His line looks more legit now that Butch is drawing some defenders away from him...he's had a couple chances, and both he and butch have setup Seto for a coupe others.
Burgers don't get you a good core, they get you fat. There are completely different - and legal - things to get the muscle growing faster and better.
Literally LOL'd on this one, great post.
Granlund needs to strength train, not just eat. Well, eat after strength training.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lapa
Also, for those of you who don't know FEL, there are a lot of very physical players. It's a very physical league. So it's not like he started his hockey career in figure skating.
The NHL's smaller rinks and the quicker speed of the players seems to be a big issue. Although we have played some very good teams. Maybe he'll rip it up against the meh teams.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TaLoN
His line looks more legit now that Butch is drawing some defenders away from him...he's had a couple chances, and both he and butch have setup Seto for a coupe others.
He does look better tonight but still easily knocked off the puck in the O zone.
The NHL's smaller rinks and the quicker speed of the players seems to be a big issue. Although we have played some very good teams. Maybe he'll rip it up against the meh teams.
That may be. Still, I think it's a question of adjustment.
The NHL's smaller rinks and the quicker speed of the players seems to be a big issue. Although we have played some very good teams. Maybe he'll rip it up against the meh teams.
Well. The SM-liiga is at least not all international sized rinks. And when it comes to average skating speed there really isn't that big a difference. There are some guys who are for worse skaters in the NHL.
I think it was quite clear that he would be struggling in the nhl rink because of the physical play. In sm-liga he had tons of time with the pack, yet he was falling to knees very easily even in the sm-liiga. Also, the referees really took care he wasnt push around too much in finland, and he was quite 'untouchable' cause everytime he went down there was a penalty whistled. But now he doesnt have referees on his side anymore and the game is so much faster resulting he has lost all his confidence. That is the biggest issue now.
Next summer he needs to get bigger, roids prolly the only way.
IMO, Granlund is being held back by the ineptitude of his linemates. I would like to see him play a few games at wing alongside Mikko, or at the very least, Brodziak.
Granlund starts the games strong, but then he gets beat down. His linemates haven't been giving him good options to dish out the puck. I think he's looking out and instead of seeing space, he's surrounded by 2-3 opponents and a wall.
Bouchard and he actually looked decent together, but they ran into trouble once St. Louis started shutting them down.
IMO, Granlund is being held back by the ineptitude of his linemates. I would like to see him play a few games at wing alongside Mikko, or at the very least, Brodziak.
I would've agreed with you day before yesterday but against St. Louis Granlund just sucked. I've never seen a game that bad from him in any level... He has to get his **** together because if he continues to play like that, he'll find himself in Houston in a hurry.
I would've agreed with you day before yesterday but against St. Louis Granlund just sucked. I've never seen a game that bad from him in any level... He has to get his **** together because if he continues to play like that, he'll find himself in Houston in a hurry.
Which is why I think he should be moved to wing for the time being.
Honestly I think that would make it worse for him. He'd have to battle even more carry the puck less.
I think that's not the case, wingers get odd man rushes and they can turn forward when the turnover is created, even a bit before it when they read it.. The center has to go low to own end and play in front of the own net. Watching the games, he really hasn't get many chances to play he's own game. They just play grind out hockey and granlund is basicly never with the puck if there's odd man rush or even 3 on 3 rush.
Hope they will give him some hard muscle training program at summer.. and some NHL "Regimen" maybe?
Honestly I think that would make it worse for him. He'd have to battle even more carry the puck less.
Maybe I'm wrong, but didn't Mikko play a little wing early in his first season?
IMO, putting Granlund on the wing temporarily takes a little pressure of him and allows him to get used to the speed and physicality of the NHL without having to concentrate on playing the defensive role of a center position....
Surround him with big bodies on both sides. Brodziak had some chemistry with Heatley, and he can dig the puck out for the other two. Heatley could give Granlund somebody talented to play with.
That would still leave a solid lines of Parise-Koivu-Bouchard/Setoguchi and Clutter-Cullen-Bouchard/Setoguchi.
Surround him with big bodies on both sides. Brodziak had some chemistry with Heatley, and he can dig the puck out for the other two. Heatley could give Granlund somebody talented to play with.
That would still leave a solid lines of Parise-Koivu-Bouchard/Setoguchi and Clutter-Cullen-Bouchard/Setoguchi.
I wouldn't like to break up that top line. Once they get going it could become one of the top units in the league.
Defensively, Granlund's fine. He's looked good in his end. That was the concern. The problem is the boards and corners in the offensive zone. Wingers more often are the first forechecker and would be more involved in that aspect. Wing is usually easier to play because there's less responsibility and less decision making. That's not the problem for Granlund, it's the physical part.
Yeah, aside from a few times where Granlund slacked a little, his D-zone coverage has been good. No concern there.
But in the O-zone, it's all about him getting trapped on the half-wall, surrounded by the other team. There is nobody in the corner or behind him supporting. He can't dump the puck in because nobody is going to chase it.
Heatley isn't going to win many dump and chase battles. Maybe Brodziak could, but we need him at 3C. The top line needs to stay in tact. Brodziak-Granlund-Heatley doesn't make the team better.
Heatley isn't going to win many dump and chase battles. Maybe Brodziak could, but we need him at 3C. The top line needs to stay in tact. Brodziak-Granlund-Heatley doesn't make the team better.
Keeps the top line intact, 2nd line is decent, and Granlund will be playing with a big body like Brodziak and Clutterbuck who has a good shot and can capitalize on Granlund's passes
Keeps the top line intact, 2nd line is decent, and Granlund will be playing with a big body like Brodziak and Clutterbuck who has a good shot and can capitalize on Granlund's passes
I'm not a fan of Cullen in the top 6 or Granlund on the wing. I'd rather roll with PMB-Granlund-Seto for a few more games and see what happens.
Defensively, Granlund's fine. He's looked good in his end. That was the concern. The problem is the boards and corners in the offensive zone. Wingers more often are the first forechecker and would be more involved in that aspect.
He is great forecheck.
Equtiaton: forecheck = physical power, hitting... is wrong.
While he will not forecheck like grinder, he will actually look for the turnovers, not finnished checks. He is great reading the play and cutting passing lines while aproaching the player with the puck, making turnovers with stick.. And he is tougher than Selanne, who plays wing
I've seen granlund playing wing and he does great.. Also I see that as a center he has to take more part to physical game than in the wing (he has to go for the puck first deep in the own end, while wingers will get it to the speed, and have room and some time, (which they don't use thought at the moment, they just dumb it in and try to get it back later instead of having little brakes after the blue line and trying to make a play), and its not benefitting him in the NHL right now.
I forgot which poster said it, but I agree it isn't as much about strength than it is him keeping his feet moving. He's small, so he needs to keep his feet moving.
I think it was quite clear that he would be struggling in the nhl rink because of the physical play. In sm-liga he had tons of time with the pack, yet he was falling to knees very easily even in the sm-liiga. Also, the referees really took care he wasnt push around too much in finland, and he was quite 'untouchable' cause everytime he went down there was a penalty whistled. But now he doesnt have referees on his side anymore and the game is so much faster resulting he has lost all his confidence. That is the biggest issue now.
Next summer he needs to get bigger, roids prolly the only way.
put him in between Parise and Heatley and watch him shine..Mikko is Mikko no matter who he plays with and him and Bouchard have had good chemistry in the past..
Top 6:
Parise-Granlund-Heatley
Bouchard-Koivu-Setoguchi
It will work. Not that they'd ever go with those lines but Granlund would easily produce feeding those two pucks.
Maybe he will get himself onto that top PP unit by the end of the season so we can see what he can do. Thats where he will make his name in this league..
