Pre-Game Talk: The All Purpose Off Day Thread | Because 60 Minutes Just Isn't Enough

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Andy99

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Sprong back on L4...what a surprise...I’m surprised Grant hasn’t replaced him yet at this point....
 

Shady Machine

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Sprong back on L4...what a surprise...I’m surprised Grant hasn’t replaced him yet at this point....

I'm fine with those lines as long as Sully swaps Rust and Sprong periodically. He won't, of course, but it would make sense. Ozone start? Put Sprong out with Sid and Jake and see if they can pot one. Dzone start? Keep Rust out there to win possession and take the other way.
 
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ColePens

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Give some love to UM here and the updated OP:

1uhG2pK.gif


credit: @Ugene Malkin
 

Ogrezilla

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Sprong back on L4...what a surprise...I’m surprised Grant hasn’t replaced him yet at this point....
Does it have to be a "sully dislikes Sprong" thing? Couldn't this be a "sully really likes Rust and Horny" thing? These guys have been huge parts of this team winning two Cups. Even though I'd put Sprong in a top 9 spot if it was my call, I still don't think it's crazy that a guy like Rust is getting some extended rope to get himself going.
 
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Tom Hanks

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Does it have to be a "sully dislikes Sprong" thing? Couldn't this be a "sully really likes Rust and Horny" thing? These guys have been huge parts of this team winning two Cups. Even though I'd put Sprong in a top 9 spot if it was my call, I still don't think it's crazy that a guy like Rust is getting some extended rope to get himself going.

Generally Rust’s advanced stats are better away from Sid-Jake and vice versa (this season anyways). I don’t care if Sprong is there or not (or Simon, Hornqvist).

Although last game that line dominated the Leafs (Matthews line) so I understand why. They’ll play predominantly against McDavid’s line.
 
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Ogrezilla

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Generally Rust’s advanced stats are better away from Sid-Jake and vice versa (this season anyways). I don’t care if Sprong is there or not (or Simon, Hornqvist).

Although last game that line dominated the Leafs (Matthews line) so I understand why. They’ll play predominantly against McDavid’s line.
oh yeah I generally don't prefer Rust with Sid, I'm just thinking top 9 in general.

I still don't actually understand what it is that makes Sid and Rust not seem to work that well together. I think Rust just has a bit too much tunnel vision maybe.
 

Tom Hanks

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oh yeah I generally don't prefer Rust with Sid, I'm just thinking top 9 in general.

I still don't actually understand what it is that makes Sid and Rust not seem to work that well together. I think Rust just has a bit too much tunnel vision maybe.

I think it hurts Rust more than the other way round. Production wise Sid and Jake will score. Rust’s game seems to change on that line and is better away.
 

Peat

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Would it have been so hard to keep the Sheahan-Cullen-Hornqvist line together since it worked so well last game?

Apparently so.

Although be happy, as I doubted he'd have had that as a 4th line and I doubted he'd have Brassard as a 4C, so the logical way out of that is Grant as 4C and likely someone getting scratched.
 
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Tom Hanks

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Following on from @ColePens post about some interesting stats:

Letang has as many points as Dumoulin, Schultz, JJ, Maatta, Oleksiak and Riikola combined. He also has 38% of the D’s shots and getting a team best 60% of his attempts (37) through.

Brassard 9 takeaways (team best and only 2 giveaways). Schultz had zero but 6 giveaways. Crosby and Sheahan yet to have a giveaway.

JJ leading the team in blocks (14) and hits (25). 3rd in the league in hits (based on equal games).

58 shots for Jake, Phil, Hags, Horny.
24 shots for Cullen, Simon, Rust, Sprong.
Rust only getting 33% of attempts through (team worst)
 

ColePens

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With the Sid line... it really doesn't matter who the RW is at this point. Sid has sucked until last game. We all know he starts slow, then people claim he's done, and then he turns into the best player in the world again.

Jake has been meh, too. Especially in the neutral zone and where he typically is best - with very little room. He's usually great at chipping pucks through minimal space or making great passes/finishing plays. Outside of the last game, he looked identical to the player we saw start off last year and end up off Sid's line. He had to grind his game out a little bit and then went back to being the player we loved. Then Sid/Jake engaged late in the season and went on to have a phenomenal playoff.

But nonetheless, the RW won't matter at this point. Rust sucks with that group but I just don't care to harp on it over and over.
 

vodeni

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With the Sid line... it really doesn't matter who the RW is at this point. Sid has sucked until last game. We all know he starts slow, then people claim he's done, and then he turns into the best player in the world again.

Jake has been meh, too. Especially in the neutral zone and where he typically is best - with very little room. He's usually great at chipping pucks through minimal space or making great passes/finishing plays. Outside of the last game, he looked identical to the player we saw start off last year and end up off Sid's line. He had to grind his game out a little bit and then went back to being the player we loved. Then Sid/Jake engaged late in the season and went on to have a phenomenal playoff.

But nonetheless, the RW won't matter at this point. Rust sucks with that group but I just don't care to harp on it over and over.

it's not even that at this point, it messes up the other lines, I thought we had something going with Sheahan, Cullen, horny line, that left ample opportunitie to make other line works: At this point there is a main coonnundrum tthat needs to be resolved for this team to be succesful: How to make Brassard an effective 3C. Trying to play him with Simon and Hornquist is a lost preposition. Its a f....... waste of practice time. However, Simon Brassard Rust, looked good, they played over 26 minutes together with a healthy 62% Corsi....

and that of course leaves the opportunity to try Sprong on RW L1, just try it for a game and two and see how it goes...

with Rust on L1 we basically become 3 line team, and I meen literally, cause they will bench Sprong and Simon anyways (they don't work on their respective lines), and they will tax Sid's line until they get totally exhausted...
 

Tom Hanks

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No chance Sprong is going to play on Sid’s line against Edmonton. They’ll go up against McDavid.
 

Shady Machine

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Would it have been so hard to keep the Sheahan-Cullen-Hornqvist line together since it worked so well last game?

Meh not interested in that line at all. Simon-Hornqvist as a pair makes sense. Obviously Sprong is getting the shaft, but it doesn't have to be that way even with the lines constructed as Sully has them. Just sprinkle Sprong in with Sid and get him 10-12 minutes.
 

DegenX

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Oh we will. Just wait til the GDT for Tuesday when we get smoked by Vancouver. :sarcasm:
Thanks, Cole ... this induced a panic attack thinking I'd not only done the wrong GDT, but had screwed up the schedule :laugh: We play the Oilers Tuesday, BTW. Vancouver is the last stop.
Speaking of GDTs, we still need a volunteer for the game at Calgary on the 25th.
 
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Peat

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Meh not interested in that line at all. Simon-Hornqvist as a pair makes sense. Obviously Sprong is getting the shaft, but it doesn't have to be that way even with the lines constructed as Sully has them. Just sprinkle Sprong in with Sid and get him 10-12 minutes.

I am torn between agreeing on the obviousness of throwing Sprong in with Sid for attacking situations and pointing out the potential risks of putting our current worse possession player onto our only good defensive line, even if he's mainly getting offensive starts.

I am curious as to how long we go before Sully is either happy enough in the team's start and mindset that he's willing to take a few risks and not shorten the bench at the drop of a hat, or badgers Rutherford into getting him 12 forwards he trusts.
 
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Andy99

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I am torn between agreeing on the obviousness of throwing Sprong in with Sid for attacking situations and pointing out the potential risks of putting our current worse possession player onto our only good defensive line, even if he's mainly getting offensive starts.

I am curious as to how long we go before Sully is either happy enough in the team's start and mindset that he's willing to take a few risks and not shorten the bench at the drop of a hat, or badgers Rutherford into getting him 12 forwards he trusts.

Has anyone every thought that Corsi numbers are affected by linemates? ....not only the linemates’ possession but also the usage of that particular player by his linemates?
 

Peat

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Has anyone every thought that Corsi numbers are affected by linemates? ....not only the linemates’ possession but also the usage of that particular player by his linemates?

They are, but when all of the linemates have significantly better possession numbers away from said player, its not really a factor in the player's favour.
 

PensandCaps

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McDavid is gonna pick apart that D for atleast a few goals. Since they can pick the matchups.
 

ColePens

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Thanks, Cole ... this induced a panic attack thinking I'd not only done the wrong GDT, but had screwed up the schedule :laugh: We play the Oilers Tuesday, BTW. Vancouver is the last stop.
Speaking of GDTs, we still need a volunteer for the game at Calgary on the 25th.

Dammit! My bad.

Ill take it then lol. When I'm off mobile ill add my name.
 
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