ilduce39

I’d be a lot more worried if I haven’t seen that exact game a dozen times over the past two seasons. Sometimes it just feels like we wouldn’t score if we played until morning... then we come out and put up 5. Hopefully that’s how this goes.

For sure. I think he could be better, absolutely, it’s just a random guy to take a stab at when your big guns are silent.

We aren’t down because Roussel isn’t living up to his deployment. We’re losing because our top guys are stinking up the PP and not scoring. Bringing up the salary of a guy getting deployed as a 4th liner mid-season is a pointless, easy, unproductive jab that panders to the usual griping penny pinchers. We all know who needs to be better for this team to be successful - it ain’t Roussel who isn’t even getting much of an opportunity to do anything.

Our media are so chicken to call out Petey or Bo or Brock who have been lacklustre this game. Pick on the low minute man.

He’s had a nice start to the year... on the whole the D haven’t been bad it’s just been mainly our special teams.

Sometimes Cassie pipes up and her voice / tone is a way I think it’s my wife nagging me to do a chore or something. It’s not her fault at all but it just hits that nerve. Maybe I’m also going half deaf.

Been a painful game and 2/3 but this group can flip it around pretty quick when they want to. Still worth tuning in or the 3rd. Been impressed with Holtby so far, too.

Knew we’d miss Miller but not this much. Brock and Petey or Bo need to put the team on their back and make something happen.

Whipping boys Sutter and Beagle having themselves a game.

I missed most of the first... was chicken pot pie cheech’s first food mention of the season?

Nice job Myers and Motte

Haha yup and I’d feel a lot safer if Brock and Petey could add an insurance goal or three.

Props to the coaches for sure... Olli also has a cool as a cucumber reputation.

PK has been huge tonight. Healthy Sutter and Beagle sure change the complexion of this team.

Sometimes when we play the Oilers I’m not overly impressed with “best player in the world” McDavid. Tonight is not one of those nights.

Just one game but with the extra skill on that line maybe he gets a little boost as well.

Olli up to the task against a charging Draisaitl might be the best moment of the period.

Bo!!!! Pearson is one of the more underrated guys for sure.

Nice. What a deal. On one hand and Luongo recapture aside, this management is responsible for (most) of the cap situation they find themselves in this offseason. That’s fair. We’ll need to restructure the bottom 6 in particular as Petey and Hughes get new deals. On the other, it’s been a pretty amazing two year run for JB capped off by about as well played offseason as we could have hoped for, at least on paper so far. Between signings, trades and rookies graduating into spots he’s completely rebuilt the top 6 and D in 2 years adding: Pettersson, Miller, Pearson, Hughes, Myers, Schmidt and Hamonic. With Juolevi and Hoglander too. Thats a pretty solid mix of trades, draft picks and UFA Myers and Hamonic in there.

Keeping Schmidt (along with Hughes) off the PK and rested up to keep the pressure on is huge. Another bonus of Hamonic, Calgary’s top PK guy, signing.

For sure. Jake getting bumped from the top 6 is your prototypical “good problem” to have!

Looks like Hoglander at least starts with the team. Been turning heads in camp. Im high on Jake too but maybe a part of this is fit. Bo already brings the speed rush / power forward element to his line so Jake is a bit redundant. He also draws a lot of hard matchups so while I don’t think Hoglander is known as a defensive stalwart yet, neither is Jake from what I can gather. Meanwhile, Jake and Gaudette can add another like with some offensive pop. For top 6 chances I actually saw it more likely that Jake move up with Petey like we saw a few times last hear with Brock dropping to the 2nd line... we could still see that but can’t blame Green for rolling out the Lotto line to start the year though. We know it works.

No, and I don’t feel like looking. I know there are some very productive / study 3Cs out there that can put up around 45-50 and play good two way hockey I don’t think there are 15 of them though. That said, I’ve actually made the argument in the past that people vastly overrate what other teams get points wise from their bottom 6’s. I think Gaudette puts up good points for a 3C but needed to be sheltered to the point where he was benched last playoffs. I’m high on the kid and think he takes another big step this year but I can see why people aren’t ready to write in “Stud 3C” in ink. Sutter is Sutter. If we get playoff Sutter or healthy 2016-2018 Sutter he’s a nice 3C. Responsible, good on face offs and PK, chip in with some timely goals. But if we get nagging groin injury Sutter of the past 2 regular seasons then not so much. I can see the half full and half empty between those two. It also really depends on who they play with - I think Roussel and Virtanen are two guys (again with some luck) I think can form a very good 3rd line especially if Hoglander sticks. I’m not as sold on Motte and MacEwen (or whoever else down the lineup) as 3rd line guys.. but I love em as energy guys.

...I guess if you want a cold splash of pessimism some could call realism, our bottom 2 lines could be seen as two 4th lines. I could see that POV since neither Sutter nor Gaudette are ideal 3C’s... not enough points or that elite shutdown acumen. I think a healthy Rooster and focused Jake are 3rd line wingers... and I love the energy Motte and Macewen bring. Still excited.