Speculation: Who Will Play the Most # of Games Next Year As Our 2c?

[Kurtosis]

And then Kruger will proceed to offer nothing of substance on the 2nd line.

 

[SLarmer28*]

And then Kruger will proceed to offer nothing of substance on the 2nd line.

and then ColdSteelOnIce fires up one of his many patented Fire Bowman threads.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

kruger has shown nothing to suggest he is appropriate as the 2c.

 

[RomersWorld*]

What has LeBlanc ever proven to warrant all this hype that he can hold down a 2C role for this team?

Meanwhile Pirri leads the AHL in points as a 22 year old on a very average team.

I don't see how LeBlanc is even in the picture.

The best part is when some people say Pirri sucks defensively so LeBlanc will win the job despite him looking just awful in the defensive zone(IMO). He looked clueless in the d-zone and then got benched for a period until getting some time later while the game was in hand and looked good offensively...but Pirri is much more proven offensively. We don't even know what LeBlanc looks like against AHL competition but because of his success in college and a great 1 period of hockey he is clearly ready for the #2 center role.

 

[Kurtosis]

The best part is when some people say Pirri sucks defensively so LeBlanc will win the job despite him looking just awful in the defensive zone(IMO). He looked clueless in the d-zone and then got benched for a period until getting some time later while the game was in hand and looked good offensively...but Pirri is much more proven offensively. We don't even know what LeBlanc looks like against AHL competition but because of his success in college and a great 1 period of hockey he is clearly ready for the #2 center role.

Exactly. It's absolutely ridiculous the hate Pirri gets.

 

[tdfxman]

The best part is when some people say Pirri sucks defensively so LeBlanc will win the job despite him looking just awful in the defensive zone(IMO). He looked clueless in the d-zone and then got benched for a period until getting some time later while the game was in hand and looked good offensively...but Pirri is much more proven offensively. We don't even know what LeBlanc looks like against AHL competition but because of his success in college and a great 1 period of hockey he is clearly ready for the #2 center role.

This.

Pirri is a 3 year pro in the A. He ramped up big point totals each year with nice improvement.

Pirri will get every chance. I can't wait to see him. I think he should be the 2C and I think he can play with Sharp and Hossa.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

kruger has shown nothing to suggest he is appropriate as the 2c.

Neither did Handzus and we won a cup with him there.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Neither did Handzus and we won a cup with him there.

I do not understand your point. I thought the point was to hope someone was ready to play the position well...not just toss in whoever can establish he won't make us lose games.

 

[Sarava]

The Hawks have already shown twice that they can win the cup while patching in a #2 center. While it would be nice to find someone that excels there - it clearly is a luxury that is not necessary.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I do not understand your point. I thought the point was to hope someone was ready to play the position well...not just toss in whoever can establish he won't make us lose games.

You won't find a bigger Pirri fan than I. I hope Q gives him a fair chance. I doubt it happens.

 

[Kurtosis]

You won't find a bigger Pirri fan than I. I hope Q gives him a fair chance. I doubt it happens.

I concur. Pirri will excel (in my opinion) if he gets the chance to. I just don't know if he will.

Q should give him every chance available to succeed during the regular season, but he'll probably treat it like the playoffs and effectively bench him after one mistake.

 

[ReLyT]

Handzus... gotta remember the Q factor

 

[HockeySauce]

The best part is when some people say Pirri sucks defensively so LeBlanc will win the job despite him looking just awful in the defensive zone(IMO). He looked clueless in the d-zone and then got benched for a period until getting some time later while the game was in hand and looked good offensively...but Pirri is much more proven offensively. We don't even know what LeBlanc looks like against AHL competition but because of his success in college and a great 1 period of hockey he is clearly ready for the #2 center role.

I had a really long post about Pirri, but it pretty much sums up to this:

All I ask of Pirri (and what Q will likely want as well) is to understand where he needs to be and what he needs to do in his own zone. He'll be fine in transition and in the offensive zone, and playing with Hossa, he won't need to be a beastly backchecker, but if he's not holding up well in his own zone, he won't be in the NHL next year.

Hopefully, being on the cusp and being able to legitimately grab a spot next year will bring the best out of him at both ends of the rink.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

You won't find a bigger Pirri fan than I. I hope Q gives him a fair chance. I doubt it happens.

yeah, okay...sorry. i get your post now.

 

[Bubba88]

Exactly. It's absolutely ridiculous the hate Pirri gets.

Pirri hate


he is running away with this thread and was voted as the Hawks 2nd best prospect here on HF. That's what you consider hate?

 

[BobbyJet]

The Hawks have already shown twice that they can win the cup while patching in a #2 center. While it would be nice to find someone that excels there - it clearly is a luxury that is not necessary.

I hate arguments like that.

 

[Kurtosis]

Pirri hate


he is running away with this thread and was voted as the Hawks 2nd best prospect here on HF. That's what you consider hate?

Wait, you're saying that voting who one thinks will get the bulk of the time at 2nd center equates with liking them? That makes absolutely no sense.

 

[SLarmer28*]

I hate arguments like that.

Why? Is it because you obsess over the second line center position?

 

[HockeySauce]

Wait, you're saying that voting who one thinks will get the bulk of the time at 2nd center equates with liking them? That makes absolutely no sense.

Clearly, if most hated Pirri, the bias would be shown in the poll. It's not. Because there is no hate for Pirri. If anything, too many posters pimp this guy despite rarely - if ever - seeing him play; or look at his stats and assume he'll be a stud.

 

[Kurtosis]

Clearly, if most hated Pirri, the bias would be shown in the poll. It's not. Because there is no hate for Pirri. If anything, too many posters pimp this guy despite rarely - if ever - seeing him play; or look at his stats and assume he'll be a stud.

The poll isn't to measure how much a player is liked, it's to measure who one thinks will play the bulk of the time as the #2 center. One could think Pirri will play most of the time there and still not like him.

 

[ChiGuySez]

Pirri hate


he is running away with this thread and was voted as the Hawks 2nd best prospect here on HF. That's what you consider hate?

3rd best if you include Saad and only b/c he led the AHL in scoring last year. Very few had him rated highly prior to this current polling.

 

[chicagoskycam]

Knowing Q it will probably be Zeus, that's how I voted but I hope for any alternative.

 

[HockeySauce]

The poll isn't to measure how much a player is liked, it's to measure who one thinks will play the bulk of the time as the #2 center. One could think Pirri will play most of the time there and still not like him.

Right, but you didn't say "dislike", you said "hate". If posters hated Pirri, they wouldn't be voting for him in anything.

I think there are still a lot of questions about Pirri's game that will, at the very least, pose huge speed bumps for him trying to make the Hawks next year. I don't hate him though. I hope he comes to camp and plays well and shows that he's capable defensively, but I doubt we'll see that from him.

And no, "playing between Hossa/Sharp" is not a legitimate argument for him overcoming his defensive short-comings. He's still a centre, and he still bears the bulk of the responsibility in his own zone. Hossa and Sharp can't cover up for him in the defensive zone.

 

[HockeySauce]

3rd best if you include Saad and only b/c he led the AHL in scoring last year. Very few had him rated highly prior to this current polling.

What? I'm pretty sure the lowest he would have been heading into 2012-13 would be 6th or 7th.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

last year we ranked him 7th http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1251657