Fireside Chat - The Jacob Trouba Edition

[Valriera]

I don’t take much stock to it. I already know we have a stacked lineup and part of that is being able to account for key injuries, like Trouba’s. 
 

We are winning because the team is playing well and our goalie is back to all world form. It’s has nothing to do with Trouba being out. Igor sucked most of the year, and his play is the biggest difference. 
 

But sure, we can tweak the pairings a bit. I personally don’t think we need to be sheltering minutes from anyone when Trouba gets back, so just play him with Gus and roll all three all game, with fix double dipping in the pp. it’s a great problem to have especially in the playoffs.

 

Trouba takes a lot of shit because he makes 8m. I get it. You add up all the guy does it’s a 6m player. I’m not complaining and in no rush to move on from the guy. 

[Pete]

8 hours ago, BrooksBurner said:

 

I think I'm going to credit this win streak w/o Trouba to our top pair playing out of their mind, the Zibanejad line playing like a 1st line in addition to the Panarin line playing like a 1st line, and of course Igor Shesterkin. And Rempe's impact. My goodness Rempe's impact. What a mon-star.

 

Basically, the team's best players have been their best players.

The question is one level up, though. Yes, all of that is happening, but the question is why and if/how it relates to Trouba. 

 

I'm not going to pay $120 bucks for allthreezones.com data, so I don't know where else we can find zone exit and zone entry data, but if that data (and data like it) suggests that Trouba is pretty poor on those areas, that affects the offense and the defense. 

 

The other compounding issue is that more than one variable changed. He came out at the deadline, so right now we can't say how much impact the new players have versus who's missing.

 

The only real way to know is when he comes back, if he's put back in the same role, does the team still look this way?

 

That being said, we have a small sample size of two games where he was suspended where the team did very well.

 

I understand about his intangibles, and I understand why you need guys like him on the team. But I also understand that this is a team that's built to win, and if winning means that he takes a smaller role because his locker room positives are outsized versus his on ice positives, then so be it. 

[Slobberknocker]

Obviously you have to like what you are seeing since Trouba went down.  Schneider has been very noticeable out there as has K'andres game as well.  Coincidence?  Maybe, maybe not.  Miller has been on record saying his game has not been where he's wanted it to be.

 

Schneider's game has definitely taken a more physical edge of late.  Is it a Remke effect at work or that he feel's the need to kick it up a notch with the Cap down.  most likely its a combination of the two.

 

No matter where he plays upon his return, we need the Captain for a deep run, despite where he plays in the lineup.  This time off could be just the ticket as we will have him back fresh in the next weeks.  Reminds me of the old Islanders dynasty where Potvin or some other top guy would get an undisclosed injury a few weeks before the playoffs started.

 

 As to Schneider I will always remember JD's intensity in the war room on draft day when we moved up to take him.  It was so cool they caught that on camera.