Injury Report: Victor Hedman knee-on-knee collision (out 3-6 weeks) | cleared to play after 3 weeks

berlin

04, 20, 21, CHAMPS
Jul 14, 2012
5,746
2,266
Kokomo
Well its a good thing we've stock piled a ton of points. This could actually be a blessing in disguise for the team, first time they've had to face an real adversity this year. I have a feeling Sergachev is really gonna step up.
Also Heddy will be well rested. At this point i’m trying to grab any positives I can. ;)
 
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The Gongshow

Fire JBB
Jul 17, 2014
25,356
7,913
Toronto
I don't think Serg is gonna step up too much I think it will be Stralman that steps up.

Not a knock on Serg he's been great! but he hasn't nor had to be "The guy" I don't want him to overthink things and think he has to step up when he's been fantastic the way he is. Sheltered minutes have helped his development. Obviously he's gonna get more ice time now so we'll see how it goes.
 
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Lightning1995

Registered User
May 16, 2016
3,970
1,540
Really happy it’s not worse. Good opportunity for KK to get regular ice time.
Heddy will be back for a cup run. Hallelujah
 

DaBolts

Stanley Cup Boat Parades ROCK
Feb 3, 2015
14,992
10,667
Thank goodness. I was going to freak out if the phrase "ACL tear" was mentioned. Get some rest Hedmonster, we're going to need you for the end run.
 

DaBolts

Stanley Cup Boat Parades ROCK
Feb 3, 2015
14,992
10,667
Really happy it’s not worse. Good opportunity for KK to get regular ice time.
Heddy will be back for a cup run. Hallelujah

Better time to call up some kids or make a trade for a 1D with a small town team in Ottawa.:sarcasm:
 

Cmac66

Registered User
Apr 18, 2017
1,244
800
Glad that it is not as bad as we thought. The rest of the defence need to step up ( something which they haven’t been done by well recently). I wonder if Yzerman makes a trade or just calls up someone from the crunch. If it was the latter who would get called up cernak maybe?!
 

More 2004

Stamkos Apologist
May 3, 2004
3,322
1,312
Tampa
Serge will definitely play more due to being on PP1 now. 5 on 5 may not change too much though.
 

RussianGuyovich

Hella Ennui
Jan 2, 2007
9,597
7,794
Stralman is there best puck management defenseman on our roster. Better than hedman, just hedman has the speed to catch up to anyone he let’s get by him.

I’m not worried about stralman. And while I am the president and founder of the anti-koekkoek defamation league, I don’t think he’s ready to helm the PP.
 

MattM92

Registered User
Dec 8, 2010
6,925
516
FL
Very fortunate it's 3-6 weeks and not 3-6 months. The Calgary game is a throwaway compared to this.

The defense isn't that deep, and even if it was, losing a top 3 defenseman is going to hurt. No team has that kind of depth. Koekkoek will draw in more and Sergachev will take over PP duties. Cooper needs to really balance the minutes because Stralman is not capable of playing 26+ minutes a night like Hedman is.

The team has to circle the wagons here and start playing a more responsible defensive game. The past 5-6 games we have been bleeding grade-A chances and odd man breaks. Everything needs to tighten up now. Focus on winning those 2-1 and 3-2 games instead of trying to score 5 every game.
 

CupsOverCash

Registered User
Jun 16, 2009
16,353
7,092
That and Koekkoek getting some PP time makes sense as well.

I hope they give Koekkoek a look on the PP. He's got some puck moving skills and some offensive awareness. I agree with the others that they will put Stralman there for now. Maybe they want to see how KK does with more ice time first.
 

These Are The Days

Oh no! We suck again!!
May 17, 2014
34,123
19,686
Tampa Bay
Koekkoek can't run the PP ... he didn't even do it in Syracuse. That's not his game.

For as correct as you are, I make that statement because it's not Stralman's game either. Until his fetish for the cross ice pass to Stamkos started, Kucherov greatly simplified his game (and helped our power play) by simply taking the initiate to shoot more. Between getting rid of Stralman at the point and getting Kucherov to stop "I'm Russian I'm going to pass first" mentality that saw him make so many stupid plays every time he was on the power play we went from bottom for the barrel to top of the league. When Kucherov started shooting more and stopped saying "No you take it!!" to Victor Hedman every chance he got, I think we all noticed how much better Hedman has gotten as a quarterback. The poor guy never had a chance before Todd Richards got into Kucherov's ear. Hedman's average at best but he gets the job done. Hopefully Sergachev can and will step in with the same effectiveness provided that Kucherov doesn't nail the kid to the cross by deciding "You know what? I'm gonna pass to the point" when Sergachev shades over towards Stamkos because he was logically anticipating the puck going towards that side of the ice due to the defense shifting over to the right wing boards to defend Kucherov. But that's of course when Kucherov decides he has totally different plans and the puck gets passed back to the blue line to no one who is waiting for it because he forgets that the puck can also be cycled behind the net.

As for Stralman, I love him but the man has no sense of anticipation for a pass, no poise in tight space, constantly bobbles the puck, can't take a pass without first bobbling it, he takes too long to decide, he struggles to get shots through traffic and fails miserably at 91-timer and any form of cycling in general. With all that said, I'm dead serious about Koekkoek, Wolf. We've watched Stralman try and fail for too long at this. It's just simply time to accept that he's good at everything but being a power play QB no differently than 7 out of every 10 defensemen. Give the rookie a shot
 
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AlphaCatalyst

Elite Fan
Jun 27, 2007
14,921
7,126
Calgary
I hope that Serge replaces him at the all star game just for the LOLs from upset Boston, Toronto (and also potential Montreal) fans.
 

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