Should we be talking more about Arttu Ruotsalainen

[JohnC]

55 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I sure like seeing more competition at forward.  Especially with all the 1 year contracts we have.  This is the most optimistic I have been about this team in quite awhile.  I sure hope we have a season and finally put an end to the playoff drought.  

With a probable compressed scheduled season and the more likely increase in injuries because of it having reserve talent is a good situation to be in. And with there still being an open question whether there is going to be an AHL season or delayed season it wouldn't be surprising if the league authorized expanded rosters or reserve rosters where you can have an unlimited movement of players between the regular and reserve rosters. We now seem to have some depth on the blue and forward lines. That sure is a positive change from having a thin roster where injuries can quickly deplete a roster. 

[LGR4GM]

21 points in 15 games including 13 goals. We should be figuring out where Ruosto will fit in the lineup because he honestly might make a massive push for that. 

[LGR4GM]

Hall - Eichel - Reinhart/Olofsson

Skinner - Staal - Cozens

Ruosto - Eakin - Olofsson/Reinhart

This team might have... depth. 

[WildCard]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

21 points in 15 games including 13 goals. We should be figuring out where Ruosto will fit in the lineup because he honestly might make a massive push for that. 

3rd or 4th line somewhere. Pretty crowded down there though.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, WildCard said:

3rd or 4th line somewhere. Pretty crowded down there though.

I wonder if we get the best 12 players or if we see vets get preferential treatment even if they play bad. Looking at Girgensons and Okposo and Lazar. 

[dudacek]

8 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I wonder if we get the best 12 players or if we see vets get preferential treatment even if they play bad. Looking at Girgensons and Okposo and Lazar. 

Or Eakin and Reider? Cozens and Thompson? Even Jeff Skinner?

Somewhat connected: Who agrees with me that usual whipping boys KO, Zemgus and Rasmus Ristolainen were pretty useful hockey players last year?

 

[LGR4GM]

Just now, dudacek said:

Or Eakin and Reider? Cozens and Thompson? Even Jeff Skinner?

Somewhat connected: Who agrees with me that usual whipping boys KO, Zemgus and Rasmus Ristolainen were pretty useful hockey players last year?

 

I always think KO is useful. Risto regressed back to his usual self last year and I think we would be better off if we relegated him to the 4th defender like he should be. Zemgus I think was useful because Larsson made him useful but maybe he just works well in Kruegers system. 

Eakin is definitely not going anywhere. At worst he could be bumped to 4c. Thompson is a major question. I firmly believe they want Cozens with Staal to learn and will take whatever issues come with that as they come. 

Reider in my mind is already a 13th forward. 

Jeff Skinner is the other piece of the Staal line and I think they keep him there. Olofsson and where he fits will be interesting. Realistically Olofsson is a 3rd maybe 2nd line guy at even and a top PP player. 

We have some crowding going on that will be fixed in part by injuries as they occur. 

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I always think KO is useful. Risto regressed back to his usual self last year and I think we would be better off if we relegated him to the 4th defender like he should be. Zemgus I think was useful because Larsson made him useful but maybe he just works well in Kruegers system. 

Eakin is definitely not going anywhere. At worst he could be bumped to 4c. Thompson is a major question. I firmly believe they want Cozens with Staal to learn and will take whatever issues come with that as they come. 

Reider in my mind is already a 13th forward. 

Jeff Skinner is the other piece of the Staal line and I think they keep him there. Olofsson and where he fits will be interesting. Realistically Olofsson is a 3rd maybe 2nd line guy at even and a top PP player. 

We have some crowding going on that will be fixed in part by injuries as they occur. 

Could you clarify as to what time period the regression occurred and what "usual self" means?

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Could you clarify as to what time period the regression occurred and what "usual self" means?

Rasmus Ristolainen is a defensive liability. He always has been and always will be, that is his usual self. It occurred shortly after the streak ended where he went back to being a defensive liability. Ristolainen will never be a top pairing defender no matter how many coaches force feed him those minutes, he lacks the hockey IQ to utilize the tools he has to fit that role. 

[pi2000]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

21 points in 15 games including 13 goals. We should be figuring out where Ruosto will fit in the lineup because he honestly might make a massive push for that. 

Sure he's off to a hot start, but I'm not buying the hype.   

He's an undrafted 5'8 23 year old who (historically) has been a 15-20g scorer in the finish league.

What's his exceptional skill?

[Weave]

1 minute ago, pi2000 said:

Sure he's off to a hot start, but I'm not buying the hype.   

He's an undrafted 5'8 23 year old who (historically) has been a 15-20g scorer in the finish league.

What's his exceptional skill?

In that league?  Finishing.  Silly.

[dudacek]

26 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Eakin is definitely not going anywhere. At worst he could be bumped to 4c. Thompson is a major question. I firmly believe they want Cozens with Staal to learn and will take whatever issues come with that as they come. 

Reider in my mind is already a 13th forward. 

Jeff Skinner is the other piece of the Staal line and I think they keep him there. Olofsson and where he fits will be interesting. Realistically Olofsson is a 3rd maybe 2nd line guy at even and a top PP player. 

We have some crowding going on that will be fixed in part by injuries as they occur. 

All relevant. Also:

• Reider was brought in to fix the league's worst PK unit and will be in the starting lineup until he shows he can't
• Girgensons just got a contract that shows they believe he is NHL regular. I don't remember him ever being a healthy scratch.
• Thompson also just got a three-year deal.
• Kyle is an important part of the leadership group and possibly our 'heaviest' forward
• Asplund is a second-round pick and a 3rd-year pro. This is the year he is supposed to make the jump

I think what we are discovering is that there are plenty of obstacles to Arttu playing in Buffalo this year to start the season, never mind his own contract situation.

However, players will falter due to injury, effort or effectiveness and he will get his chance.

Is this what depth looks like? It's been a long, long time.

Edited November 19, 2020 by dudacek

[LGR4GM]

Asplund has no place on that roster that I can find. 

[Thorner]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Rasmus Ristolainen is a defensive liability. He always has been and always will be, that is his usual self. It occurred shortly after the streak ended where he went back to being a defensive liability. Ristolainen will never be a top pairing defender no matter how many coaches force feed him those minutes, he lacks the hockey IQ to utilize the tools he has to fit that role. 

Everyone that played with him was statistically worse. How about that lol 

- - - 

Starting to get a little hopeful, re: Ruotsalainen. Quite a start to his season, tbh.

I hope if he earns a spot, he gets it. 

Edited November 20, 2020 by Thorny

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Starting to get a little hopeful, re: Ruotsalainen. Quite a start to his season, tbh.

I hope if he earns a spot, he gets it. 

It would be pretty cool if he just seized a spot in camp and was clearly too good to be sent down, innit?