I havent watched White a lot but isn't he more of a gritty 4th liner who will fight often than a PK/faceoff specialist like Hall?
- Hextall271

He'll fight more often than Hall, and he probably has a bit more offensive skill than Hall. But still, you could change him out with a host of other players and not miss a beat.

White > VDV, at least.
- Tomahawk

Agreed. Not saying much, but agreed. He's also better than Blair Jones, FWIW.

Cousins has looked good this year. He's a basically a point per game player in the AHL right now. He'd score more if Stortini wasn't his LW and Ghost was still on the PP
- PhillySportsGuy

Wait, what the (frank)?

Stortini playing on a top line is a thing?????

If that's the case, and they think he's ready, I'd like to let them give Laughton a shot. I know he's cooled off a little bit, but he had some early success at the AHL level. It's not that Ryan White is a BAD player, it's just that he's basically a journeyman who you could switch out with 30-40 other players and see the same thing. I don't see him as a part of the team going forward. I agree that PEB would look nice on a scoring line, but I like having some skill on the 4th line as well. I think that Ryan White makes that line another 6-8 minute/night line, while PEB can make it a 9-11 minute/night line.
- jmatchett383

I think Laughton is going to be brought up when they feel he is absolutely 100% ready, and not before.

This is not a criticism, but just looking at the facts. How many goals did Bellemare and Akeson combine on?
- MJL

0

Same number Simmonds has combined On with the top line at even strength

I go by the eye test, and the players own opinion. I'd like to see these two more together

I havent watched White a lot but isn't he more of a gritty 4th liner who will fight often than a PK/faceoff specialist like Hall?
- Hextall271

To answer your question, he's a pretty decent PK'er, but isn't a demon on FO's... and yeah, he can scrap some.

He'll fight more often than Hall, and he probably has a bit more offensive skill than Hall. But still, you could change him out with a host of other players and not miss a beat.
- jmatchett383

I've heard from Montreal fans that he's a good dressing room guy but I was still surprised at the signing.

I think Laughton is going to be brought up when they feel he is absolutely 100% ready, and not before.
- MJL

Which is perfectly fine with me. But if that's the case, I'd like to see PEB remain on the 4th line to make it a viable line you can roll in the 3rd period. That means you need some answers on the VL/Umberger line, so I'm really hoping Akeson can be the answer.

To answer your question, he's a pretty decent PK'er, but isn't a demon on FO's... and yeah, he can scrap some.
- Tomahawk

Well, as long as he'll fight...because that's what's really holding us back from a Cup run.

0

Same number Simmonds has combined On with the top line at even strength

I go by the eye test, and the players own opinion. I'd like to see these two more together
- Just5

Players that have great chemistry together, produce at least something. So that's overstating it. Would you expect Bellemare to say that he doesn't like playing with any player? So I would completely discount that, as any evidence.

And it does remain to be seen how much chemistry Simmonds can build with Giroux and Voracek, and if he can adjust to LW.

To answer your question, he's a pretty decent PK'er, but isn't a demon on FO's... and yeah, he can scrap some.
- Tomahawk

Sounds like Hall may have been more valuable. I would have been happier to go with one of the younger players but I guess Hexy felt that they weren't ready. If we're discussing the merits of 4th line role players, things are good. lol

Wait, what the (frank)?

Stortini playing on a top line is a thing?????
- johndewar

That Terry Murray is a genius.

Possibly. Or he's just a stereotypical French who turns his nose up at Americans.
- jmatchett383

"American pig dogs.. I fart in your general dee rec tion"..

of note, quote from monte python...not meant to offend.

Wait, what the (frank)?

Stortini playing on a top line is a thing?????
-
- johndewar

He's the Dave Semenko of Adirondack.

Sounds like Hall may have been more valuable. I would have been happier to go with one of the younger players but I guess Hexy felt that they weren't ready. If we're discussing the merits of 4th line role players, things are good. lol
- Hextall271

Hall, White, VDV, Jones, Metropolit, Dowd, Holmstrom, Powe, Betts... really not much separating any of them.

"American pig dogs.. I fart in your general dee rec tion"..

of note, quote from monte python...not meant to offend.
- Hextall271

I'm just glad the daily Holy Grail reference has been covered before noon.

Look, maybe if we built this large wooden badger...

That Terry Murray is a genius.
- PLindbergh31

He was the first to put Schenn and Coots together...

I'm just glad the daily Holy Grail reference has been covered before noon.

Look, maybe if we built this large wooden badger...
- jmatchett383

Glad I can help...I love that show..

They've been playing w/ the lead a lot... would be interesting to see what those #'s look like in 1-goal/tied situations.
- Tomahawk

I don't think it's score effects. I think Kimmo was the only dman we had capable of having a CF% over 50% while playing against other teams top lines.

Sorry to pull this up from the last thread, but he has been playing tough minutes since AMac went out. That pair has started to take a lot of the toughest shifts from Grossmann/Streit in recent games.

And his CF% in the those seven games is 47.6%. In the first seven games when he was playing easy minutes it was 54%. That's a huge drop.

Hall, White, VDV, Jones, Metropolit, Dowd, Holmstrom, Powe, Betts... really not much separating any of them.
- Tomahawk

I'd argue that Betts was a bit more than a scrap heap player until his shoulder fell apart worse than Meszaros'.

I'm just glad the daily Holy Grail reference has been covered before noon.

Look, maybe if we built this large wooden badger...
- jmatchett383

Possibly. Or he's just a stereotypical French who turns his nose up at Americans.
- jmatchett383

Wait, what the (frank)?

Stortini playing on a top line is a thing?????
- johndewar

Stortini-Cousins-Straka

They have two scoring lines. Not sure if either is referred to as the top line. Leier-Laughton-Andrew Gordon is the other scoring line.

I think Stortini has also got considerable PP time.

I accepted Bill's point from a few weeks ago about what a good presence Stortini is to have around the team, but the amount of quality ice time he has been getting still puzzles me.

Would you trade Umberger for Mike Richards?
Would you trade VL for Mike Richards?