The idea that Grandlund can't develop and learn while wearing a Wild uni has already been proven to be crap.
He has improved since game 1 and will continue to.
Hey Mikael we want you to skate on the 4th line today and Mikael says "ok"
Hey Mikael today you will play wing and Mikael says "ok"
Hey Mikael today we want you to just watch the game and Mikael says "ok"
Hey Mikael we want you back on the 2nd line at center and Mikael says "ok"
Hey Mikael you get to be a wing again and Mikael says "ok"
Hey Mikael we want you back on the 4th line as a center and Mikael says "ok"
All the while that is going on what has Mikael done? Improve, contribute and work on his game.
Enough with the Granlund needs to play in Houston nonsense already.
I don't understand Yeo's decisions at all. He seems to be in panic mode the way he's scrambling lines all the time. I understand the decisions in the last game was because of injuries, but it would be nice to get some longevity with some lines.
The problem right now is that Granlund is not a 4th line player, plain and simple. Either send him down to Houston or give him a bigger role. And then some speculation regarding the lines for the next game...
Zucker was awesome in his first game so he will likely stay on the 2nd line. I wasn't that impressed with Cullen so I would move him down and put Brodziak or Granlund on the 2nd line. If Brodziak centers the 2nd line, send Granlund down and bring back Zonopka. And btw.. will be interesting to see if Mitchell continues and Bouchard will be scratched? Larsson played a stellar game defensively but he didn't create that much in the offensive zone. Still think that it's worth to keep him in the lineup for a couple of games more.
I don't understand Yeo's decisions at all. He seems to be in panic mode the way he's scrambling lines all the time.
To me it seems that many NHL coaches view players with bipolar lenses, they are either winners or losers. With the amount of hype, it's obvious that many don't consider Granlund a winner right now.
The short-term fix of throwing Granlund out has now worked for a couple of games, and trying him humbly again in the top-6 might not be easy for the ego.
I think Yeo has high regard for Granlund. He's just being realistic with him. When he hasn't played great, he's been bumped down the line-up. When he's building lines a certain way, Granlund might find himself on the 4th line because he doesn't fit what Yeo is trying to do.
Granlund wasn't going to play on the 1st line.
Granlund hasn't shown the speed needed to be on Yeo's "speed' 2nd line of Setoguchi-Cullen-Zucker.
Granlund doesn't protect the play or play defense well enough to be on the 3rd shutdown line of Larsson-Brodziak-Clutterbuck.
Russo says if Koivu can't play that Granlund will center Parise/Heatley
And if/when Mikko can play, he's probably back to 4th line or a healthy scratch. Granlund doesn't fit anywhere right now and that means he shouldn't be here. He doesn't deserve to be sent down based on performance, but if there's no sensible use for him, Houston's the better option.
And if/when Mikko can play, he's probably back to 4th line or a healthy scratch. Granlund doesn't fit anywhere right now and that means he shouldn't be here. He doesn't deserve to be sent down based on performance, but if there's no sensible use for him, Houston's the better option.
You two have made my venture to HF worthwhile. Thank you.
Almost half the people here want him sent back to Houston, almost half want him on the top line/***** and moan about him being on the 4th line. Barely anyone is taking the time to understand that this KID, who can't even go to the bars here, is trying to adjust his game to a much bigger/faster/stronger/take no prisoners style of play. Find the middle ground and stop swinging back and forth between "OMG SEND HIM TO HOUSTON" and "OMG FIRE YEO CAUSE HE'S NOT ON THE FIRST LINE"
I agree with this so very much, we have no idea what's going on behind the scenes.
On the other hand, doesn't acknowledging that make the whole board kinda pointless. It's fun to yap about stuff we don't know about. Granny on the first line, dammit!!!
The existence of Cullen is what's hindering Granlund right now.
No, what's hindering Granlund is that's he a rookie that had huge expectations by both the fan base and the organization and he simply looked out of place and overwhelmed. He was having trouble adjusting because HE WAS A ROOKIE. Cullen has nothing to do with Granlund not adjusting.
Pouliot's biggest issue was he had the tools but no toolbox. Playing in the top 6 helped diminish these deficiencies due to the players playing around him. But the kid had no drive, no intelligence at all. That's why he failed.
Granlund isn't like Pouliot or Sheppard. He definitely deserves to be in the NHL.
Sorry to throw a little reality out there but Pouliot is far from an NHL failure, unless you equate a high draft Pick not becoming a Star as "failure". Steve Yzerman signed him to a $1.8 mil contract for 2012-13 and he already has 5 goals and 10 points this year. I agree wiht you on a couple of comments, Lemaire tended to doghouse and blackball players he didn't like, and he didn't like Pouliot. Probably for another thing you ragged on him for - lack of heart.
But the fact is he's very much an NHL player right now. Not a Star but not a fringe guy, either. In my mind making $ millions and playing in the NHL on Lecavalier's wing isn't "failure."
No, what's hindering Granlund is that's he a rookie that had huge expectations by both the fan base and the organization and he simply looked out of place and overwhelmed. He was having trouble adjusting because HE WAS A ROOKIE. Cullen has nothing to do with Granlund not adjusting.
He won't be rookie of the year, but who cares. I think we have a good player in him, and I always look forward to seeing what he is going to do every game.
Sorry to throw a little reality out there but Pouliot is far from an NHL failure, unless you equate a high draft Pick not becoming a Star as "failure". Steve Yzerman signed him to a $1.8 mil contract for 2012-13 and he already has 5 goals and 10 points this year. I agree wiht you on a couple of comments, Lemaire tended to doghouse and blackball players he didn't like, and he didn't like Pouliot. Probably for another thing you ragged on him for - lack of heart.
But the fact is he's very much an NHL player right now. Not a Star but not a fringe guy, either. In my kmind making $ millions and playing in the NHL on Lecavalier's wing isn't "failure."
Well, to be fair, I think BP's true value is in between what you two say. I don't think he's a total failure but also don't think I'll be willing to give him the money he is being given for a regular spot with the Wild.
He plays 12:38 minutes a game, good enough for the 9th forward on the Tampa Bay roster, 9th forward in ES time with 10:18, 7th forward in PP time, and nothing on PK.
I think he was a bust with the Wild, the way we play and the way we needed him to play. We didn't have star players to rely on for our offense (we are still struggling with that).
The Wild had no room for players that could compliment offensive players but thats it. Because of some of our bad drafting and development, we don't have the luxury of having a Stamkos, a St Louis and a Lecavalier carry the team. Koivu, while a great two-way player, is not someone to carry a team's offense by himself.
Parise helps, but we're still quite a one line team. Seeing Zucker energize the 2nd line the way he did last game, gives me hope that just maybe we might have a dangerous team next year with Zucker probably becoming a regular, Granlund getting used to the NA rinks, and a more well-rounded blueline that can contribute to the offense (Brodin will develop that part of his game soon and developing chemistry with Suter).
Granlund hasn't looked out of place for more than a week now! He looks better at center now than both Cullen and Brodziak IMO.
Quick look at numbers from last four games:
11 Feb, Calgary OT Win - TOI 19:14, no pts, -1
12 Feb, Rout by Nucks - 12:59, 1 PP 2nd assist when he passed to Cullen and Cullen whipped it out to Seto for his big blast
14 Feb, OT loss to Colo - 15:37, -1, assist on Rupp's graceful goal
17 Feb, Win vs Det - only 8:26 TOI, +1 with an assist due to touching the puck taking the face off, when Mitchell ripped the seeing eye back hand through the scrum that went through the minor league goalie's huge 5 hole
I agree that he has looked better recently but mainly in relation to the fact he looked so bad the first couple weeks.
I could see it going either way with Granlund. I don't think it would be a bad thing at all if he got sent to Houston. On the other hand, he is gaining experience playing against NHL players. I'd just prefer to not see him as the 2nd Line Center, because he's not up to the job, YET, IMO. I'd like to see him play more wing personally. I don't think some games as 4th Line Center getting 2nd Unit PP time and at least 8 min TOI are hurting him at all, in fact the exact oppposite.
12 Feb, Rout by Nucks - 12:59, 1 PP 2nd assist when he passed to Cullen and Cullen whipped it out to Seto for his big blast.
I think you're not remembering correctly. It was no big blast by Seto. Granlund separated the defender from the puck, got it to Cullen, who then got it to Seto in front of the net. Seto did a quick backhand-to-forehand and pitched it up over Luongo's shoulder to the opposite top corner.
Granlund has set up many scoring chances and could easily have more assists then he does right now.
Sunday alone he set up Rupp and Seto with prime chances. There really is not another center on this team but for Koivu who is finding people on the ice as well as Granlund right now. The fact that players aren't finishing isn't is his fault.
Sorry to throw a little reality out there but Pouliot is far from an NHL failure
And Colton Gillies and James Sheppard aren't either. They are in the NHL, playing.
Quote:
unless you equate a high draft Pick not becoming a Star as "failure"
Partly. The sky was the limit for Pouliot. He had the tools, the talent and the skills. But he just never could put them together long enough to make an impact. There are days where you look at Pouliot and go, wow! That's why he was drafted 4th overall. And then there are days where you look at Pouliot and go, how the hell did he even make it?
Quote:
Steve Yzerman signed him to a $1.8 mil contract for 2012-13 and he already has 5 goals and 10 points this year
Two things; it's Tampa Bay and two it's a weird, weird season. Pouliot is good for 30-35 points but he was seen as much more than that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TaLoN
Granlund IS adjusting!
And why is that? Because he's on the fourth line and not asked to do much.
