travel_dude

Canada looks to have a powerhouse team, but I thought the same last year. So many first rounders this year. We typically use the returning goalie, so Garand has the edge. He actually has a better season so far statically than Cossa. Beware the Amerks.

Gillies was an emergency NHL signing. Believe he was on a NHL only contract, but Bing is out (COVID). ANA has played two more games than us, so we are actually 2nd by points in the Pacific, but 1st by points %. IN the West, we are 3rd in points and 2nd in points %. Seems like every team in the west is struggling to gain points at the top. It's just getting closer between 1st and 10th.

Our top goalie prospect now sits #1 in wins, #3 in GAA and #2 in SA%. PLayed the 9th most games of goalies.

Now back of two career AHL players, both born in 94

Mangipane was lucky enough to play with guys like Juros (can't remember how to spell it). That was awile ago, so forgive me for not remembering who else (Hathaway?). It wasn't s grinder line as much as an energy line. I don't know that he was played up for any specific reason, but Mange played the end of the 18/19 season with Backs and maybe Tkachuk. TBH, I forget if one or both, but he really started to produce. Maybe that was 19/20. I guess what I am saying is we lack a passer beyond the top line. Mangiapane can do a lot himself, but his release is whe he scores a lot of goals. So, why not bring up a passer. When I said think Mange, I was referring to playing with him. We always wait on D, which is the right move, but I find we watch the prospects spoil otherwise. Dube came up a bit early, but he was also nowhere near a p/gp. Early inuiry, then played too high in the lineup. Are there any other successes? Gaudreau was more or less at the same development level as Pelletier. A playmaker can find that success easier than a scorer.

Wolf is not ripe yet. He could come up as a backup and steal the show or put himself in question. But, I would suggest that Pelletier is the type of player that could absolutely wow in the NHL. Gaudreau had a slow start (5 games) where it looked like he was going to get sent down. Then he lit up. Pelletier is a similar player, but is also a go-to-the-net player. But the only way it works is if he plays on a line with skill. No 4th line play. Think Mangiapane.

Well, we are 1 point up on ANA with a game in hand. 4 up on EDM, but they have two games in hand (tie at best with equal games). 5 up on SJS equal games. 6 up on Vegas, but they have 2 games in hand. The thing hurting us is home games. While we have played the least there, we have a 12 points in 11 games record. That has to change as we start to play more at home.

I think what he is saying that we play less than we need to at times. Poor D coverage or average goalrtending, where the other goalie is above average. You can't have low scoring + poor D coverage + average goatending. It's one thing to get lots of chances, but you need to bear down a bit if the goalie is standing tall. The greasey ones are the ones you need then. But even so, once you get down by 2 or more, the other teams just need to shut you down. Sutter complained about average goaltending in the last couple of games. Markstrom has to be better. Vladar has to be better. To sume it up, the team needs to find ways every game. Score if you need more goals. Make a critical save. BReak up a chance at the blue line. Stop the needless turnovers.

Shutout

Lucic looks good. What I have seen of the rest, not so much. F'n Lazar.

What are we 0-5 with Cassie?

What was the delay on the game? Oilers started after us and only 14 minutes left in the 3rd there

Where's the Looch 1000 game goal? Missed the first two periods, just watched the score rack up. In YYC now, so I can stream the dirty Putin streams. Think we can get two now that I am watching?

There's no doubt Sutter sees it all. Knows what the Flames were lacking. We are the top defensive team in the league. Pretty solid PK (near the top). Upper level PP, even though it looks bad at times. Top 5v5 scoring forward, but Tavares gets all the love. I was thinking Big Zaddy would be positive, but didn;t expect Guddy to be the better of the two. I will give him benefit of doubt for sitting Valimaki. He was making mistakes, though I though he was better that that. In hindsight, it was giving him a pass for poor overall play. We need him to grow into the role, not just play here. A litttle surprised that Vladar didn't get the start, but whatever. Marky usually plays well after a loss. I expect Ruzie to have a good game. Him and Lewis are starting to connect. His defensive game is getting better too. Would like to see him lower the boom a bit. He seems like he gives too much respect out there.

I expect a few dustups between Bread and Marchand. Coleman can put him in his place. 1000 games for Looch. Expect them to try to get him a goal. Just beat the heck out of them.

You trying to start something with JJ? Hehe. I have been saying that for some time. Lousy camp, but he's lit.

I don't even think it was reviewed by the NHL. The one more preplexing is whether it was a high stick prior to the goal. If you contact the puck with a high stick, it's blown down if you play it after that point. The puck was still on his stick when he scored. Riddle me that one. I have heard no talk about it. Just how great it was.

I don't think he's old school. I think he sees effort without results and wants to get that fixed, There hasn't been any games where we failed to show up. We've had stretches of poor play. Or missing a period, but overall we have been good in almost every game. It's not like he has a lot of players to choose from. He could ask BT to call up Pelletier for goal scoring, but he doesn't see the AHL games. We are down two RHS, so we get Froese called up. We've lost 3 in a row, but none were blowouts. Can only mix and match players so much. Top line works 90% of the time. Backlund has struggles a bit. Dube still looks a bit off. Monahan skating better and getting more chances, just seems like he's still missing torgue. 4th lin is what it is, can only get better.

Well, when Svetch scored that one on Rittich a few years ago, he actually contacted the goalie in the mask with his stick. Somehow it wasn't a high stick. Somehow it was below the crossbar. Stick to the head is ok with a goalie? Is it because he's following through? Well, that dosn't add up because it/s not a shot, it's a swing of the stick. The NHL loves it because it's TV appeal. Teams should knock the kid's block off when he tries it. Buffalo sat back and watched it.

Pelletier now up to 25 point in 19 games. 2nd in entire AHL scoring. Ahead of Jack Quine, who has played 2 less games. Three behind leader who played 2 more games.

I tend to agree, but he's only a liability if we lose possession.

It wasn't a slight to HB at all. We need more like him in the world.

Heartbreaker put a post in some thread that was a Java program. Didn't run it as it was a bit of a gag, but I'm sure it did something. I leave the OOP talk and real techie stuff to the guys that like that stuff. The real JAR heads (inside joke about Java). The only Java I want to deal with is my morning cup.

Just after your post, the site was down for about 30 minutes.

This happened on a nothing play. Was Backlund on and Lindholm came on? If so, that's an odd change. It left Lindholm coming from the bench to engage Aho. I have to look at the player shifts, because it looked strange that Tkachuk was out there. I couldn't tell from the replay if Kylington misplayed it, or was covering the guys behind the play. It looked like Lindholm had that assignment, but it was a strange result. EDIT - It was Coleman that was on with Tkachuk. Not sure how that happens. Lindholm came on mid breakaway.