40 replies to this topic

[jonnyd91]

I find myself sitting here each year still wondering why we cant score.
You cant deny on paper the past teams looked way more capable than they showed.

So lets throw out the fact that its only been 6 games

We can try to dissect this 10 different ways, but I had been thinking the other day hmmm its kinda weird Larrson hasn't had a point yet. Yes even though its only 6 games it kinda concerns me a bit as he has been less noticeable in the last 4 games. So I took a quick look at the defensive stats and come to find the top 4 are avg. 20 or so pts. combined on D. The devils with 6


A picture is worth a thousand words:


Devils D by jonnyd91, on Flickr

---------------------------------------------------------------
Top 4 east teams averaging 20 or so Defensive points thus far.


Toronto D by jonnyd91, on Flickr


Pittsburgh D by jonnyd91, on Flickr


Philadelphia D by jonnyd91, on Flickr


Washington D by jonnyd91, on Flickr
Stats courtesy of NHL.com

So just by a quick look you can see we have a significant problem with Defensive scoring.
The funny part is the D still looks way more involved this year so that still stumps me.
Is it the coaching style? Is it just our players? Are we just fvcking hexed?

Obviously our other problem is in the center Position but the scoring at center of those same 4 teams
wasn't as close.
i.e. we just suck at center, we know it needs to be addressed but the D situation is way more perplexing.

Further thoughts?

Edited by jonnyd91, 25 October 2011 - 09:09 AM.

[hystyk28]

I agree that Larson needs to be involved more. He looks lazy to me, or maybe he has been told not to go. He likes to make long stretch passes, usually really nice ones, but he looks a little flat footed after he makes them or should have skated some more before he makes them. Tallinder needs to be way more involved.

However, when looking at these stats, it is really easy to see that the D listed are getting a chunk of those points on the PP.

[DaneykoIsGod]

However, when looking at these stats, it is really easy to see that the D listed are getting a chunk of those points on the PP.

Yep, and we rarely have two defensemen on the PP at the same time. And they're less shooters than they are pass-to-Kovy-ers.

Larsson's goose egg won't last.

[justdo3043]

i think its as simple as the players...ever larrson who is an excellent dman and can play monster mins solidly wasn't the dman counted on for offensive on his swedish team to score pts

top 3 demn on 2010-11 Skelleftea HC
Player Name Age GP G A Pts +/-
David Rundblad 19 55 11 39 50 5
Tim Erixon 19 48 5 19 24 -3
Adam Larsson 17 37 1 8 9 12

all 3 have been drafted into the nhl and i think we def got the best guy but not the most risky offensive one

hopefully as he gets older he increases his offensive production and i think he will but not so much this season



this is one of the reasons i am thinking about merrill to go alone with larsson in two years

Edited by justdo3043, 25 October 2011 - 10:05 AM.

[Triumph]

larsson was two years younger than rundblad and erixon. i'm pretty sure larsson wasn't used on the PP there until the end of the year.

[justdo3043]

larsson was two years younger than rundblad and erixon. i'm pretty sure larsson wasn't used on the PP there until the end of the year.

thats why i included the ages but he's still only 18 in the nhl so im not expecting him to put up big offensive numbers...yet

[bekim]

[quote name='jonnyd91' timestamp='1319551390' post='1059083']
I find myself sitting here each year still wondering why we cant score.
You cant deny on paper the past teams looked way more capable than they showed.

So lets throw out the fact that its only been 6 games

We can try to dissect this 10 different ways, but I had been thinking the other day hmmm its kinda weird Larrson hasn't had a point yet. Yes even though its only 6 games it kinda concerns me a bit as he has been less noticeable in the last 4 games. So I took a quick look at the defensive stats and come to find the top 4 are avg. 20 or so pts. combined on D. The devils with 6


A picture is worth a thousand words:


Devils D by jonnyd91, on Flickr

---------------------------------------------------------------

It's the players. What did you expect? Fayne and Greene projecting out to 25-30 pts is about right (even an increase in Fayne's case from last year). Tallinder and Volchenkov projecting out to about 15 points each. Tallinder had 16 last year. Volchenkov had 8. So, those numbers are on par. Salvador won't have 0 after 82 games, but it will be in the 10-15 range (as is his average). Really, Larsson is the only guy in this sample size who isn't projecting out correctly, but it's only 6 games. Say he has 25 pts too. Nothing is surprising here. It's the personnel. This team is built around its forwards nowadays, for better or for worse. So, no, the offense is not gonna come from the back end. It has to be from Elias, Parise, Kovalchuk. Those are the money players. Unfortunately, Zajac is out, and when you don't have that many proven offensive weapons, losing 1 of them hurts you mightily.

[DaneykoIsGod]

Three points from the blue line last night. Two assists for Greene and one for Fayne.

[SMantzas]

Three points from the blue line last night. Two assists for Greene and one for Fayne.

And we get a win. Coincidence......I think not

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

As I watch Philly's PP tonight I see a couple of places where we have a problem. We have zero shot presence from the right of the ice. Elias simply doesn't scare anyone with a shot from that circle. I almost want Elias to take Clarkson's spot in the high slot and put Sykora on the right circle, that way Larsson can get the ontimer on either side.

----------( )-----------
-----------------Parise
-------------------------
----------Elias----------
-------------------------
Kovalchuk--------Sykora
-------------------------
---------Larsson---------

Edited by Jas0nMacIsaac, 26 October 2011 - 06:55 PM.

[SterioDesign]

the thing is on our powerplay the guy next to the goal usually doesnt even try to get the puck in front of get a shot... they did it for the first time last game. But before that the guy would get the puck and not even look at the goalie knowing he would give it back right away...

were also not trying to create scoring chance from in front of the net... were trying to setup Kovy for a one timer or Elias on the other side

the cannucks PP looks awesome cause they make the other team run around a lot... Devils are too static

Edited by SterioDesign, 26 October 2011 - 07:27 PM.

[SMantzas]

As I watch Philly's PP tonight I see a couple of places where we have a problem. We have zero shot presence from the right of the ice. Elias simply doesn't scare anyone with a shot from that circle. I almost want Elias to take Clarkson's spot in the high slot and put Sykora on the right circle, that way Larsson can get the ontimer on either side.

----------( )-----------
-----------------Parise
-------------------------
----------Elias----------
-------------------------
Kovalchuk--------Sykora
-------------------------
---------Larsson---------

sykora's decision making has been iffy at best. he also turns it over a lot

[SS-SS]

The problem with our PP is that we are static. Passing the puck and moving the puck is two different things. You can pass the puck all day and the opposing team players will only have to block the shooting lanes that way your shots are blocked or easily stopped by the Goaltender.

We need a guy who can move with the puck. When a player is moving with the puck on PP you have more passing lanes and you open to yourself a lot of space for your players to fill and create scoring chances.

[Triumph]

you can't have a left handed shot where clarkson is now because the defense will not have to respect elias at all. that's really the shot you want to get, not a larsson or even kovalchuk one timer.

[Onddeck]

The problem with our PP is that we are static. Passing the puck and moving the puck is two different things. You can pass the puck all day and the opposing team players will only have to block the shooting lanes that way your shots are blocked or easily stopped by the Goaltender.

We need a guy who can move with the puck. When a player is moving with the puck on PP you have more passing lanes and you open to yourself a lot of space for your players to fill and create scoring chances.

Give Tedenby a shottt. he creates more room than most players i know

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

you can't have a left handed shot where clarkson is now because the defense will not have to respect elias at all. that's really the shot you want to get, not a larsson or even kovalchuk one timer.

You can try Clarkson and Palmieri till the cows come home, other then Kovalchuk we have no real good shots from the right side. If you could somehow convince Kovalchuk to play high slot we would be better off. I would rather go with two defense on the point anyway. We don't scare anyone with the high slot, Clarkson there instead of Elias doesn't change anything. Zajac will no doubt work the middle when everyone is healthy.

Edited by Jas0nMacIsaac, 27 October 2011 - 12:24 AM.

[SterioDesign]

i know we have a hard time getting goals but looking at other games around the league... its pretty much the same with a bunch of teams... im watching the Anaheim Columbus game and geez... even on the PP with all their big guns the ducks cant do sh!t...
Perry Getzlaf and Ryan only got 4shots all together and no goals... they couldnt even settle on the PP

[mikeford]

On the topic of Larsson, some people have to realize this kid is fvckin 18 years old and playing essentially his first games ever in America. I think him being tentative to shoot and tentative to pinch low and jump up into the rush will go away with time but to say "he looks lazy" is just insanity.

[DevsMan84]

On the topic of Larsson, some people have to realize this kid is fvckin 18 years old and playing essentially his first games ever in America. I think him being tentative to shoot and tentative to pinch low and jump up into the rush will go away with time but to say "he looks lazy" is just insanity.

I do not think he is lazy, but he looks more and more nervous with each game. I do think his minutes should be lower than what he has been playing so far and should not be on the ice when the game is on the line until at least he had proved himself a little more. He was sold as being nhl ready and it is fustrating that after a great start he is seemingly heading towards the wrong direction in terms of his progress.

[justdo3043]

I do not think he is lazy, but he looks more and more nervous with each game. I do think his minutes should be lower than what he has been playing so far and should not be on the ice when the game is on the line until at least he had proved himself a little more. He was sold as being nhl ready and it is fustrating that after a great start he is seemingly heading towards the wrong direction in terms of his progress.

have to agree...hopefully he can turn it around