Quote:
Originally Posted by AcGold
How many teams are in our situation or have ever been in our situation?
Best player is targeted with intent to injure 20 times in a game, a major violation of the rules, with zero repercussion. I can't think of this ever happening where there are so many violations it puts our best player at risk of playing less than half the season.
I completely agree Kanzig and Smith aren't ready to be effective pros capable of contributing to the game on a nightly basis, but they are capable of annihilating a few players with huge hits.
So you put Kanzig out and he smashes Staal into the corner. We get scored on in the PK but Johnny doesn't get slashed anymore that game, Kanzig sits for the rest of the game and Johnnys line pots 2 goals because one of the top 5 talents in the league gets to play. A net gain. Kanzig, Engelland and Smith are the only ones that can get into the scrums and create fear.
Until we have that element Johnny will continually get injured. We have to take the approach as there is no other way, Smith stands up a few players in the neutral zone with bone rattling hits (even if they are a little late) and nobody wants anything to do with Johnny or Smith.
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What was the Flames' game plan the first game of the season? Hit McDiver as often as possible. Finish every check on him. Get in his face. They got Lucic just for that effect, and did that deter the Flames at all? Lucic did nothing except allow Engelland to make him a bit uglier.
The team has to respond. The response is not by forcing a goon onto the team.
To put your logic to the test, who is probably the toughest guy in the NHL right now? Engelland. Is he not capable of annihilating Suter or Staal? Of course he is. The team is more concerned with being disciplined. You don't NEED to bring up Kanzig and Smith. You have loads of guys that can answer the bell and stick up for Gaudreau right now, and the entire team needs to do it. Getting a 'goon' onto the team would just naturally cause the other team to do it more often, as they know whomever the goon is on the team will just try to take retribution, and the refs will DEFINITELY know why the goon is being sent out onto the ice. The second he even tries something, the refs are all over it.
For it to work, you would essentially need the goon to 'jump' a player so the refs wouldn't be able to stop him. Sure, you get your slice of retribution, but the goon not only gets tossed from that game (allowing for the other team to come back with even harder slashes), but the goon will be gone for probably 20 games or more. The NHL does not put up with that. Reputation counts. It isn't a good enough short term strategy, and it is a horrible long-term strategy.
The refs need to start calling it.
The team needs to fix their PK and PP and use it to HELP create a deterrent.
The entire team needs to response when the above doesn't work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JiriHrdina
Kanzig has to be able to catch Staal to smash him.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
Was gonna say this. How many shifts does Kanzig get against one of their better players in the hopes he can catch Staal for a hit?
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Anyone can catch someone, even if just along the boards. Regehr wasn't known for his blazing speed, but he routinely caught guys like Hemsky and even St. Louis along those boards. Also, Kanzig is huge, but he can actually skate. He can really move when he needs to. Surprisingly so. He is no Griffin Reinhart. His mobility is so underrated. Definitely needs to improve his agility, but that kid has some speed.
(not that I support using him as a goon, at all).