I like Blum's play last year but Josi this year has looked even better. Josi has been an absolute treat to watch on the ice. He has had his rookie gaffs, but overall he is playing outstanding for the team. He really does look like another Ryan Suter but I think he carries the puck even better than Suter. Especially in the offensive zone... wow what instincts.
Sure he could regress but I see no reason to believe he will until the time comes.
Josi's toolset has always been better than Blum's, though. Blum's main issue right now is size and strength. People forget he was drafted at 155, a total string bean. He's worked to get up to about 185, but I think he's still 15-20 pounds away from being a full time NHLer in his own zone.
Josi's toolset has always been better than Blum's, though. Blum's main issue right now is size and strength. People forget he was drafted at 155, a total string bean. He's worked to get up to about 185, but I think he's still 15-20 pounds away from being a full time NHLer in his own zone.
I would disagree only because we saw him handle weight just fine last year. I do not think Blum's problem is anything physical. It is all mental with him. He sees a play, and doesn't trust what he sees. That is why anytime he has a bit of time he has made poor passes or the wrong read. Now that I type this, I wonder that, because the game was so fast after making the jump to the NHL, Blum had no time to think and just played. Now that his brain has caught up to the pace, he overthinks.
I would disagree only because we saw him handle weight just fine last year. I do not think Blum's problem is anything physical. It is all mental with him. He sees a play, and doesn't trust what he sees. That is why anytime he has a bit of time he has made poor passes or the wrong read. Now that I type this, I wonder that, because the game was so fast after making the jump to the NHL, Blum had no time to think and just played. Now that his brain has caught up to the pace, he overthinks.
Bingo! That is the most frustrating thing to watch with Blum this season. He makes a good read with the puck, but doesn't trust it. Instead of seeing the play, then making the play...he see it, looks for other options, goes back to his initial read, stares it down, then makes the pass!
See the play, make the play. Simplify your game. Trust your instincts. You can see him making the correct read on his first read almost every time...problem is that he's only making that play right away less than 50% of the time...
I think you guys are right, Blum is overthinking things, and this gives the opposition critical time to anticipate and counter. And to go further, this is the main reason Josi has looked so much better. He seems to read and react. As mentioned, it has resulted in some rookie gaffes, but overall his game is very polished, and he has impressed in more minutes since Webs has been out. Many teams likely covet this guy now, I would bet.
So I've been thinking, exactly who should be Josi's partner if we can only keep one of weber/suter. Weber is the big hitter and big shot, Suter is solid defensive dman. Josi, to me, seems like a Weber/Suter hybrid almost. He's big, has a good shot, plays offensively but also looks good defensively. I almost think him and Suter make the perfect pair, as we are seeing right now. Now this goes for only if we keep Suter. Do you all think a Josi Weber pair will be just as effective or not? I'm trying to decide who I'd rather keep if we can't keep both.
So I've been thinking, exactly who should be Josi's partner if we can only keep one of weber/suter. Weber is the big hitter and big shot, Suter is solid defensive dman. Josi, to me, seems like a Weber/Suter hybrid almost. He's big, has a good shot, plays offensively but also looks good defensively. I almost think him and Suter make the perfect pair, as we are seeing right now. Now this goes for only if we keep Suter. Do you all think a Josi Weber pair will be just as effective or not? I'm trying to decide who I'd rather keep if we can't keep both.
Josi is a LHS, and so is Suter. Weber is a RHS. The natural compatibility between left and right-handers would suggest Weber would be a better partner.
However, Suter and Josi have shown good chemistry already. Plus, NSH also has Blum and Ellis, both of whom are righties. So if you are thinking a few years ahead, either of those guys could be Josi's partner for the next ten years. Plus, Ellis has a Weber like shot, especially effective on the PP.
It is difficult to speak since i am Swiss and ... logically you will believe that i am homering about him. Therefore putting my say in a relative context. (i and any logical person would do it.).
Therefore all i can do is draw your attention on what coach Lambert said last year on Josi when he was head coach at Milwaukee ... !
It is somewhere buried in the "admiral round-table".
He said that Josi was the most talented kid he had under him !
That is a big statement.
Since this same Lambert was promoted to the Predators ... seems that his opinions and says were appreciated.
I added the exact words :
"Coach Lambert said last week that pretty soon, fans are going to be seeing that Josi may be the most talented defenseman that we’ve had in Milwaukee. And that says A LOT, considering how many defenseman playing in Nashville have spent some time here. "
With all due respect to josi and coach lambert, as long as suter and weber are here its hard to imagine josi ever passing them on the depth chart. I don't think Lambert was in milwaukee when suter and weber played there.
That said what an amazing defense we will have if he does turn out to be as good as lambert says.
I also think josi's emergence makes Blum prime trade bait this year or this summer
With all due respect to josi and coach lambert, as long as suter and weber are here its hard to imagine josi ever passing them on the depth chart. I don't think Lambert was in milwaukee when suter and weber played there.
That said what an amazing defense we will have if he does turn out to be as good as lambert says.
I also think josi's emergence makes Blum prime trade bait this year or this summer
Hell, I already think Josi looks like a 1st pairing damn no problem. Like I mentioned earlier, I believe we will get rid of one of the 2 big Dmen and Josi will take over their spot. To me, he is a Weber/Suter hybrid.
Josi is more Suter-like in his play. Decent size, but far from huge ... good vision and puck handling ... depends on hockey smarts to make the play, not pure brawn ... a promising rookie, but, still just that ... a rookie. His inexperience still shows. We still have a serious drop in capability with Suter/Josi as compared to Suter/Weber. It's a matter of two similar styles compared to two complimentary styles of play.
Hell, I already think Josi looks like a 1st pairing damn no problem. Like I mentioned earlier, I believe we will get rid of one of the 2 big Dmen and Josi will take over their spot. To me, he is a Weber/Suter hybrid.
sorry, but we all went crazy over Blum last year and look at him now.
it would be foolish to let Suter or Weber go because we think Josi can replace one of them.
Josi is benefiting mightily from playing with Suter, who would make just about anyone look good.
Josi will be an awesome 2nd pair guy or may finally allow us to split up Weber and Suter and have two 1A defensive pairs, but lets not put him ahead of two Norris caliber guys just yet..
Josi is more Suter-like in his play. Decent size, but far from huge ... good vision and puck handling ... depends on hockey smarts to make the play, not pure brawn ... a promising rookie, but, still just that ... a rookie. His inexperience still shows. We still have a serious drop in capability with Suter/Josi as compared to Suter/Weber. It's a matter of two similar styles compared to two complimentary styles of play.
If the Preds can't sign Suter, which is becoming more and more a reality as we approach the deadline of Feb. 27, Josi is a good fill-in with Weber on the first pairing. The same scenario is true if somehow Suter stays and Weber is dealt. Then a Josi/Suter pairing looks good.
While I don't want to lose either of Suter or Weber, it was interesting to see how well the defensive corps played without Weber. I think it was a combination of good coaching and Josi/Suter/Bouillon/Klein/Hillen/Ellis and Blum pulling together and supporting each other better and making simple plays.
And except for the Detroit game, the forwards finally started playing both ends of the ice. Its funny how, when we lose the Defense takes the brunt of the criticism, when in reality, Preds winning games depends much more on how well the forwards play. In general we have a pretty sorry set of forwards for a team that wants to contend for a Cup.
I think one of Blum or Ellis is gone for forward help by the deadline, and while this may be an unpopular or seemingly illogical opinion, I think it's Ellis. He was called up despite playing "good, but not great" in Milwaukee, and in direct contradiction to something Trotz had said not a week before about Tyler Sloan and Victor Bartley being more likely call-ups.
Now he's playing despite huge improvement from Blum and despite the threat of burning a year of his ELC.
In my opinion, "the rocketship" is being showcased.
I think one of Blum or Ellis is gone for forward help by the deadline, and while this may be an unpopular or seemingly illogical opinion, I think it's Ellis. He was called up despite playing "good, but not great" in Milwaukee, and in direct contradiction to something Trotz had said not a week before about Tyler Sloan and Victor Bartley being more likely call-ups.
Now he's playing despite huge improvement from Blum and despite the threat of burning a year of his ELC.
In my opinion, "the rocketship" is being showcased.
I know we can take it with a grain of salt, but out of Trotz's mouth came the words "send me the guy playing the best" when he found out Weber was hurt. I don't 100 percent disagree with you that he is being showcased, but my gut says it is Blum who will go since his game mirrors a guy I think we will ink up in a few weeks-Suter. Ellis is a dynamic talent, and the only way he goes is if we get Parise, Perry, or Iginla.
I know we can take it with a grain of salt, but out of Trotz's mouth came the words "send me the guy playing the best" when he found out Weber was hurt. I don't 100 percent disagree with you that he is being showcased, but my gut says it is Blum who will go since his game mirrors a guy I think we will ink up in a few weeks-Suter. Ellis is a dynamic talent, and the only way he goes is if we get Parise, Perry, or Iginla.
Those were Trotz's words, which is why it came as a shock to every Admirals writer when it was Ellis that was called up.
Bear in mind, we were reportedly willing to swap Ellis for an 18 year old center that shocked even the team that picked him by making the squad out of camp. I'm not saying I think we'll trade him for Ray Whitney, but I could see him in a package for say, Bobby Ryan, easily.
Those were Trotz's words, which is why it came as a shock to every Admirals writer when it was Ellis that was called up.
Bear in mind, we were reportedly willing to swap Ellis for an 18 year old center that shocked even the team that picked him by making the squad out of camp. I'm not saying I think we'll trade him for Ray Whitney, but I could see him in a package for say, Bobby Ryan, easily.
agreed. I just don't know, if a team would want Ellis over Blum or vice versa. I tend to think the team would want to keep Ellis over Blum at this point.
