed
pageau: + speed
kassian: below average speed

karlsson: ++speed
methot: average speed
wiercioch: average speed
Phillips: average to slightly + speed
cowen: below average speed
corvo: average to slightly + speed
gryba: average speed

you look there, and I agree there aren't a lot of top end skaters, but there aren't many plodders either. I can't see how we're being called a "slow" team. thoughts?

we might be slow in our "transitional game". In terms of moving the puck up the ice. Not necessarily the speed of our skaters. Just a tought.

 

[koreaboy]

if that's the case, that's something that can be fixed. if you have a team full of guys that physically can't get up and down the ice, that's another story. i'd love to hear how people see our skaters in terms of their ability to flat out skate.

 

[benjiv1]

If you mark Karlsson as ++speed, you have to do the same for Greening, Turris and probably Conacher.

In the Sens skills competetion Greening/Karlsson/Turris and Michalek were all within microseconds of eachother if I can recall.

 

[NyQuil]

I'm glad Greening can skate in the skills competition because he's not doing it in games.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I think the team is trying to play like we've got better speed than we actually do

We're a middle of the pack team when it comes to speed

 

[WhiteLight*]

I'm glad Greening can skate in the skills competition because he's not doing it in games.

He's SO frustrating. Sometimes, he's literally gliding, not taking strides, and just looking at the puck carrier. Had he taken strides, he would have stolen the puck or created a puck battle. Instead they move the puck effortlessly.

SKATE! He's so lazy.

 

[Sun God Nika]

I'm glad Greening can skate in the skills competition because he's not doing it in games.

Skills competitions where it matters tho.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

we dont have any guys who blow by dmen though except karl

 

[Tuna99]

Once we start winning the loose pucks and start the counter attack out of our zone or continue with the 2nd and third shots In the Ozone we will look a lot faster (or at least this is what our team should be doing)

I'd say defensively we look slow because we aren't getting to the bouncing pucks and chipping them up to our forwards to begin the counter attack.

Offensively I think we are a swarming team / not speed. Once our Forwards win second and third chances we will look a lot more organized. Once the forwards start to get pucks in front and win battles it will open up Kalrsson / Cowen / Weircoche at the points and our team won't look faster, but our puck movement will be so much better we will look faster.

 

[Johnny Hanson]

I'm glad Greening can skate in the skills competition because he's not doing it in games.

This. Guy is a waste of a roster spot. Big man who doesn't play physical, guy who can skate who doesn't and he hasn't had a shot on net in 3 games. What is he good for?

 

[NyQuil]

I watched the Rangers vs. Detroit game last Saturday while I was in Syracuse on MSG.

Boy, was that an eye-opener.

The Rangers have virtually no skill in the line-up, and they are literally diving for pucks, throwing themselves into people and just skating...skating...skating.

Howard is stopping everything, and they still don't give up. Alfredsson scores with less than a minute left in the second to make it 2-1 Detroit, no problem.

Rangers keep coming, tie it up, and then on an OT goal, one guy dives to make the play to the guy coming down the centre and they win in OT.

I was cheering for them because it was impossible not to like that performance. (plus, they aren't a divisional rival).

Made me realize how far we have to go before we're going to be consistently competitive.

They had soooo many chances, but didn't get frustrated. They just stuck with the game plan and hustled all night.

Every single player in a Rangers uniform was giving 100%. That's the only way it works. We saw that last year.

 

[LuckyPierre]

Spezza: Average speed, his lean and reach give him an edge getting to pucks
Michalek: Fast, but no ability to turn east west with his knees
Ryan: Average speed, great edge control for a big guy
Turris: Fast, has a deceptive extra gear
MacArthur: Fast, with a great first few strides
Conacher: Fast, quickest guy not named Karlsson
Zibanejad: Average speed, mediocre first step if not in a straight line
Smith: Average skater in every way
Neil: Moderate top end speed, limited acceleration
Condra: Average speed
Greening: Fast, not quick
Pageau: Fast, quick, and compact
Kassian: Always a step behind

Karlsson: Top flight skater
Methot: Fast, great pivoting
Wiercioch: Average
Phillips: Mobile, delayed first step
Cowen: Poor pivoting, poor first step, long stride ultimately gives good speed
Corvo: Borderline average
Gryba: See Phillips

 

[NyQuil]

We look slow because we're not forechecking or backchecking hard enough.

Period.

 

[LuckyPierre]

If you mark Karlsson as ++speed, you have to do the same for Greening, Turris and probably Conacher.

In the Sens skills competetion Greening/Karlsson/Turris and Michalek were all within microseconds of eachother if I can recall.

Speed isn't usually ever measured in terms of a full lap in-game.

If you didn't know Greening smoked that skills comp, you'd never put him in the same sentence as Karlsson.

A more realistic way to determine speed in a skills comp would be to have the guys due full rink suicides.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

We lack severe speed in bottom 6 which is where I think it's most important.

That's why we are seeing Pageau and Zibanejad make an impact on games and Conacher making Smith and Neil better.

 

[Micklebot]

We look slow because we're not forechecking or backchecking hard enough.

Period.

I disagree. That makes us look lazy.

We look slow because we aren't receiving passes smoothly or in stride. Our forwards often slow up or reach back to receive a pass, or worse yet just bobble the puck as though they're gripping thier sticks too tight.

 

[Tampacuseforever]

I disagree. That makes us look lazy.

We look slow because we aren't receiving passes smoothly or in stride. Our forwards often slow up or reach back to receive a pass, or worse yet just bobble the puck as though they're gripping thier sticks too tight.

I agree but this tends to happen when you not familiar with your linemates. I know stache is coach of the year and all, but PLEASE settle on a somewhat consistent lineup.

 

[SenzZen]

It isn't speed, imo- although if you're saying Methot isn't faster than Phillips there's something wrong with your optics.

We don't support each other with or without the puck as well as the elite teams do (or even the average teams, lately).

Sure, having a burner like Duchene would look great, but what is lacking is cohesion. Too many guys pulling in too many directions.

The puck will always move faster than any player, and once everyone gets on the same page quick puck movement will have the other team spinning in circles.

 

[NyQuil]

I disagree. That makes us look lazy.

We look slow because we aren't receiving passes smoothly or in stride. Our forwards often slow up or reach back to receive a pass, or worse yet just bobble the puck as though they're gripping thier sticks too tight.

How many odd-man rushes?

How many times did SJ have a third forward back when we're on the rush?

Personally I think the effort has as much to do as the passing/transition game.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Fast:
Conacher, Karlsson, Ryan, Turris, MacArthur
Average:
Most others.
Slowish:
Cowen, Gryba, Phillips, Neil, Smith, Condra.

Plus a lot of our guys just sit there waiting for the puck to come to them, which doesn't help things any.

 

[Wondercarrot]

Fast:
Conacher, Karlsson, Ryan, Turris, MacArthur
Average:
Most others.
Slowish:
Cowen, Gryba, Phillips, Neil, Smith, Condra.

Plus a lot of our guys just sit there waiting for the puck to come to them, which doesn't help things any.

Fast:
Conacher, Karlsson,MacArthur

Various degrees of Average:
Most others.

Slowish:
Weircioch, Gryba, Phillips, Neil, Smith, Condra, Kassian

 

[SenzZen]

Spezza has great top-end speed, but his quickness leaves a lot to be desired.

Sort of like all big men, though.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Spezza has decent acceleration

He just looks weird when accelerating due to his "Imma straighten my back" strides

It's deceptive

 

[SenzZen]

Not to split hairs, but I wasn't referring to his acceleration when I said quickness- more his ability to change directions via stops and starts.