Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson

[darksabre]

 

Funny you should say this because

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/03/06/cody-hodgson-scores-insane-goal-ruins-wednesday-for-all-canucks-fans/

 

To make today a little less dreary after that loss I will pull 2 quotes from this:

"- I then realize that Cody beat all five guys on the ice, plus the goalie. I then stare out my window, reflecting on life.

- Just when I think I’ve recovered I notice Ehrhoff hugging Cody. I then look at the Canucks powerplay this year. I then begin to sigh deeply."

Some blogger in Vancouver thinks we have a good PP... bahahahahaha. I will say we have a good penalty kill though and CoHo's goal was a thing of beauty.

 

We could have a good power play if Kevyn Adams wasn't coaching it.

[LGR4GM]

We could have a good power play if Kevyn Adams wasn't coaching it.

agreed X (insert imaginary number that is ginormous)

 

Fun Cody Facts:

Is 2nd on the Sabres in Goals 10, and pts 21.

Is tied for 17th in Goals and is tied for 24th in pts in the entire NHL

 

If this trend continues I do believe we may have a #1 center amongst us. Of course he still has a lot to prove and a long way to go but there is hope as we reach the halfway mark of a crappy season.

[Derrico]

agreed X (insert imaginary number that is ginormous)

 

Fun Cody Facts:

Is 2nd on the Sabres in Goals 10, and pts 21.

Is tied for 17th in Goals and is tied for 24th in pts in the entire NHL

 

If this trend continues I do believe we may have a #1 center amongst us. Of course he still has a lot to prove and a long way to go but there is hope as we reach the halfway mark of a crappy season.

 

Give it three years and we may have a nice strength down the middle in Hodgson, Ennis, Grigs and Gergs. I'm dreaming here but add a McKinnon and we'll be laughing!

[TrueBlueGED]

We could have a good power play if Kevyn Adams wasn't coaching it.

 

I just completely disagree with that. Aside from getting the right people on the ice (see: I don't care of Ehrhoff had a couple bad games at the point, if you're trying to score PP goals in the NHL it is certifiably insane to have Brennan out there with the first unit instead of Ehrhoff--and no, I don't care that Brennan scored last night....and not having Hodgson on the first unit is also a joke IMO). But other than that, players have to read and react out there and make things happen with a combination of skill and creativity. How many times do we have guys open for 1-timers but the pass is in the skates, or the guy fans on it? That's not coaching, that's players.

Edited March 6, 2013 by TrueBluePhD

[LGR4GM]

I just completely disagree with that. Aside from getting the right people on the ice (see: I don't care of Ehrhoff had a couple bad games at the point, if you're trying to score PP goals in the NHL it is certifiably insane to have Brennan out there with the first unit instead of Ehrhoff--and no, I don't care that Brennan scored last night....and not having Hodgson on the first unit is also a joke IMO). But other than that, players have to read and react out there and make things happen with a combination of skill and creativity. How many times do we have guys open for 1-timers but the pass is in the skates, or the guy fans on it? That's not coaching, that's players.

pretty much all of this. passing on 1 timers is something I believe you could coach into guys

[darksabre]

 

 

I just completely disagree with that. Aside from getting the right people on the ice (see: I don't care of Ehrhoff had a couple bad games at the point, if you're trying to score PP goals in the NHL it is certifiably insane to have Brennan out there with the first unit instead of Ehrhoff--and no, I don't care that Brennan scored last night....and not having Hodgson on the first unit is also a joke IMO). But other than that, players have to read and react out there and make things happen with a combination of skill and creativity. How many times do we have guys open for 1-timers but the pass is in the skates, or the guy fans on it? That's not coaching, that's players.

 

That still falls into the coaching realm though. The fact that these guys consistently don't move around enough and make bad passes is because there is no coordination in their strategy. No one has a plan. And if there is a plan, no one is executing. But as far as I can tell, the plan is cycle the puck to the point if you can get zone possession. That's it. That's the only semblance of a strategy I can see.

[Doohicksie]

How many times do we have guys open for 1-timers but the pass is in the skates, or the guy fans on it? That's not coaching, that's players.

 

Could be the system. Watch a good power play and you see players in constant motion, but the players know where to expect their teammates to be. When that happens, passes go to zones with players moving toward the puck, often with defenders in tow. The result is that, having some speed, it's easier to adjust to the bad pass by changing path or speed, plus having a little more time to do so since the defender isn't already there.

 

The Sabres set up in static formations. This allows the defenders to block shooting and passing lanes, meaning passers are forced to pass around them, resulting in off-target passing. Since the power play unit is flat-footed, it's harder for them to adjust to those bad passes. They end up lunging at them, or kicking them up with their skates, etc.

 

RR needs to institute more of a cycle/weave kind of power play where the pieces are in motion and the passes are to predictable zones rather than static points.

 

That's probably asking too much of a PP unit in the middle of a season; it's something done during training camp. They have a couple of extra non-playing days in the week following the NJ game (only 2 games in 8 days); that might be the window to work on some of that stuff.

[LGR4GM]

Kassian has amazing... hair

[Patty16]

That still falls into the coaching realm though. The fact that these guys consistently don't move around enough and make bad passes is because there is no coordination in their strategy. No one has a plan. And if there is a plan, no one is executing. But as far as I can tell, the plan is cycle the puck to the point if you can get zone possession. That's it. That's the only semblance of a strategy I can see.

 

yea but your plan is limited by your talent.

[qwksndmonster]

Kassian hasn't scored a point in his last nine games. He hasn't scored a goal in his last 18 games. His TOI has been floating back and forth between 10 and 16 minutes.

 

Hopefully Zack finds his game back soon.

 

I also compared Kassian's production thus far in his career to the beginning of Dustin Brown's.

 

Their first seasons

DB 31GP 1G 4A Age 18-19

ZK 44GP 4G 6A Age 20-21(his only goal as a Canuck that year was against us)

 

(lockout took place in between these two seasons for both of them)

AHL STATS:

DB 79GP 29G 45A

ZK 30GP 15G 11A

(extrapolated to 79GP 40G 29A)

 

Their second seasons

DB 79GP 14G 14A Age 20-21

ZK 25GP 5G 3A Age 21-22

(extrapolated to 79GP 16G 10A)

Edited March 13, 2013 by qwksndmonster

[Eleven]

I don't think this is telling or anything, but interesting that Kassian had no points was -2 in a 7-4 win where 7 different Vancouver players scored.

[IKnowPhysics]

Interesting.

 

Kassian 26GP 5G 3A 8P -7

Hodgson 29GP 12G 12A 24P -1

 

Hodgson has 9 points, +5 in the last 10 games; Kassian 0 points, -6 in the last 10.

 

In that 10 game span, Sabres picked up 11 points. In the 12 games before that, six points. In those previous 12 game span, Hodsgon recorded nine points, but was -6.

 

Not only has Hodgson been producing well offensively and at least somewhat consistently, if +/- is any indication*, he's improving his two way play as the season progresses. Kassian appears to be struggling some.

 

 

 

*I know, I know. +/- blows.

[Trettioåtta]

Last year Kassian had 7 points (3G +4A) in 27 games for the Sabres. This year Kassian has 8 points (5G + 3A) in 27 games for the Canucks. He has two points in his last 19 games

Edited March 22, 2013 by ThirtyEight

[darksabre]

Last year Kassian had 7 points (3G +4A) in 27 games for the Sabres. This year Kassian has 8 points (5G + 3A) in 27 games for the Canucks. He has two points in his last 19 games

 

Drew Stafford 2.0

[TrueBlueGED]

Frankly, if Hodgson keeps developing, I'm happy with the trade even if Kassian gets some consistency in his game. I think Hodgson is on his way to being a great #2 and at least a respectable #1 (in the Krejci mold...

now we just need our Bergeron).

[Eleven]

Frankly, if Hodgson keeps developing, I'm happy with the trade even if Kassian gets some consistency in his game. I think Hodgson is on his way to being a great #2 and at least a respectable #1 (in the Krejci mold...

now we just need our Bergeron).

 

One year in, we can't look at this as a bad trade. My needle has moved from "not sure about this" to "very optimistic." I think Hodgson is going to be special.

[X. Benedict]

Last year Kassian had 7 points (3G +4A) in 27 games for the Sabres. This year Kassian has 8 points (5G + 3A) in 27 games for the Canucks. He has two points in his last 19 games

 

Zack Kassian has back issues.....and hasn't had a center since week one, as far as I can tell.

[TrueBlueGED]

Zack Kassian has back issues.....and hasn't had a center since week one, as far as I can tell.

 

Didn't know about the back issue, but you're right on the center issue. I still find it hilarious that so many thought going from Ruff to Vigneault would "free" Kassian. Vigneault is Ruffx3 when it comes to trusting young players to just play and go through the typical rookie mistakes.

[Weave]

One year in, we can't look at this as a bad trade. My needle has moved from "not sure about this" to "very optimistic." I think Hodgson is going to be special.

 

I don't know about special but it looks to me like one of our two scoring center positions should be good for however long he wants to stay here.

[LaFontaineToMogilny]

Without trading for Hodgson there is no way we could have moved Roy for Ott. The trade looks better every day.

[Eleven]

I don't know about special but it looks to me like one of our two scoring center positions should be good for however long he wants to stay here.

 

Three. I want three scoring center positions. I want a Cup dammit!

[Robviously]

Three. I want three scoring center positions. I want a Cup dammit!

You're following the wrong team then. The Sabres have more bronze statues than Stanley Cup appearances.

[Trettioåtta]

Without trading for Hodgson there is no way we could have moved Roy for Ott. The trade looks better every day.

 

I dunno, we still have Gerbe!

[darksabre]

 

 

I dunno, we still have Gerbe!

 

This never gets old.

[Meathead]

past participle, past tense of fleece (Verb) 1.Obtain an inflated value of a deal by overcharging or swindling. 2.Cover as if with a fleece.