SENS OFF-SEASON TALK 2013

rooneypoo wrote:

NEELY wrote:Having all RH shots on the PP makes it easy on the other team... you can set up for the one timer on both sides, you can't move the puck with the same effectiveness.  It's not an easy fix at all and down playing that fact is just ignoring a big problem up front.  This has nothing to do with Perron because you add him no matter what if you can but you need a LH shot out there besides Michalek.  Cowen and Wiercioch are going to be leaned on in a big way this coming season on the PP for sure... and Michalek needs to stay healthy other wise they are in trouble.  Gotta hope Conacher jumps into that role as well.

Agreed. You're probably moving a RHS out just to get him anyway. But yeah, my bigger point is that you can't have a team of only RHSs, front and back. If you do, then everyone knows the one timer is coming from the left side every time. That allows the defenders to cheat, and you lose the advantage you're supposed to gain on the PP.

Well everybody knows that's what coming in Tampa, and they can't stop it.

Ev wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

NEELY wrote:Having all RH shots on the PP makes it easy on the other team... you can set up for the one timer on both sides, you can't move the puck with the same effectiveness.  It's not an easy fix at all and down playing that fact is just ignoring a big problem up front.  This has nothing to do with Perron because you add him no matter what if you can but you need a LH shot out there besides Michalek.  Cowen and Wiercioch are going to be leaned on in a big way this coming season on the PP for sure... and Michalek needs to stay healthy other wise they are in trouble.  Gotta hope Conacher jumps into that role as well.

Agreed. You're probably moving a RHS out just to get him anyway. But yeah, my bigger point is that you can't have a team of only RHSs, front and back. If you do, then everyone knows the one timer is coming from the left side every time. That allows the defenders to cheat, and you lose the advantage you're supposed to gain on the PP.

Well everybody knows that's what coming in Tampa, and they can't stop it.

Who is it in TB? Is it that kid Stamkos? If so, no worries, they'll figure him out. Give it time.

That's because Stamkos is a righty and St.Louis is a lefty... the shot is coming from one of those 2... tough to defend.  Put Alfi there instead of St.Louis and see how it plays out... the entire defense will be shifted to the right side of the ice and let one of their big goalders worry about being beaten on the glove side.

EDIT:  Even then if the puck is worked over to Stamkos they have a big RH shot in Salo where he can give it right back to if they over play it.  The Sens need a LH shot on the PP, there's no question about it. The Tampa PP is less predictable than Ottawa's for sure because you have to respect certain players on the ice as well.

Ev wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

NEELY wrote:Having all RH shots on the PP makes it easy on the other team... you can set up for the one timer on both sides, you can't move the puck with the same effectiveness.  It's not an easy fix at all and down playing that fact is just ignoring a big problem up front.  This has nothing to do with Perron because you add him no matter what if you can but you need a LH shot out there besides Michalek.  Cowen and Wiercioch are going to be leaned on in a big way this coming season on the PP for sure... and Michalek needs to stay healthy other wise they are in trouble.  Gotta hope Conacher jumps into that role as well.

Agreed. You're probably moving a RHS out just to get him anyway. But yeah, my bigger point is that you can't have a team of only RHSs, front and back. If you do, then everyone knows the one timer is coming from the left side every time. That allows the defenders to cheat, and you lose the advantage you're supposed to gain on the PP.

Well everybody knows that's what coming in Tampa, and they can't stop it.

Point conceded: if we had one of the best three forwards in the league up front, handedness would be less of a concern. Given that we don't have the luxury, however, it remains a concern all the same.

rooneypoo wrote:

Ev wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

NEELY wrote:Having all RH shots on the PP makes it easy on the other team... you can set up for the one timer on both sides, you can't move the puck with the same effectiveness.  It's not an easy fix at all and down playing that fact is just ignoring a big problem up front.  This has nothing to do with Perron because you add him no matter what if you can but you need a LH shot out there besides Michalek.  Cowen and Wiercioch are going to be leaned on in a big way this coming season on the PP for sure... and Michalek needs to stay healthy other wise they are in trouble.  Gotta hope Conacher jumps into that role as well.

Agreed. You're probably moving a RHS out just to get him anyway. But yeah, my bigger point is that you can't have a team of only RHSs, front and back. If you do, then everyone knows the one timer is coming from the left side every time. That allows the defenders to cheat, and you lose the advantage you're supposed to gain on the PP.

Well everybody knows that's what coming in Tampa, and they can't stop it.

Point conceded: if we had one of the best three forwards in the league up front, handedness would be less of a concern. Given that we don't have the luxury, however, it remains a concern all the same.

100%

NEELY wrote:Not hitting the net, deflected passes, shooting wide are all examples of things that are caused by being predictable and the other team shutting down lanes or blocking shots.  Again, all RH shots, the other teams has an idea of where the puck is going and where the shot will be coming from.  Point men can't switch things up if they are both righties, down low you are working it to the same corner and same side of the ice... and the shooters are more easily covered because that's probably where the puck is going to go.

Here are our LHS forwards:

Michalek (already plays the 1st unit PP -- if that unit scores, you don't even see 2nd unit)
Greening (not a finesse player but can be the big body putting away the garbage)
Conacher (could easily be on the 2nd PP unit; 1st unit if Michalek just comes off a shift)
Regin (well, we all know he's gone; just putting him there for the sake of completeness)
Dizzy (won't see him on the PP unless we have a lot of injuries)
Kassian (another big body, had that nice deflection goal -- soft hands?)
Hoffman (everyone is so high on him; can he help out on the PP?)

Anyhow, looking at it that way, I don't think you can blame all our PP woes on not having a LHS in the lineup. #FireCameron.

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:Not hitting the net, deflected passes, shooting wide are all examples of things that are caused by being predictable and the other team shutting down lanes or blocking shots.  Again, all RH shots, the other teams has an idea of where the puck is going and where the shot will be coming from.  Point men can't switch things up if they are both righties, down low you are working it to the same corner and same side of the ice... and the shooters are more easily covered because that's probably where the puck is going to go.

Here are our LHS forwards:

Michalek (already plays the 1st unit PP -- if that unit scores, you don't even see 2nd unit)
Greening (not a finesse player but can be the big body putting away the garbage)
Conacher (could easily be on the 2nd PP unit; 1st unit if Michalek just comes off a shift)

Anyhow, looking at it that way, I don't think you can blame all our PP woes on not having a LHS in the lineup.  #FireCameron.

Deleted all the guys that are totally useless on the PP or haven't been part of it.

Michalek... always in front of the net.  Same as Greening.  Players you need out there no doubt but not player that can control the puck for any length of time.  Conacher, never got a shot but doesn't exactly have the skill or shot to be a key cog on the PP or control it.

They need a LH shot that can actually control the puck a little, make plays, and shot.  Ottawa has nothing like that.

Also, it's always a righty taking the draw so if he gets on his wrong side its easy enough to lose as well and there goes 20 seconds.

Conacher could conceivably do it, but it'll be interesting to see if he can curb his diving habit.

Tampa Bay is apparently shopping Ryan Malone. He's not the marquee player we're all hoping for, but he's a pain in the arse to play again and a huge body for in front of the net.

I'm hearing Yzerman is trying to trade Ryan Malone. Tampa Bay would prefer to avoid a buyout payout and the Lightning are offering a draft pick as an enticement. Malone has a no-move clause in his contract until July 1, which gives him some control of the situation. It is a limited no-trade after then. wrote:

per Friedman

Apparently Lightning fans think he's 100% done, so Diddle that.

Wouldn't touch Malone with the Leafs 20 foot pole.

NEELY wrote:Wouldn't touch Malone with the Leafs 20 foot pole.

Why?

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:Not hitting the net, deflected passes, shooting wide are all examples of things that are caused by being predictable and the other team shutting down lanes or blocking shots.  Again, all RH shots, the other teams has an idea of where the puck is going and where the shot will be coming from.  Point men can't switch things up if they are both righties, down low you are working it to the same corner and same side of the ice... and the shooters are more easily covered because that's probably where the puck is going to go.

Here are our LHS forwards:

Michalek (already plays the 1st unit PP -- if that unit scores, you don't even see 2nd unit)
Greening (not a finesse player but can be the big body putting away the garbage)
Conacher (could easily be on the 2nd PP unit; 1st unit if Michalek just comes off a shift)
Regin (well, we all know he's gone; just putting him there for the sake of completeness)
Dizzy (won't see him on the PP unless we have a lot of injuries)
Kassian (another big body, had that nice deflection goal -- soft hands?)
Hoffman (everyone is so high on him; can he help out on the PP?)

Anyhow, looking at it that way, I don't think you can blame all our PP woes on not having a LHS in the lineup.  #FireCameron.

You can't be serious in making that list. The bottom four guys don't play the PP (if Hoffman did, he did it for, what, 2 games), and Conacher was with the team for, what, 3 weeks during the regular season and he didn't seem to impress PMac all that much. Michalek is the only top 6 guy there who's lefthanded, and Greening is a tweener who only gets the opportunity when the people in front of him don't produce.

This is a really simple problem being presented as a chicken-and-egg problem. It's not like these other guys are getting regular PP time and just not getting it done -- they don't produce on the PP because they don't play on the PP. The issue is that we just don't have any top 6 forwards beyond Michalek who are LHS, and it's hurting us.

NEELY wrote:

wprager wrote:

NEELY wrote:Not hitting the net, deflected passes, shooting wide are all examples of things that are caused by being predictable and the other team shutting down lanes or blocking shots.  Again, all RH shots, the other teams has an idea of where the puck is going and where the shot will be coming from.  Point men can't switch things up if they are both righties, down low you are working it to the same corner and same side of the ice... and the shooters are more easily covered because that's probably where the puck is going to go.

Here are our LHS forwards:

Michalek (already plays the 1st unit PP -- if that unit scores, you don't even see 2nd unit)
Greening (not a finesse player but can be the big body putting away the garbage)
Conacher (could easily be on the 2nd PP unit; 1st unit if Michalek just comes off a shift)

Anyhow, looking at it that way, I don't think you can blame all our PP woes on not having a LHS in the lineup.  #FireCameron.

Deleted all the guys that are totally useless on the PP or haven't been part of it.

Michalek... always in front of the net.  Same as Greening.  Players you need out there no doubt but not player that can control the puck for any length of time.  Conacher, never got a shot but doesn't exactly have the skill or shot to be a key cog on the PP or control it.

They need a LH shot that can actually control the puck a little, make plays, and shot.  Ottawa has nothing like that.  

Also, it's always a righty taking the draw so if he gets on his wrong side its easy enough to lose as well and there goes 20 seconds.

Wish I had just read this first and replied, 'Yep, 100%.' LOL

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:Wouldn't touch Malone with the Leafs 20 foot pole.

Why?

He's absolutely awful.

NEELY wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

NEELY wrote:Wouldn't touch Malone with the Leafs 20 foot pole.

Why?

He's absolutely awful.

He used to be awesome, are you saying that because he's oft injured?

SpezDispenser wrote:

He used to be awesome, are you saying that because he's oft injured?

Kind of answered your own question.  He's not worth that anymore, we'd be doing TB a favor with nothing to gain.

Hoags wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

He used to be awesome, are you saying that because he's oft injured?

Kind of answered your own question.  He's not worth that anymore, we'd be doing TB a favor with nothing to gain.

The year before last he played only 68 games, but scored 20 and had 48 points. The year before that he played 54 games and still had 14 goals and 38 points. Where's the rub here? Again, if it's that he's oft injured, I can understand that and he'd have to pass a physical.