dudacek

He played on PP1 for the first six weeks or so and was removed for lack of production. They tried a few different guys in his spot before settling on Risto. He was on PP2 for most part for the rest of the year, not that it meant much given the lack of time that unit got. It will be interesting to see whether PP2 gets more this year; doesn't look bad if Tage can deliver on his promise.

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler watched the game with a handful of hockey development coaches, including two guys who work with Jack Quinn. This is an interesting snippit in relation to what we saw: Wheeler: Intermission Q for Pat and Josh: Been in touch with Quinn? Definitely one of those guys who’s had to take on a bit of a different role here. Also his first Hockey Canada experience. Must be a lot. Malloy: Just a little to say good luck, have fun with it all, stay in the moment and enjoy the ride. Wrobel: Talked after last game about how his mindset has changed to embrace the role. Example: Coming through the neutral and getting it deep and forechecking as opposed to his role in Ottawa, where he would be looking to make a play, as we’ve seen him go 1-on-2 or 1-on-3 sometimes and take it to the net.

I am not expecting Cozens to make an impact, nor am I expecting him to be over his head. His game is not advanced enough to fully take advantage of his his physical gifts at the next level. But he is fast enough and strong enough (and, from what I've seen, mature enough) to not be overwhelmed. Nobody knows if he is ready for the NHL, but they do know he's ready for a bigger challenge than the WHL.

To be fair, Rieder was not the first choice for that slot, and Cozens and Thompson might mean he’s not the 2nd either. But Adams and Krueger seem to think he and Eakin are more the 35-point players they were two or three years ago than the 15 point players they were last year. At the very least they specifically targeted them to fill gaps that Ralph felt existed in last year’s roster.

I think the first bold is the goal. In theory: Jack's line is a mismatch against 95 per cent of the lines in the league. Staal's line is a mismatch against 75 per cent of the lines in the league Eakin's line can win against half the lines in the league and hang on against a number of top six units The 4th line is a rotating cast of players picked to best exploit the opponent What, for example, is a good three-line team like the Bruins gonna do? If they put Bergeron's line against Jack's line, Eakin's can handle Krecji's or Coyle's, and Staal's can beat either. If they try to give Bergeron's line a win over Eakin or Staal, they are are also giving Jack's line a win. I don't think the 2nd bold is true. I think they want three lines they can trust in all three zones; they don't have to hide anyone. Their main thrust is to usually give Jack, not Eakin, the toughest opponent, and they will be comfortable giving their 2nd line tough minutes now too, instead of trying to hide it. I think that their problem with Larsson was that the best he could ever give them was a draw because he couldn't score enough to win, even against bottom six lines. They think Eakin/Girgensons/Okposo can survive tough matchups and win the easy ones. I'm not saying they're right — they are putting a lot of faith in Eakin — but I think that's the plan.

Eakin is capable of 30-40 points. Larsson has never scored 20. Maybe the reason Larsson got such defensive deployment is because he could not create offence, and they have no intention of using Eakin in exactly the same way. Occam’s razor?

Ralph said he was starting camp with lines “that would have some logic to them” that the camp was not about experimenting, it was about getting ready for the season. Eakin/Okposo/Girgensons played together every second until Z got hurt. Larsson and his brother said the Sabres didn’t show interest and the brother said Johan was interested in returning. Ralph said the Sabres “kept everyone they wanted to keep” more than once. *** I know you can’t trust everything that comes out of the coach’s mouth, but when actions match words... Ralph and Adams have talked consistently about matchups. I think their intent was/is to run 3 lines that they are generally comfortable putting out there against most any line in most any situation. They think Eakin Okposo Girgensons fit that profile, and that Eakin is an upgrade to Larsson, presumably because they don’t want to use that line the same way. They think he can push the pace while playing both ways, in a way Larsson cannot.

I haven’t seen Adams or Krueger say anything like this. They said the wanted to add more scoring, but that’s not the same thing.

Lines never stay the same, and Ralph dos t number them, so....? I’m just going from these Tweets from today: Paul Hamilton @pham1717 Krueger said Rieder will get the first shot to take 28's place on the line ance Lysowski @LLysowski Ralph Krueger said Tobias Rieder will be asked to fill Girgensons’ spot at 5 on 5. Wants to see Rieder and Okposo develop “synergy” in the coming practices

Initially Rieder and Okposo

Ralph says it will be Rieder, which I don't find at all surprising.

Hall's agent Darren Ferris to Pierre Lebrun in today's Athletic “Well, if it’s any indication from the search for a team when we first went into free agency, even with the pandemic involved, and the tightening that happened, there were still teams motivated and trying to do something in order to sign him on a longer-term deal,’’ Hall’s agent Darren Ferris. “So I’m quite confident that that will return. I know he’s excited, I think the rest has been an advantage for players like Taylor to heal and to get back on track. And he’s got an elite centre to play with. It’s going to an interesting year. And I know he’s not ruling out staying in Buffalo. He’s mentioned that to me on numerous occasions. That’s a very real likelihood.’’

I'll take that a step further. Rank these players in the order you would pick them today: Jack Hughes Kappo Kakko Kirby Dach Bowen Byram Alex Turcotte Moritz Seider Dylan Cozens Philip Broberg Trevor Zegras Vasily Pokolzin Real tight top 10 there IMO. I'm betting personal lists will be all over the map.

Probably guarantees Sheahan a contract. Sucks for Zemgus. I want him around when we make the playoffs. He's paid his dues.

Does flipping Thompson and Rieder make much of a difference? it seems to for me, which isn't really logical considering their respective track records, which show Toby as a logical replacement for Z. I have this weird feeling that I'm going to love Rieder as 4th-line PK specialist and hate him anywhere else.

It would be entirely wrong to decide Cozens readiness based on one game (one where he was merely OK after six stellar outings) His play over the past year seems to indicate he is ready to take the next step. His play over the next month will show whether or not he is.

OK, so y'all ready for this opening night? Skinner Staal Reinhart Hall Ruotsalainen Rieder Cozens Eakin Okposo Lazar Sheahan MItts McCabe Risto Dahlin Borgen Jones Miller Hutton JJ JFC 🤢 Thank god

Quebecois culture has diverged significantly from European French over the past 500 years, so definite difference there. If you're talking genetics, French Canadian would have a similar profile as, say, Irish American.

Brackets are based on the finish the previous year 1,4,5,8,9 and 2,3,6,7,10

US earned that. Defence corps kept Canada to the outside, which I didn’t think they could do.

You have a pesto imagination. 😜

Seattle is immediately in the top third of NHL cities. It will be higher if it embraces the Kraken like I think it will.

I had not heard that about Jack. I had heard that he had not been around.

You are defaulting to comparing Botterill to Murray again. It’s like arguing who’s better, Meszaros or Benoit?

Why hasn’t Jack been around the arena for off-ice stuff? What are Ullmark’s quarantine/immigration issues? These guys have travelled in from around the world. Don’t you think exposures were likely?