I've given up caring about playoffs. Hoping for a fun game. Until we have a real 1a goalie and defense that could stop a midget team we're hopeless, this incarnation will never go anywhere.
A team that must be perfect and has no room for error obviously needs improvement.
With Smid/Engelland getting limited PP/PK time, there minutes ought to be the lowest regardless of deployment 5v5. If the game is tight in the 3rd, Hartley tends to shorten his bench, so just go back to deploying:
Giordano - Brodie
Russell - Hamilton
With Engelland/Smid subbing in on pairings as needed.
Between 2012 and 2014 Smid-Petry was IIRC the Oilers' top pair and they were a +3 over that span. I think Smid can handle #4 minutes with a guy as solid as Hamilton as his partner. I don't think Smid can carry a pair though.
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Johnny's gone 1-3 over his whole short career many times, in good situations and bad. His bad passes were just that - bad passes. He had other choices he could have made.
Was Monahan great last night? Nope. But saying that's why Gaudreau was bad is just deflection of criticism from the favorite.
Johnny was one of the worst players in the game last game, if not the worst. He is absolved of nothing. My only point is that I don't see a whole lot of 5-man trust in that line right now.
Would really like to watch more meaningful hockey this year. I hope the hockey gods are with us on this one. At the very least, let's see an effort like the last time we played there.
Smid has been one of the most consistent defenseman this year, its a shame hes not getting regular minutes because he is one guy I see actually take the body and remove guys from the puck physically. Makes the smart/simple play, uses the glass when hes hemmed in, avoids high risk outlets, ect.
Hamilton has become more comfortable in finishing his checks but Smid punishes guys whenever he has an opportunity.
Defensively I've been most impressed by him. I would definitely like to see him paired with Hamilton to give them a solid look, the veteran presence wouldn't hurt either.
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Would really like to watch more meaningful hockey this year. I hope the hockey gods are with us on this one. At the very least, let's see an effort like the last time we played there.
The last few losses are all back beakers. They're 1 game below 0.500 and have shown no consistency to think that they should be higher.
If you look at the current standings and see that they need to be around 10-12 games above 0.500 at the end to make the playoffs, they need to go 11-13 games above 0.500 the rest of the way to sneak in.
What this season makes a 23-13-0 record look likely from here on out?
Would really like to watch more meaningful hockey this year. I hope the hockey gods are with us on this one. At the very least, let's see an effort like the last time we played there.
I like your optimism but this team has reverted right back to the crappy play they had during October and November which appears to be the real playing level of this team.
Smid has been one of the most consistent defenseman this year, its a shame hes not getting regular minutes because he is one guy I see actually take the body and remove guys from the puck physically. Makes the smart/simple play, uses the glass when hes hemmed in, avoids high risk outlets, ect.
Hamilton has become more comfortable in finishing his checks but Smid punishes guys whenever he has an opportunity.
Defensively I've been most impressed by him. I would definitely like to see him paired with Hamilton to give them a solid look, the veteran presence wouldn't hurt either.
This is truth. Couldn't have explained it better myself. Smid actually physically takes guys off pucks. The rest of our D just lay the odd check but otherwise shove at players numbers and try to poke the puck away which doesn't work on >6' forwards that can protect it. Smid actually has the stay at home defensive game down, was our best D yesterday start to finish and Bob is pulling him out.... the coach is defining insanity right now.
Smid is definitely capable of playing on the second pairing. While he won't provide offense, at least he can be relied on to do the job in his own end. Too bad it won't happen.
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The last few losses are all back beakers. They're 1 game below 0.500 and have shown no consistency to think that they should be higher.
If you look at the current standings and see that they need to be around 10-12 games above 0.500 at the end to make the playoffs, they need to go 11-13 games above 0.500 the rest of the way to sneak in.
What this season makes a 23-13-0 record look likely from here on out?
The back breakers were a few weeks ago
SJ, Van, Ari and Ana aren't going to be world beaters from here on out, either. There will be stretches where they each fall back. So long as the pacific is the pacific, it's not impossible. But we need to pull ahead of .500 like..yesterday. So I'd say if these last two before the break aren't taken, that might be the real back breaker.
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This is truth. Couldn't have explained it better myself. Smid actually physically takes guys off pucks. The rest of our D just lay the odd check but otherwise shove at players numbers and try to poke the puck away which doesn't work on >6' forwards that can protect it. Smid actually has the stay at home defensive game down, was our best D yesterday start to finish and Bob is pulling him out.... the coach is defining insanity right now.
Smid is definitely capable of playing on the second pairing. While he won't provide offense, at least he can be relied on to do the job in his own end. Too bad it won't happen.
The defensive presence alone is a good enough reason to at least try him with Hamilton. I don't see why at this point trying some new combinations on the bottom 4 is a bad idea. If Smid does really well he could be trade bait for a contender. It couldn't hurt.
Bennett also needs to see more ice time up the middle, if hes going to develop into a 1A-1B guy on this team he needs to bulk up a bit and really get to the grind at the dot. That makes moving someone like Backlund out a move we can afford to make.
That would also allow the Flames to shuffle Bennett and Monahan with Johnny. That is a nice luxury to have.
Yeah I'd like to see a stay at home type guy in Smid with Hamilton because then it lets Dougie jump up.
As well if you have Russell with Engelland, Russell has more of a green light as well.
But I don't think its in our best interest to start sitting Wideman regularly because ideally he starts playing better and we somehow move him (probably having to take a bad contract at forward in return).
Smid has been one of the most consistent defenseman this year, its a shame hes not getting regular minutes because he is one guy I see actually take the body and remove guys from the puck physically. Makes the smart/simple play, uses the glass when hes hemmed in, avoids high risk outlets, ect.
Hamilton has become more comfortable in finishing his checks but Smid punishes guys whenever he has an opportunity.
Defensively I've been most impressed by him. I would definitely like to see him paired with Hamilton to give them a solid look, the veteran presence wouldn't hurt either.
Smid has better zone exits than Engelland and Russell (who are the worst at it) and probably Wideman too. And he's better defensively than all three (Engelland is more physical but gets caught out of position more). Aside from blocking, I'm not impressed by Russell, and Wideman is not good either.
I think Smid would complement Hamilton, more than Russell. I think the real danger is pairing Russell and Engelland. Or Russell and Wideman (notwithstanding last years' success).
Second game of a back to back against a Dallas team looking to find it's groove again. They shut down Benn and Seguin last time they met. Hoping they can do so again but that game yesterday was really concerning.
Gaudreau looked really bad. Monahan is hit or miss for the most part. The only two things rolling right now for the Flames are Bennett and Brodie and they can only do so much.
Hoping for a W but calling it 4-1 Dallas.
Also not liking the way Ramo looked yesterday either. Or Hiller for that matter.
__________________ "Everybody's so desperate to look smart that nobody is having fun anymore" -Jackie Redmond