Everything, including his shot is a little head scratching for me......... What I mean is.....his offensive numbers are not that big of a deal.....he is supposed to be tough , but the only fight he has on you tube he gets knocked out. Not sure what to expect.
I'm hoping he is as great as everyone here makes him out to be, but I'm also thinking everyone here would flip and talk about how he's not that great if we suddenly traded him.
On a side note....that Svitov guy that punched Emelin out. What's his story and how did he play 30 games for the Bulldogs a few years back? How is he linked to the habs or maybe Edmonton I'm thinking.......
Svitov is a massive goon. And being tough != fighting.
Everything, including his shot is a little head scratching for me......... What I mean is.....his offensive numbers are not that big of a deal.....he is supposed to be tough , but the only fight he has on you tube he gets knocked out. Not sure what to expect.
I'm hoping he is as great as everyone here makes him out to be, but I'm also thinking everyone here would flip and talk about how he's not that great if we suddenly traded him.
On a side note....that Svitov guy that punched Emelin out. What's his story and how did he play 30 games for the Bulldogs a few years back? How is he linked to the habs or maybe Edmonton I'm thinking.......
No offense, but that's what happens when you scout using HockeyDB and Youtube. Yemelin is a very intriguing player. No guarantee he'll fulfill his upside but he's worth getting excited over IMO.
Everything, including his shot is a little head scratching for me......... What I mean is.....his offensive numbers are not that big of a deal.....he is supposed to be tough , but the only fight he has on you tube he gets knocked out. Not sure what to expect.
I'm hoping he is as great as everyone here makes him out to be, but I'm also thinking everyone here would flip and talk about how he's not that great if we suddenly traded him.
On a side note....that Svitov guy that punched Emelin out. What's his story and how did he play 30 games for the Bulldogs a few years back? How is he linked to the habs or maybe Edmonton I'm thinking.......
I wouldn't worry for the numbers. Numbers are important but should be taken with a grain of salt at the same time when you're looking at a player coming from KHL, SEL or any other euro league. They play far less games than we do. The teams are not as deep as NHL teams in the sense that he's not only playing with high caliber people (alot of ''ahl'ers type and goons) and finally the KHL is not a favorable growing environment meaning that you won't grow as quick or as much in the KHL compared to the NHL. alot 6-7 hours flight, can be days between 2 games and not all rinks are as welcoming as the Moscow Dynamo place.
As for the toughness. HE IS TOUGH. This guy hip checks like Kasparaitis and the time he got KO was by 1 of the worst goons in the KHL.
I wouldn't worry for the numbers. Numbers are important but should be taken with a grain of salt at the same time when you're looking at a player coming from KHL, SEL or any other euro league. They play far less games than we do. The teams are not as deep as NHL teams in the sense that he's not only playing with high caliber people (alot of ''ahl'ers type and goons) and finally the KHL is not a favorable growing environment meaning that you won't grow as quick or as much in the KHL compared to the NHL. alot 6-7 hours flight, can be days between 2 games and not all rinks are as welcoming as the Moscow Dynamo place.
As for the toughness. HE IS TOUGH. This guy hip checks like Kasparaitis and the time he got KO was by 1 of the worst goons in the KHL.
Also his numbers in the previous 2, especially the last year in the KHL are pretty solid. Average translation of offense from the KHL to the NHL is .87. By that he was a 21 NHL point defenseman last year and a 30 point NHL defenseman this year. He was also one of that league's leading scoring defenseman, behind only much older and more established KHL defenders.
These numbers are strictly ballpark but anyone saying he's not an offensive defenseman because his numbers aren't impressive is flat out wrong. If he doesn't produce in the NHL its because his game didn't translate well, not that he didn't have good offense in the KHL.
If I recall correctly, Tampa Bay (who owned Svitov's rights) didn't have an AHL affiliate back then, so they loaned their players out to various AHL teams. Dallas and I think Edmonton did a similar thing recently too.
OK guys....I know everyone around here thinks Spacek is crap & blah blah blah....... I hate to tell you this but Spacek is going to play some important minutes for your favourite hockey team this year. I wouldn't be surprised if some of it is on the pp. He has experience & is actually quite useful even though he looks awkward out there.
OK guys....I know everyone around here thinks Spacek is crap & blah blah blah....... I hate to tell you this but Spacek is going to play some important minutes for your favourite hockey team this year. I wouldn't be surprised if some of it is on the pp. He has experience & is actually quite useful even though he looks awkward out there.
Someone has to pick up some minutes left by Hamrlik's departure. And it is Spacek...
Unless Yemelin and Weber are doing super well. And Diaz is the revelation.
Someone has to pick up some minutes left by Hamrlik's departure. And it is Spacek...
Unless Yemelin and Weber are doing super well. And Diaz is the revelation.
Hamrlik played a lot with Markov out the last 2 years...Markov is back. Subban can take Hamrlik's #2 minutes. Gorges is back(Hamrlik and Wiz were taking Markov and Gorges's minutes in the 2nd half).
We might end up signing another veteran( Hannan) or a depth(Mara/Picard type) if Spacek still has vertigo issues or they are concerned with Markov being ready for big minutes.
We have cap room and no glaring holes in the roster as long as Gorges gets signed so any moves will be looked at as upgrades more than filling holes.
OK guys....I know everyone around here thinks Spacek is crap & blah blah blah....... I hate to tell you this but Spacek is going to play some important minutes for your favourite hockey team this year. I wouldn't be surprised if some of it is on the pp. He has experience & is actually quite useful even though he looks awkward out there.
Well, he's the number 5 d-man at best right now. And I would really have him battling for 6th with Webber based on how he played last season, but that won't happen with the current coach in place.
Barring injury from the top 4, he'll play 13-16 minutes. He plays the 2nd PP only because he's marginally better than Gorges.
Well, he's the number 5 d-man at best right now. And I would really have him battling for 6th with Webber based on how he played last season, but that won't happen with the current coach in place.
Barring injury from the top 4, he'll play 13-16 minutes. He plays the 2nd PP only because he's marginally better than Gorges.
I could see the top PP d-men being Markov Subban Weber and Yemelin...Yenelin is probably a smoother puck handler and has a better shot than Spacek.
Everything, including his shot is a little head scratching for me......... What I mean is.....his offensive numbers are not that big of a deal.....he is supposed to be tough , but the only fight he has on you tube he gets knocked out. Not sure what to expect.
I'm hoping he is as great as everyone here makes him out to be, but I'm also thinking everyone here would flip and talk about how he's not that great if we suddenly traded him.
On a side note....that Svitov guy that punched Emelin out. What's his story and how did he play 30 games for the Bulldogs a few years back? How is he linked to the habs or maybe Edmonton I'm thinking.......
He developed his offensive game last season in the KHL, so we'll have to see how he'll adapt on smaller surfaces. Now for the tough side, he's not a fighter, but could still drop them. He's very aggressive though, physical, and has the 'dirty' side of a Kasparaitis or a Samuelsson. And for once, I think it might be a good thing to have such a player on our side, I expect him to put fear in opposing team's forwards heads.
I hate when one of our players get cheap shotted, but now I hope he will even it out... (I'm evil )
I've thought up a sobriquet (nickname) for Yemelin: The Inhibitor. His aggressive play could make a subtle difference in how opponents play against the Habs this season. Besides what he could dish out in checks he could bull his way into the offensive zone. I just hope it isn't offset by a rash of penalties.
Those who think Spacek will play any significant role this year have probably not seen Emelin and Diaz play. Both of them are way better than Spacek now - a guy barely hanging in there. In fact, Weber, really playing his first half-season in the NHL was better than Spacek. And from what I saw and some reports out of Europe, Diaz is, defensively at least, is a notch above Weber. It is a funny situation, but with all the d-men Habs have Spacek, in my view, would be #8 and a very expensive number 8 at that. The best option for both the organization and him is that he plays elsewhere where they are not as deep on D and I hope that will happen.
Not sure why you think he has to be on one of the PP units.
It seems to me that not having Kostitsyn on the PP would be a huge mistake. Here's what I'd have.
Cole-Plekanec-Gionta
Weber-Kostitsyn
I know people might think it risky with Weber and Kostitsyn on the back end for the 2nd PP unit, but they're both fast players.
Not sure what makes you think JM will play Kostitsyn on the PP when he got very little PP last year. AK was 10th on the team last year in terms of PP TOI/G.
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