What message does that send to other players who are wanting to make the team?
Bust your ass in the off season to get ready for the upcoming season, have a great camp, and because the first two regular season games were iffy you get sent down?
What message does that send to Zuccarello? We really don't want you here despite on how hard you have tried?
and what kind of message does it send to stepan, rupp, prust, boyle, wolski, etc who worked just as hard during the offseason and could end up on the 4th line if its not mza...reality is that we aren't deep enough on the wings to truly roll 4 lines so someone is going to be the 'odd man out' and no disrespect to mza but stepan is a bigger part of the future so if we are forced to choice between them then stepan gets the ice time.
who in that top 9 doesn't 'try hard' that should get demoted for mza?
does it put mza in the ideal situation? no it doesn't. but if the worst thing is that mza is a pp/shootout specialist until someone is hurt thats a good problem to have.
Is their potential really anything more then that anyway?
They could bring up Mitchell and Newbury, as well.
Really doesn't matter as long as its a couple of guys who can fill the tole of physical, grinding, defensive forward and play the PK on a regular basis as well.
I selfishly would like Bourque up here because I love the kid, he reminds me of Callahan. He's a leader by example. He never quits.
Hagelin yes.
Bourque, well who knows. Everyone thought Callahan was just a 3/4th line grinder who plays with more heart then anyone, he went to the AHL for a full season and now look how he turned out. Do we really want to rush Bourque or wouldnt it make sense to let him develop in the minors for a year or two? Sure there is still a high chance he will still only be a 4th liner in the NHL, but there is no need to rush that.
That fourth line is such a joke. Torts relies heavily on his top units but what is the point of that fourth line? Talk about putting a line together that's destined to fail. If Wolski's there it makes just as little sense.
I'd file that under 'who cares'. that 4th line wouldn't see that much ice time and its simply the 'left over guys'...if the biggest problem is your 4th line getting 5:00/game is destine to fail then we're in good shape.
The problem is they keep trying to make Richards Gaborik the top line. I wish they'd get over it and realize it's not working already.
07-08 and 09-10 two had several things in common.
1) Marion Gaborik scored over 40 goals WITHOUT playing with a star center
2) Marion Gaborik scored over 40 goals because he played a full healthy season
3) After arriving then playing at Dallas, Brad Richards plays best when he's able twist his passes into penetrating wingers who are solid forechecking wingers who do the dirty work around the net like Morrow, Neal, and Eriksson. Guys like Dubinsky, Boyle, and Callahan...not Guys like Gaborik.
Gaborik would be best served by getting away from teams top checking lines who would be forced to pair up against the Richards line.
I'd file that under 'who cares'. that 4th line wouldn't see that much ice time and its simply the 'left over guys'...if the biggest problem is your 4th line getting 5:00/game is destine to fail then we're in good shape.
Well ideally if we're playing well/winning games then we should be rolling all four lines. That line is a disaster. I think we all understand Torts is going to double shift Richards and Cally's line when he needs to, but other times that's just impractical. When you've got a fourth line that looks like that one, you can lose momentum real quick. That line is set up to get beat when they're on the ice. Something that makes me think differently about than just "who cares".
Most players work hard. That doesn't mean they're good enough to skate a regular shift in the NHL.
Zuccarello is not made for the NHL. He's not a good NHL player. It doesn't matter how hard he works, he's not going to grow taller and turn his average at best skating into elite skating. And facing unfortunate facts, that's always going to hold him back.
A guy like Callahan got sent down. He worked his ass off. Several years later, he's captain.
Every player is a unique case.
And what does it mean to other young players? It means an opportunity for them opened up.
Zuccarello was sent down last year no? Its been two games and to throw a guy like Borque or Hagelin in there who have IMO less offensive talent, and less NHL experience will not help this team.
The shoot out unfortunately is an important part of the game today. He does have that skill set. I am NOT saying that is even close to the whole reason why he needs to be kept up.
Christensen, who I believe does not have a place on this team, does have the same shoot out skill set but after what, 5 or 6 years in the NHL hes still having a hard time finding a place. Its Zucc's 2nd year in the NHL, not 5th or 6th like Christensen.
As it is right now this team is still starving for offense. Some guys take longer to adjust. If after this season things are still the same then I agree its time to cut ties.
But two games into the season? Hes not hurting this team. He has more pro level experience then any of our prospects/rookies.
Maybe we just agree to disagree but I see no reason to send him down and choose a rookie with no NHL experience in a season in which we are not just trying to make the playoffs but win a Stanley cup. We already have a inexperienced defense with Staal out for an unknown amount of time and taking away experience upfront will only hurt this team more.
Newbury or Mitchell over Zucc? I have a very hard time understanding that one...
The problem is they keep trying to make Richards Gaborik the top line. I wish they'd get over it and realize it's not working already.
07-08 and 09-10 two had several things in common.
1) Marion Gaborik scored over 40 goals WITHOUT playing with a star center
2) Marion Gaborik scored over 40 goals because he played a full healthy season
3) After arriving then playing at Dallas, Brad Richards plays best when he's able twist his passes into penetrating wingers who are solid forechecking wingers who do the dirty work around the net like Morrow, Neal, and Eriksson. Guys like Dubinsky, Boyle, and Callahan...not Guys like Gaborik.
Gaborik would be best served by getting away from teams top checking lines who would be forced to pair up against the Richards line.
Or for goodness sake trade WW for AK46 already, this guys knees are still tipping in when he skates.
Boyle AA AK46 would be a great 3rd line.
Well... when you have a world-class playmaker and a world-class sniper on your team and 2 other lines that have already shown great chemistry (Pack line, Feds-Boyle-Prust), wouldn't you want to give those two great players some time to develop some chemistry? Two games... neither of which was a total loss and included a combined 3 pts from said two players.... and let's just scrap it?
That's absurd. You keep those two together, find them a LW that compliments their game, and in the meantime continue to reap the benefits of having two set lines that saw success the previous season intact.
2nd line: Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan: 65 goals in 2010-11
3nd line: Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust: 44 goals in 2010-11
If you can get your top line to simply MATCH (and it's very likely for them to exceed) the 2nd line you are already looking at ~175 goals (over 2 a game) not including any of the other 9 skaters on your roster.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Brad Richards was brought in here to build more positives on top of an already solid foundation.
Don't wreck the foundation for random line juggling 2 friggin games into the season.
The problem is they keep trying to make Richards Gaborik the top line. I wish they'd get over it and realize it's not working already.
07-08 and 09-10 two had several things in common.
1) Marion Gaborik scored over 40 goals WITHOUT playing with a star center
2) Marion Gaborik scored over 40 goals because he played a full healthy season
3) After arriving then playing at Dallas, Brad Richards plays best when he's able twist his passes into penetrating wingers who are solid forechecking wingers who do the dirty work around the net like Morrow, Neal, and Eriksson. Guys like Dubinsky, Boyle, and Callahan...not Guys like Gaborik.
Gaborik would be best served by getting away from teams top checking lines who would be forced to pair up against the Richards line.
Or for goodness sake trade WW for AK46 already, this guys knees are still tipping in when he skates.
Boyle AA AK46 would be a great 3rd line.
Well... when you have a world-class playmaker and a world-class sniper on your team and 2 other lines that have already shown great chemistry (Pack line, Feds-Boyle-Prust), wouldn't you want to give those two great players some time to develop some chemistry? Two games... neither of which was a total loss and included a combined 3 pts from said two players.... and let's just scrap it?
That's absurd. You keep those two together, find them a LW that compliments their game, and in the meantime continue to reap the benefits of having two set lines that saw success the previous season intact.
2nd line: Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan: 65 goals in 2010-11
3nd line: Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust: 44 goals in 2010-11
If you can get your top line to simply MATCH (and it's very likely for them to exceed) the 2nd line you are already looking at ~175 goals (over 2 a game) not including any of the other 9 skaters on your roster.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Brad Richards was brought in here to build more positives on top of an already solid foundation.
Don't wreck the foundation for random line juggling 2 freakin games into the season.
Or for goodness sake trade WW for AK46 already, this guys knees are still tipping in when he skates.
Boyle AA AK46 would be a great 3rd line.
Interesting. I don't know that I've read that proposal before. I'd still like to give them more than 2 games to see what's what but this is an interesting idea if BR/Gabby fails.
I don't think you'd see any scoring whatsoever from lines 3 & 4. But if they could not allow anything either it could be interesting.
The only reason I would advocate ever taking Gabby away from Richards would be to get Gabby away from top defensive pairs. The two would have to really struggle for that to happen though IMO. Like, for the entire first half of the season.
The problem is they keep trying to make Richards Gaborik the top line. I wish they'd get over it and realize it's not working already.
07-08 and 09-10 two had several things in common.
1) Marion Gaborik scored over 40 goals WITHOUT playing with a star center
2) Marion Gaborik scored over 40 goals because he played a full healthy season
3) After arriving then playing at Dallas, Brad Richards plays best when he's able twist his passes into penetrating wingers who are solid forechecking wingers who do the dirty work around the net like Morrow, Neal, and Eriksson. Guys like Dubinsky, Boyle, and Callahan...not Guys like Gaborik.
Gaborik would be best served by getting away from teams top checking lines who would be forced to pair up against the Richards line.
