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Post by folatre on Dec 18, 2022 10:53:57 GMT -5
It is debatable. The development issue is not an insignificant one. NHL competition is not comparable to anything else in the world. And I have great respect for Poulin and Nicholas, though I doubt skills specialists travel with the team on road trips.
Losing is not great for the psyche, but it is not the main reason I prefer Slafkovsky to play in the WJC. I just look at the amount of time actually involved in comparison to the long NHL season and see no major hit to his development. Basically the player would miss 9 or 10 Habs games if Slovakia made it all the way to the medal games. So let's say Slafkovsky is currently on pace to play 75 NHL games as a 18 year old rookie. Would playing 65 NHL games make a measurable difference in his development?
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Post by halihab on Dec 18, 2022 11:10:20 GMT -5
Caufield and Suzuki have been stifled. Nothing doing, even on the PP. Teams focus on them. They have no threat from the blueline. Get Drouin off the ice please ! |
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Post by habsorbed on Dec 18, 2022 12:38:52 GMT -5
It is debatable. The development issue is not an insignificant one. NHL competition is not comparable to anything else in the world. And I have great respect for Poulin and Nicholas, though I doubt skills specialists travel with the team on road trips. Losing is not great for the psyche, but it is not the main reason I prefer Slafkovsky to play in the WJC. I just look at the amount of time actually involved in comparison to the long NHL season and see no major hit to his development. Basically the player would miss 9 or 10 Habs games if Slovakia made it all the way to the medal games. So let's say Slafkovsky is currently on pace to play 75 NHL games as a 18 year old rookie. Would playing 65 NHL games make a measurable difference in his development? I agree. And often it helps for someone's learning/development to step away from the learning environment and get a fresh or different perspective, or just a break from the intensity. He'll see many of his old buddies, have fun, and it may even hit him again of the dream he is living as a Hab. I don't buy the argument that being away form these coaches and the team will somehow arrest his development. On the contrary, 3 weeks away may be the best thing for the kid. |
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Post by Skilly on Dec 18, 2022 15:48:28 GMT -5
It is debatable. The development issue is not an insignificant one. NHL competition is not comparable to anything else in the world. And I have great respect for Poulin and Nicholas, though I doubt skills specialists travel with the team on road trips. Losing is not great for the psyche, but it is not the main reason I prefer Slafkovsky to play in the WJC. I just look at the amount of time actually involved in comparison to the long NHL season and see no major hit to his development. Basically the player would miss 9 or 10 Habs games if Slovakia made it all the way to the medal games. So let's say Slafkovsky is currently on pace to play 75 NHL games as a 18 year old rookie. Would playing 65 NHL games make a measurable difference in his development? I agree. And often it helps for someone's learning/development to step away from the learning environment and get a fresh or different perspective, or just a break from the intensity. He'll see many of his old buddies, have fun, and it may even hit him again of the dream he is living as a Hab. I don't buy the argument that being away form these coaches and the team will somehow arrest his development. On the contrary, 3 weeks away may be the best thing for the kid. And if he has a poor tournament? |
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Post by folatre on Dec 18, 2022 17:03:02 GMT -5
That is possible. Anything is possible. But would it not be a concern for any of the top picks from the 2022 draft? What if Nemec is kind of pedestrian in terms of driving play and putting up points, what if Wright does not look as dynamic as some of the hungry up and comers on Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the USA, what if 2023 kids outshine the big dogs from 2022.
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Post by Skilly on Dec 18, 2022 17:47:10 GMT -5
That is possible. Anything is possible. But would it not be a concern for any of the top picks from the 2022 draft? What if Nemec is kind of pedestrian in terms of driving play and putting up points, what if Wright does not look as dynamic as some of the hungry up and comers on Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the USA, what if 2023 kids outshine the big dogs from 2022. Nemec and Wright do not play for Montreal. Why would we care if they have poor tournaments or start to lack confidence or pout or their development gets stalled? We have a guy who is where he needs to be to develop. His problem is not that he needs to go somewhere to put up points, have fun, try to razzle dazzle … his problem, right now, is he isn’t playing with anyone suited to his style of play. |
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Post by seventeen on Dec 18, 2022 21:39:18 GMT -5
So does Drouin get pumped for these games to prove to TB that they made a mistake when they traded him?  I was joking when I posted this. But Drouin was actually pumped for his former team. Don't know if I've seen him chase down pucks and mix it up like that before. Sadly, he still can't handle the puck. How much longer can they keep him QBing the PP? I suspect they were doing that so he could get some points and increase his trade value. Well, if that was the strategy, it has backfired as he looks like a nervous rookie out there. He isn't in a good position at the blue line on the PP. But I thought when it was 5 on 5, he was quite good. Being on Dach's line helped as Drouin has a good hockey IQ and so does Dach. I'm not sure who the other winger was on that line, but their possession stats were very good, much better than Suzuki's line. |
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Post by seventeen on Dec 18, 2022 21:42:48 GMT -5
That is possible. Anything is possible. But would it not be a concern for any of the top picks from the 2022 draft? What if Nemec is kind of pedestrian in terms of driving play and putting up points, what if Wright does not look as dynamic as some of the hungry up and comers on Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the USA, what if 2023 kids outshine the big dogs from 2022. Nemec and Wright do not play for Montreal. Why would we care if they have poor tournaments or start to lack confidence or pout or their development gets stalled? We have a guy who is where he needs to be to develop. His problem is not that he needs to go somewhere to put up points, have fun, try to razzle dazzle … his problem, right now, is he isn’t playing with anyone suited to his style of play. If he was put on Dach's line (and kept there), you'd see his points go up. Not that Evans is a horrible player, but he's not Dach, and Pitlick did not accomplish anything. Slaf drove play, but there was just no finish and no creation from the other side. |
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Post by habsorbed on Dec 19, 2022 1:51:35 GMT -5
Nemec and Wright do not play for Montreal. Why would we care if they have poor tournaments or start to lack confidence or pout or their development gets stalled? We have a guy who is where he needs to be to develop. His problem is not that he needs to go somewhere to put up points, have fun, try to razzle dazzle … his problem, right now, is he isn’t playing with anyone suited to his style of play. If he was put on Dach's line (and kept there), you'd see his points go up. Not that Evans is a horrible player, but he's not Dach, and Pitlick did not accomplish anything. Slaf drove play, but there was just no finish and no creation from the other side. I have no problem if they give Slafs a decent centre. Evans ain't that - he's black hole offensively. And his defence ain't so good either - career 4th liner on a weak team. |
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Post by Skilly on Dec 19, 2022 14:01:18 GMT -5
Nemec and Wright do not play for Montreal. Why would we care if they have poor tournaments or start to lack confidence or pout or their development gets stalled? We have a guy who is where he needs to be to develop. His problem is not that he needs to go somewhere to put up points, have fun, try to razzle dazzle … his problem, right now, is he isn’t playing with anyone suited to his style of play. If he was put on Dach's line (and kept there), you'd see his points go up. Not that Evans is a horrible player, but he's not Dach, and Pitlick did not accomplish anything. Slaf drove play, but there was just no finish and no creation from the other side. I’m starting to wonder if it now makes more sense to put Slafkovsky on Suzuki’s line. Hear me out. If management doesn’t care about wins and losses and are quite prepared to consider this season a tank, then why try to balance the lines? Put Anderson and Hoffman on Dach’s Line. Dach seems to mesh with everyone. Put Dadonov and Drouin with Dvorak |
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Post by folatre on Dec 19, 2022 14:48:44 GMT -5
For sure, I would put Slafkovsky on the top line. Obviously he does not strengthen the line much defensively. But a kid with size and skill should find space and good looks playing with Suzuki and Caufield.
I know from a wins and losses perspective, St. Louis' gut probably tells him hey just reunite Dach there whenever the boys are chasing the game. But honestly, one of things worth seeing this season is whether Dach has the determination to play the pivot and drive his own line.
For me one thing that has become abundantly clear this season is that Evans lacks the quality on the puck to be a viable middle six centre. So while Monahan is out, it seems logical to utilize Dach and Dvorak as the centres behind Suzuki and leave Evans down on the fourth line. And this gives management a chance to assess how 2023-24 may look because unless a big trade is happening or a NHL-ready stud falls into their roster via the draft, it is probable the four centres coming out of camp will be Suzuki, Dach, Dvorak, and Evans (I assume Monahan gets traded in February and signs elsewhere in the summer).
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Post by Willie Dog on Dec 19, 2022 19:01:03 GMT -5
If he was put on Dach's line (and kept there), you'd see his points go up. Not that Evans is a horrible player, but he's not Dach, and Pitlick did not accomplish anything. Slaf drove play, but there was just no finish and no creation from the other side. I’m starting to wonder if it now makes more sense to put Slafkovsky on Suzuki’s line. Hear me out. If management doesn’t care about wins and losses and are quite prepared to consider this season a tank, then why try to balance the lines? Put Anderson and Hoffman on Dach’s Line. Dach seems to mesh with everyone. Put Dadonov and Drouin with Dvorak I'm ok with this... I guess this means Slaf on the left and CC on the right? |
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Post by Skilly on Dec 19, 2022 23:14:30 GMT -5
Kaiden Guhle's assist is his 12th point of the season. Ties him for 34th on the Habs rookie defenseman points list with
Stephane Robidas - 2000-01
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