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Overlooking the Defensive Contribution to Offense?


CallawaySabres

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I know I am guilty of talking about how important it is to upgrade the bottom 6, adding a #2 Center, as well as a couple top 6 wingers (hopefully oloffson and 1 more). What may be overlooked is how this defense is shaping up with speed and skill. Could management be looking at just this year as a time when the D is moving the puck so well that the whole offense kicks in because of it? Skinner, Eichel, Reinhart, Olaf and 1 more FA winger may be all they need this year as they wait for Cozens to fill that #2 spot next season. Casey slides into the #3 spot next year as well (and hopefully this year too).

My point is that maybe for just this year, they have a vision that may work with proper goaltending, upgrades with bottom 6 and revamped D. It could very well get them through to 2020 when they can fill in the last of the pieces they need?

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1 minute ago, CallawaySabres said:

I know I am guilty of talking about how important it is to upgrade the bottom 6, adding a #2 Center, as well as a couple top 6 wingers (hopefully oloffson and 1 more). What may be overlooked is how this defense is shaping up with speed and skill. Could management be looking at just this year as a time when the D is moving the puck so well that the whole offense kicks in because of it? Skinner, Eichel, Reinhart, Olaf and 1 more FA winger may be all they need this year as they wait for Cozens to fill that #2 spot next season. Casey slides into the #3 spot next year as well (and hopefully this year too).

My point is that maybe for just this year, they have a vision that may work with proper goaltending, upgrades with bottom 6 and revamped D. It could very well get them through to 2020 when they can fill in the last of the pieces they need?

Again... probably a fall back position... though not a bad problem to have as finally it appears there is multiple talent coming..

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I'm expecting this team, barring further move(s) (which likely will still happen) to be better at transition in both directions but not necessarily any better in either the offensive nor defensive zones.  The D brought in will be the primary driver of that improved transition.  

But if Mittelstadt is up 1 line too high, bringing say Rodrigues to be the 3C, then we will likely still see them have issues getting the puck away from the other team in their own end.  Once they get it, they'll get it out better than before, but they won't necessarily be getting it any quicker than they did last year.

And, though this D will help with breaking out and having a D join the rush, they won't be playing much of a role in an increased forecheck.  Though hopefully Johansson will help there.  Doubt that that improved forecheck will be enough for us to really see a difference in offense (except that coming off the rush, which will be improved).

The improved transition game will help them win more games (by both getting better at getting the puck out of the zone and by preventing teams from even gaining the zone as often and setting up odd man rushes off the other guys' turnovers), but unless the goaltending is what we saw last October and November all year long or they manage to find a way to keep Mittelstadt away from the 2C role, really not seeing playoffs this year.  But, as have mentioned elsewhere, really starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.  Also, really expecting Ristolainen to be the key piece of a move either for the still needed 2C or a winger solid enough that Johansson will be effective in that role and IF that happens they'll be in the mix for a playoff spot.  Not sure if they'll gel soon enough to make the playoffs, but it would be possible.

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I'm sure Phil would have loved the upgraded D corp.  His "system" relied on the transitions and D contributions.

On the goalies, I think the answer to this is going to be in a shot chart that I can't spare the time to look up.  If the improved D can allow the forwards time to come in and defend properly (which is something RK needs to address), we might very well think we gots some new goaltenders.

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Krueger indicated that a primary focus of his is defense.  Works for me.  And he apparently has Bot's ear.  But Risto has to go.  As long as he's been in the league, to state, as he did last season, that it's still difficult to figure out what he should be doing defensively, says it all. 

Also, we may discover we have decent goaltending once the defense is clearly fixed, which includes forwards helping out.  Being outshot every game tends to wear, no matter who the goalie is. 

And good defense starts with the forecheck.  We've neglected good, effective forechecking for years. 

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1 hour ago, ... said:

I'm sure Phil would have loved the upgraded D corp.  His "system" relied on the transitions and D contributions.

On the goalies, I think the answer to this is going to be in a shot chart that I can't spare the time to look up.  If the improved D can allow the forwards time to come in and defend properly (which is something RK needs to address), we might very well think we gots some new goaltenders.

I would have loved Phil to adapt his system more and actual use players properly. 

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5 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I think you should change the thread name to are we overlooking Defensive Contribution to our offense.

With the acquisitions of Gilmour, Miller and Jokiharju, Jbot is certainly not overlooking the defense in his roster surgery,

Roster surgery...  JBott's gone and gotten us a brand new set of android limbs. (For the ones we've lost in various combats.)

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