gdt: [RS] (#19) Rangers vs. Boston Bruins // Looks Like Bear's Back on the Menu

Is it honestly fair to expect a young team like ours to be consistent? Even with our relative youth nonwithstanding - we're missing three of our top six forwards, one of our top defenders, and Mika's colder than a witch's tit at Lake Vostok. That we're even treading water missing this many key players is borderline miraculous. What team survives losing half their top 6?

 

The saving grace here has been that our defenders have really stepped up. Nobody out there looks out of place. Miller looks like a grown ass man already. Fox and Lindgren look great. Dare I say it - Johnson and Smith look competent (and yes, Pete, when Johnson keeps this up, you may serve my crow). Hajek looks absolutely fine. Bitetto has been more than acceptable. We're not exactly struggling back there right now.

They looked like shit with their full top 6. That's the problem. Injuries aren't an excuse when nothing has changed.

Johnson and Smith look like ass. Hajek/Bitetto more acceptable, but not expecting it to last. None of these 4 are capable of carrying the puck on their stick at all, Bitetto's fluke Gretzky goal aside.

Keep in mind fellas, that we played the last 3 games missing Panarin....I'm not sure I saw anyone mentioned that. (Kakko too!)

Boston is a legit Stanley Cup contender this year, and a solid one at that. We played a super game Friday night, and a much more experienced Bruins team came out Sunday, made some adjustments, played a tougher game, and gave up the body, blocking about 20 shots. It's cool, that shit's gonna happen. That's why they're a Stanley Cup type team.

When I look at the talent level of the B's and then I see guys like DiGuissepe, Jonny Brodzinsky out there, I actually had to giggle a little bit...

This season, and the rest of it I think could be used for a multitude of good things for these kids' experience level. They're going to remember all these lessons they're learning, and in the years to come all this shit we're watching right now is going to come full circle...You'll see!

I'll bet my nut bag on it! ;)

I'm not sure when it became acceptable to use 6 games as a legitimate sample size to evaluate a player, especially after the numbers he put up last year. Not to mention, when he was booted off PP1 which was his bread and butter last season, though I'm not sure that would have mattered with how Zibanejad alone has dragged down the entire PP1 anyway. Perhaps DeAngelo would have eventually helped get him going there, who knows. We won't know now. You are usually reasonable when it comes to recognizing small sample size, so why are you jumping through hoops to make it work in this case?

I'll be the first to say that's a small sample size, but I'll also note that even for a small sample, those are some cataclysmically bad numbers. The worst regular players in the NHL are quite literally multiples better than that.

I'll also be quick to say that based on what we've seen of ADA versus what we've seen of Fox, it wasn't a question of if he'd be booted off PP1. It was a question of when. Fox is undeniably the better PPQB.

So, if you're sitting on a defender who you're not able to give PP1 time, and you're not able to trust him to defend, when he pushes play he falls so out of position that it costs you, he's not converting chances, and he's a headache off the ice on top of it? If I have the option to put a defender on the ice who will give up one goal every four shots against and contribute one every twelve shots for, or give up one goal every 20 shots against, and contribute one every 10 shots for, I know which one gets the ice time. The first is ADA. The second is Libor Hajek.

Contrast that with Johnson or Smith or Hajek or Bitetto, who can each at least do some of those things.

I'm not sure when it became acceptable to use 6 games as a legitimate sample size to evaluate a player, especially after the numbers he put up last year. Not to mention, when he was booted off PP1 after less than a game which was his bread and butter last season, though I'm not sure that would have mattered with how Zibanejad alone has dragged down the entire PP1 anyway. Perhaps DeAngelo would have eventually helped get him going there, who knows. We won't know now. You are usually reasonable when it comes to recognizing small sample size, so why are you jumping through hoops to make it work in this case?

You're the one trying to prove a negative, and I'm the one jumping through hoops to make something work? If six games isn't a legitimate sample size when it works against your argument, then its not OK to include it as somehow indicative of the team desperately missing said player, either. To me, it sure feels like we're doing anything we can to relitigate DeAngelo and absolve him of the actual reasons he's no longer on the team by retroactively wedging in unsupported, unfalsifiable arguments about his abilities that, statistically, don't actually hold water.

The team's inability to close out more games than are closed out against them, and the slip in offense is overwhelmingly on the shoulders of Mika Zibanejad's falling flat on his face this season. He's lost, literally, an entire point per game (0.32) off his pace last season (1.32). That is why the team is where they are. Not DeAngelo and his lack of impact at any strength outside of increasing their goals against when he's in the lineup, small sample size notwithstanding.

 

The team's inability to close out more games than are closed out against them, and the slip in offense is overwhelmingly on the shoulders of Mika Zibanejad's falling flat on his face this season. He's lost, literally, an entire point per game (0.32) off his pace last season (1.32). That is why the team is where they are. Not DeAngelo and his lack of impact at any strength outside of increasing their goals against when he's in the lineup, small sample size notwithstanding.

So they don’t also miss ADAs 7th best point per game in the entire league at .779 from the back end? They just solely miss Zibys production? I know Fox is good but his point per game is down from last year from .60 to .526

A lot of that is on Mika but to literally make it sound like this team doesn’t miss a beat offensively without ADAs offense just seems a bit strange. Ultimately it’s ADAs fault, but this team sure could use more offense, let alone another option on D.

God damn this is getting annoying. ADA is gone. Move on with your lives. Jesus.

Usually I just skip the posts I find annoying, a waste of time, or just something I don’t feel like discussing. You?

Usually I just skip the posts I find annoying, a waste of time, or just something I don’t feel like discussing. You?

Yeah except it's in every god damn thread now. I can't skip the posts.

I missed the two games over the weekend. "Wonder what the board thought about them?" Oh they're still bickering over ADA instead of talking about the game. Nice.

Yeah except it's in every god damn thread now. I can't skip the posts.

 

I missed the two games over the weekend. "Wonder what the board thought about them?" Oh they're still bickering over ADA instead of talking about the game. Nice.

They could have used DeAngelo's offense and spunk this game. It's relatable ;)

So they don’t also miss ADAs 7th best point per game in the entire league at .779 from the back end? They just solely miss Zibys production? I know Fox is good but his point per game is down from last year from .60 to .526

 

A lot of that is on Mika but to literally make it sound like this team doesn’t miss a beat offensively without ADAs offense just seems a bit strange. Ultimately it’s ADAs fault, but this team sure could use more offense, let alone another option on D.

The problem is that this isn't borne out as an apples-to-apples thing. Yes, he'd help our offense, but he'd also hurt our defense.

If putting ADA in improves our offense over Hajek by even half a goal a game, he's giving more than that back because having him out there seems like it means almost exactly that in goals against too. I don't care to lose 5-4 versus losing 4-3. It's just stat-padding at that point.

The problem is that this isn't borne out as an apples-to-apples thing. Yes, he'd help our offense, but he'd also hurt our defense.

 

If putting ADA in improves our offense over Hajek by even half a goal a game, he's giving more than that back because having him out there seems like it means almost exactly that in goals against too. I don't care to lose 5-4 versus losing 4-3. It's just stat-padding at that point.

I understand that and I do agree defensively, Ada was just shit, even moreso this year in his small sample size. He wasn’t very good last year but this year he took a real bad turn. I guess we will never know if that was a funk or the newer lowest denomination. He wasn’t that bad last year. Staal helped but with all the 3rd pairing rotations, you wonder if one guy might have stuck with ADA and made for a decent pair.

I understand that and I do agree defensively, Ada was just shit, even moreso this year in his small sample size. He wasn’t very good last year but this year he took a real bad turn. I guess we will never know if that was a funk or the newer lowest denomination. He wasn’t that bad last year. Staal helped but with all the 3rd pairing rotations, you wonder if one guy might have stuck with ADA and made for a decent pair.

Last year, ADA was a slightly below average defender - and it's plausible that losing Staal as a partner caused him to fall off a cliff defensively. I just don't see the Staal replacement among the bottom pair carousel we've had.

I'm sure we'll find out either way. A team will roll the dice on him and hopefully it works out for them.

Last year, ADA was a slightly below average defender - and it's plausible that losing Staal as a partner caused him to fall off a cliff defensively. I just don't see the Staal replacement among the bottom pair carousel we've had.

 

I'm sure we'll find out either way. A team will roll the dice on him and hopefully it works out for them.

Screw that, I hope it works for us more but that's wishful thinking st this point lol

Screw that, I hope it works for us more but that's wishful thinking st this point lol

The overwhelming likelihood is that it will work out for us. It absolutely could have worked out better if we could have traded him prior to his self-immolation, but it's much more likely that he either heads to KHL or gets another chance and Jimmy Vesey's this thing.

So they don’t also miss ADAs 7th best point per game in the entire league at .779 from the back end? They just solely miss Zibys production? I know Fox is good but his point per game is down from last year from .60 to .526

 

A lot of that is on Mika but to literally make it sound like this team doesn’t miss a beat offensively without ADAs offense just seems a bit strange. Ultimately it’s ADAs fault, but this team sure could use more offense, let alone another option on D.

Sure do. But ADAs 0.78 fell to 0.17 and he became a monumental defensive liability giving up a goal against for every four shots. But none of that is why he's not here anymore. It's why he fell in the lineup, and was scratched, and lost his PP1 spot, etc.

The overwhelming likelihood is that it will work out for us. It absolutely could have worked out better if we could have traded him prior to his self-immolation, but it's much more likely that he either heads to KHL or gets another chance and Jimmy Vesey's this thing.

Guess this all depends on how hard Staal pines for him to Yzerman.

Guess this all depends on how hard Staal pines for him to Yzerman.

Meanwhile Stevie is saying “Marc with all due respect, you might not be here by years end...”

Meanwhile Stevie is saying “Marc with all due respect, you might not be here by years end...”

Chicago gave them an ass thumpin' last night!! Kane got #400 on a wicked wrister, and yeah, Staal was his usual self, and got out skated by a turtle! :rofl:

Lol yeah. I think Detroit would be a fit but Staal would have to be seriously lobbying for him line Larry alluded to. I had said Detroit a while ago and everyone here shot me down understandably since Yz knows him very well.

He totally fits Boston. Pesky mid sized douche bags with offensive talent. Totally landing in Boston on the cheap after a buy out.

He totally fits Boston. Pesky mid sized douche bags with offensive talent. Totally landing in Boston on the cheap after a buy out.

I could see that, or Philly. Probably would be a fan favorite too.

I could see that, or Philly. Probably would be a fan favorite too.

Maybe Florida too.

DeAngelo is an RD who needs PP time to fully capitalize on his talents.

Boston: McAvoy (PP1), Carlo, Miller

Philly: Gostisbehere (PP2), Braun, Myers

Florida: Ekblad (PP1), Yandle (PP1), Gudas, Stralman, Juulsen

Of these teams, the only one who makes a lick of sense is Philly.

DeAngelo is an RD who needs PP time to fully capitalize on his talents.

 

Boston: McAvoy (PP1), Carlo, Miller

Philly: Gostisbehere (PP2), Braun, Myers

Florida: Ekblad (PP1), Yandle (PP1), Gudas, Stralman, Juulsen

 

Of these teams, the only one who makes a lick of sense is Philly.

And even with Philly, doesn't that push either Provorov, Farabee, or Giroux to PP2/out of the QB spot?