The slapper you're referring to was off a delayed give and go between Koivu and Setoguchi.
I was wrong, bad memory. The Cullen assist (Granlund 2nd assist) to Seto was Cullen grabbing it in the corner after Granlund dumped it in and put a hit on the Dman. Cullen picked it up and passed it to Seto moving by the side of the net.
Actually a very nice play by Granlund excecuting Yeo's dump and chase!
I guess that Seto 1st goal was such a big event it left a lasting impression on me! There's been so many Seto goals this year, hard to keep track of all (both) of them. My bad.
I was wrong, bad memory. The Cullen assist (Granlund 2nd assist) to Seto was Cullen grabbing it in the corner after Granlund got crunched and passing it to Seto moving by the side of the net. I guess that Seto 1st goal was such a big event it left a lasting impression on me! There's been so many Seto goals this year, hard to keep track of all (both) of them. My bad.
Your memory still isn't serving you correctly if you think Granlund got the assist only after getting "crunched".
That pretty much tells why do we under and overrate players.. We see them do what we expect, not what they actually do
Precisely.
As far as I can see, Granlund hasn't yet shown the "magic" that netted him a top prospect status. We look at Granlund and the moves he makes and the passes and go "wow, this kid is good", but at the same time... Nothing special, really. Just your typical pass-first playmaker there. But I'm pretty sure that the good stuff will eventually come. Look at the progress the kids' made already. From a Granny slipping on the ice to a player able to hold his own, and that's in just a month. The next step is to establish his place in the top 6 and eventually learn and adjust to the speed and style of play in the NHL. Once he does that, he is able to relax and think more. And that, I reckon, is the point when we'll see something truly special.
It's getting there and reaching the potential that's the real challenge for him.
As far as I can see, Granlund hasn't yet shown the "magic" that netted him a top prospect status. We look at Granlund and the moves he makes and the passes and go "wow, this kid is good", but at the same time... Nothing special, really. Just your typical pass-first playmaker there. But I'm pretty sure that the good stuff will eventually come. Look at the progress the kids' made already. From a Granny slipping on the ice to a player able to hold his own, and that's in just a month. The next step is to establish his place in the top 6 and eventually learn and adjust to the speed and style of play in the NHL. Once he does that, he is able to relax and think more. And that, I reckon, is the point when we'll see something truly special.
It's getting there and reaching the potential that's the real challenge for him.
I think finishing the year while improving as much as he can this short season is his goal at the moment. Each game, each week, get better and better. But what his challenge will be is to identify those things in his game/physique that need the most improvement and to work his butt off from spring to training camp to try to put on 10 lbs of lean muscle (very specific to his weakness areas like core strength//explosive hip flexors-extensors), work on skating, and analyze video of the holes in his game and then make a game plan on how to improve them. Then, come to camp DETERMINED.
And if there is a player with the willingness to do this, lucky it is Granlund. He has shown that he will work on the areas of his game that are lacking season to season. I think this half season taste of NHL will stoke that fire that seems to burn behind those (terrifying) eyes.
I read that he might be scratched again? I mean, what. the. ****?
No, sounds like Konopka and either Larsson or Bouchard will be scratched. Granlund was centering the 4th line with Rupp and Mitchell again in practice. Konopka was held out and Bouchard and Larsson kept switching in for each other.
No, sounds like Konopka and either Larsson or Bouchard will be scratched. Granlund was centering the 4th line with Rupp and Mitchell again in practice. Konopka was held out and Bouchard and Larsson kept switching in for each other.
4th line again? Cmon Yeo, just send him to Houston then...
4th line again? Cmon Yeo, just send him to Houston then...
Hell no! I'll just copy here what I just recently posted in the Line Combos thread in response to someone with the same suggestion...
Quote:
Originally Posted by TaLoN
I don't agree with that one. He was tearing up an improved AHL before his injury, how would he learn anything there in a much more diluted form?
He is adapting his game to the NHL level, and you see progress each and every game these days. Sending him down now will stop that adaptation process as things there will once again come far too easily to him.
Right now, ANY NHL ice time for Granlund is an opportunity to adapt and learn... I'd just rather he was on the 2nd line since he's been clearly outplaying both Cullen and Brodziak for more than a week now.
As much as i have been negative nancy on Granlund i think he'll turn out fine. People were expecting him to come here and just dominate and it doesn't work like that, there is going to be adjustments but he is going the right direction.
I think he'll pan out fine, plus you have to take into account that are team has not yet played well for any given stretch, its been this line did good, that line did good, not the desired all 4 lines were buzzing the whole game.
We've seen this last year, when we struggled and when we thrived, night in night out during the best hockey last year our 1st line playerd great, our 2nd line played great, and our 3rd line was generating energy. Not so much this year overall, people need to be patient with him.
Meh as long as we keep winning I don't mind Granlund on the 4th line with 2nd pp time. Especially if he keeps producing points. I don't think our 4th line scored a point before Granlund?
I don't understand what Yeo is doing but maybe it will be a confidence builder for FBJ. Maybe mentally he even feels better on this fourth line because the expectations are not there staring at him with a bright spotlight. Because of that, he will relax and perform like we know he can. Then in a short while, he goes back up to the second line.
4th line again? Cmon Yeo, just send him to Houston then...
I agree with those guys who think 4th line is better than AHL for him now. He would just learn to easier dominating play in AHL, and should haveto start everything from sracth when he would come back to NHL. He can play with too "easy mode" making nifty plays in the AHL, that's why it doesn't work for him. He has to be in the NHL learning how to play against tougher competition..
As long as Granlund gets PP time, I don't mind him being on the 4th line. It would be good if he could get a Zucker or Seto or Parise on his line that would put the pucks in, but the fact is that Granlund hasn't shown all that much of that great playmaking yet. Those few times he has threaded a pass it has mostly surprised his team mates and lead to a turnover. I'm still positive that Granlund will be the #2C of the Wild at the end of the season or latest next training camp. He's as good as Crosby in analyzing his own game and working on improving the weak parts, he'll come through. He won't be a Crosby, but I doubt anybody was expecting that.
As someone who has covered the Aeros all season...the only good he would be doing there is to add some talent to the roster. There really isn't much for him to learn in the AHL.
His biggest issue is learning to position himself better and avoid bigger/stronger/faster guys that challenge him, with less room than he is use to on non-NA ice. the AHL really doesn't have many guys that fit into that category with the lockout over.
MAYBE, in a year that doesn't have the majority of teams already picking apart their farm team rosters due to the lockout/injuries he could learn something. But this year it would only hurt the progress he's currently making.
