Pre-Game Talk: Week 4: Saint Louis Blues and @ Vegas Golden Knights. Time to panic? Or time to calm down?

[AvBuff]

Tufte is a paper/accounting thing. He'll be back.

Soon.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Maybe it's just me, or the fact it was the Blues, who just look slow and disinterested, but I still haven't yet seen this team go full tilt yet. Very early, and as we know they've had worse starts in recent seasons...including the one that ended with a Cup win, so I'm not worried, just wish we'd see a little more jump and energy from this squad. Just felt a little *blah* to me, and has in stretches in all the games this year.

Also...I know, I know, it's just who he is but I can see why coaches want to strangle RyJo at times. His defensive zone "coverages" were softer than butter left out in the sun. And it's REALLY frustrating because he knows where to be, he just doesn't put in much effort to really stick to the guy he's covering, just a small brush and then he floats off and gives the guy space.

I'm glad this will probably be the only year I have to watch him. I don't think I could get used to it.... It's so many low effort plays than a random play that shows his talent and ability just to go back to floating. Like the talent and ability offensively and defensively is there....

 

[Foppa2118]

Maybe it's just me, or the fact it was the Blues, who just look slow and disinterested, but I still haven't yet seen this team go full tilt yet. Very early, and as we know they've had worse starts in recent seasons...including the one that ended with a Cup win, so I'm not worried, just wish we'd see a little more jump and energy from this squad. Just felt a little *blah* to me, and has in stretches in all the games this year.

Generally speaking, I think it's better when a team has a bit of a slow start, and has to build their game during the season.

You pretty much never see a team play their A game from Game 1 of the regular season through 16 wins in the playoffs.

Sometimes the teams that come out the gate hot, lose their mojo before the playoffs. They can get overconfident and not take their opponent seriously enough. Or they didn't face enough adversity during the season, and now they're facing it in the playoffs, and don't look prepared for it.

But when you spend the season coming together as a team, and building your game, you can peak at the perfect time right before the playoffs, and you're better prepared mentally to fight through the adversity, and better prepared emotionally to make a big push for a couple months in the playoffs.

 

[McJedi]

I’m glad the Avs aren’t in playoff mode. They’d be peaking way too soon. Bednar has a bad tendency to overplay his stars in pursuit of regular season success. Save it for the games that really matter in April and May.

I am enjoying the heck out of seeing Edmontons mental fragility and their nightly meltdowns. That club is so full of roster holes but seeing them rush McDavid and Ekholm back from injuries reeks of desperation and neurotic management. They know it’s now or never with Dria and McDavid. Dria isn’t going to resign this summer if they crap out. And that will be the end of that non dynasty.

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

Maybe it's just me, or the fact it was the Blues, who just look slow and disinterested, but I still haven't yet seen this team go full tilt yet. Very early, and as we know they've had worse starts in recent seasons...including the one that ended with a Cup win, so I'm not worried, just wish we'd see a little more jump and energy from this squad. Just felt a little *blah* to me, and has in stretches in all the games this year.

Also...I know, I know, it's just who he is but I can see why coaches want to strangle RyJo at times. His defensive zone "coverages" were softer than butter left out in the sun. And it's REALLY frustrating because he knows where to be, he just doesn't put in much effort to really stick to the guy he's covering, just a small brush and then he floats off and gives the guy space.

Definitely agree with the bolded. I don’t think they’re firing on all cylinders yet. Imo, the chemistry isn’t there at the moment in the forward group.

I think it’s a good sign that you can go 7-2 while you still have another level to reach though.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Thought it was funny the other night when there were interviewing Mrs. Makar and asked something along the lines of who is the ringleader or who should we keep an eye out for and without missing a beat she threw Nate's mom under the bus.

 

[Foppa2118]

Thought it was funny the other night when there were interviewing Mrs. Makar and asked something along the lines of who is the ringleader or who should we keep an eye out for and without missing a beat she threw Nate's mom under the bus.

Something tells me it's probably the opposite though.

On a related note, I thought it was funny when TNT was hyping up Cale in his post game interview, and he said something about how he thinks he just compliments Toews well, and feeds off him, like Taser was the key to that combo. He couldn't keep a straight face while saying it either.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

We need to trade for Othmann

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

They can't keep him down

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Something tells me it's probably the opposite though.

On a related note, I thought it was funny when TNT was hyping up Cale in his post game interview, and he said something about how he thinks he just compliments Toews well, and feeds off him, like Taser was the key to that combo. He couldn't keep a straight face while saying it either.

Yeah, they way she deadpanned that without missing a beat, you know Cale's mom is a straight cold killer when it comes to trash talking. Turns out those aren't rosy cheeks after all...he's just been permanently burned by his mom.

 

[missionAvs]

Yeah we might have something there in Tufte. Would much rather have him up than either Drouin or Tatar.

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

Hard not to be all aboard the Tufte train right now.

Dude looked very promising in his debut and is scoring like crazy in the AHL.

At the end of the day, you can’t teach 6’6 235. If he can put it together that’s a unique hockey player. You add him to Rantanen, Nichushkin, Johansen, Wood, and Olofsson. That’s one of the biggest forward groups in the league.

 

[The Merchant]