maxpower Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 You have confidence in Fraser? I'm pretty sure his mom lost confidence in his game. Any sort of pressure and he coughs the puck up, hell even when there isn't pressure he coughs it up. Taormina has been steady in 2 of 3 games I seen so far. Even the first game there really was only one mistake when the puck bounced on him. This kid is one year out of Providence, has a excellent breakout pass and can Quarterback a PP. His is also a great skater. he also can't play a lick of D. nice step-up on the first goal on Friday. he's a train-wreck defensively. Fraser is far below average but I still have more confidence in him than Taormina. Taormina's offense is redundant because he'll be a 3rd pair who won't get a whiff on specials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxpower Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 that was a terrible team. here were the lines: elias-gomez-gionta parise-brylin/kozlov-marshall/mogilny pandolfo-madden-langenbrunner wiemer-rasmussen-janssen rafalski-lukowich/brown white-martin/malakhov klee-hale/albelin you're really going to compare that to a team that has kovalchuk and parise in their primes, plus jason arnott as a 2nd line center? really? this assumes a hell of a lot that doesn't make sense. why would they clear someone out to eat up that space with scratches? does that make sense to you? furthermore, in-season improvements are massively overrated. taormina vs. whatever we got that improves over him is probably worth a single win. Tri, when you carry no scratches, and you send someone off, what do you think you're using the space on? just going to carry no scratches and take the money? + they already have $800K or so in bonuses tied up in Hedburg and Urbom, + the bonuses that are due Corrente/Josefson/Tedenby if any of them make the team, etc. and as for in-season improvements, taormina vs. anyone would be an improvement in the playoffs, which is what the improvements are for. if you're making the improvements to move from 10 to 8, you're either doing it for the money or you're not thinking at all. as for the first part, you'll see. stylisically, I think it's going to be very similiar. a team where no lead is safe. either their own, or the other team's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 (edited) Tri, when you carry no scratches, and you send someone off, what do you think you're using the space on? just going to carry no scratches and take the money? + they already have $800K or so in bonuses tied up in Hedburg and Urbom, + the bonuses that are due Corrente/Josefson/Tedenby if any of them make the team, etc. and as for in-season improvements, taormina vs. anyone would be an improvement in the playoffs, which is what the improvements are for. if you're making the improvements to move from 10 to 8, you're either doing it for the money or you're not thinking at all. you're not going to use it on 2 scratches. that doesn't make sense. the devils don't have enough guys making significant enough bonuses to where they should start worrying about it. urbom and hedberg, if they played the full season, will probably hit a few. meh. it's not something to be significantly concerned about. as for the first part, you'll see. stylisically, I think it's going to be very similiar. a team where no lead is safe. either their own, or the other team's. probably, but it will still be very good. little known fact, the 06 team had a below average offense. i just can't see how this team has a below average offense without some injuries. the difference between the 06 team and this team is that the 06 team was not good, and this one is good. Edited October 3, 2010 by Triumph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 (edited) as for the first part, you'll see. stylisically, I think it's going to be very similiar. a team where no lead is safe. either their own, or the other team's. I think you're underselling having Volchenkov, Tallinder, Greene and White as four of your six D because you're focused on all the mistakes by the rookies in the preseason. Once you have the regulars playing every day and can put a rookie in with one of the vets consistently (and the rookies themselves get experience) it'll be a bit better. Especially when you actually strategize and manage icetime. As it is they haven't even allowed a lot of shots on goal in the preseason on the whole, just had some royal goof-ups that have led to goals. There are maybe three teams in the league that don't have question marks with their #5-6 defensemen. Edited October 3, 2010 by Hasan4978 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS-SS Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 With preseason now finished and the opening faceoff only 5 days from now. Which rookie do you guys think is going to be on the team and what trade is going to happen in the next few days. My guess: -On attack:Josefson since I see no one threatening his chances. -On defense:Tao or Urbom would be my guess. Trade:I guess it will be a forward moving since I don't see LL trading White and now that Salvador is inured I doubt someone wants him especially that we don't even know when he might come back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS-SS Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 You know what ??? To guess which rookie is going to get his chance on defense is really hard and It could be any one of them. I don't know why but the organisation seems high on Fraser.He could be on the lineup. We basically need 2 rookies on the team.Corrente-Urbom-Tao all impressed me to a certain point.It comes down to Johny Mac and LL but I would like to see Corrente and Urbom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxpower Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I think you're underselling having Volchenkov, Tallinder, Greene and White as four of your six D because you're focused on all the mistakes by the rookies in the preseason. Once you have the regulars playing every day and can put a rookie in with one of the vets consistently (and the rookies themselves get experience) it'll be a bit better. Especially when you actually strategize and manage icetime. As it is they haven't even allowed a lot of shots on goal in the preseason on the whole, just had some royal goof-ups that have led to goals. There are maybe three teams in the league that don't have question marks with their #5-6 defensemen. they're playing very aggressive hockey. that's part of my concern. if they were a Julien type team that was just going to stand in front of the goalie all night and wait for a PP, anyone can do that. another part of it is that I'm not really sure what Tallinder *is* yet. he was a very good player when the Sabres were very good. afterwards, not as great until Myers came around. was it because Myers was great or because he steadied him. who knows. we'll see. I know what Volchenkov does, I know what Greene did with the minutes last year until he burnt out a bit, and White is White. but if you send White out there with say... Taormina, he'll do enough damage for the two of them. the expression on Whitey's face when Taromina botched that play early in the preseason was hilarious. you add that in with the likelyhood of Volchenkov and Whitey missing games.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 another part of it is that I'm not really sure what Tallinder *is* yet. he was a very good player when the Sabres were very good. afterwards, not as great until Myers came around. was it because Myers was great or because he steadied him. Tallinder is a very good defenseman forced into taking the toughest minutes on the Sabres. He came out okay. Myers has nothing to do with anything. I know what Volchenkov does, I know what Greene did with the minutes last year until he burnt out a bit, and White is White.but if you send White out there with say... Taormina, he'll do enough damage for the two of them. the expression on Whitey's face when Taromina botched that play early in the preseason was hilarious. is this play never going to go away? it happens to every defenseman at some point. yeah, it looked horrible. i don't see where you are getting the idea that taormina is going to get 18 minutes. taormina probably plays 3 minutes on the PP and 10 minutes at ES against soft competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxpower Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Tallinder is a very good defenseman forced into taking the toughest minutes on the Sabres. He came out okay. Myers has nothing to do with anything. is this play never going to go away? it happens to every defenseman at some point. yeah, it looked horrible. i don't see where you are getting the idea that taormina is going to get 18 minutes. taormina probably plays 3 minutes on the PP and 10 minutes at ES against soft competition. that was a nice-step up Friday night against soft competition. he's not an NHL defenseman. not at least judging by the first 7 letters in defenseman. I thought it was pretty telling that Urbom had a crappy game and was still miles better than him and Corrente, who was a debacle positionally. as for Tallinder and Myers and who made who, that's a tad early to judge, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 that was a nice-step up Friday night against soft competition. he's not an NHL defenseman. not at least judging by the first 7 letters in defenseman. I thought it was pretty telling that Urbom had a crappy game and was still miles better than him and Corrente, who was a debacle positionally. i didn't see the game; can't comment. there's two things to consider - taormina's future role, and the fact that rookies tend to improve as the season goes along. just saying 'oh he's not an NHL defenseman' isn't really enough. as for Tallinder and Myers and who made who, that's a tad early to judge, no? huh? if tallinder were a rookie last year, i'd agree, but tallinder has over 380 games without tyler myers. i think we can pretty safely judge what type of defenseman he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas0nMacIsaac Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 he also can't play a lick of D. nice step-up on the first goal on Friday. he's a train-wreck defensively. Fraser is far below average but I still have more confidence in him than Taormina. Taormina's offense is redundant because he'll be a 3rd pair who won't get a whiff on specials. I would almost put money he is on the second PP unit and just because your third pair doesn't mean you can't put point up even strength. Taormina is a rookie, there is a learning curve for him that may project him to be better defensively even later in this season. Fraser has no offensive upside, the only thing you can hope is to have a average defensive dmen without any offense, even that is calling for a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hystyk28 Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I would almost put money he is on the second PP unit and just because your third pair doesn't mean you can't put point up even strength. Taormina is a rookie, there is a learning curve for him that may project him to be better defensively even later in this season. Fraser has no offensive upside, the only thing you can hope is to have a average defensive dmen without any offense, even that is calling for a lot. Fraser is beyond no upside. His hands looks like he is disarming a bomb at the end of a bad 80's movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.