If i were Anders another thing i would do as coach is figure out what flex shaft Bedard needs for a one timer because right now he's having a lot of trouble connecting on them, or even just having a shorter stick on the power play, have him line up on the left wall and keep feeding him passes for one timers, not just anyone but either Vlasic, Martinez, Jones whoever is running point in the PP
- BetweenTheDots

Let Bedard decide what stick to use. He's scored his entire life using a more flexible stick. Give them a few games to get acclimated to the new system, and I'm sure Bedard will get his points. There will now be more outlets to not only open up lanes for him or at least give him more passing options.

Let Bedard decide what stick to use. He's scored his entire life using a more flexible stick. Give them a few games to get acclimated to the new system, and I'm sure Bedard will get his points. There will now be more outlets to not only open up lanes for him or at least give him more passing options.
- Chunk

Well from what i see he misses his one timers, actually making solid contact, a lot. Like the passing issue this is an issue for Bedard the goalies know he's going either top right or left on his wrist shot, even in 5 on 5 he could use this stick which would actually affect the elevations on his wrist shot which wouldn't be a bad thing.

Well from what i see he misses his one timers, actually making solid contact, a lot. Like the passing issue this is an issue for Bedard the goalies know he's going either top right or left on his wrist shot, even in 5 on 5 he could use this stick which would actually affect the elevations on his wrist shot which wouldn't be a bad thing.
- BetweenTheDots

Almost his entire game is off right now. Should he change his skates too? So, it wasn't a problem for him last year, but it is this year? let him get back to playing the way he can and then if he thinks he needs to change sticks, he can look at that then.

That's just not true. Unless Bedard was on pace to score 40, if everyone hit a little higher than their career average they would have finished with like 220 goals (other people have done the math) which would still be 5th worst in the league.

TT is on pace for 19ish so not abnormally far from his career average esp when you take into account he's not playing with Aho or Svechnekov.

Bertuzzi is on pace for 19ish. Again not abnormally low for a low event team since his average is not much over 20 as well.

Foligno on pace for 21 which would be his most in 8 years.

Richardinson on pace for 15 which would be second most in his career by a decent amount.

Craig Smith on pace for like 18 which is his most in 5 years.

Bedard on pace for 15 which is bad but Donato on pace for 30 kind of makes up for it. Obviously one of those is kinda icky and the other one is mind blowing but like other guys have proved the last 3 years "some random is gonna put up points".

Kurashev sucks and no one should have expected him to replicate last year.

Reichel on pace for 9. I didn't expect a lot from him but maybe someone thought he'd score 20. Oops.

The defenders are on pace for 21 goals as a unit. I don't think thats too bad considering.

The rest of the roster isn't very relevant to this discussion.

So, because most of the guys with history are slightly under or slightly above their career numbers I would argue that they are scoring about how much they should be scoring relative to their talent.

There's room for not really impactful improvement if Bedard goes on a heater. Otherwise they do in fact have a major talent problem and that is why they can't score and what prompted Mciver to say "where the goals gonna come from?".
- fattybeef

Nah man, most of those few older guys that scored are just a small blip. A bit of puck luck and increased ice time/opportunity. Guys like TT, Bertuzzi seeing increased PP time this season and still on pace to score less, not a huge drop, but a drop still.

Bedard is on pace for 15. Hall is on pace for 10. Mikheyev is on pace for 6. Kurashev on pace for 9. Reichel on pace for 10. The team is scoring below their ability and it is not just personnel. Especially when you consider the fact we actually have a decent PP% for once.

If you want to argue that playing the trap and defensive hockey under LR was optimal for scoring, you can but I will still say that's BS. I think they have been leaving offense on the table because they spend too much time trying to hold onto leads and icing the puck.

Nice to see a W with Soda/Korch/Allan/Kaiser all playing.

1 SOG for Bedard,still bad

Not sure who his linemates were and if there was any line juggling?

Korch seems to have played well, Sorensen even gave him some praise in a quote that I saw, he'll stay up for the Islanders game later this week.

Reichel only 10min of ice time? Did he play that bad?
- captainserious

Yeah but that shot was teed up perfectly for him.

Spellacy might be the Hocks version of Wilson
- captainserious

Or Brandon Bollig.

Yeah, I was leaning on Dach until I looked at what else was there with Boqvist. Dach is so underwater right now. Not sure what his issue is outside of the fact that he can't/won't/doesn't use his size to any advantage.
- Chunk

Mental. He was just never a dominating player. Not even in junior. He put up some points and played decent positionally but never really used his size to clown people.

Thats what made Cayden Lidstrom so interesting. Not only was he big, not only could he skate but he also abused players that were smaller than him. Bummer about his back, but they are expecting a full recovery.

I’m pretty sure Vlasic isn’t going anywhere.
- HawkintheD

Vlasic and Bedard for McDavid. Who hangs up first assuming Ek made the call?

Amen Chunk. Please get him off Bedard's line!!!
- Popsghostly

The announcer said Kurashev is very talented.

Almost his entire game is off right now. Should he change his skates too? So, it wasn't a problem for him last year, but it is this year? let him get back to playing the way he can and then if he thinks he needs to change sticks, he can look at that then.
- Chunk

His game really isn't off the goalies have a body of work on him now. His one timer wasn't very good last year either. The skates comment is ridiculous.

His game really isn't off the goalies have a body of work on him now. His one timer wasn't very good last year either. The skates comment is ridiculous.
- BetweenTheDots

The point is that he's the one who should take the initiative to change sticks if he feels like it would help him, not his coach. His shot is the single most impressive thing about him. I'm sure he has worked countless hours with different sticks to determine what he thinks is best for him. How many one-timers does he take per game vs how many wristers? So as a coach, you are going to tell your player that he should change sticks (and possibly screw up other aspects of his game like his passing and stickhandling) so he can MAYBE get better at one-timers when it hasn't even been established that that is what ails him currently?

The point is that he's the one who should take the initiative to change sticks if he feels like it would help him, not his coach. His shot is the single most impressive thing about him. I'm sure he has worked countless hours with different sticks to determine what he thinks is best for him. How many one-timers does he take per game vs how many wristers? So as a coach, you are going to tell your player that he should change sticks (and possibly screw up other aspects of his game like his passing and stickhandling) so he can MAYBE get better at one-timers when it hasn't even been established that that is what ails him currently?
- Chunk

Like golfers not having golf coaches? Next time watch his one timer in slow motion, there is so much flex in his stick he never hits the puck cleanly.

Like golfers not having golf coaches? Next time watch his one timer in slow motion, there is so much flex in his stick he never hits the puck cleanly.
- BetweenTheDots

Who cares. How many videos are out there of him working on his one-timer (among several other shots)? How will the new stick affect the rest of his game as opposed to a shot he attempts maybe once or twice per game?

I don't really care about his one-timer right now. Him getting more/better opportunities overall, and getting more shots (of any kind) on net is what I think he needs to be able to do.

Who cares. How many videos are out there of him working on his one-timer (among several other shots)? How will the new stick affect the rest of his game as opposed to a shot he attempts maybe once or twice per game?

I don't really care about his one-timer right now. Him getting more/better opportunities overall, and getting more shots (of any kind) on net is what I think he needs to be able to do.
- Chunk

Or release sooner vs the toe drag that everyone know's is coming.

Be it a one timer or catch and shoot I think the same concept is faster shots rather than playing with it.

Like golfers not having golf coaches? Next time watch his one timer in slow motion, there is so much flex in his stick he never hits the puck cleanly.
- BetweenTheDots

The internet says the flexy stick could have negative implications with face-offs too.

I also got to say remember how we were cash strapped by the time we got 2008, luckily got to bury Huet. That Campbell contract was something else. The only contract we have to manage is Jones for now then Bedard.
- BetweenTheDots

At least as long as they are healthy they can both play in the same game together. At the time, having $11M tied up in two goalies was kinda dumb.

I'd still take Brodie over Megna, Tinordi, etc..
- breadbag

Both were dumpster dive waiver claims although then Kyle extended Tinordi another year for even more money lol! Brodie was signed as a UFA for 2 years at 3.75 per after being benched and laughed out of the piss poor Leafs defense. Note to Kyle: no more dumpster diving!

If they ever get the opportunity to move Jones in the next year or two, and I know I’m in the minority here, but Murphy as a RD would be just fine on the third pair skating ~ 16 minutes a night. I would be okay with Kaiser/Allan-Murphy as 5/6 on the depth chart, that leaves Arty/Rinzel/KK/Vlasic and whomever else comes along for the top four. Now go develop some forwards KD!
- Angotti

Can't remember which writer pointed this out but it was along the lines of the Hawks moving Jones the way the Rangers moved out Trouba. Apparently NYR told Trouba to waive his NTC or get put on waivers. Maybe not now, bt something to keep in mind for future reference.

I can't tell you how many goals have gone off of Murphy this year lol. that said, I'm fine with him on the 3rd pairing too. Murphy is the reason we didn't need Trouba (at this stage in his career), solid, cheaper defense-first D-Man with the occasional big hit.

With the amount of young, good/possibly good D-Men- Vlasic, Kaiser, KK, Allan, Leyshunov, EDM, Rinzel, I'm curious to see what KD will do. At some point someone will be moved for talent up front. At what point though, I'm not sure. Obviously with his skill and size, Vlasic is a keeper. I'd personally hold on to Kaiser too.
- Popsghostly

Vlasic is basically a real good #2 or great #3.
I guess the hope is that Levshunov turns into a #1.
And then Korch and Rinzel round out your top 4?
I could even see Kaiser being a good top 4 d man. And the odds that all 3 become top 4 pairing d men, minimal?

Allan, not so sure. Solid 3rd pairing d man?

Hocks drafting Schafer would really be interesting,because that means someone is definitely getting traded,possibly even Vlasic.

Can't remember which writer pointed this out but it was along the lines of the Hawks moving Jones the way the Rangers moved out Trouba. Apparently NYR told Trouba to waive his NTC or get put on waivers. Maybe not now, bt something to keep in mind for future reference.
- Assman22

Jones has a full NTC so you can't waive him.

Can't remember which writer pointed this out but it was along the lines of the Hawks moving Jones the way the Rangers moved out Trouba. Apparently NYR told Trouba to waive his NTC or get put on waivers. Maybe not now, bt something to keep in mind for future reference.
- Assman22

Jones has more value to this team than being traded as a cap dump.
His salary is what it is,but if next year or the year after the Team improves and the young d men start to show they can play,you might be able to move him and get something in return,even if it might just be draft picks or some 2nd/3rd round prospect

Jones has more value to this team than being traded as a cap dump.
His salary is what it is,but if next year or the year after the Team improves and the young d men start to show they can play,you might be able to move him and get something in return,even if it might just be draft picks or some 2nd/3rd round prospect
- captainserious

Regardless of his flaws, a 35-45 pt RD who can skate and eat a ton of minutes would not be a cap dump. There aren't many of them out there. You may not be getting phenomenal value in return, but you would certainly get some decent pieces (even better if KD retains a mil or two).

Jones has more value to this team than being traded as a cap dump.
His salary is what it is,but if next year or the year after the Team improves and the young d men start to show they can play,you might be able to move him and get something in return,even if it might just be draft picks or some 2nd/3rd round prospect
- captainserious

What value does Jones have. The blue line looks phenomenal without him and the way they are pressuring and holding the blue line doesn't really work with his lack of side to side mobility

Certainly not.

I wouldn't call Troy Brouwer, Ben Eager, Cam Barker, Brian Bickell, Evan Brophey, Hammer, Dave Bolland or Kyle Beach fast...

Jack Skille was the only "fast" guy they drafted before they started winning again. And if you look at the years around the cup - there's not ultra athletic best skaters in their class getting drafted there either.

https://www.hockeydb.com/...aft/teams/dr00005218.html
- fattybeef

You don't have to be fast to play fast. Hawks played fast. .... The LA cup teams were not athletic but played fast. The top 4 SJ teams were not athletic but played fast. Watched shaking my head marveling at the structure of those teams that allowed them to play fast from the 1st row of the 300 level for 13 yrs.

Just simply being in your spots and 3 passes the puck moved 160 feet. The puck moves 10 times faster than a man.

It kind of comes back to that "getting Bedard the puck in motion" the coach mentioned. Guys like KK help with that because of this passing skill.
- breadbag

The one thing LR said I won't forget about Bedard, and that was 1 week ago, was you can't get 1 goal and give up 2! Hard to argue with that reasoning.

Guess I'm not as over the moon over many seem to be about KK last night. Media and posters both. He showed poise at RKF this yr, which is why you LEAVE him alone, and carried that into last night. make no mistake, RKF has been good for KK. ..... Take note KK led the team in Ozone starts at 74% last night, as he should be.

The kid is not physically ready for the NHL but if you must play him in the Bigs shelter the kid. And have Bedard and KK on the ice together in 2024 at your own peril.