I'm sure this is an over simplistic view, however: I would argue that this team hasn't been as good ever since the Matsumoto/Dadonov trade occurred.
Certinitely the direct stats comparison between the two players show we got the short end of the stick.
Can't help but wonder if the similarities between Daniels and Maurice run deeper than first thought. This Checkers squad should be competing for the championship!
3rd ranked PP, 2nd ranked PK and a -26 even strength goal differential. If that doesn't point to a huge issue with the system, then I'm not sure what does.
Jeff Daniels = one-man forecheck = passive defensive hockey that over-relies on special teams.
Wow. I'm pretty sure Dalpe, Bowman, Boychuk, Samson, Nash, Brett Sutter, Sanguinetti, Peters and Murphy -- who all spent time in the NHL this year -- don't have much of a leg to stand on in terms of not getting a fair shot in the NHL when they can't even make the AHL playoffs. I think we have to face the fact that there are no long-term solutions in Charlotte right now. Maybe a third-liner or two (Bowman, Dalpe) and maybe a backup goalie (Peters). Aside from that, I think it's time to call this group of prospects an abject failure.
Wow. I'm pretty sure Dalpe, Bowman, Boychuk, Samson, Nash, Brett Brett Sutter, Sanguinetti, Peters and Murphy -- who all spent time in the NHL this year -- don't have much of a leg to stand on in terms of not getting a fair shot in the NHL when they can't even make the AHL playoffs. I think we have to face the fact that there are no long-term solutions in Charlotte right now. Maybe a third-liner or two (Bowman, Dalpe) and maybe a backup goalie (Peters). Aside from that, I think it's time to call this group of prospects an abject failure.
Dalpe is the worst of the bunch and will never be a third liner unless this team wants to run three scoring lines and have the third line suck and get pinned in their own zone. His game screams out AHLer even more than Samson. There's basically nothing to his game other than skating and shooting, and being above-average at two skills while sucking at everything else typically doesn't get someone to the NHL.
Last edited by Amaxing Joni Jokel: 04-08-2012 at 07:23 PM.
With that lineup they should be a better team no doubt. I've never heard bad attitudes about any of these guys, so I think it may be time to switch up the system or coaches. They shouldn't be playing a different system than the pro team anyways.
Wow. I'm pretty sure Dalpe, Bowman, Boychuk, Samson, Nash, Brett Sutter, Sanguinetti, Peters and Murphy -- who all spent time in the NHL this year -- don't have much of a leg to stand on in terms of not getting a fair shot in the NHL when they can't even make the AHL playoffs. I think we have to face the fact that there are no long-term solutions in Charlotte right now. Maybe a third-liner or two (Bowman, Dalpe) and maybe a backup goalie (Peters). Aside from that, I think it's time to call this group of prospects an abject failure.
Isn't this the same group of prospects that went to the conference finals last year?
Isn't this the same group of prospects that went to the conference finals last year?
Yep, problem is though that they're lacking down the middle, and they did lose a few key AHL types that signed elsewhere or were traded.
Matsumoto, Dodge, MicFlickier, Osala, Borer
I mean say what you will about their NHL chances, all 5 were good AHL players. And with the first 2 strong centers.
They were replaced with Dadonov, Durno, Soryal, Roy, and Krueger.
Krueger is solid, but Dadonov is highly inconsistent, Roy is Roy, and the other two just flat out suck. Losing Matsumoto and MicFlickier and replacing them with Dadonov is losing out on a LOT of scoring since both outpaced him easily last year. Add to that the steps back by Dalpe and Boychuk and they're prettymuch screwed. The talent's there, but they just can't put it together, and what they're lacking down the middle is a huge part of it IMO.
Oh I know, to me it's not fair to paint the prospects as a failure given the inability to construct replace 5 very key players from Charlotte this past year. The closest they came was replacing MicFlickier with Dadonov, and MicFlickier is more consistent, and replacing Borer with Krueger or Roy. Forgot about Brett Carson too, though he wasn't on the conference finalist team due to an epic JR fail.
Not sure if this is worth mentioning, but thought I'd throw it out there. During the last game I saw - a mid-December game against the Wolves - there were a few very vocal fans who were bashing Jeff Daniels. From the rest of their comments, it didn't seem like they were noobs or whatever...seemed like they'd seen the game played before, if you catch my drift. Anyway, some at least partially-knowledgeable fans were showing discontent with Daniels a while back.
Not sure if this is worth mentioning, but thought I'd throw it out there. During the last game I saw - a mid-December game against the Wolves - there were a few very vocal fans who were bashing Jeff Daniels. From the rest of their comments, it didn't seem like they were noobs or whatever...seemed like they'd seen the game played before, if you catch my drift. Anyway, some at least partially-knowledgeable fans were showing discontent with Daniels a while back.
I may be wrong, but doesn't he essentially run Mo's system?
I may be wrong, but doesn't he essentially run Mo's system?
In a word...yes.
It resembled Mo's 2011 system more than Mo's 2009ish system. I believe Mo's return brought a more aggressive system than the one he ran in 2003. His system this past fall seemed to revert to old Mo. Others will say that the new Mo was the same as the old Mo, but I'm not sure that I agree with that for all 3 years of the second stay.
And the usual suspects lighting the lamp: Rasmus Rissanen (No. 3 on the season), Mathieu Roy (6) and Brody Sutter with his first pro goal (and the GWG, if you count goals scored 5:46 into the game). Big win for the boys nonetheless, who are still in 11th, but now only two points out of fifth.
4-1 for the good guys going into the 3rd...
I'm a Murphy fan, but I think the Checkers will continue to ride Peters going into the playoffs. 3 games in 3 nights is a lot, but when the playoffs are on the line ya gotta go with the hot hand.
They might be able to clinch a spot by sunday and allow Murphy one final game going into the playoffs.
