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Bo Horvat on the 2nd line power-play


The_Cros

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In the next couple years, I'd like to see him dabble in a bit of everything. He'll obviously play in the bottom 6, but when things aren't going so well, give him a chance with more skilled guys. Put him with Vey, Kass, Matthias, Higgins. Give him a bit more time on the pk, and reward him with minutes on the pp once in a while. As he gets more comfortable against a greater quality of competition, he'll get his chances offensively. Everything will come gradually

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I recall from Horvat's 2012-2013 season he had 16 PP goals while being a net front presence

Looks like he was a constant presence at the front of the net and had good IQ where to be, when to pressure, when to slip away.

I think he would be a viable option for that 2nd unit.

2:42 - my correction he had 17 PP goals in the regular season in his draft year. Considered a PP specialist on top of everything else he was scouted to be

Look at how bad the defending is in front of the net in junior though.. Bo will never have that much time and space in the NHL, and the goaltenders are much better at this level too.

I like that he goes to the dirty areas to score, and he does continue to go to the net relentlessly even in the NHL. We see him get chances all the time in that area - not clean shots because NHL has better defending - but chances because he goes there. I think he'll start to figure his way around the front of the net in the NHL through experience - once he starts putting some of those garbage goals in on the chances that he gets on the 4th line, then I think we can try him on the PP because we would know he can finish them. At this point, with only 1 goal, hard to justify trying him in that spot over a veteran.

I really like the way he is developing though. He'll get some PP time eventually.

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No I don't think so. As much as I hate the glut of third line type players we have they deserve the chance more than Bo, who hasn't shown great offence. Although perhaps a short stint of a game to see if he can add anything there might be worth a shot. If anything I think he should start getting more PK minutes first.

I agree. His specialty is defensive play, not offensive. The points and goals will come, he's got the tools, but I personally would rather exploit his strengths, not his weaknesses at this point in his career.

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Sorry but he is not our best faceoff man.. If he was he would take a lot more faceoffs than 9.7 draws per game, which is the least out of any of our centers. That being said, I think he's better than Bonino, who does take the draws on the 2nd unit.

Hard to take a lot of faceoffs when you're playing less than most forwards....

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Hard to take a lot of faceoffs when you're playing less than most forwards....

Manny Malhotra has the 2nd most faceoffs taken for Montreal while playing 4th line minutes.. Not hard to take a lot of faceoffs when you are actually the best faceoff man on your team because the team uses you in key faceoff situations.

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Look at how bad the defending is in front of the net in junior though.. Bo will never have that much time and space in the NHL, and the goaltenders are much better at this level too.

I like that he goes to the dirty areas to score, and he does continue to go to the net relentlessly even in the NHL. We see him get chances all the time in that area - not clean shots because NHL has better defending - but chances because he goes there. I think he'll start to figure his way around the front of the net in the NHL through experience - once he starts putting some of those garbage goals in on the chances that he gets on the 4th line, then I think we can try him on the PP because we would know he can finish them. At this point, with only 1 goal, hard to justify trying him in that spot over a veteran.

I really like the way he is developing though. He'll get some PP time eventually.

Up until last night he had as many goals as the 2nd pp unit.. I don't see what they have to lose trying him on the pp.

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Up until last night he had as many goals as the 2nd pp unit.. I don't see what they have to lose trying him on the pp.

Well, seeing as they only have two goals all season, I agree with you in that I don't think they have much to lose, but I also don't see what there is to gain by trying Bo there when literally every forward has more goals than he does (except Tom Sestito).

But then again, didn't WD try Dorsett on the 2nd unit though? So maybe Bo is next.

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Well, seeing as they only have two goals all season, I agree with you in that I don't think they have much to lose, but I also don't see what there is to gain by trying Bo there when literally every forward has more goals than he does (except Tom Sestito).

But then again, didn't WD try Dorsett on the 2nd unit though? So maybe Bo is next.

Bo's board work down low could be worth it alone. The 2nd units zone time is terrible. IF Bonino had someone to actually fetch the puck and give him some room he can make some sick passes.

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Bo's board work down low could be worth it alone. The 2nd units zone time is terrible. IF Bonino had someone to actually fetch the puck and give him some room he can make some sick passes.

Higgins is the best along the boards on this team IMO.

I think Bo is behind Matthias and Hansen even after Higgins along the boards.

2nd unit ice time is terrible.. so that effects zone time somewhat since they're usually rushed.

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Bonino is the guy who should remain at the center of the 2nd unit. This isn't so much about Horvat as it is about already having appropriate personnel. The 2nd unit hasn't produced much, but at the same time, the top unit, despite slowed production, still absolutely dominate puck possession on the pp and tend to eat up 1:20 or 1:30 of the powerplay time.

Ironically, Bonino was incorrectly pegged by some as a guy whose production was misleading and allegedly padded by top pp unit points in Anaheim.

Well, Bonino has 20 even strength points already this season - despite being a bit cool lately, that is actually outstanding. So 96.6% of his production thus far has been 5 on 5 and almost all of his 2.25pp60. Those are numbers that mirror Burrows' in his prime of production.

He's also under 50% offfensive zone starts, is facing the third strongest quality of competition on the team (after Hamhuis and Kassian) and his underlying numbers are simply excellent.

On top of that he is also +10 in takeaways (turnover differential) and his defensive play has been a surprise - not only is he far better defensively than most people thought, but he's also third amongst Canuck forwards in penalty killing minutes.

There's nothing wrong with Nick Bonino. He'll get his pp points eventually.

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not sure wats happened in last 4 yrs weve had a awful pp through av torts and willie for one we need a ppqb with a good point shot and possibly we need to try youngsters on second unit (kassian, bo, anyone ). hansen bonino and burrows havent done squat on it all yr time to change it up. There seems to be no original thoughts on changing our anemic pp for example couldnt sestito or kassian park their large asses in front of net and get some dirty garbage goals just like leclaire did with big e just a suggestion

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Absolutely. I've been wanting/thinking this for a while now myself. Also when Kassian gets back he should get a shot on the PP too. Kass could be a good net presence, and Horvat can win the faceoff and at least show what he can do offensively.

Horvat hasn't/doesn't get a chance to on the 4th line and I know he has been predicted to be a defensive type player but I'm pretty sure Burrows at one point was considered career 3rd liner/bottom 6 guy. Maybe Horvat can surprise people too!

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Higgins Bonino Vey as the fwds

Weber and Bieksa as the D men

Weber with the RH hand shot can sneak down like Vrbata. Him and Higgins are the shooters.

I think Vey having spent time with the Sedins on the 1st unit knows where to put the puck quickly. He pulled off a number of beauty passes against ARZ. Let him and Bonino work the 2nd unit PP.

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Absolutely. I've been wanting/thinking this for a while now myself. Also when Kassian gets back he should get a shot on the PP too. Kass could be a good net presence, and Horvat can win the faceoff and at least show what he can do offensively.

Horvat hasn't/doesn't get a chance to on the 4th line and I know he has been predicted to be a defensive type player but I'm pretty sure Burrows at one point was considered career 3rd liner/bottom 6 guy. Maybe Horvat can surprise people too!

I suppose so but Burrows has never once been a dominant PP scorer or anything close. Someone pointed this out the other day so I went and looked it up and was absolutely shocked to see he's only scored 14 of his career 165 NHL goals on the powerplay. Even in his 3 most dominant years (28,35,26) he had 5 PP goals combined.

In any case, mixing it up for the sake of mixing it up doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Kassians' skill set at this time I think should get the PP2 minutes over Horvat.

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I suppose so but Burrows has never once been a dominant PP scorer or anything close. Someone pointed this out the other day so I went and looked it up and was absolutely shocked to see he's only scored 14 of his career 165 NHL goals on the powerplay. Even in his 3 most dominant years (28,35,26) he had 5 PP goals combined.

In any case, mixing it up for the sake of mixing it up doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Kassians' skill set at this time I think should get the PP2 minutes over Horvat.

That's because..dun dun dun dun....Burrows was never really used for the PP in those years, or even subsequent years really. The PP was always Sedins + Kes + 2 dmen (Ehrhoff, Salo, Edler, Bieksa, Garrison). This is the first time in awhile we've consistently done 4 fwds and 1 D for the PP. Imagine what his numbers would be like in his best years if he actually did get PP time, possibly 35, 40-45, 35, goals would've been possible for him.

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That's because..dun dun dun dun....Burrows was never really used for the PP in those years, or even subsequent years really. The PP was always Sedins + Kes + 2 dmen (Ehrhoff, Salo, Edler, Bieksa, Garrison). This is the first time in awhile we've consistently done 4 fwds and 1 D for the PP. Imagine what his numbers would be like in his best years if he actually did get PP time, possibly 35, 40-45, 35, goals would've been possible for him.

I remember him getting pp time here and there and him not producing. It's not like he hasn't been given a chance, he just didn't produce.

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