I'm loving Fehr's effort this season. Cycling and forechecking hard. Going to the net. He deserved that one last night. At that price, I can't see why he's part of the problem at all.
I'm with you. Fehr's been almost everything you want in a bottom 6 forward so far this year.
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George McPhee....The Teflon GM. 15 years of failure and counting....
I'm with you. Fehr's been almost everything you want in a bottom 6 forward so far this year.
Was kinda shocked to see Fehr out there at the end of regulation helping to kill off Matty P's penalty. He looked pretty good to - running around a bit, but he was a lot less passive than our typical PKers.
Speaking of MP85, he's playing well with Fehr and Ward in the O-zone, but he has more work to do on his overall game. He didn't have his guy tied up on the Cats 4th goal and he took that awful penalty at the end of regulation. Yeah it was a bad call - but he's been taking way too many of those. Oates looked like he wanted to strangle him.
Erskine definitely has a role, but I don't see it being a 20 minute a night 2LD. I've never seen anything in the past that indicated he'd be able to handle those types of minutes long-term.
If they want him to be their heavy, he'll be missing for 5 minute chunks at times anyway.
Was kinda shocked to see Fehr out there at the end of regulation helping to kill off Matty P's penalty. He looked pretty good to - running around a bit, but he was a lot less passive than our typical PKers.
Speaking of MP85, he's playing well with Fehr and Ward in the O-zone, but he has more work to do on his overall game. He didn't have his guy tied up on the Cats 4th goal and he took that awful penalty at the end of regulation. Yeah it was a bad call - but he's been taking way too many of those. Oates looked like he wanted to strangle him.
I was pissed at MP too for that penalty. But after the initial anger (and maybe b/c we killed it off and won the game) it wasn't a lazy penalty. It was a Semin style penalty of aggression.
It's not the "mindless delay of game penalty when no one is around you" stupid penalty.
He does provide energy even if he is a bit suspicious in his own zone.
Good call but I think this can be applied to half our team. Backstrom, Johansson, Holtby, Carlson etc etc. Its not lack of talent but rather confidence.
This team has a lot more in them than they have shown up to now.
While I'd agree that Backstrom, Holtby, and Carlson have potential, all 3 are suffering from the same disease: they were all brought up too soon.
This is nothing new. We've ruined many, many young players over the years. If you're truly an old-timer, you'll remember Matt Herr, who was a perfect example of this.
It would almost be comical if the situation were not so desperate: we win 2 games against a team that's weaker than we are, and all of the sudden we develop amnesia of the past 12 games.
I too, caught Locker's comments on AO's pass. I caught a bit more, too.
His post game analysis claimed that "It was a gutsy win....."
It's poor teams that have gutsy wins, Bob. Locker slipped up there.
The Pens games should have demonstrated to you the level of our talent.
MP (since he's been back) and Fehr are working well together. That entire line is. Maybe there is something nice brewing there.
And Erskine has a role on this team.
Yes and no. He was lured outta position, and not lured like Brendan Witt used to be. He was skating east and west in our zone doing the job the forwards should be doing.
I was telling the missus: "Why is he doing that? I hope it's not part of Adam's system."
I do like the edge he adds, but skating back & forth like that is a liability.
While I'd agree that Backstrom, Holtby, and Carlson have potential, all 3 are suffering from the same disease: they were all brought up too soon.
This is nothing new. We've ruined many, many young players over the years. If you're truly an old-timer, you'll remember Matt Herr, who was a perfect example of this.
It would almost be comical if the situation were not so desperate: we win 2 games against a team that's weaker than we are, and all of the sudden we develop amnesia of the past 12 games.
I too, caught Locker's comments on AO's pass. I caught a bit more, too.
His post game analysis claimed that "It was a gutsy win....."
It's poor teams that have gutsy wins, Bob. Locker slipped up there.
The Pens games should have demonstrated to you the level of our talent.
Maybe Holtby and Carlson, but Backstrom? Can't buy that. He's already been a dominant center at the NHL level for multiple seasons. That he's struggling is what it is. He's playing with lower-level talent and adjusting to the third coach and system in 18 months.
Maybe Holtby and Carlson, but Backstrom? Can't buy that. He's already been a dominant center at the NHL level for multiple seasons. That he's struggling is what it is. He's playing with lower-level talent and adjusting to the third coach and system in 18 months.
We were watching Backstrom pretty closely lately, and Terry's comment was:
"Nick is looking pretty ordinary these days."
I'm not saying he's a bust. Nor am I writing off Holtby or Carlson.
On Herr: a lot of the old-timers were pretty angry about Herr. He was thought to be a real up & comer. And he was never the same after he was thrown to the wolves. And McPhee... was blamed.
On Herr: a lot of the old-timers were pretty angry about Herr. He was thought to be a real up & comer. And he was never the same after he was thrown to the wolves. And McPhee... was blamed.
I really have no notion of how one transitions to a GM so I just don't know what to think about Howe or anyone else really. Kekalainen has been GMing in Jokerit so he's not really a rookie.
My big concern is that I don't trust Ted or Dick to know enough to make a good choice.
Well, above all else, they look like they give a damn lately. That's fun. Now if the GA number could get back in the single digits we might have something.
There are so many parts that need to change: Wolksi, MP, Fehr, Crabb, Chimmer, Poti, Hamr, Sarge, and Erskine just don't add much. A couple of them can be depth guys but... MJ is a mystery. The Gs are struggling but I have hope. At least Laich and Orlov will help.
Agree on everything, but Big John. So far he's been doing exactly what he supposed (and paid) to do, actually more then that. Erskine hasn't been our problem this season, at all. IMO, the team plays much better, more confident with him in the line up. You can have all the skill in the world, but without confidence... well... you see whats going on...
Who else could dance with somebody like Parros on this team?
I really have no notion of how one transitions to a GM so I just don't know what to think about Howe or anyone else really. Kekalainen has been GMing in Jokerit so he's not really a rookie.
My big concern is that I don't trust Ted or Dick to know enough to make a good choice.
He's the first Euro GM in the NHL, if I'm correct.
It's one of my theories, I'll be honest... but I have always said, you want a good GM, find a good scout. He'll not only know the players.... he'll know the good scouts from the bad, too.
There are so many parts that need to change: Wolksi, MP, Fehr, Crabb, Chimmer, Poti, Hamr, Sarge, and Erskine just don't add much. A couple of them can be depth guys but... MJ is a mystery. The Gs are struggling but I have hope. At least Laich and Orlov will help.
Chimera potted 20 last year and Fehr has done the same in the past and without a whole lot of ice time. They have good size, are hounds on the forecheck, and Chimera has blazing straight ahead speed. For what they make and their roles on the team they are more than fine IMO.
What do you expect everyone on the team to be something special...?
Agree on everything, but Big John. So far he's been doing exactly what he supposed (and paid) to do, actually more then that. Erskine hasn't been our problem this season, at all. IMO, the team plays much better, more confident with him in the line up. You can have all the skill in the world, but without confidence... well... you see whats going on...
Who else could dance with somebody like Parros on this team?
Chimera potted 20 last year and Fehr has done the same in the past and without a whole lot of ice time. They have good size, are hounds on the forecheck, and Chimera has blazing straight ahead speed. For what they make and their roles on the team they are more than fine IMO.
What do you expect everyone on the team to be something special...?
Not to slight you. Your points in answer are valid, and you are sincere: never will be honestly accused of being fair-weather in fandom.
When I saw it was him fighting... I expected our guy to get killed. I was shocked that he didn't (both, from memory, I think 2 guys went up against him).
Parros seems to have fallen off a bit. Too many 12 oz weights?
I dont know what his (Parros's) deal is, dont follow him much, to be honest until we played FL i didnt even know he wasn't in the Anaheim anymore... Bottom line is, to me, it always looked like our young guns played better with somebody like Brashear watching their backs, maybe its just me though...
When I saw it was him fighting... I expected our guy to get killed. I was shocked that he didn't (both, from memory, I think 2 guys went up against him).
Parros seems to have fallen off a bit. Too many 12 oz weights?
George Parros is really good at; (1) being a fan favorite, (2) not being beaten up himself. I've always thought of him as a more of a showy, wrestler kind of fighter.
Another great fact about George Parros is that when you search for him on google, the quick search box returns a picture of Snoop Dogg instead.
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