bustaheims
Active member
I love that Polak basically doesn't even quite rank as a bottom pairing defenceman on the right half of the chart.
Leafs @ Flyers - Jan. 26th, 7:00pm - SNO, Fan 590
- Thread starter CarltonTheBear
- Start date
I missed the Calgary and Detroit games for the most part so I was surprised to see that Gardiner's minutes went back to his pre-Reilly injury times lately. He averaged 26 minutes in the first 3 games Rielly missed but only 20 minutes in the next 3. Last nights game saw Zaitsev play 4 more minute than Jake.
Bullfrog
Active member
I only got to see the third period, which was bad. Worse is the commentary I heard when after turning to the game:
Millen (I think it was Millen): "Kadri's been very good this year, but what will really make him a great checking centre is if he can be better on faceoffs. He's only 30% on draws tonight. If he's not going to win them, he should at least try to tie them."
??? <awkward silence>
Romanuk: "Point well-taken and well-made."
Millen (I think it was Millen): "Kadri's been very good this year, but what will really make him a great checking centre is if he can be better on faceoffs. He's only 30% on draws tonight. If he's not going to win them, he should at least try to tie them."
??? <awkward silence>
Romanuk: "Point well-taken and well-made."
Zee
Active member
L K said:
The funny thing is, Babcock probably knows this, and trots them out with Matthews line more often than not. I guess he figures Matthews will pump them up since he drives offense, but man, those two guys sure don't help Auston out when generating any sort of scoring chances. They need to be jettisoned off to Robidas Island.
herman
Well-known member
Y'all know where I stand on Hunlak.
However, I'm more okay now with keeping them here until the deadline (Hunlak package deal!). A lot of that has to do with something Jack Han said on the PPP Podcast earlier this week. When you make a tea, you drop in the tea bag or leaves, let it steep, and then throw out the tea bag/leaves. It's sort of the same thing with setting up a long-term hockey program. Hunwick and Polak provide something beyond their occasional/regular ineptitude on the ice that cannot be measured (and therefore cannot be evaluated from afar).
Rielly/Zaitsev have been getting the 'tough' match up minutes, but Hunlak eat up the rest of the garbage minutes to let Carrick grow. Hunlak are stapled to Matthews' line because he can handle it (it's like weight training, dragging those two around). They play an inherently simple game, and for all Matthews does with the puck that drops our jaws, he actually plays a very simple macro-game too. All he needs from the backend are pinball bumpers and space makers. And Matthews' line already bust their humps to backcheck anyway, so the damage is usually mitigated.
When the talent below develops and bubbles up through the lineup, it'll get way more fun. Right now, it's still building up the basics. I wish Corrado and Marincin were the bottom pairing, but I can see what Babcock is trying to do here.
However, I'm more okay now with keeping them here until the deadline (Hunlak package deal!). A lot of that has to do with something Jack Han said on the PPP Podcast earlier this week. When you make a tea, you drop in the tea bag or leaves, let it steep, and then throw out the tea bag/leaves. It's sort of the same thing with setting up a long-term hockey program. Hunwick and Polak provide something beyond their occasional/regular ineptitude on the ice that cannot be measured (and therefore cannot be evaluated from afar).
Rielly/Zaitsev have been getting the 'tough' match up minutes, but Hunlak eat up the rest of the garbage minutes to let Carrick grow. Hunlak are stapled to Matthews' line because he can handle it (it's like weight training, dragging those two around). They play an inherently simple game, and for all Matthews does with the puck that drops our jaws, he actually plays a very simple macro-game too. All he needs from the backend are pinball bumpers and space makers. And Matthews' line already bust their humps to backcheck anyway, so the damage is usually mitigated.
When the talent below develops and bubbles up through the lineup, it'll get way more fun. Right now, it's still building up the basics. I wish Corrado and Marincin were the bottom pairing, but I can see what Babcock is trying to do here.