Berglund, Sobotka, & a Season Preview

[Formerly Allan in MD]

A major question I continue to have is: with all the changes, have we come up with anyone who can expertly and consistently forecheck?  It's been a major deficiency on this team for years and is such an important element in winning hockey.  One can only hope.

[dudacek]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

You may be able to boil it down ever further on the forwards

1) Who are our most responsible defensive forwards?  I'd rank them by position.  I'd almost build a 3rd line with the most responsible LW, C and RW.  This is the line I'm putting out against the other teams top line as often as possible.   

2) Who works best with Jack?  I'm giving this line 55-60 O starts.  I don't care if it's Skinner, Sheary or Erod on Jack LW.  I also don't care if it's Reinhart, Okposo or Thompson on the RW.  I want whomever allows Jack to maximize his offensive potential.  I'd even look at Mittelstadt.  

3) Lastly how best to deploy Mittelstadt?  I'm going to assume he plays C, but with so many guys who can play center (Reinhart, Berglund, Z, Larry, O'Regan, Sobotka, Erod and even Thompson, we have flexibility to deploy Casey where he has the best chance to succeed.

After that you make the best of the rest line.  

That goes back to my question in the second post in the thread. @Randall Flagg has built a case here around putting your players in the best place for them to succeed, something I’ve always believed in and something I hated Dan Bylsma for not doing. The idea that you deploy your best players first and build your lineup to support them appeals to me as well.

According to analytics, Reinhart is our most effective player. Should we not try building around him, instead of plugging him in to the role of supporting other players? If Jack needs a particular kind of player to complement him, if Sheary only shines with elite players, if Skinner needs the puck and someone to minimize his defensive flaws and Sam makes everybody better offensively and defensively, no matter who he is playing with, shouldn’t Sam be with Skinner and Jack with Sheary?

1 hour ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

A major question I continue to have is: with all the changes, have we come up with anyone who can expertly and consistently forecheck?  It's been a major deficiency on this team for years and is such an important element in winning hockey.  One can only hope.

I think Sheary and Skinner were brought in exactly for this, and it’s why I think Bailey and Baptiste might be in the team’s plans more than we realize. They were in the minors last year in an effort to change their games to fill that kind of role.

Edited August 14, 2018 by dudacek

[Sabre1974]

Would like to see bailey and baptiste make it. And to be consistent

[nfreeman]

Welcome Bknotz and Spotless!  Please post more often!

[pi2000]

On 8/12/2018 at 8:21 PM, Randall Flagg said:

Evan Rodrigues
If Evan takes another step this offseason, he can legitimately be a 40-50 point guy. If he can put on some strength, you can start to see if he might be a stylistic fit for Eichel or offensive line 2. Right now, with what we know, he's a chance-creating water bug who plays with his hair on fire and sometimes is a little too ambitious for his skillset. He's, at worse, depth scoring for a team that sorely needs it. 

And I would avoid like the plague:
-Using Wilson on a defensive line

 Note: The ROR role is gone and doesn't need to be here, and never needed to be there.

Stop feeding Risto 27 minutes per night. Make him an offensive-specialist. 

Goalies: Be better than Lehner-Johnson, preferably by a lot. Kthx. 
 

some thoughts...

1) Rodrigues If this Mexinadian is anywhere near the roster come opening night, JBOT will have failed in a big way.    He's too small and weak, easily pushed off the puck.  I don't care how many burritos he muscles down in the offseason, he'll never be more than a 50pt AHL player.    He's a poor dirt broke bankrupt version of Derek Roy.    NO. THANK. YOU.

2) Wilson He's a nice player, belongs in the bottom 6.   Responsible, forechecks, strong on the puck, can chip in offensively.     The idea that Rodrigues in a 50pt NHL guy and Wilson should be avoided like the plague, is absolute nonsense... IMO of course.

3) ROR He filled a key role that many teams don't have... face-off specialist, PK specialist, PP specialist.   He's the best utility guy in hockey, and will be sorely missed when Eichel and MIttlestadt are getting absolutely worked in their own zone.    Not sure who on this roster will be able to win a key face-off... It's sad, honestly.  

4) Risto I agree on your take here.    He's still garbage in his own end and around his own net.    Let him fill an offensive role and pair him with somebody who can defend, like... I'm not sure who exactly.

5) Goalies I'm afraid JBOT swung and missed here.... an aging career backup, and a rookie... with no veteran starter in the entire organization.  What could possibly go wrong?   Hello Jack Hughes.

[erickompositör72]

6 hours ago, pi2000 said:

1) Rodrigues If this Mexinadian is anywhere near the roster come opening night, JBOT will have failed in a big way.    He's too small and weak, easily pushed off the puck.  I don't care how many burritos he muscles down in the offseason, he'll never be more than a 50pt AHL player.    He's a poor dirt broke bankrupt version of Derek Roy.    NO. THANK. YOU.

1. Rodrigues has shown some flashes. I could see him being a Pominville-esque player, only if he becomes stronger on the puck and stronger physically

2. I don't know you, but unless you are a latino, I would urge you to avoid such language. If you are, my apologies; go for it

[grinreaper]

7 hours ago, erickompositör72 said:

1. Rodrigues has shown some flashes. I could see him being a Pominville-esque player, only if he becomes stronger on the puck and stronger physically

2. I don't know you, but unless you are a latino, I would urge you to avoid such language. If you are, my apologies; go for it

I think the general comments and tone of his posts are much worse than disparaging a Mexican by lumping him in with a Canadian. :-)

[LGR4GM]

You know what I don't care about? Faceoffs. I just don't care. 

[Eleven]

16 hours ago, pi2000 said:

 

1) Rodrigues If this Mexinadian is anywhere near the roster come opening night, JBOT will have failed in a big way.    He's too small and weak, easily pushed off the puck.  I don't care how many burritos he muscles down in the offseason, he'll never be more than a 50pt AHL player.    He's a poor dirt broke bankrupt version of Derek Roy.    NO. THANK. YOU.

 

WTF has happened to you?

[jsb]

9 minutes ago, Eleven said:

WTF has happened to you?

He's been confused since he stayed up for 48 straight hours reading Randall's post ?

By the way Randall, whether I agree, disagree with anything in that post, you are to be commended for the time and energy you put in to make this site better.... Bravo.

[Doohickie]

26 minutes ago, Eleven said:

WTF has happened to you?

Nothing.  That post is in character.  That's why I have him on ignore.

[Mustache of God]

18 hours ago, pi2000 said:

some thoughts...

1) Rodrigues If this Mexinadian is anywhere near the roster come opening night, JBOT will have failed in a big way.    He's too small and weak, easily pushed off the puck.  I don't care how many burritos he muscles down in the offseason, he'll never be more than a 50pt AHL player.    He's a poor dirt broke bankrupt version of Derek Roy.    NO. THANK. YOU.

5) Goalies I'm afraid JBOT swung and missed here.... an aging career backup, and a rookie... with no veteran starter in the entire organization.  What could possibly go wrong?   Hello Jack Hughes. 

Rodrigues had 25 points in 48 games last year, I don't think it's a stretch to say he's capable of 50 points. I'm on record here saying as long as EROD is on the team they're going to be basement dwellers, but after getting more exposure to him I'm willing to pull back on that stance and give him a clean slate this year. He's one in the lump of forwards coming into camp that's going to have to earn his spot but he's much more secure on the roster than Bailey/Baptiste and Larsson. We'll see. I also don't think the language used in that blurb is appropriate but I'm not the word police. My two cents.

Goalies , Jbot brought in the most coveted FA goalie on the market this off-season and is bringing up the rookie the organization has been grooming for the starting job since 2012. As a single game hasn't yet been played yet, it's a bit premature to label this a swing and a miss here. If you were the GM, how would you have addressed the goalie situation? Keep Lehner? Trade ROR for a starting goalie? A first rounder for a starter?

 

Edited August 15, 2018 by Mustache of God

[erickompositör72]

2 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

 I also don't think the language used in that blurb is appropriate but I'm not the word police. My two cents.

I don't think you have to worry about being accused of being the word police- latinos take enough sh*&^ in this country, and calling someone out who contributes to it is always the right thing to do. We can all do our part, IMO...

[LTS]

18 hours ago, pi2000 said:

some thoughts...

1) Rodrigues If this Mexinadian is anywhere near the roster come opening night, JBOT will have failed in a big way.    He's too small and weak, easily pushed off the puck.  I don't care how many burritos he muscles down in the offseason, he'll never be more than a 50pt AHL player.    He's a poor dirt broke bankrupt version of Derek Roy.    NO. THANK. YOU.

 

I hope the door hits you in the ass on the way out.  This has no place here.  Your point could be made without the reference to anything of his heritage.  

[WildCard]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

WTF has happened to you?

I don't know but I love it

[LTS]

6 minutes ago, WildCard said:

I don't know but I love it

 

Really?  Because Evan Rodrigues father is Portuguese, not Mexican.  No way there's a justification for that kind of garbage being posted on here.

[WildCard]

1 minute ago, LTS said:

 

Really?  Because Evan Rodrigues father is Portuguese, not Mexican.  No way there's a justification for that kind of garbage being posted on here.

What?

Ah I just read the post, first time I only read the name and thought he misspelled it

Edited August 15, 2018 by WildCard

[LTS]

4 minutes ago, WildCard said:

What?

I'm not sure what you need clarification on.  But I'll try to answer:

pi referred to Evan Rodrigues as:

• Mexinandian
• burrito eater
• poor dirt broke

All of which, are unnecessary to describe what he thinks of Evan Rodrigues, and also racially/culturally charged statements about what he thinks of Mexicans.  This, despite the fact that Rodrigues, if tracing his most immediate heritage, has a father who is from Portugal, NOT Mexico.

Edited August 15, 2018 by LTS
commas!

[nfreeman]

For the record:  the language used by Pi in his post regarding ERod is not acceptable.

Don't do it again.

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, Mustache of God said:

Rodrigues had 25 points in 48 games last year, I don't think it's a stretch to say he's capable of 50 points. I'm on record here saying as long as EROD is on the team they're going to be basement dwellers, but after getting more exposure to him I'm willing to pull back on that stance and give him a clean slate this year. He's one in the lump of forwards coming into camp that's going to have to earn his spot but he's much more secure on the roster than Bailey/Baptiste and Larsson. We'll see. I also don't think the language used in that blurb is appropriate but I'm not the word police. My two cents.

Goalies , Jbot brought in the most coveted FA goalie on the market this off-season and is bringing up the rookie the organization has been grooming for the starting job since 2012. As a single game hasn't yet been played yet, it's a bit premature to label this a swing and a miss here. If you were the GM, how would you have addressed the goalie situation? Keep Lehner? Trade ROR for a starting goalie? A first rounder for a starter?

 

I think goaltending remains the biggest question mark on the team, but I agree, there wasn't a whole lot Botterill could have done.  Maybe he could have pried one away from Washington, but maybe not.

[dudacek]

16 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I think goaltending remains the biggest question mark on the team, but I agree, there wasn't a whole lot Botterill could have done.  Maybe he could have pried one away from Washington, but maybe not.

I think Botterill made a very deliberate decision to go after Hutton as:

a) the best bridge to mentor and transition Ullmark

b) a great personality to bring in to unify and calm the room.

But I think he also saw him as a good goalie capable of winning games for us. This season may live or die on this call.

[pi2000]

2 hours ago, Mustache of God said:

Goalies , Jbot brought in the most coveted FA goalie on the market this off-season and is bringing up the rookie the organization has been grooming for the starting job since 2012. As a single game hasn't yet been played yet, it's a bit premature to label this a swing and a miss here. If you were the GM, how would you have addressed the goalie situation? Keep Lehner? Trade ROR for a starting goalie? A first rounder for a starter?

 

I'm not the GM, I'm not privy to what other goalies are/were available via trade, what their asking prices are, etc.... JBOT is paid to ice a winning team, and that starts with a legit starting goalie.    

[pi2000]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

For the record:  the language used by Pi in his post regarding ERod is not acceptable.

Don't do it again.

Apologies to anyone who was offended.

FWIW I have a bunch of Latino friends down here in SoCal and we joke about stuff like this all the time.     Not an excuse, but I suppose it's just different down here were a large % of the population is Latino.     

[El Zahir]

@Randall Flagg This was a great read, full stop.

[erickompositör72]

4 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Apologies to anyone who was offended.

FWIW I have a bunch of Latino friends down here in SoCal and we joke about stuff like this all the time.     Not an excuse, but I suppose it's just different down here were a large % of the population is Latino.     

I'm glad you addressed it, and I'm sure you didn't mean it in a hateful way. But of course, latino friends of yours who know you may not be offended, but other who don't may not feel the same way; knowing latinos doesn't give you carte blanche to talk publicly like that.

*steps off soapbox*