I like the way he plays, and he's been a solid 4th liner so far, but he needs to continue his development. He can be more than what he is right now, so he should go back to Rochester, play 18 mins/game, work on his two-way game, and he will be better for it in his next recall. It sounds as if they had to send down two of three Rochester forwards, and since Kassian seems better prepared for top-9 minutes, they chose to keep him up. I have no problem with it.
I'd imagine Szczechura was an emergency recall and had to be reassigned once Stafford became available. Also, sending down Ellis will expose him to waivers. That may become a necessary evil at some point, but there's no reason to risk losing a depth player right now while we have so many injuries.
wait... i know I always get this messed up. But even though he is signed to a 2 way deal, he still has to clear waivers? So the 2 way deal is really only about saving money (like 300k) if/when he is in Rochester???
yea, those 20 year olds make us a lot scarier and more intimidating to play against
Some of the most intimidating players in the league are younger guys, older guys sometimes command more respect but doesn't make them anymore intimidating or scary.
wait... i know I always get this messed up. But even though he is signed to a 2 way deal, he still has to clear waivers? So the 2 way deal is really only about saving money (like 300k) if/when he is in Rochester???
Some of the most intimidating players in the league are younger guys, older guys sometimes command more respect but doesn't make them anymore intimidating or scary.
funny, i don't think Chara and Lucic see it that way at all.
yea, those 20 year olds make us a lot scarier and more intimidating to play against
Who said anything about being scary or being intimidating? I'm talking about physical play and playing the dirty areas. Having Hecht, Kaleta, Regher, McNabb, and Kassian in the line up healthy is a good boost of physical play, and play in the dirty areas (Corner, in front of the net, etc...)
Don't read so deep into my post! This isn't an overhaul by any means. These kids have a ways to go before they're cemented into the line up, but Kassian can beat up anybody on our roster, and McNabb is the 2nd best hitter we have on the back end (That's healthy). Adding in all the other players coming back from injuries, and I'd say my claim was correct.
I should've put 'as' instead of 'so', and 'anymore' was a poor choice of words, but my point still stands.
'Our teams isn't as soft right now'...better?
He's not waiver-exempt, and as much as we get upset about his play, he'll get claimed by someone at that salary. We need to keep him if for no other reason than that salary and to stay cap compliant while carrying seven defensemen. Without moving anyone else, retaining McNabb rather than Gragnani would put us over the cap. It's that bad.
Kassian playing with Gerbe and Roy instead of Stafford is more interesting to me than Kassian staying and Tropp heading to Rochester.
Doesn't surprise me all that much. Stafford and Leino have shown decent chemistry, even if they haven't been rewarded for it. Leino and Adam looked solid the other night, too. I think this was the natural extension of that. And I also think Lindy wants GRK together because it's a good mix of the different elements that each player brings.
Who said anything about being scary or being intimidating? I'm talking about physical play and playing the dirty areas. Having Hecht, Kaleta, Regher, McNabb, and Kassian in the line up healthy is a good boost of physical play, and play in the dirty areas (Corner, in front of the net, etc...)
Don't read so deep into my post! This isn't an overhaul by any means. These kids have a ways to go before they're cemented into the line up, but Kassian can beat up anybody on our roster, and McNabb is the 2nd best hitter we have on the back end (That's healthy). Adding in all the other players coming back from injuries, and I'd say my claim was correct.
I should've put 'as' instead of 'so', and 'anymore' was a poor choice of words, but my point still stands.
'Our teams isn't as soft right now'...better?
I don't know. I'm not really sure we've made much of an improvement in the phsyical department from where we were when we played Boston is the doomsday game... Is McNabb really more physical over the course of an entire game then Myers was? McNabb is going to play 8-12 minutes less then Myers would have.
McCormick is out, and Tropp was sent down. I guess Kassian is a slight improvement there...
Looking at if from the context of that first Bruins game... i don't see much to get excited about.
He's not waiver-exempt, and as much as we get upset about his play, he'll get claimed by someone at that salary. We need to keep him if for no other reason than that salary and to stay cap compliant while carrying seven defensemen. Without moving anyone else, retaining McNabb rather than Gragnani would put us over the cap. It's that bad.
Doesn't surprise me all that much. Stafford and Leino have shown decent chemistry, even if they haven't been rewarded for it. Leino and Adam looked solid the other night, too. I think this was the natural extension of that. And I also think Lindy wants GRK together because it's a good mix of the different elements that each player brings.
Yea, I like those 3 lines in a long term kind of way.
Begs the question, where does Ennis fit in on a healthy team?
I wish we kept Tropp up. I thought he was great on the 4th line. And while the speed isn't there, he filled a lot of what Gerbe brought to the Goose line.
He's not waiver-exempt, and as much as we get upset about his play, he'll get claimed by someone at that salary. We need to keep him if for no other reason than that salary and to stay cap compliant while carrying seven defensemen. Without moving anyone else, retaining McNabb rather than Gragnani would put us over the cap. It's that bad.
He's been terrible
I think there would be a less then 50% chance that he was claimed.
He's so bad defensively, and so freaking soft... that I'd be happy if he was claimed, so that Weber was a starter, and Schiestel, Brennan, McNabb were all next in line.
I think there would be a less then 50% chance that he was claimed.
He's so bad defensively, and so freaking soft... that I'd be happy if he was claimed, so that Weber was a starter, and Schiestel, Brennan, McNabb were all next in line.
All that said, while we are still short 2 NHL D-men, you don't want to lose a body. Grags may not be good...but at least he prevents us from having to go even further down the depth chart (what if potential callups are hurt in Rochester? I'd rather have Grags than the Mikes Card and Funk if it came down to that).
Yea, I like those 3 lines in a long term kind of way.
Begs the question, where does Ennis fit in on a healthy team?
Wouldn't be surprised if he puts Ennis with Roy-Kassian. Ennis-Kassian looked good last preseason. That would also allow Ruff to reunite his favorite line: GGK.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jame
I wish we kept Tropp up. I thought he was great on the 4th line. And while the speed isn't there, he filled a lot of what Gerbe brought to the Goose line.
I like Tropp, too, and wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he's the 4RW starting next year, or earlier. With Kaleta once again on pace to miss 1/3 of the season, the team may say enough is enough rather than giving him another raise. Then again, we know the Tim Connolly Saga, so who knows.
All that said, while we are still short 2 NHL D-men, you don't want to lose a body. Grags may not be good...but at least he prevents us from having to go even further down the depth chart (what if potential callups are hurt in Rochester? I'd rather have Grags than the Mikes Card and Funk if it came down to that).
Wished we had rolled that lineup a few more games. Would have been interesting, and made it easy to see if we had moving parts that were imminently expendable.
I don't know. I'm not really sure we've made much of an improvement in the phsyical department from where we were when we played Boston is the doomsday game... Is McNabb really more physical over the course of an entire game then Myers was? McNabb is going to play 8-12 minutes less then Myers would have.
McCormick is out, and Tropp was sent down. I guess Kassian is a slight improvement there...
Looking at if from the context of that first Bruins game... i don't see much to get excited about.
McNabb had 6 hits against the Caps. Myers has 24 hits in 19 GP this season.
When was the last time Myers had a game like that with regards to hits?
I am in the camp that would've liked to keep Chewy up longer, especially ahead of Ellis.
I would've sent Ellis down and kept Tropp ahead of him too although I think Tropp benefits more from playing down in Rochester developing his game then playing fourth line minutes in the NHL so I understand that.
Glad to see McNabb and Kassian given more looks though, we really do have a log jam coming up on the Wing.
McNabb had 6 hits against the Caps. Myers has 24 hits in 19 GP this season.
When was the last time Myers had a game like that with regards to hits?
Two different kinds of physical games. McNabb is the kind of player that lines people up for hits and will run people into the boards, a la Regehr. Myers doesn't do that often, but he's still a physical player. Myers roughs people up in corners and along the boards constantly. That doesn't count as hits, but he's most definitely physical.
Yea, I like those 3 lines in a long term kind of way.
Begs the question, where does Ennis fit in on a healthy team?
I wish we kept Tropp up. I thought he was great on the 4th line. And while the speed isn't there, he filled a lot of what Gerbe brought to the Goose line.
Honestly? He doesn't. Every line already has a player of his type on it, or has a combination that shouldn't be messed with (Vanek-Pominville won't be broken up, Leino and Roy on lines 2 and 3). Having Ennis with Roy or Leino on the same line is just asking for trouble, and putting him on the fourth line as a permanent move is a waste.
Honestly? He doesn't. Every line already has a player of his type on it, or has a combination that shouldn't be messed with (Vanek-Pominville won't be broken up, Leino and Roy on lines 2 and 3). Having Ennis with Roy or Leino on the same line is just asking for trouble, and putting him on the fourth line as a permanent move is a waste.
To me, one of Roy or Ennis needs to be moved.
Leino and Roy are on different lines (Leino-Adam-Stafford, Gerbe-Roy-Kassian) in practice today.
Personally, I think Ennis with Roy can work. I do agree him and Leino won't as much.
I liked the idea of Ennis-Hecht-Boyes, but now that Boyes is hurt and Hecht is centering V&P, unless Adam gets out of his slump (and he had a nice game Saturday, so maybe he will), can't really move Hecht from there. Perhaps
