Post-Game Talk: Yotes @ Preds - Welcome to the Phil Zone

[herzausstein]

Well thats a bummer of a loss. Couldve gained some ground in the wild card hunt.... on to boston

 

[triggrman]

Caller on the radio this morning said the boos were the loudest they can remember and by the end of the game the majority of the crowd had left the building

 

[LCPreds]

Caller on the radio this morning said the boos were the loudest they can remember and by the end of the game the majority of the crowd had left the building

I didn’t really see that. Definitely more boos towards the end but people left en masse much earlier during the Vegas game. At least from what I could tell.

 

[Kat Predator]

Man, that Tomasino turnover was awful but seeing him getting benched after that just felt depressing. It's like one mistake, and you're out type of situation and that's no way to grow an offensive talent.

It's like Hynes has them walking on egg-shells right from the puck-drop and they're just out there scared to not make a mistake.

Maybe Tomasino lost all his confidence and benched himself.

 

[predwings]

The second half started 9 games ago with game 42. Details matter.

Crap game but the team remains in contention even with the lack of performance from the top 6 tonight, especially at ES ... Calgary lost in OT putting them up by 5 points, the Preds maintaining 3 games in hand. Minnesota is going to OT putting them up either 5 or 6 points depending how extra time goes with the Preds maintaining 2 games in hand. The team sits at 0-1-0 in the sixth ten game split that started tonight ... after taking 65% of possible points in the 20 games prior to this loss. This has been a team in contention for months ... far from in but definitely not out.

Back to the reactionary posts that are the norm.

To put numbers to that we roughly need a record of 16-8-6 over the final stretch of the season to make-up what might get us in. Though I think a safer number would be 18-6-6 to make sure we're comfortably in the picture. Could we do it with less points? Maybe just depends on how the rest of the conference finishes late in the season.

 

[101st_fan]

Tomasino was on the ice for 1:29 up until the empty net goal allowed ... trying to claim he was benched after that long of a shift is disingenuous at best.

 

[101st_fan]

To put numbers to that we roughly need a record of 16-8-6 over the final stretch of the season to make-up what might get us in. Though I think a safer number would be 18-6-6 to make sure we're comfortably in the picture. Could we do it with less points? Maybe just depends on how the rest of the conference finishes late in the season.

Through 51 games played the Flames and Wild each had 2 more points than the Preds ... Colorado has 4 more points. That's the equalized standings snapshot with the gaps to close over the final 31 games if the team is to make the playoffs.

 

[Kat Predator]

Through 51 games played the Flames and Wild each had 2 more points than the Preds ... Colorado has 4 more points. That's the equalized standings snapshot with the gaps to close over the final 31 games if the team is to make the playoffs.

Doomed.

 

[LCPreds]

To put numbers to that we roughly need a record of 16-8-6 over the final stretch of the season to make-up what might get us in. Though I think a safer number would be 18-6-6 to make sure we're comfortably in the picture. Could we do it with less points? Maybe just depends on how the rest of the conference finishes late in the season.

If this is accurate we would need to play like a top 5 or so team in the league the rest of the way. Starting with Boston. If the team's internal analytics agree with this then I think I'd be selling, at least any type of spare parts that could be potentially replaced in the offseason.

 

[101st_fan]

If this is accurate we would need to play like a top 5 or so team in the league the rest of the way. Starting with Boston. If the team's internal analytics agree with this then I think I'd be selling, at least any type of spare parts that could be potentially replaced in the offseason.

Playing at the points pace of the last 41 games puts the team between 93-94 points, on the bubble. Playing at the points pace of the last 21 games puts them closer to a 95 point pace. It's a matter of a slight improvement over what they've done over the past 20, 30, 40 games.

 

[LCPreds]

Playing at the points pace of the last 41 games puts the team between 93-94 points, on the bubble. Playing at the points pace of the last 21 games puts them closer to a 95 point pace. It's a matter of a slight improvement over what they've done over the past 20, 30, 40 games.

What about the points pace of the last 3 games? We can slice the win/loss record however we want to fit any narrative. With that said, the team is not playing well coming out of the break and also lost their best scoring forward for some amount of time. Not a good trend for 'slight improvement'.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Playing at the points pace of the last 41 games puts the team between 93-94 points, on the bubble. Playing at the points pace of the last 21 games puts them closer to a 95 point pace. It's a matter of a slight improvement over what they've done over the past 20, 30, 40 games.

based off recent history this team is incapable of doing that...

 

[LCPreds]

There is also this consideration:

NHL Remaining Schedule Strength | Tankathon

Shows the remaining strength of schedule for NHL teams based on the points per game of the opponents left on their schedule.

www.tankathon.com

We're middle of the pack at #15. The teams we're chasing are Wild (#25), Avs (#27), Flames (#29). Not to mention we have the blessing/curse of more remaining games (Wild/Flames) which might suck if it just means we have more B2B than those 3. I haven't checked that.

Just another piece of data. Not insurmountable but also not something in our favor.

 

[Predsanddead24]

There is also this consideration:

NHL Remaining Schedule Strength | Tankathon

Shows the remaining strength of schedule for NHL teams based on the points per game of the opponents left on their schedule.

www.tankathon.com

We're middle of the pack at #15. The teams we're chasing are Wild (#25), Avs (#27), Flames (#29). Not to mention we have the blessing/curse of more remaining games (Wild/Flames) which might suck if it just means we have more B2B than those 3. I haven't checked that.

Just another piece of data. Not insurmountable but also not something in our favor.

Also the tail end of our schedule is brutal 15 of the last 16 games are against teams in the playoff hunt (with the exception being the Blues which is never an easy win for us). We can't really afford to be giving up points against easier teams like Arizona last night.

 

[herzausstein]

I keep waiting for the playoff picture to become clearer and it just becomes more murky. We win and the other contenders win, we lose and the other contenders lose. At some point, Poile is going to have to make a decision on how to proceed. I dont envy him.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I keep waiting for the playoff picture to become clearer and it just becomes more murky. We win and the other contenders win, we lose and the other contenders lose. At some point, Poile is going to have to make a decision on how to proceed. I dont envy him.

I feel like his decision is only going to be between "buy" and "stand pat", though.

What's the worst that can happen in the 8 games we have left before the Trade Deadline? Something like 3-5? Maybe 2-6? I doubt that will leave us in a spot where we won't still be able to say, "well, in those remaining 23 games, all we have to do is go 18-5 and we can still make it..."

We're not going to end up in a position that will change his mind onto the "sell" path, alas. That ship isn't even in port.

 

[triggrman]

I feel like his decision is only going to be between "buy" and "stand pat", though.

What's the worst that can happen in the 8 games we have left before the Trade Deadline? Something like 3-5? Maybe 2-6? I doubt that will leave us in a spot where we won't still be able to say, "well, in those remaining 23 games, all we have to do is go 18-5 and we can still make it..."

We're not going to end up in a position that will change his mind onto the "sell" path, alas. That ship isn't even in port.

Do you want to sell and let Poile handle more assets? His time is up, we need fresh blood.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Do you want to sell and let Poile handle more assets? His time is up, we need fresh blood.

I just want him to fire the coach.

I don't have a problem with the way he has drafted or most of the other moves he has made lately. Just fire the coach, and I'll be happy enough to let him stay a little longer.

Or... don't fire the coach, ok, but then sure, clean house all the way to the top.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

I keep waiting for the playoff picture to become clearer and it just becomes more murky. We win and the other contenders win, we lose and the other contenders lose. At some point, Poile is going to have to make a decision on how to proceed. I dont envy him.

Unless we're wanting to trade some of the "younger" players (e.g. Fabbro, Carrier, Jeannot, Trenin) we only really have Granlund, Sissons, and Nino that would be of value to a contender and have contracts that are moveable. I wouldn't expect much in terms of selling even if we fall out of the playoff picture.

 

[triggrman]

I'd do my best to unload McDonagh and Granlund.

 

[triggrman]

I just want him to fire the coach.

I don't have a problem with the way he has drafted or most of the other moves he has made lately. Just fire the coach, and I'll be happy enough to let him stay a little longer.

Or... don't fire the coach, ok, but then sure, clean house all the way to the top.

I don't like Hynes system. So I'm of the opinion that needs to change first. I've yet to see a player excel in this system with any amount of consistency, so is that Hynes or Poile? I also don't like how Tolvanen, Fabbro or Tomasino have been handled.

I think Johansen makes way to much for what he brings to the table, I just don't know that he's tradeable.



I don't know what move Poile has made lately that could be labeled as a solid move.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

I'd do my best to unload McDonagh and Granlund.

I don't see how McDonagh is moveable. $6.75M for 3 more seasons and he has to approve wherever he gets traded to. No contender is going to trade for him without it being close to an even salary swap (or with major retention).

 

[wmupreds]

Biggest anchor to this point has been Granlund up front. Playing at basically replacement level at $5M. Maybe he's moveable but if teams are paying attention it'd be hard to find a taker. Johansen of course is underperforming but at least has brought something to the table.

Herd has been pretty much replacement level (but at least are cheap). I think Jeannot was a flash in the pan. He could maybe be a 10-15 goal guy going forward but the 24 goals was a high S% mirage mostly. Giving him term and money would probably be a mistake. Wondering if he still has trade value.. might not be a bad idea.

Defense has kind of been a mess too. Lauzon never should have been paid more than like $1M. McDonagh has been mostly a mess at his cap hit outside of a nice little run when he first got with Josi. I still have hope for Carrier but its been rough for him too.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I don't know what move Poile has made lately that could be labeled as a solid move.

How "lately"?

Everybody wanted him to dump Kunin. He dumped Kunin.

He got McDonagh for free. I know we don't like his Cap hit, but, that's why we got him for free. And I think McDonagh is fine and could indeed have helped us if we were actually the kind of outside-mini-contender that Poile was probably hoping we were when he got him. It would be nice if he was paid $3-4M instead, but again, that's why he was free.

Niederreiter and Lankinen adds perfectly filled needs we had.

He got a 4th round pick for Olivier. I'm shocked he got anything. (That said, Olivier seems to have stuck and is playing alright, within his role, for the Jackets now, so I'm happy for Olivier).

I like Lauzon. I think he's sometimes over-used, but I'm happy with that addition in general, since it does fill a 3rd-pair spot with a more regular player rather than just a minor-league spare as we had been doing for several years.

Most folks have been gushing over his draft picks, happy to have Kemell fall to us, Askarov, L'Heureux, the unearthing of hidden gems like Parssinen, I don't see anything recent to fault our drafting on.

He moved Ellis and Subban at precisely the right times. Those moves were huge wins.

I think he handled the Expansion Draft about as perfectly as could have been done... losing just Jarnkrok was a bit of a coup given our situation.

He hasn't made the big dumb trade deadline rental trades for a while now.

Even the moves that we question a little bit more, like the Granlund/Fiala swap or moving Arvidsson, they do have some reasonable counterarguments.

No objections here to the contracts for the core players he's handed out recently. Josi, Forsberg cases in particular we came out as well or better than could have been hoped. Kept the term manageable on Ekholm, pretty good bridges and other smaller contracts to other re-signed/extended guys lately.

Anyway, I would say he has been humming along on a net positive slate for the last several years in terms of the trades/contracts/drafting side of things. You can't bat 1.000 on these things, but he's doing as good as I could reasonably ask for of any GM lately.

If it wasn't for the coaching issue, I would have said he has been on quite a roll and getting better with age the last handful of years. (And to be sure, I wrap a few of this year's roster oddities in with the coaching problem).

 

[LCPreds]

I doubt that will leave us in a spot where we won't still be able to say, "well, in those remaining 23 games, all we have to do is go 18-5 and we can still make it..."

I laughed. I could see that being said even around here. So you're saying there's a chance!