"Your Thomashawk, sir..."


- tangent_man

Looney Tunes

What about the military vehicles and ordnance named after indigenous tribes/peoples/cultural items?
- Pixote Andolini

how about every 1st nation player in nhl history being given (and not seeming to mind a whole lot) the nickanme "chief"?

Looney Tunes

- BiggE

When are you hitting the studio today?

Could this simply be a case of Berube not wanting to gift PP time to Akeson simply because of his AHL work?

We've said before that there's nothing wrong with guys earning their spot. It seems since Hextall's been in charge, you practically have to steal someone's job at this point or someone has to get hurt to advance.

Akeson definitely has some flaws, but I think Berube would even admit that Akeson will be a handy guy to have around if there are (more) injuries.

Rinaldo is not wrong....you DO have to start somewhere and that somewhere doesn't necessarily mean it's a top 6 role.

And FWIW, I think the 4th line has been pretty good this year, so far.
- johndewar

What has Umberger done to earn that spot on the second unit?

my opinion so far is that Chief is a great motivator and knows how to teach what it takes to stay in the league, he knows how to have a team that grinds...unfortunately those days have come and gone...he does not appear to have the knowldege on how to coach skill players and coach a team that needs to use speed...the plan appears to be to turtle and try to be defensive when the forward corps are mostly skill players and need to use speed to be successful...i just don't think the make up of the team matches Chief's coaching skill set at this point in his coaching career...Loved him as a player, I am luke warm at best with him as the longterm coach...not that there are better solutions right now, i just think the development of some of these young guys will suffer and we may end up losing them in trades "becasue they didn't pan out"
- JW98FlyerFan

My issues remain the double standard for different players and his seeming unwillingness to use a guy like Akeson in a role more suited to his strengths. He's not going to be an energy guy who changes momentum with a big hit. He's not going to be a stellar defender like Couturier. What he's best at is creating offense and finding seams in opposing teams' defense

What has Umberger done to earn that spot on the second unit?
- JFlyers00

He was acquired for Hartnell

I got to admit, the cougar dating site ads are amazing on this site

When are you hitting the studio today?
- tangent_man

Round 6:30 tonight

I find it funny we argue so much about Akeson. Yes he as offensive skills but are they so much better then his troubles that you can afford to play him in the top 6? We are already having trouble getting the most out of B. Schenn. Akeson has skill but he lacks size and speed. Also once he moves into a top 6 roll he faces tougher defensive matchups. Point is his strengths aren't so above and beyond his weeknesses that he should be playing a top 6 roll. I mean Raffl is playing a top 6 roll and I think he is more suited for the bottom 6. This team is flawed. The pieces don't fit well. The best thing we can hope for is that out top players play to potential and maybe some of the prospects start to take charge. I think in Allentown we have guys better suited for the bottom six in Leirer, Laughton, Alderson and Cousins and I hope they soon push out some of our misfit pieces.

What has Umberger done to earn that spot on the second unit?
- JFlyers00

Uh...he's tall?

I got to admit, the cougar dating site ads are amazing on this site
- Jsaquella

The things you miss running adblock.

Round 6:30 tonight
- BiggE

Nice. You and Mandy have a good time!

The things you miss running adblock.
- tangent_man

Nice. You and Mandy have a good time!
- tangent_man

Thanks bud, sure we will!!

He was acquired for Hartnell
- Jsaquella

He only got on it when Vinny got hurt and BSchenn got promoted. The trade was not the reason.

And Umberger's a decent choice for standing near the net and getting deflections and garbage goals. He got 8 PP goals last year for Columbus (most on the team). Him and Akseon are not in competition for the same spot on the 2nd unit.

Thanks bud, sure we will!!

- BiggE

Can't wait to hear it. Very good tune.

Can't wait to hear it. Very good tune.
- tangent_man

Thanks!!

But guys, we really need to wait and see him play more. The entire media and fan base in Columbus was wrong.

Plus, we got rid of that Hartnell guy. He falls the (frank) down too much and was just carried by G and Jake and Leino and Briere and Carter and Lupul and Jagr.
- PhillySportsGuy

Who said they were wrong about how Umberger played last season in Columbus? But we also know he was injured and wasn't healthy. But let's just write him off as being done after 4 games, the same way you wrote off Lecavalier last year. Let's ignore injuries, and the adjustment period that UFA's coming to a new team sometimes go through, just as Mark Streit did last year. Who was written off by some early in the season. But at the end of the year, what happened? It's an 82 game season, not a 4 game season.

In other news Jeff Carter is off to a screaming start this season.

Do you ever wonder if Hextall looks at Holmgren, Snider and Berube and thinks to himself "I left LA for this?"

He only got on it when Vinny got hurt and BSchenn got promoted. The trade was not the reason.

And Umberger's a decent choice for standing near the net and getting deflections and garbage goals. He got 8 PP goals last year for Columbus (most on the team). Him and Akseon are not in competition for the same spot on the 2nd unit.
- Feanor

Does the second unit even have shot yet this year?

Just (frank)ing bench him and bring in VDV in then, if all you want is grits.
- Tomahawk

That's the wrong read on the situation. What's going to make Akeson a better player, is becoming a better player away from the puck. And playing better defensively, and in physical battles. if he does that, along with his obvious puck skills, he has a chance to be a pretty good player. He's a rookie in his first NHL season. it's the right move to make him earn more icetime in bigger roles by improving his play without the puck.

Lol, Zac keeping that dream alive.
- Tomahawk

His attitude and work ethic is what got him to the NHL. It's a shame a player with limited skills is ridiculed for the character that he has that has made him an NHL player.

I believe the full recap was:

Homer's a jerk
Gagne's a baby
You are a lousy father
GIG is a child
I make too many top 10 lists
JMatch is Hitler Stalin
and Voracek can't find his nuts

Did I miss anything?
- BiggE

Yes
Umberger glides so effortlessly that he is nearly invisible out there

Why would an "adv stats enthusiast" make a point to mention goals, when the whole point of the movement is to look beyond goals. I call BS.
- Tomahawk

I call BS on thinking that Marsh is making the story up.