Geez, Dumba has been brutal. He might be the worst RHD to suit up next to Heiskanen so far. I've got a piece coming this week looking at how much balanced handedness matters for defensemen, and spoiler alert, I don't think it matters that much once everything else is accounted for.
The power play has actually been playing much better from a process standpoint the last couple of weeks, but the finishing is still lacking. I still wish they'd just top load one unit and play them 1:20-1:30 instead of trying to spread things out, but I suspect there's some ego management going on there with so many forwards who would normally get significant power play time.
Robertson's play is the only thing that's really concerning to me out of him, Hintz, and Johnston, but he did have the ankle surgery. I feel like he's not winning puck battles the way he used to when it seemed almost magical. I don't know if that's because he's just a step slower than he needs to be or what, but I don't think it's worth worrying too much about unless it drags on all season. I agree that it's not a coincidence that the Hintz-Robertson line's drop off coincided with Pavelski's. I still find it hard to believe though that no one on the team right now can adequately replace even last year's version of Pavelski though.
You posted on X yesterday about the Texas Stars that there was "another kurfuffel". That got me thinking about the big Stars issues. Is there a lack of intensity? Remember when the team was accused of accepting mediocrity? That was before Pavs. Now after Pavs.... has that crept back into the game. I see no forecheck intensity other than #11 and sometimes #22. Who else? You have to "earn" o-zone time with intensity on the forecheck and desire to keep possession, where is it? Separate point, I would NEVER question the statistics you post (LOL) but I'm shocked at the PP shot statistics. My eyes must be failing me on that because I see no good shots that the chart says are happening. I will definitely have to clean my glasses for the next game.
I think Hintz-Robertson need to be separated or shaken up a little bit. I actually think Bourque would look great centering them as the second line right now. He's got the vision and playmaking skills that can take advantage of Hintz's speed and Robo's ability to get lost in the shuffle to get open.
I think the 2023 playoffs broke Robo a little bit. He came under so much scrutiny and had such a hard time creating offense that he started looking to make extra space - an extra stickhandle, a stutterstep, a peel out to the boards on a rush, essentially looking for that second option to make a play. It's not a bad thing, but when you look at his 109 point regular season, you see a player who drives everything towards the net. Yes there are cool plays and stutter steps and stickhandles and passes, but they're all going north towards the goalie, not peeling off to try to make a tic-tac-toe opportunity. Trying for that space has really bled into his game every night now and you see him just taking that extra half second on every opportunity to look for another pass, and it usually results in a lane closing down. The Stars' offense is plagued by this at their worst - a lot of the Ls this year you can see the top 3 forward lines all trying to play the beautiful game rather than going to the net, and since they stopped doing that the Marchment-Duchene-Seguin line has been on fire. I think the coaches need to shake Robo and Hintz awake and yell at them to focus on getting scoring chances before pretty plays. The latter will come.
Winnipeg is for real David. They are they best team I have seen this year and as good as the Stars were last year. I still say Nil made a mistake signing 3 D men. If you are going to play Lundquist which it looks like they are then he should have signed a goal scoring forward. There were some out there because other teams were able to get scoring help. Dumba was a bad sign no two ways about it. Maybe we can get some help at the trading deadline IF we are still in competition for a playoff spot.
Time for a trade to get a new "Pavelski" in on the top line... May have to sacrifice Bourque or draft picks, but, ultimately gotta get Robertson and Hintz going, or hope for this team as a Cup contender is pretty much Nill (pun intended).
Klingberg anyone ?
Here is my intuition for what it’s worth.
. We look slow and we play slow. Too many cute plays that produce nothing.
. On our 7 D, 4 are 3rd pairing NHL defenseman. It’s Groundhog Day.
. Dadonov is a quality 4th liner and an accidental Top 9 forward at this point in his career.
. Bourque on the 1st line and on the second PP unit ASAP.
. Pipe dream, trade JR for Tkachuk as soon as he ask for a trade if the Sens implodes.
. Are we beginning to experienced the same slowdown of the teams coached by PDB after the first two years?
Geez, Dumba has been brutal. He might be the worst RHD to suit up next to Heiskanen so far. I've got a piece coming this week looking at how much balanced handedness matters for defensemen, and spoiler alert, I don't think it matters that much once everything else is accounted for.
The power play has actually been playing much better from a process standpoint the last couple of weeks, but the finishing is still lacking. I still wish they'd just top load one unit and play them 1:20-1:30 instead of trying to spread things out, but I suspect there's some ego management going on there with so many forwards who would normally get significant power play time.
Robertson's play is the only thing that's really concerning to me out of him, Hintz, and Johnston, but he did have the ankle surgery. I feel like he's not winning puck battles the way he used to when it seemed almost magical. I don't know if that's because he's just a step slower than he needs to be or what, but I don't think it's worth worrying too much about unless it drags on all season. I agree that it's not a coincidence that the Hintz-Robertson line's drop off coincided with Pavelski's. I still find it hard to believe though that no one on the team right now can adequately replace even last year's version of Pavelski though.
You posted on X yesterday about the Texas Stars that there was "another kurfuffel". That got me thinking about the big Stars issues. Is there a lack of intensity? Remember when the team was accused of accepting mediocrity? That was before Pavs. Now after Pavs.... has that crept back into the game. I see no forecheck intensity other than #11 and sometimes #22. Who else? You have to "earn" o-zone time with intensity on the forecheck and desire to keep possession, where is it? Separate point, I would NEVER question the statistics you post (LOL) but I'm shocked at the PP shot statistics. My eyes must be failing me on that because I see no good shots that the chart says are happening. I will definitely have to clean my glasses for the next game.
I think Hintz-Robertson need to be separated or shaken up a little bit. I actually think Bourque would look great centering them as the second line right now. He's got the vision and playmaking skills that can take advantage of Hintz's speed and Robo's ability to get lost in the shuffle to get open.
I think the 2023 playoffs broke Robo a little bit. He came under so much scrutiny and had such a hard time creating offense that he started looking to make extra space - an extra stickhandle, a stutterstep, a peel out to the boards on a rush, essentially looking for that second option to make a play. It's not a bad thing, but when you look at his 109 point regular season, you see a player who drives everything towards the net. Yes there are cool plays and stutter steps and stickhandles and passes, but they're all going north towards the goalie, not peeling off to try to make a tic-tac-toe opportunity. Trying for that space has really bled into his game every night now and you see him just taking that extra half second on every opportunity to look for another pass, and it usually results in a lane closing down. The Stars' offense is plagued by this at their worst - a lot of the Ls this year you can see the top 3 forward lines all trying to play the beautiful game rather than going to the net, and since they stopped doing that the Marchment-Duchene-Seguin line has been on fire. I think the coaches need to shake Robo and Hintz awake and yell at them to focus on getting scoring chances before pretty plays. The latter will come.
Winnipeg is for real David. They are they best team I have seen this year and as good as the Stars were last year. I still say Nil made a mistake signing 3 D men. If you are going to play Lundquist which it looks like they are then he should have signed a goal scoring forward. There were some out there because other teams were able to get scoring help. Dumba was a bad sign no two ways about it. Maybe we can get some help at the trading deadline IF we are still in competition for a playoff spot.
Time for a trade to get a new "Pavelski" in on the top line... May have to sacrifice Bourque or draft picks, but, ultimately gotta get Robertson and Hintz going, or hope for this team as a Cup contender is pretty much Nill (pun intended).