dudacek
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Posts posted by dudacek
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None of them plays last night.
I'd bet most of those guys will play against Toronto.
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Until the modelling gets to a much higher level (and I am not sure it can), Glass Case is on the money with the music analogy: hockey is more art than science.
There is no better feeling in hockey than when you make that telepathic connection with your linemate to burn the opposition. You don't have to look for him, you just know what he's doing and why he is doing it and you connect. There is no worse feeling than playing with a guy who thinks the game on a different level and every attempt at connection just fizzles.
When you make that special connection, I'm sure it happens because each brain has just seen that situation enough times that it has made a correct analytical decision. But how can an observer replicate every nuance of every hockey play everyone on the ice has experienced and tell you what play is the right one? There are too many variables.
Call the Brad Boyes factor if you want or maybe the Leino factor: so much of a player's success is predicated on how he connects with his line mates, his coach, and his opposition that analytics can only be used as a tool, not a guide.
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I'm not sure how kosher it is to post about other Sabre fan forums, but I checked out another one during training camp and it looks like CB26 has been posting there regularly. Not sure if we did something to scare him off, but I'll miss his contributions if he's on more than a brief vacation.
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Great thread. IMO, the ###### analytics crowd is winning today.
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Much stronger lineup than the last game.
Hope we see Reinhart and Grigo with better wingers.
I thing CB26 has defected to another board.
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I think Reinhart is an inaccurate passer with slow eyes.
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What I saw tonight:
Risto: the kid looks like a lock, strong, smart, mobile, involved.
Reinhart: he does a lot of little things well — moves himself to the right spots at the right time, moves the puck to the right spots, opens himself up for a pass, hustles back on defence; didn't see enough offence though to convince me he should be on the team, but I am not ready to write him off either. I'd like to see him with players who can think the game at his level.
Grigorenko: he seems to have made a big step adjusting to the speed of the game and used his body well; He is forechecking and back checking with purpose; again, like to see him with better players.
Zadorov: he seemed more composed, playing within himself. Didn't see big plays positive or negative.
Armia: the kid has talent, I'll give him that, and he was battling in the offensive zone. I thought he had blinders on in terms of using his teammates.
Deslauriers: Saw a bit of Marcus Foligno disease. I'd like to see him forecheck harder and play the game in simple, straight lines. He was not causing turnovers, or creating space.
Karabacek: didn't look out of place as the youngest guy out there. It was my first impression, and he seems to have a nose for offence and he's not scared.
Larsson: Remains responsible and strong on the puck. Didn't see the jump in offence his game needs.
Overall, the team battled and defended well against a much more NHL Caps lineup, but they created very little.
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Benoit (balls) didn't look half bad tonight either. Smooth skater.
Yeah. A couple times, I went holy ###### Zadorov is skating well. Then I realized it was 61, not 51.
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Apparently Grigs was 7-1 at the dot. Anybody know who wore the C and the A's?
Ellis, Weber and Benoit.
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The Karaba Collision of the night.
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Grigo with a nice effort play. Nearly set up Flynn.
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Ristolainen has looked VERY confident so far. Very shifty with the puck.
Agreed. Playing like a vet.
Nice stop by Lieuwen. That was Backstrom and Ovechkin there.
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Armia looks much stronger on the puck, but I wish he would move it quicker.
Strachan not going to take John Scott's role.
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He got beat by a nice shot.
Grigorenko's skating, puck strength and decisiveness all looking improved.
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Interesting choices.
Is that Rochester's opening night team lineup?
Seriously, I think Mitchell and Weber are the only established NHLers, unless you want to give Benoit and Flynn credit.
I thought there was an obligation to dress 10 or 12.
EDIT: On second look, that may be every player who is on the bubble for making the team. Only player I see missing that I would give that label is Kaleta and maybe that means he's penciled in.
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Does Myers look bigger to you guys?
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Playing Reinhart is a bad thing if he is not ready and is bounced around the lineup.
It's not a bad thing if he can put up 30-40 points and learn from the pros.
I'm glad Nolan is going to watch him before making up his mind, unlike a lot of posters.
I respect Flynn's heart and he has decent speed and is hockey smart, but none of those qualities are at a high enough level to overcome his lack of strength or skill. He's in his mid-20s.
I have no problem with him as a fourth-line utility player on this team — sometimes in the press box, sometimes on the third line when injuries hit.
But he plays only in the top-nine of a bad hockey team.
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Stafford Stewart Moulson Ennis Hodgson Girgensons, Gionta and Foligno — there is one spot open in the top nine, (two if Foligno ###### the dog again). You know they want Reinhart to fill it.
If he fails, they are in in trouble. They won't close the door on it being Grigorenko or Armia if they force themselves into the picture, but you know they'd prefer each of those guys in Rochester.
The interesting battles are in the bottom four: Mitchell, McCormick, Flynn, Deslauriers, Kaleta and Larsson all have legitimate shots. Larsson is really the only one I see in that group with an upside of an effective third-liner.
If he is ready to take that role, it's a good thing, even though I'd rather see him start the season on the fourth line.
But if Reinhart and Griggy aren't ready and he still can't beat out Flynn for line three, that's a problem. He does not need another year in the AHL.
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Gionta will be a leader with a letter or not. He's 35 with a 3 year contract which takes him to 38. He's already a leader, so you don't have to give him a letter you might have to take away in a year or two if you need to cut his ice-time as age creeps in.
Very good point, but I still say they signed him for three years with the intent of making him captain, then passing the torch to Girgensons when he retires.
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I really like Larsson's complete game at the AHL level.
His play without the puck and his compete is NHL-calibre, IMO.
He has yet to show he can contribute offensively in the show.
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Gionta gets the "C" that's why they brought him here.
I'd say Moulson and Gorges get the "As," but I would not be surprised if Stafford gets one.
Teddy won't hand anything to a young guy.
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Just watched Teddy's press conference.
I know some think he's a lightweight, but I disagree.
This guy gets it.
Hockey is not played by systems, it is played by people on teams.
It's about simple expectations, meeting those expectations and trusting your teammates.
And hockey players aren't rocket surgeons.
Teddy knows what players need; he knows what is necessary to establish trust and confidence and what can poison trust and confidence. He makes decisions that his players find very easy to buy into because they make sense to the player.
He is the antithesis of Ron Rolston.
I hope he gets a chance to still be coaching when this team has some talent.
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I think Teddy likes him as a centre. I do too.
Call him a #2, or a #3 down the road but it doesn't really matter, he will be playing against the other team's top lines.
As someone posted earlier, a Rod Brind'Amour role is ideally in the cards.
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The latest Beyond Bue and Gold video is up.
No pictures of Kim but we do get to see Tim Murray biting his nails and literally giving a f--k.
GDT: Carolina at Buffalo 7PM Sept 23 Preseason WGR 550 No TV
in The Aud Club
Posted
I'm not predicting the same heights, but I think a good comparison for where Reinhart is at the moment is where Jonathan Toews was when he was drafted.
Similar draft spots, similar rebuilding franchises, similar expectations, similar builds, similar skill sets - not enormously, fast, strong or slick, but elite in terms of their ability to read the game. Each generated a pre-draft reputation as a calm, poised leader who plays well in big games.
Can Sam put on another 15 pounds of muscle like Toews did? Will he show his smarts and leadership skills can transfer to the pros like Toews did?
I guess that's why they play the games.
For the record, Toews played another year in college before turning pro and scoring 54 points as a rookie.