MBH
Players Play
Lucas Raymond - Started strong and faded without Larkin. 2-4-6 in and 10 shots in the first 3 games. 0-0-0 and 3 shots in the next three. I think he could help the powerplay now, but I'm not sure he's ready for a top-nine role at 5 on 5. Wouldn't be opposed to trying it, though.
Joe Veleno - 2-3-5 and 13 in six games. I think Veleno is ready to play, even if it's a 12-14 minute a night role. End of the day, Veleno might only be a 15-minute a night C anyway, so the whole "dominate the AHL" argument doesn't make a lick of sense.
Zadina - 0-2-2 and 10 shots in 5 games. Zadina seemed to improve as the preseason went on, even if the stats didn't really say so. He's gotta make a difference this year. Getting to be too old/experienced to consider him a guy with potential.
Smith - 0--1-1, 7 shots and 17 hits in 4 games. I'm fine with him on Line 4 or in the press box.
Pearson - 1-0-1, 10 shots in 4 games. Not that young and not productive. Could be a depth guy, maybe. But not convincing, either.
Berggren - 0-0-0 in 2 games. Did manage 5 shots. Seemed quiet, compared to expectations. Obviously, the injury didn't help.
Tyutyayev - 0-0-0 2 shots in 3 games. Beat my expectations despite never scoring. Deserved a contract. Didn't deserve to make the team.
Suter - 2-3-5 in 5 games. Suter put up points and had one game where he looked pretty good. But while he's almost surely our 2C this year, I'm really not sure he's cut out for such a role. Won't be surprised if he gets bumped to the wing 20 games in.
Rasmussen - Scored in his only game. Not much to see.
Leddy - Nice on the powerplay. Not good defensively. You'll see this a lot this year.
Seider - 1-2-3 in 6 games. Really solid preseason. Great, even, for a 20-year old But less impressive than the hype might have led one to believe. I don't think he'll be well served playing 22 minutes a night. I think Hronek is still clearly the #1 RD on the defenseman. Seider, is, however, ready for the NHL. But it's going to take some more time with Seider before he's the guy a lot of people think he can be. His urgency on defense was questionable at times. His physicality, one of his strengths, was nowhere to be seen. He got walked. He had miscommunications with the goalie for two goals. Still - he's already a strong passer. I liked his outlets. And honestly, I felt his O-zone work was better than his D-zone work - and that was a surprise.
Lindstrom - 0-1-1 in 4 games. Pretty nondescript. Should make the team, but will he play? Probably using 7D and 11 forward. LD: Leddy, Staal, Dekeyser RD: Hronek,Seider, Stecher. If Lindstrom is 7, who's 8? Oesterle?
Cotton - 2 games 0-0-0 - Struggled. But he also had 6 shots in goalm, ranking 2nd on the entire team defense for ALL of the preseason. Worth a contract, IMO, just to see if he can get better.
Sebrango - 3 games 0-0-0, 0 shots 1 hit. Not much from Sebrango. Still just a D+2 guy.
Newpower - I thought he was having a solid camp until a brutal giveaway for a goal against.
Oesterle -0-2-2 in 3 games. 5 shots. 1 shot. Decent with the puck. I guess he might be one of the eight. I'd rather have Renouf.
Nedeljkovic - .897 3.87 - Started horribly. Got better as he went. But even in his best game, he made an awful mistake for a backbreaking goal. Going to be interesting to see how he does in the regular season.
Brattstrom - .955 1.13 - Between the prospect tournament and pre-season, Brattstrom sold me that there could be something there. He just looked solid. Maybe that's easy for a 6'5 goalie to do when nobody has any scouting on him. Who knows?
Joe Veleno - 2-3-5 and 13 in six games. I think Veleno is ready to play, even if it's a 12-14 minute a night role. End of the day, Veleno might only be a 15-minute a night C anyway, so the whole "dominate the AHL" argument doesn't make a lick of sense.
Zadina - 0-2-2 and 10 shots in 5 games. Zadina seemed to improve as the preseason went on, even if the stats didn't really say so. He's gotta make a difference this year. Getting to be too old/experienced to consider him a guy with potential.
Smith - 0--1-1, 7 shots and 17 hits in 4 games. I'm fine with him on Line 4 or in the press box.
Pearson - 1-0-1, 10 shots in 4 games. Not that young and not productive. Could be a depth guy, maybe. But not convincing, either.
Berggren - 0-0-0 in 2 games. Did manage 5 shots. Seemed quiet, compared to expectations. Obviously, the injury didn't help.
Tyutyayev - 0-0-0 2 shots in 3 games. Beat my expectations despite never scoring. Deserved a contract. Didn't deserve to make the team.
Suter - 2-3-5 in 5 games. Suter put up points and had one game where he looked pretty good. But while he's almost surely our 2C this year, I'm really not sure he's cut out for such a role. Won't be surprised if he gets bumped to the wing 20 games in.
Rasmussen - Scored in his only game. Not much to see.
Leddy - Nice on the powerplay. Not good defensively. You'll see this a lot this year.
Seider - 1-2-3 in 6 games. Really solid preseason. Great, even, for a 20-year old But less impressive than the hype might have led one to believe. I don't think he'll be well served playing 22 minutes a night. I think Hronek is still clearly the #1 RD on the defenseman. Seider, is, however, ready for the NHL. But it's going to take some more time with Seider before he's the guy a lot of people think he can be. His urgency on defense was questionable at times. His physicality, one of his strengths, was nowhere to be seen. He got walked. He had miscommunications with the goalie for two goals. Still - he's already a strong passer. I liked his outlets. And honestly, I felt his O-zone work was better than his D-zone work - and that was a surprise.
Lindstrom - 0-1-1 in 4 games. Pretty nondescript. Should make the team, but will he play? Probably using 7D and 11 forward. LD: Leddy, Staal, Dekeyser RD: Hronek,Seider, Stecher. If Lindstrom is 7, who's 8? Oesterle?
Cotton - 2 games 0-0-0 - Struggled. But he also had 6 shots in goalm, ranking 2nd on the entire team defense for ALL of the preseason. Worth a contract, IMO, just to see if he can get better.
Sebrango - 3 games 0-0-0, 0 shots 1 hit. Not much from Sebrango. Still just a D+2 guy.
Newpower - I thought he was having a solid camp until a brutal giveaway for a goal against.
Oesterle -0-2-2 in 3 games. 5 shots. 1 shot. Decent with the puck. I guess he might be one of the eight. I'd rather have Renouf.
Nedeljkovic - .897 3.87 - Started horribly. Got better as he went. But even in his best game, he made an awful mistake for a backbreaking goal. Going to be interesting to see how he does in the regular season.
Brattstrom - .955 1.13 - Between the prospect tournament and pre-season, Brattstrom sold me that there could be something there. He just looked solid. Maybe that's easy for a 6'5 goalie to do when nobody has any scouting on him. Who knows?
