Considering the fact that most of those players are either bottom six forwards or bottom pairing caliber defensemen at best, I'm not too concerned about cycling them out. In fact, I think it's important that we upgrade those positions. I'd like to see Downie re-signed and Moore is always a solid option for a 3rd line center, but guys like Hall, Pyatt and Jones are easily replaceable. Shannon has been a disappointment so far but I think he deserves more time before I form an opinion on whether he should stay or go. As for the defense, the only guy I wouldn't mind seeing back is Gilroy. Clark isn't a bad option either, but I'd prefer not to see more than one of those guys back. Gervais and Kubina can go wherever they want.
If we could get a PK going that could score goals regularly, the refs got nothin' on us then.
As for the 1-3-1 PP, I think it's becoming easy to shut down as the point man is the guy to get the puck to the players on the endboards.
At first, I was thinking the way you defend against it was to concede the point, but now I'm thinking that if you disrupt the pointman's ability to move the puck, you've wrecked their PP as they'll probably be afraid to pass it to, or through the slot. If they don't have this fear, or frigging shoot the puck, which may result in a rebound, there won't be time for the opponent's games.
Clark is probably well equipped to be the pointman. He can get it to the net, and is decent enough with the puck not to let it go over the blueline too often (unlike MAB).
So that leaves a short list of guys:
net presence: Malone, Downie, Thompson
left boards (righty shots) Stammer, Connolly, Downie, Shannon, etc.
right boards (lefty shots) Marty, Vinny, etc.
slot players: MAB, Moore, Malone, Downie, Thompson, Vinny
point: Defensemen not named MAB, Ohlund, or Kubina.
It's actually sort of perplexing why we had Marty as the pointman so much. He's got his **** together down low, and he's used to playing the right side, so it should be cake for him to play on the side board.
The whole thing could probably benefit from squishing towards the net a bit more, so there's some room between the point man and the blueline that he can leave or take as he pleases. Making it 'springy' in a way.
Last edited by Felonious Python: 12-12-2011 at 11:03 AM.
We all know this team has problems with the defense and goaltending. Also we could use a forward or two. I think would be able to make our roster look like this.
Berglund Stamkos St. Louis
Foligno Lecavalier Purcell
Connolly Moore Downie
Tyrell Thompson Hall Forward Scratches Paul Bissonette, Tommy Pyatt, and Blair Jones
Suter Hedman
Brewer McCabe
Gilroy Bergeron Defense Scratches Bruno Gervais and Brett Clark
1. Jonothan Bernier 2. Dwayne Roloson
Malone and a third round pick for P. Berglund
Pavel Kubina, Evan Oberg and a first round pick for R. Suter
Mathieu Garon and a 2 second round picks for J. Bernier
James Wright, Alex Hutchings and a second round pick for N. Foligno
Bryan McCabe- I think McCabe is still useful as a veteran presence and he is asking for pretty much nothing.
Injuries: M. Ohlund
Top Prospects
1. Brett Connolly
2. Carter Ashton
3. Vladislav Namestnikov
4. Richard Panik
5. Radko Gudas
6. Dustin Tokarski
7. Mark Barberio
On the Rise
1. Steven Stamkos
2. Victor Hedman
3. Brett Connolly
4. Carter Ashton
5. Jonathan Bernier
6. Matt Gilroy
7. Marc-Andre Bergeron
Who is stuck has potential and needs a little push
1. Teddy Purcell
2. Patrick Berglund
3. Richard Panic
4. Steve Downie
5. Dustin Tokarski
6. Nick Foligno
7. Dana Tyrell
Dark Horse
1. Martin St. Louis- Is his age catching up to him?
2. Vincent Lecavalier- Can he be the player like he was in the playoffs?
3. Eric Brewer- Can he take the roll like he did in the playoffs?
Who is going over board
1. Dwayne Roloson- Rollie is done after this year. Dustin Tokarski could take backup role next year or they sign a back up like a Marty Turco.
2. Pavel Kubina- Just is not reliable anymore. Maybe a 5th or 6th pairing but I'd sign him for 1 M if that.
3. Mattias Ohlund- Injuries (Knees)
We all know this team has problems with the defense and goaltending. Also we could use a forward or two. I think would be able to make our roster look like this.
Berglund Stamkos St. Louis
Foligno Lecavalier Purcell
Connolly Moore Downie
Tyrell Thompson Hall Forward Scratches Paul Bissonette, Tommy Pyatt, and Blair Jones
Suter Hedman
Brewer McCabe
Gilroy Bergeron Defense Scratches Bruno Gervais and Brett Clark
1. Jonothan Bernier 2. Dwayne Roloson
Malone and a third round pick for P. Berglund
Pavel Kubina, Evan Oberg and a first round pick for R. Suter
Mathieu Garon and a 2 second round picks for J. Bernier
James Wright, Alex Hutchings and a second round pick for N. Foligno
Bryan McCabe- I think McCabe is still useful as a veteran presence and he is asking for pretty much nothing.
You will never get Suter and Bernier for those kinds of packages. Wright is no longer TB property.
We all know this team has problems with the defense and goaltending. Also we could use a forward or two. I think would be able to make our roster look like this.
Berglund Stamkos St. Louis
Foligno Lecavalier Purcell
Connolly Moore Downie
Tyrell Thompson Hall Forward Scratches Paul Bissonette, Tommy Pyatt, and Blair Jones
Suter Hedman
Brewer McCabe
Gilroy Bergeron Defense Scratches Bruno Gervais and Brett Clark
1. Jonothan Bernier 2. Dwayne Roloson
Malone and a third round pick for P. Berglund
Pavel Kubina, Evan Oberg and a first round pick for R. Suter
Mathieu Garon and a 2 second round picks for J. Bernier
James Wright, Alex Hutchings and a second round pick for N. Foligno
Bryan McCabe- I think McCabe is still useful as a veteran presence and he is asking for pretty much nothing.
I'm not sure any of those teams would accept those trades. Kubina, Oberg, and a 1st will absolutely not get us Suter. Kubina has little value and Oberg isn't anything that special as a prospect. We will also no way get Foligno for the package either. First we don't have Wright anymore (Oberg trade) and Hutchings is hurt again in the ECHL. AS for Berglund, If I was the GM of the Blues, I'd keep him over Malone.
__________________
"It's still All In to me dammit." - Felonious Python
To me there are only two players that are untouchable. Stammer and St.Louis. If a taker comes around for anybody else-lets talk business as far as I'm concerned.
There is no competitiveness with any of the players along the boards. They all play small in both ends of the ice. The D is soft around the crease and the goaltending in bush league at best. If we couldn't score goals we would be in a world of hurt and right now we can't score, defend or stop the puck.
IMO things are going to get worse before they get better.
Last years we overachieved, benefiting from the euphoria of getting a new owner/gm/coach that everyone bought into.
This year the team is slightly worse, had injury problems, a short off season, and underachieving. An objective view at the start of the season would have been a 7th 8th seed at best.
I see SY looking to build through the draft and a few move when he can (like he just tried to do) but nothing that would cost the future. More likly he will try to get picks for non core players, than making a Weber/Sutter type deal.
We have to get younger and faster. That will be help with Rolson, Kubina, Ohlund (we can hope) all gone at the end of the season.
Boucher to stop talking to Marty Raymond so much. They should be on the same page enough to not need to be in congress constantly. Especially when things are looking bad. It doesn't make it appear as if there's confidence and a definite plan. Whatever Boucher wants to do, just let him do it.
I also have another bug about Marty Raymond, as he's the PP guy now: We get Gilroy and Gervais for use on the PP, but we never see them. I know there's an organizational mancrush on MAB, but there's two power play units, and Gilroy & Gervais were brought in during the offseason, so they could contribute, if not specialize, on the PP. Why are they not being built into those players?
Clark needs to stick to the PK, despite my belief that he can do everything. I've gone over this elsewhere, that Clark can handle every responsibility found in the defenseman's repertoire, but can't handle them all at the same time effectively.
He should be Hedman's two-way (mostly defensive) defensive partner and penalty murderer.
This is also related to why Brewer shouldn't be used on the PK, as it's just not responsible usage. Datsyuk can do it all, but Detroit doesn't have him doing ES, PK, and PP in the same game unless it's absolutely critical.
If there's not the right mix of guys right now who can handle PP and PK without too much overlap, then call somebody up. I know Gudas is this sacred cow, only to be called up for a special occasion, but I'm not explicitly saying him. Richard Petiot can go out there on crutches and block shots.
I still think that not picking up Fowler was a mistake. As much as I like Connolly. We just have no defensive depth. I am not too concerned with the forwards at this point, but defensively we're a mess. Prospect wise...meh. It just sucks for the fans to have to see this kind of **** after a glimmer of hope. I really don't want to go through another losing season.
Eh, I have to think there was some reason he dropped as low as he did. Admittedly, a long-term pairing of Fowler and Hedman would be pretty sexy, but Connolly is going to be a stud for us too. I'll wait a few years before I call it a mistake.
