Player Discussion Tyler Ennis

[nt3005]

I think I might be the only person in here who hasn't been upset with Folignos play, I will say I expected more from Ennis, so I will stay optimistic and hope he finds some chemistry with someone.

I have also been happy with Winnik, great penalty killer and bottom 6 player. Cullen has been pretty unimpressive to me, I was never on the bandwagon to resign him this year. I think age is catching up to him.

This was the time of year last year the team finally started to click, so lets hope they continue to role.

 

[Wabit]

I think I might be the only person in here who hasn't been upset with Folignos play, I will say I expected more from Ennis, so I will stay optimistic and hope he finds some chemistry with someone.

I have also been happy with Winnik, great penalty killer and bottom 6 player. Cullen has been pretty unimpressive to me, I was never on the bandwagon to resign him this year. I think age is catching up to him.

This was the time of year last year the team finally started to click, so lets hope they continue to role.

I've been fine with Foligno overall. There have been some bad moments here and there I don't like, but I can say that about every player.

 

[57special]

This made me think of something I read, that Foligno said. The mindset in Minny is different than in Buffalo. Anything less than winning is looked at as a failure in MN. Where in Buffalo just going out and playing hard and putting up a good effort was considered a win. Something along those lines. You can kind of see it in Buffalo's games this year with Pommer and Scandella compared to the rest of the team too. I'm not sure how much, if any, this culture shock (for lack of a better term) is affecting Ennis' game.

I haven't been impressed with Cullen either. He's an improvement over what they had last year, but not huge upgrade. Ennis, Foligno, and Winnik are all an improvement over Schroeder/White. Stewie is the same as last year. So I'd like to think that with a couple of player upgrades the 4th line would look better.

Reminds me of the when the Blue Jays hired Bobby Cox in their early days when they were perennial losers. In their first game opening day with cox as their manager, they lost something 4-3, and almost won. The players were all happy, and doing interviews post game about how well they played. Cox came into the clubhouse in the middle of it and demolished a pop machine with a bat, ranting about how much he hated losing. He changed the culture there, and in a couple years had a contending team.

Cullen hasn't been great, but he isn't getting paid 4.6M, or 2.75M. Neither is Stewart, or Winnik.

The trouble with all the players mentioned is not that they are bad 4th liners, but that they are playing on the 3rd, or even 2nd lines, are complete passengers, and, in some cases, are paid like 2nd or 3rd liners.

 

[Al Lagoon]

Lot of hockey yet to be played - he shows flashes of Granlund alternated with flashes of Schroeder. Can't say the Wild flash the skill as a team - muck and grind probably isn't his strength.

 

[Wabit]

Lot of hockey yet to be played - he shows flashes of Granlund alternated with flashes of Schroeder. Can't say the Wild flash the skill as a team - muck and grind probably isn't his strength.

Ennis is better at muck and grind than both Pommer and Schroeder. He doesn't disappear like they did after getting a good hit against.

His biggest problem is he tries 1 too many moves and ends up losing the puck.

 

[2Pair]

Ennis is better at muck and grind than both Pommer and Schroeder. He doesn't disappear like they did after getting a good hit against.

His biggest problem is he tries 1 too many moves and ends up losing the puck.

He is nowhere near as good as Pominville is along the wall, and it's not like that was one of Pommers strengths.

 

[Wabit]

He is nowhere near as good as Pominville is along the wall, and it's not like that was one of Pommers strengths.

Pommer is my favorite player, but he has always been more effective as a floater than along the walls. When the games got physical the last few years he became more passive each shift.

Ennis doesn't shy away from contact, that's more to the point I was trying to make.

 

[2Pair]

Pommer is my favorite player, but he has always been more effective as a floater than along the walls. When the games got physical the last few years he became more passive each shift.

Ennis doesn't shy away from contact, that's more to the point I was trying to make.

well said. For as much as I'm starting to dislike Ennis, I do respect the effort he gives.

 

[57special]

Ennis is better at muck and grind than both Pommer and Schroeder. He doesn't disappear like they did after getting a good hit against.

His biggest problem is he tries 1 too many moves and ends up losing the puck.

I think that's called "damning him with faint praise".

Ennis is bad at mucking and grinding. He tries, but he just is ineffective. Unfortunately, we've got a team of bottom sixers who aren't very good, either. Stewart is atrocious. Cullen so-so. Winnik has been a disappointment. He can win the puck, but then doesn't know what to do with it. Foligno even more so. Very strong, and wins pucks, but then it goes pffttt. Kunin was surprisingly good. Ek is decent.

Ennis reminds me of Granlund before he got smart when it comes to physical play/grinding. Plenty of courage, but leads with his chin, and gets pounded. I won't be surprised if he gets injured soon.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Ennis is a small, so he needs to play with at least 2 bigs on his line for maximum effectiveness?

 

[Wabit]

Ennis is a small, so he needs to play with at least 2 bigs on his line for maximum effectiveness?

I don't think that really matters, he's not a butter soft player so it offsets his size some. He seems to play best when he simplifies his game. Not trying to stick handle like Patty Kane all the time as an example.

 

[nickschultzfan]

I don't think that really matters, he's not a butter soft player so it offsets his size some. He seems to play best when he simplifies his game. Not trying to stick handle like Patty Kane all the time as an example.

But have you gone with all small skaters? You kind of end up getting killed. 3 bigs, 1 small is my perferred lineup.

 

[Wabit]

But have you gone with all small skaters? You kind of end up getting killed. 3 bigs, 1 small is my perferred lineup.

I wouldn't put 5 guys 5'9" and under on the ice, no. But the Wild aren't tiny with their FWDs this year. Staal, Nino, Coyle, Foligno, Stewie, Koivu, JEE, Winnik, and even Cullen aren't small guys.

Ennis, Granny, Zucker, Spurgeon, Murphy, and Stalock is the smallest group the Wild could have on the ice this year. The lineup isn't all 5'10" and blonde anymore (BB quote).

 

[57special]

Some guys are small, but strong. Dionne was smallish(5'8" or so). Cournoyer was smaller than me when I was 12, but he had thighs and wrist that were huge. Ennis isn't one of those guys, and has to play around it.

My problem with him isn't his size, but his effectiveness, but I'll let it rest after his good game last night.