grantsales
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I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not over-valuing him and I am glad he's getting NHL time, I just believe that the return wasn't in line.
I'm not impressed.
I think that getting a 50th+ pick next year isn't Bishop's value. I agree that Bishop was a UFA at the end of the season, but it was still low.
IF Army is looking to ship this pick in trades, fine, but I doubt it will happen any time soon. I would have liked a depth forward, or packaged with a pick for someone like Zibinejad.
My other thought is that are the Sens looking towards the new CBA? Dump Anderson's contract and play on through Bishop.
Pretty much what the previous poster said. I genuinely feel that to flip Bish for someone isn't enough. We won't get enough quality to break up the side IMO
I liked Reaves' moves in the Montreal game. The biggest thing will be, will Hitch continue to let him play like that? And does he have the nous to continue to make those kinds of breakthroughs when/if the opposition is wise to him. I think Reaves could be an excellent Backes/Stewart Lite on the 3rd line in the future, AS LONG AS HE'S GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.
I think it's just belief. Hitch has come in and said "Do it" and the guys have responded. It's far easier to come from behind when confidence is high, than otherwise.
We're still in January, so any prediction from me is useless, but we're playing better than last Jan and if we can get over the Wild/Preds hump, we'll be well on our way.
The top 4 in our division are in the top 10 of the NHL. So to be in that top 4, hell, to be joint-TOP of that top 4 is extremely gratfiying.
I fully agree on the mental side. However, I also believe that Halak was signed on the strength of his performances of the Eastern Conference teams. Also, look at the Canadiens team he came from. Big shot-blocking team, which he could get behind.
Halak, for me, is a good goalie. But he's only on the level of say, Niemi or Lehtonen. A perfectly satisfactory keeper that will give up some games and win one or two. We all got swept up in the fact he had the Caps and Pens in his pocket in the playoffs, but it was a hot-streak.
I was very impressed by Hitch's candor and at Army's statement that "Payne had to take the bullet for a lot our people's mistakes, including mine"
If we'd have had the just-post-Columbus Hitchcock, I would have been clawing at my own face, but this break seems to have done him and his time watching other coaches can only help. Most telling of all was his comment that "The older I've got, the more I know that the game changes", which bodes well.
His desire for accountabilty and responsibilty is extremely welcome however, why in God's name didn't Army dump the rest of the coaches? Mellanby aside, I haven't seen a spark from any of them (especially Hirsch) and I think a total clean broom would have been the way forward.
But overall, yeah, I'm happy. We'll see in January though [/mantra]
AlainPosteur I also think that during the playoffs, Halak didn't have time to overthink or lose concentration. Halak is at his best when shots are constantly flying.
It is just Halak's issues that are the problem. Elliott is solid, if unspectacular (and is prone to hesitancy). But I can't help thinking that after watching the first goal that they gave up to Philly, I wonder if the 'being deep in net' thing is a Hirsch trait? We all know Halak stays back, but it seemed to be that when Elliott played on the crease, he looked unbeatable. When he shrank, he looked vunerable.
For Halak, he just needs to work on his concentration and rebound control as this is what has let him down recently, and in fact, since last season.
I have:
James Neal LW
Jay Pandolfo LW
Phil Kessel RW
Matt Read RW
Anze Kopitar C
John Tavares C
Hal Gill D
M-A Bergeron D
FLEX Ryan Wilson D
Ryan Miller G
Right.
1.) The goaltending. Halak was too far back in this net again. I think Panger mentioned in the last game, Grant Fuhr (one of my heroes) told him "If you look down and see blue, you're drowning" and I think that rings true. He didn't have much of a chance for the first three, but I do wonder if Halak's hand-eye co-ordination needs working on? The rebound control has been off, but his miss in the first period from Kopitar's shot that rang off the post and the fourth makes me wonder if he can match his glove to the shot.
Elliott looked solid in net when he came in, but I was disgusted with the fifth. His movement across was sound, but he hesitated badly on the move, allowing Gagne to finish. Having watched other keepers in this stretch, a lot of them seem to be four-to-the floor in their saves, throwing themselves across goal to stop stuff, Quick's pad stop on JL15 being a classic example, yet Elliott's hesitation was symptomatic of the malaise in goal and the coaching.
2.) A perfomance that was phoned in. Yes, we missed Carlo, A-Mac, Beej and DP57, but that's NO excuse. The veteran presence has been a bit of a non-entity atm. Arnott and JL15 have faded, whilst Scott Nichol hasn't have the effect I hoped for. Nikitin has dropped badly, through naiveity more than anything.
3.) Dump and chase: This is something I've been bitching about for a long while. As a team, we are not suited to the D'n'C. LA's play was really good tonight as they went forward, then pulled the puck back and waited for the rush. This is what we should be doing as we have the talent, however, we're just playing at the level of a bottom 5 team. I know it was a long road trip to Cali, but they need some spark, some pushing.
4.) Coaching: Is Payne limited? Possibly. Our PK and PP teams are woeful. The clearing of the puck from the zone has been our biggest problem, along with stupid pens (Petro's call that led to the 5-on-3, CGDS's cheap shot on Brown). On the PP, we're cycling the puck badly. 3 shots on 3 PP's is beyond, beyond, beyond shocking. Pucks on net win prizes. Even low percentage shots more of a chance than nothing.
I took the night off work to watch the game and here are my thoughts:
1) Loved the high-profile additions to the roster. JL15 was hustling all night, playing a role and really endearing himself. Arnott looked sharp too. His goal was deserved, even if he wasn't as visible as JL15. Scott Nicol was a little un-noticed, apart from the chirping with the Preds early on.
2) The speed! Andy Mac looked like he was going to take off everytime! There were some excellent moves by the Blues at speed, especially behind the net and along the boards.
3) Halak. Well. He was horrific. He looked like he was fighting himself and the puck all night. I booed at home when Hirsch was introduced and I seriously believe Halak should have been brought back a hell of a lot earlier, to work with the D and in transition.
4) The other thing that concerned me was the repetition and bad shot decisions. When Bergs rifled the early goal, they then tried that a number of other times when it was plainly obvious that Nashville had adapted their plan so as to stop that. The other part of that was our plan seemed to be skate down the left and shoot from the point. Bad, bad, bad. We gave Rinne so much to his glove it was unreal. Not saying that Rinne wasn't outstanding, but the low percentage shots really padded his stats.
Onwards and upwards though, I guess. (Great NATR ref too! Love that film). Oh, and to 'Montreal', is the sky still falling where you are?
Well, I fall directly into the third catagory and stayed well out of the fourth, making sure I drafted well in the goalie position first off. You can't win a league with just goalies, but you certainly can lose it!
I agree that if you're playing a serious league, then ALL bias should be put aside, but as you say, it's fun, friendly league so why not employ bias ;)
If it was a straight cash offer, then I think that Checketts has been at the water again. We may be projected to be a near $200m organisation, but to be honest, with our recent track record, who would pay for that?
If this $167m cash offer was legit, Checketts should snap their arm off and then negotiate a bonus payment when the team is making money.
Can't see CitiCorp being happy that they 'turned down' a viable bid..
Holy shitcakes. It burns, master, it burns!! That is just...wow.... Did I miss a meeting and we're back in the 80's? That's the ad equivalent of those insane pics stupid couples put up on Facebook.
Right, a bit more rational now. For a start, that damn song ISN'T inspiring at all. It was so overplayed because of the Glee resurrection that people got sick of it.
Then, carrying on, Bergs looks embarassed to be there to be honest. DId the guy who went "You know what's popular? That Glee programme! My daughter watches it and it must be great! We'll use that song for our promo campaign this season" take control of this?
The Backes/Bergs/Petro/CGDS montage was just dated and over it all, that damn song. It's just one of the worst ad campaigns for a brand ever, as bad as the 'You're Never Alone With A Strand' one in the UK.
The high-ups need to hear the boos at the home opener for this song when it get played. Perhaps it'll change their minds.
Quick 30 second way to fix it: Play Rammstein's 'Feuer Frei' after every Blues goal. You'll get the whole arena screaming along with it then!
Wow. A great first post, and I look forward to more on the subject.
I'd add Evander Kane to that list. He's due a breakout and will get you a lot of PIMs
I'd add Cheechoo to that list. A total free pass for him and us this season, no pressure.
I just don't understand how ONE person didn't look at the lyrics and go..."Hang on, they mention Detroit in this....I don't think we want to know this"
It's one of the worst own-goals I've seen from this organisation for a long while.
Backes without a shadow of a doubt. With Steen, Petro and CGDS as the A
I think really I have to go back to my mantra, we'll see in Jan. He's had the free pass for last season and, to be honest, I'm willing to back him all the way, no matter what til Jan. After that? He needs to be producing the goods. Not standing on his head every night, but solid like Vokoun and Bryz were.
As for Hirsch, well we know my thoughts on him but again: new season, new chance. I just hope his output is better than last season's.