Sutter has been reassigned to Charlotte and Dalpe has been called up.
With Skinner back and playing center, it makes sense to send down Sutter, move Brent back to 4th line C, and bring up Dalpe to play on a higher line than Sutter.
With Skinner back and playing center, it makes sense to send down Sutter, move Brent back to 4th line C, and bring up Dalpe to play on a higher line than Sutter.
Looks like the changes are Dalpe playing with Skinner/Jokinen and Poni moved down with Stewart and Brent.
Looks like the changes are Dalpe playing with Skinner/Jokinen and Poni moved down with Stewart and Brent.
This is the best news of the year.
Dear Kirk Muller,
I've been very pleased with your lines so far. You're doing very well, and are on the right track with this new Skinner line. That being said, I have a request to make. Please do not split up the Jokinen-Skinner-Dalpe line for at least five games, no matter what their production is like.
I think both Staal and Skinner have tendencies to have the puck on their stick a bit too long sometimes. Some players are better with the puck that without but I imagine it's frustrating for them to be on the same line together.
I think both Staal and Skinner have tendencies to have the puck on their stick a bit too long sometimes. Some players are better with the puck that without but I imagine it's frustrating for them to be on the same line together.
Skinner is just dumbfounded that a player of Staal's caliber gets frustrated to the point of throwing pucks at the net from all angles despite dominant puck possession. Although, he's getting a *little* bit better the last few games.
Our top 4 have been stellar in the last 5 games. 9 goals against total (at least 3 of which were Mcbain/Joslin fiascos) against TB/Bos/Pit/Was/Phi.
Paying closer attention to what's happening, it looks like every dzone faceoff, we go with Allen/Gleason. Every ozone faceoff, we go with Faulk/Harrison. And it becomes a pick your poison for the other team.
Washington elected to go with OV vs. Allen/Gleason in the dzone (0 goals against that pair)
Pittsburgh elected to go with Malkin vs. Faulk/Harrison in the ozone (0 goals against that pair)
It plays to everyone's strengths, and the improved defensive play of Faulk/Harrison duo make them more than capable if given the handicap of an ozone faceoff.
I still wouldn't want to see Faulk/Harrison matched up with OV in our zone all night, but I'm not thrilled about the idea of Allen/Gleason on the backend of our offensive zone possessions.
Really seems like a winning setup we have if you ignore that McBain and Joslin have to play every once in a while.
I know I was ragging Faulk a while back. But he has really shored up his play as of late. Been a while since we've seen the Harrison confusedly pointing at various opponents on the ice while haphazardly defending a two on one.
I really haven't had a huge problem with any of our defensemen for the past 4-5 games. Sure, they'll have their occasional gaffes, but you're not going to find a defenseman out there that's perfect all the time. Even Lidstrom had that bad game 3-4 years ago. I imagine once Pitkanen comes back and McBain gets his regular partner again, he'll look a little bit more like his old self.
Something I found interesting in Chip's article today about Faulk was, despite facing OV and Malkin the past couple games (and facing OV again tonight), he quickly cited Parise as the toughest player he's played again.
Make #63 an official honored number Karmanos. Just do it. I think everyone can agree that no one should ever wear #63 again.
It probably is unofficially retired now, along with #9 and #3. Thinking about it I'm not sure I've seen a goalie with us wear #1 since Irbe either, though usually they wear odd numbers (60, 70, etc.) in camp unless they're a veteran signed from elsewhere to be backup.
