Line Combos: This team needs somebody who can win faceoffs

[Dietpepsi]

Should have Kept Lazar over Okposo

Click to read more...

 

[Ace]

It’s on the list after proven vet goalie, replacement for Quinn and top 4 D.

Not Adams’ list, mind you. That just says nap time.

 

[Dietpepsi]

It’s on the list after proven vet goalie, replacement for Quinn and top 4 D.

It's so depressing, pull the goalie. need to win the faceoff and we don't.. puck is out

 

[Chainshot]

The top two centers on this team get pumped at the dot way too often. If they're not on the ice to take the draw, is it some Cody Eakins level of play?

 

[SharkInABoloTie]

Is that a coaching thing? It was either last year or the year before, but Mitts was crushing it at the dot, especially in the second half of the season. Where'd that go?

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

The top two centers on this team get pumped at the dot way too often. If they're not on the ice to take the draw, is it some Cody Eakins level of play?

Somewhere in Germany I think

 

[Chainshot]

So is this another Cody Eakin situation? Teams that are good at faceoffs are good at them usually because their top center(s) are dedicated to winning them and they work plays with wingers who help in the winning of 50-50 draws (aka. winger wins). Cozens going into tonight was at 53.3%. That's the same as Casey Cizikas, Ryan O'Reilly, and Dylan Larkin. Mitts is one of the worst thus far this year among those who have taken 20 draws (37%) and Thompson is barely better (46%) going into the paddling he got from the Devils tonight.

 

[Chainshot]

Somewhere in Germany I think

The point being that a bad hockey player marginally good at one particular aspect of the game is not going to make a difference. If say, Tage, decides he's actually going to be good at it, that will make a difference. So too with say Mitts. But some rando to come in and take draws? We've seen that movie.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

The point being that a bad hockey player marginally good at one particular aspect of the game is not going to make a difference. If say, Tage, decides he's actually going to be good at it, that will make a difference. So too with say Mitts. But some rando to come in and take draws? We've seen that movie.

I'm with ya... I'm literally just saying I think he is playing in Germany but he was actually in the Swiss League

 

[HaNotsri]

Is that a coaching thing? It was either last year or the year before, but Mitts was crushing it at the dot, especially in the second half of the season. Where'd that go?

If they have a skills coach it's probably on him. SHL team I follow sucks but they brought in Kris Beech and now the centers win a lot if faceoffs (everything else is terrible though).

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Put Cozens at the dot instead of Tage.

A quick stick and strength win faceoffs. Tage should be much better.

 

[TehDoak]

At this point I’m convinced that someone in analytics must hate faceoffs and came out with stats saying faceoffs don’t matter and don’t invest in it. Nosek was sitting out there for months this summer. Bringing him in over Jost was a no brainer.

 

[Bendium]

Bottom six possession center has been on our wish list for several off seasons now. Its not in the pipeline. Jost was a wasted opportunity to sign or trade for someone better. Olofsson should not be eating up a roster spot. KA just didn't get it done. To in love with his own players.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

But we needed to bring back Girgs, OK and Jost.....

it was a joke then, and its a joke now. I'm not so sure it's about a faceoff winning center, as opposed to a defensive/shutdown center.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

What a surprise they roll back the bottom 6 and can't win face offs. At least the PK improved (for now) but that'll revert back to norm.

Bringing back Okposo and Girgs was more typical Buffalo blue collar loser bullshit.

 

[MeenOlViks]

At this point I’m convinced that someone in analytics must hate faceoffs and came out with stats saying faceoffs don’t matter and don’t invest in it. Nosek was sitting out there for months this summer. Bringing him in over Jost was a no brainer.

Must be Mike Schopp

 

[Dirty Dog]

if this made my list of concerns, it would certainly be at the bottom

 

[Chainshot]

At this point I’m convinced that someone in analytics must hate faceoffs and came out with stats saying faceoffs don’t matter and don’t invest in it. Nosek was sitting out there for months this summer. Bringing him in over Jost was a no brainer.

It was public that a team (the Blues) did internal audits of faceoffs and found no tie to improvement in chances for/against.

 

[Gras]

Bottom six possession center has been on our wish list for several off seasons now. Its not in the pipeline. Jost was a wasted opportunity to sign or trade for someone better. Olofsson should not be eating up a roster spot. KA just didn't get it done. To in love with his own players.

Jost was signed to be the 13th forward, he didnt preclude them from acquiring another forward if they really wanted to.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

It's called experience. The team needs more experience. It's the youngest team in the league, of course they're going to be bad at faceoffs. They're bad at a lot of things that will slowly improve over the years.

Give it a few more years and some of these guys will develop more skills. Or maybe they won't.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

It was public that a team (the Blues) did internal audits of faceoffs and found no tie to improvement in chances for/against.

That's looking at the situation from 10,000'.

At ice level, there are situations where it is important. Losing an offensive zone draw on the PP, or with the goalie pulled, burns 20 seconds off the man advantage. Losing a defensive zone faceoff up a goal late against 6 skaters is a missed opportunity to ice the puck or score a clinching empty net goal. With the team gassed late in a PK after an icing. You get the point.

We don't need a specialist, just competence in those situations where it matters way more than a neutral zone faceoff early in a tie game. Casey winning barely 1/3 of the time as a 2C is a joke. We should be better.

 

[Chainshot]

That's looking at the situation from 10,000'.

At ice level, there are situations where it is important. Losing an offensive zone draw on the PP, or with the goalie pulled, burns 20 seconds off the man advantage. Losing a defensive zone faceoff up a goal late against 6 skaters is a missed opportunity to ice the puck or score a clinching empty net goal. With the team gassed late in a PK after an icing. You get the point.

We don't need a specialist, just competence in those situations where it matters way more than a neutral zone faceoff early in a tie game. Casey winning barely 1/3 of the time as a 2C is a joke. We should be better.

Micro is important. Macro, it sort of falls down.

They need their top center to take it seriously and until they do, they're going to get kicked in the teeth in that department. But an Eakin type doesn't solve that. Having Thompson Anze Kopitar his faceoff game would at least make him closer to even or even a slight strength. Same with Mittelstadt - he had a good night last night by his standards (1 off being .500) but again... while we think it matters, they very much don't seem to think it does or they would be bringing in specialists and working on it at length.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

They aren't at the level we would like them to be yet but with the exception of Mitts, our young centers have improved at faceoffs over time.

 

[jd1970]

Remove the word "faceoffs" from your title and you're on to something.

 

[Bendium]

Jost was signed to be the 13th forward, he didnt preclude them from acquiring another forward if they really wanted to.

If they acquired that forward, they would not have needed Jost as a 13th. Jost, Olofsson, and Okposo were all opportunities to improve the team. Missed it.