Weight's missing games against Florida, San Jose, LA, and Anaheim. I know there's no such thing as a guaranteed win, but I like the Blues chances of getting some points against those teams without Weight, even with their thin forward line-up. If they work hard, they'll do just fine in the short-term.
Some more than others. Rycroft is definately a marginal NHLer. So is Low, etc. All I'm saying is that the Blues lack offensive depth, Degroat. Why is that so hard for you to admit? I love the Blues as much as anybody and I think Pleau's a very good GM by and large but can you at least once bring yourself admit that this team is not perfect? The lineup that they're sending to the ice tonight has as many legit AHLers as it does NHLers.
You do have a point, but I guess I'd counter with this: Why not bring the better offensive prospects up, then, and let them get their feet wet in the NHL?
I'm talking Pohl, McClement, Hemingway, Panzer, even Black, Pollock and Glumac.
I don't give a hoot if they're "ready for the NHL" right now or not; no one's asking them to stay up for the long term. Bring them up and let them play for the four games Weight will miss, and let's see what the young lineup of all Blues' draftees and young FA's can do against NHL players when given some ice time.
If they play well and the Blues win, the development of all these young players is accelerated a little bit. If they play well and the Blues lose, their development is still accelerated a little by their presence in the NHL.
If tbey play poorly and the Blues lose... that's not a great thing, but it's not the end of the world, either. It's still only early November, and there's an awful lot of hockey that still has to be played.
Wouldn't you like to see a lineup made up primarily of guys that have been drafted and developed by the Blues? Well, if those guys came up, and Backman played instead of Finley, that's what they'd have... at least for a little while.
Jersey got where they are in terms of player development by doing exactly this... letting their kids play during times in the schedule when it was prudent to do so, and when an opportunity presented itself.
Can't agree with you about New Jersey. Kids have a very tough time cracking their lineup.
While the skill forwards are out injured/suspended, I think it's fine to let the grinders play. I'd much rather see a disciplined game with guys like Rycroft working up and down his wing and leave the goal-scoring to Tkachuk and Demitra. The kids now in Worcester aren't ready yet.
It's only temporary anyway. Defense should be the priority, including the forwards on the third and fourth lines for now. The points you give away now letting kids play when they're not ready are going to hurt coming April.
The Johnny Pohl experiment in the Chicago game last Saturday proved that.
Why are you overreacting, NottheRat? Never once did I say this team did have offensive depth and the fact of the matter is I was the one leading the threads about the lack of offensive depth on this team over the summer and through the preseason. My point simply is that Rycroft would have made this team as a 4th liner not because of a lack of depth but because he played himself onto the team. I understand that some 4th liners are less talented than others (i.e. Low). I just don't think that Rycroft is one of these players. And, it's hard for me to admit this given what I had said negatively about him in the past.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PrussianBlue
You do have a point, but I guess I'd counter with this: Why not bring the better offensive prospects up, then, and let them get their feet wet in the NHL?
I'm talking Pohl, McClement, Hemingway, Panzer, even Black, Pollock and Glumac.
I don't give a hoot if they're "ready for the NHL" right now or not; no one's asking them to stay up for the long term. Bring them up and let them play for the four games Weight will miss, and let's see what the young lineup of all Blues' draftees and young FA's can do against NHL players when given some ice time.
If they play well and the Blues win, the development of all these young players is accelerated a little bit. If they play well and the Blues lose, their development is still accelerated a little by their presence in the NHL.
If tbey play poorly and the Blues lose... that's not a great thing, but it's not the end of the world, either. It's still only early November, and there's an awful lot of hockey that still has to be played.
Wouldn't you like to see a lineup made up primarily of guys that have been drafted and developed by the Blues? Well, if those guys came up, and Backman played instead of Finley, that's what they'd have... at least for a little while.
Jersey got where they are in terms of player development by doing exactly this... letting their kids play during times in the schedule when it was prudent to do so, and when an opportunity presented itself.
PB
Meh . . . seeing the kids up with the big club would definitely be exciting, and the team doesn't really need to win every game right now, but are the kids ready?
From what's been said on this board before, Hemingway has looked out of place even in the AHL. I had always assumed that McClement was going to be a more defensive-oriented center and had worked on that with the Battalion in his later years.
I know that Coach Q would probably have me shot for saying this, but doesn't Sergei Varlamov deserve one last shot?
I know that Coach Q would probably have me shot for saying this, but doesn't Sergei Varlamov deserve one last shot?
I wouldn't mind seeing Varlamov up. He is very offensive and could use another shot, maybe a last shot. He continues to prove his O talent w/ the 'Cats, maybe he will finally get it, then again maybe not...
This may come off like a stupid idea, but w/ our lack of Wings, why not put Cajanek on a line w/ Weight. Would give us more scoring on the 2nd line (which we really need)?
One last thought. The Blues are in a D first mode, clog up the neutral zone, NJ devils style. They are not going to score as much, NJ may score 2 goals a game...
Is the resulting lack of scoring due to the system OR lack of snipers on the 2nd and 3rd lines??? Or is a mix of both...
The Blues do NOT have a lack of depth. The problem is that we are playing our depth players. It isn't just Weight that is out, Mel and Bogi are hurt also. The only problem up front is that our secondary scoring is hurt right now. When we get this team healthy there is no lack of offensive ability on the forward lines. In fact there are enough "skill" forwards to create 4 lines with scoring ability(and no, that does not mean bringing up Varlamov or Pohl). Heerema, Sejna, Bogunieki, Cajanek, and Mellanby are our secondary scorers. So far only two of that list have been constantly in the lineup. Do you know how easy it is to shut down the secondary talent when there are only two of them? The ONY reason that we aren't scoring much is because of the injuries to Mel, Cajanek and Bogi.
Oh, and Rycroft has 5 points so far. Projected out he is on pace for 30-35 points for the season. Those are HARDLY the numbers of a borderline NHL'er.
He has done quite well and has most people sold. He's getting some time in more offensive situations right now because of all the injuries/suspensions which is partly the reason for his production. More importantly, he has fit well into Quenneville's system and has been a good penalty killer.
