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Post by UberCranky on Aug 3, 2020 21:58:20 GMT -5
Behind in the first period
Embarrassing second...
Woke up on the third.
This wasn't a close game, actually embarrassing.
Jesus Price...was the only reason we weren't down by 5 in the second.
Kulak...is he really our top 4? Played to a new level and if he keeps this level, he's going to make looking for a lhd a bit less critical.
Suzuki....we didn't get Aho, but we got Suzuki.
Kk....another goal....and rising to top 6 for sure.
Drouin....paper plane in the stands...are waiting to be launched.
Not much to say for most habs. Not putrid but no playoff warriors either.
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Post by Willie Dog on Aug 3, 2020 22:03:30 GMT -5
Kk and Suze deserve all the accolades 1st line looks dysfunctional, any line Drouin is on looks dysfunctional, Domi looks uninterested to be a 4th line winger with Weal and Weise
Time to put suze with tatar and Gallagher
Time to put the Finns back together
Bring in poehling and Evans, sit Weise and Drouin, sit Mete and bring in Fleury..
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 3, 2020 22:06:30 GMT -5
The Penguins played like a playoff team tonight ...
Cheers.
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Post by seventeen on Aug 3, 2020 22:30:41 GMT -5
That was a great shot by KK on his goal. In tight, tough angle and he still roofs it.
I know I’m higher on Kotka than most, but I really like his play. He made a smart pass to Tatar on the RW which made Murray make a tough save. He seems to be in the right place at the right time. And he’s our leading scorer at a ppg pace. 😀
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Post by folatre on Aug 3, 2020 22:45:15 GMT -5
Kotkaniemi played well tonight. Not a huge surprise that he was tenth among the forwards in ice time.
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Post by UberCranky on Aug 3, 2020 22:59:11 GMT -5
I know I'm stuck on Drouin....because I really don't get it.
WHY the heck is he so bad? He's got more talent then Tatar and most of the Habs, but he simply doesn't use it.
Is he soooo disinterested that he simply doesn't care if he plays? I'm baffled.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 3, 2020 23:04:21 GMT -5
The line on Jesperi Kotkaniemi ... G 1, plus-1, FO 2/5, SOG 2, hits 3, TOI 10:21 ... if there's a positive in this game that isn't Carey Price, it's seeing Kotkaniemi score another goal ... that stint in Laval might have been the best thing for him ...
Cheers.
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Post by Willie Dog on Aug 3, 2020 23:09:24 GMT -5
The line on Jesperi Kotkaniemi ... G 1, plus-1, FO 2/5, SOG 2, hits 3, TOI 10:21 ... if there's a positive in this game that isn't Carey Price, it's seeing Kotkaniemi score another goal ... that stint in Laval might have been the best thing for him ... Cheers. Having Bouchard teach him things was the best thing for him...
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Post by Willie Dog on Aug 3, 2020 23:16:02 GMT -5
JK get 10 minutes and the Tin Woodman gets 16 minutes.. something is wrong with this... jK only had more ice time than Weal and Weise... something is wrong with this
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Post by seventeen on Aug 3, 2020 23:43:38 GMT -5
JK get 10 minutes and the Tin Woodman gets 16 minutes.. something is wrong with this... jK only had more ice time than Weal and Weise... something is wrong with this But Julien said such glowing things about him. Nick Nurse, great coach. Guy having a good game...gets mote minutes. Claude Julien - your team has 4 goals in 2 games and one guy has half of them. You cut his ice time. Imo that alone is a fireable offense. Unless he’s been told the team has to lose in which case I absolve him of any blame.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Aug 4, 2020 0:10:09 GMT -5
Price is the reason this series is not almost over yet. It must be so frustrating for him to watch the team in front of him for 60 minutes a night.
KK is doing wonderful things with his limited ice time.
Suzuki does not look overwhelmed with his crazy tough matchups. And that goal on Saturday. What a snipe with great deception to fool Murray that he was going blocker side. He keeps coming of age this season.
Kulak has looked good. He has too though, as that third pairing is getting little ice time and is a tad overmatched most shifts. The top two pairings are playing a ton.
Time to give Evans a taster and see what he brings to a play-in game. What is there to lose? Sit Weise for a game. Claude likely won’t do it as Evans does not have the experience.
Chris Lee still sucks after 4.5 months off. Continuity is good in these COVID times of change.
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Post by habsorbed on Aug 4, 2020 1:44:28 GMT -5
These 2 games have confirmed three truths:
1) We are not in the same league as the Pens;
2) Carey is a world class goalie;
3) Drouin has never been a legit top 6 in the NHL and never will be. How is he our highest paid forward?
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Post by habsorbed on Aug 4, 2020 1:59:34 GMT -5
Despite all of CJ's poor management of KK, KK still shows his potential. The question is how long will it be before KK simply gives up. Old school CJ is ruining our future.
When does MB step in and instructs coaches we don't need, nor want, to win this series. We want a shot at Lafreniere or 9th overall and should use the series as a growing experience for our youth. Get Poehiling in there! Get Evans in there! Get Fleury or Juulsen in there! Get Wiese out of there! Get Weal out of there! Get oulette out of there! Give Domi an opportunity to play. Ironically, playing the youth would not only be good for our future, it would probably give us a better chance to win
Lecky played a great game tonight! Love the guy's effort and intelligence!
Are they no longer doing 3 star selections? Somethings very wrong with that.
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Post by PTH on Aug 4, 2020 4:07:55 GMT -5
Lehkonen seemed strong all game long. Happy to see him get an assist.
Anyone know why Danault took a shift or so between Byron and Lehkonen, and why Domi took at least a couple of shifts between Gallagher and Tatar ?
At first I thought it was just an "even-up" shift to balance icetime after a PP or PK, but it seemed intentional.
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Post by Willie Dog on Aug 4, 2020 7:32:36 GMT -5
Lehkonen seemed strong all game long. Happy to see him get an assist. Anyone know why Danault took a shift or so between Byron and Lehkonen, and why Domi took at least a couple of shifts between Gallagher and Tatar ? At first I thought it was just an "even-up" shift to balance icetime after a PP or PK, but it seemed intentional. Maybe CJ sees what we are seeing, that the 1st line is not producing, so a change was tried... it didn't work right away so CJ went back to what was safe... Shcoking that CJ is sooooo risk averse...
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Aug 4, 2020 9:40:12 GMT -5
Lehkonen seemed strong all game long. Happy to see him get an assist. Anyone know why Danault took a shift or so between Byron and Lehkonen, and why Domi took at least a couple of shifts between Gallagher and Tatar ? At first I thought it was just an "even-up" shift to balance icetime after a PP or PK, but it seemed intentional. When I saw that, I felt it was Claude playing two of his favourite cards. The Domi move seemed to be giving Domi better linemates while trying to kick start a line that was having a bad game. The Danault move was him trying to shelter KK in a tight game and/or bringing in a better faceoff guy (#safeisdeath). I could be wrong, but both moves are within Claude’s normal play book.
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Post by seventeen on Aug 4, 2020 13:29:03 GMT -5
Despite all of CJ's poor management of KK, KK still shows his potential. The question is how long will it be before KK simply gives up. Old school CJ is ruining our future. That's the risk. If he's scoring, great, because that alone will boost his confidence, but if he goes a few games without scoring and Julien keeps lauding his play and cutting his ice time, what is KK going to believe? The talk or the ice time? If you don't reward players via their playing time, you're a poor coach. As has been said before...I don't care much for the Bruins as a team, but they've remained competitive for a long time and Julien was at risk of losing his job even the season they won the Cup (which also indicates how much luck was involved in that win).
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Post by seventeen on Aug 4, 2020 13:34:18 GMT -5
Lehkonen seemed strong all game long. Happy to see him get an assist. Anyone know why Danault took a shift or so between Byron and Lehkonen, and why Domi took at least a couple of shifts between Gallagher and Tatar ? At first I thought it was just an "even-up" shift to balance icetime after a PP or PK, but it seemed intentional. When I saw that, I felt it was Claude playing two of his favourite cards. The Domi move seemed to be giving Domi better linemates while trying to kick start a line that was having a bad game. The Danault move was him trying to shelter KK in a tight game and/or bringing in a better faceoff guy (#safeisdeath). I could be wrong, but both moves are within Claude’s normal play book. Yup. Fits right in with MB's philosophy as well. Risks are BADDDDD! Like Sullivan playing a rookie, Murray in the 2016 playoffs or Al McNeil starting a rookie who had played all of 6 games instead of the established veteran, Vachon. If those teams had different coaches, the Pens might have 2 fewer Cups and the Habs one less. Sheesh. Effing chickens. It really is their (Julien and MB) basic nature of cowardice. If you make the expected decision that the majority of people would make you won't be criticized. If you take chances, and it doesn't work out, you will be criticized and it will reflect on YOU. Chickens.
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Post by Willie Dog on Aug 4, 2020 14:17:10 GMT -5
Despite all of CJ's poor management of KK, KK still shows his potential. The question is how long will it be before KK simply gives up. Old school CJ is ruining our future. That's the risk. If he's scoring, great, because that alone will boost his confidence, but if he goes a few games without scoring and Julien keeps lauding his play and cutting his ice time, what is KK going to believe? The talk or the ice time? If you don't reward players via their playing time, you're a poor coach. As has been said before...I don't care much for the Bruins as a team, but they've remained competitive for a long time and Julien was at risk of losing his job even the season they won the Cup (which also indicates how much luck was involved in that win). Ya luck... Luck of having the league in your back pocket, the owner of the team as chairman of the board and the son of one the the most powerful people in the league office as a player on your team... the trifecta for stealing a cup.
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Post by Skilly on Aug 4, 2020 17:36:39 GMT -5
That's the risk. If he's scoring, great, because that alone will boost his confidence, but if he goes a few games without scoring and Julien keeps lauding his play and cutting his ice time, what is KK going to believe? The talk or the ice time? If you don't reward players via their playing time, you're a poor coach. As has been said before...I don't care much for the Bruins as a team, but they've remained competitive for a long time and Julien was at risk of losing his job even the season they won the Cup (which also indicates how much luck was involved in that win). Ya luck... Luck of having the league in your back pocket, the owner of the team as chairman of the board and the son of one the the most powerful people in the league office as a player on your team... the trifecta for stealing a cup. The Hand of Ryder
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Post by seventeen on Aug 4, 2020 17:48:33 GMT -5
The left side of the Canucks defence was decimated. Ehrhoff missed the entire finals, Hamhuis out during game 2. Edler broke 2 fingers in game 6 and still played. The Bruins weren't satisfied with that advantage, so Colon Campbell suspended Aaron Rome for the rest of the series, to weaken them further. Then there was Kesler, who was a beast while healthy, playing with a groin tear and hip labrum tear. Seriously, whatever one thinks of Kesler, he was in his prime that year and was awesome. He should have been in hospital with those injuries. In may ways it's a revealing look at the Bruins as to why they didn't win it in 4 or 5 games instead of 7. The same thing against the Habs, who were missing Pacioretty, Markov and Gorges for their entire 7 games (and Boston still needed the hand of God [Ryder]). It took the Bruins 7 games to put them away. That team had to be one of the most fortunate, weakest Stanley Cup champs in a while.
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Post by mikeg on Aug 5, 2020 8:55:30 GMT -5
I know I'm stuck on Drouin....because I really don't get it. WHY the heck is he so bad? He's got more talent then Tatar and most of the Habs, but he simply doesn't use it. Is he soooo disinterested that he simply doesn't care if he plays? I'm baffled. My wife worked out with him one summer... had no idea who he was until her trainer told her if she knew who she was chatting up. She loves the kid, said he was the nicest guy, very friendly. I was like yeah... that sounds about right. He is a good kid, mamma's boy, crazy talented but he is just lacking that special thing that separates great athletes from talented athletes. You can call it passion, work ethic, etc. but in the end he just doesn't have what's needed to take the bundles of talent he has and translate it into consistent reliable production. I don't think he has had to struggle or work hard his entire life, and now... well it shows.
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Post by seventeen on Aug 5, 2020 12:41:11 GMT -5
Some guys are obsessed with working on their weaknesses until they're not weaknesses any more. Then they look at what else they can improve. Those are the guys who you love having on a team. Their personal lives probably suck, but they are valuable players. You hear that Drouin works out, but it hasn't translated to the ice. You can really see it in the playoffs. Some players are working their hearts out and others are playing hard but not pushing themselves to quite the same level. The former win puck battles, the latter don't.
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Post by UberCranky on Aug 5, 2020 12:51:39 GMT -5
I know I'm stuck on Drouin....because I really don't get it. WHY the heck is he so bad? He's got more talent then Tatar and most of the Habs, but he simply doesn't use it. Is he soooo disinterested that he simply doesn't care if he plays? I'm baffled. My wife worked out with him one summer... had no idea who he was until her trainer told her if she knew who she was chatting up. She loves the kid, said he was the nicest guy, very friendly. I was like yeah... that sounds about right. He is a good kid, mamma's boy, crazy talented but he is just lacking that special thing that separates great athletes from talented athletes. You can call it passion, work ethic, etc. but in the end he just doesn't have what's needed to take the bundles of talent he has and translate it into consistent reliable production. I don't think he has had to struggle or work hard his entire life, and now... well it shows. Not suprised at all. I'm afraid that Laffy may be cut from the same cloth. Let's be honest, what kid grows up with real hunger? With nightmares of failing? They grow up with people blowing kisses at them and money flows like water. The kids are set for life after a couple of NHL contracts and unless they get injured early in their careers, they will be one percenters. If we get 1st overall, i would do an interview or ten before drafting Laffy. Nobody should forget that Drouon was 3rd overall....and look at his path.
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Post by mikeg on Aug 5, 2020 14:15:04 GMT -5
My wife worked out with him one summer... had no idea who he was until her trainer told her if she knew who she was chatting up. She loves the kid, said he was the nicest guy, very friendly. I was like yeah... that sounds about right. He is a good kid, mamma's boy, crazy talented but he is just lacking that special thing that separates great athletes from talented athletes. You can call it passion, work ethic, etc. but in the end he just doesn't have what's needed to take the bundles of talent he has and translate it into consistent reliable production. I don't think he has had to struggle or work hard his entire life, and now... well it shows. Not suprised at all. I'm afraid that Laffy may be cut from the same cloth. Let's be honest, what kid grows up with real hunger? With nightmares of failing? They grow up with people blowing kisses at them and money flows like water. The kids are set for life after a couple of NHL contracts and unless they get injured early in their careers, they will be one percenters. If we get 1st overall, i would do an interview or ten before drafting Laffy. Nobody should forget that Drouon was 3rd overall....and look at his path. I have coached high level soccer for a long time, and quite honestly what separates great players from talented players is work ethic. I have coached kids who come from crazy rich households who worked harder than anyone else and had natural talent. So much of athletic success is just good genes. I've had kids with dad's that coach them, train them, etc. but they all lack that missing something to set them apart. It's like Gallagher, you know that guy spends his entire life working, he is determined, and nothing made him that way except genetics and a chip on his shoulder. I don't think Drouin has ever had that even though he has plenty of chips he could use to psych himself into it, he just, genetically doesn't have that thing that switches that part of him on, and that goes for about 99,9% of us really. The frustrating thing with Drouin is that he has so much talent, it's just wasted.
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Post by UberCranky on Aug 5, 2020 15:01:31 GMT -5
Not suprised at all. I'm afraid that Laffy may be cut from the same cloth. Let's be honest, what kid grows up with real hunger? With nightmares of failing? They grow up with people blowing kisses at them and money flows like water. The kids are set for life after a couple of NHL contracts and unless they get injured early in their careers, they will be one percenters. If we get 1st overall, i would do an interview or ten before drafting Laffy. Nobody should forget that Drouon was 3rd overall....and look at his path. I have coached high level soccer for a long time, and quite honestly what separates great players from talented players is work ethic. I have coached kids who come from crazy rich households who worked harder than anyone else and had natural talent. So much of athletic success is just good genes. I've had kids with dad's that coach them, train them, etc. but they all lack that missing something to set them apart. It's like Gallagher, you know that guy spends his entire life working, he is determined, and nothing made him that way except genetics and a chip on his shoulder. I don't think Drouin has ever had that even though he has plenty of chips he could use to psych himself into it, he just, genetically doesn't have that thing that switches that part of him on, and that goes for about 99,9% of us really. The frustrating thing with Drouin is that he has so much talent, it's just wasted. I would argue that chip is based on environment.....or the very least, triggered by the environment one is in. Hunger, poverty, born in a black hole of opportunities ....that can be one hell of a driver. Then there is the parent factor. Is mom and dad driving the message for success and pride? Perhaps there is a "genetic" factor in an OCD to succeed. Perhaps it's triggered by the right environment. What we do know....Drouin doesn't have it. Does Laffy have it? Side bar....my father came to Canada with literally, the clothes on his back and shoes he wore. We lived in the roach and rat slums of Montreal, he pounded into me that the only way to get out of the poverty hole is to relentlessly, absolute relentlessly dig. To the point were I had nightmares of failing. That is why I tend to look at "success" as a product of ones environment and the fear of failure. I think that "poverty" and "failure" fear is of the table for Canadian players after the Richard era. The only driver now has to be present and self perpetuating.
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Post by frozone on Aug 5, 2020 15:10:00 GMT -5
I dunno, guys. Drouin was a killer in junior. His playoff stats are pretty unreal. He had a history of putting his team on his back and showing up when it counted. He showed the same mentality in TB during the 2015/16 playoffs.
I wouldn't say that effort is his problem, either. It's not like we never see him turn on the jets. The problem that I see in his game is self doubt. Imo, this self doubt really crept into his game when we played him at center and expected him to be the team's saviour. What a confidence buster that must be.
I don't think we can write off any player that has that killer instinct. He came out roaring to start 2019 after finishing the season before on a low. He'll be able to turn this setback into a comeback too.
That being said... I'm not sure if it's worthwhile to hang onto a player who has these high/low swings. Nobody wants a high maintenance multi-millionaire.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 5, 2020 16:36:11 GMT -5
... be advised, fellas ...
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Post by Willie Dog on Aug 5, 2020 18:18:27 GMT -5
For the 200 fans watching in the US
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Post by seventeen on Aug 5, 2020 18:59:36 GMT -5
I think I read somewhere that the Habs/Pens game had the highest NBC viewership of the NHL games that first night. Crosby effect?
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