Now with Demers signing to a pretty solid deal, Florida has really turned their d corps into a potential monster.

Yandle-Ekblad
Matheson-Demers
Pysyk-Petrovic


Hot damn. Praise to the new nerds.
- Mononoke

That yandle deal is gonna be ugly in a few seasons though

That yandle deal is gonna be ugly in a few seasons though
- Giroux_Is_God

Maybe but they can afford it. It's really their only iffy contract and it's actually for a top offensive dynamo. They'll survive it I think.

But that defense may be as good as any in the league. And they have a legit #1 in Ekblad too. All 6 are solid possession players. It was obviously an initiative. Their forward corps could be that much better for it too.

Now with Demers signing to a pretty solid deal, Florida has really turned their d corps into a potential monster.

Yandle-Ekblad
Matheson-Demers
Pysyk-Petrovic


Hot damn. Praise to the new nerds.
- Mononoke

Yeah, they have a real solid thing going on in FLA.
them and tamps...yikes

Yeah, they have a real solid thing going on in FLA.
them and tamps...yikes
- nails

They're getting good as we try to rebuild. They have a huge head start too with young franchise talent.

That yandle deal is gonna be ugly in a few seasons though
- Giroux_Is_God

It's ugly now

That yandle deal is gonna be ugly in a few seasons though
- Giroux_Is_God

It's not like Yandle's offensive ability will just dry up though. Sure he may lose a step or two in a couple years but his style of play is very sustainable. Very similar to Mark Streit except Yandle is a better playmaker and Streit is a better shooter

Yes he was, but not remotely as good as Gordon is on faceoffs.
- MJL

How far up in percentage did we go, White vs Gordon?

How far up in percentage did we go, White vs Gordon?
- roenick97

you're so sour on this lol

you're so sour on this lol
- -davies-

White 52.4%
Gordon 57.9%

I'm just not buying into the new moves as huge upgrades.

I can't believe Sean Couturier is under 50% but I shouldn't be.

How far up in percentage did we go, White vs Gordon?
- roenick97

Ryan White won 46% of his defensive zone draws last season. Gordon won 58%

White 52.4%
Gordon 57.9%

I'm just not buying into the new moves as huge upgrades.

I can't believe Sean Couturier is under 50% but I shouldn't be.
- roenick97

Nobody thinks they made huge upgrades. Including Ron Hextall.

White 52.4%
Gordon 57.9%

I'm just not buying into the new moves as huge upgrades.

I can't believe Sean Couturier is under 50% but I shouldn't be.
- roenick97

Trouble is, White wasn't taking most of the draws. They used Bellemare a lot at C and he wasn't good. White did well overall, but in his own end he was subpar.

Gordon is better at faceoffs and he's a better PK guy than any of last year's 4th liners. That's what he was signed for.

White 52.4%
Gordon 57.9%

I'm just not buying into the new moves as huge upgrades.

I can't believe Sean Couturier is under 50% but I shouldn't be.
- roenick97

minor tinkering on the bottom 6

i'm more concerned that a couple of the top 6 show up

minor tinkering on the bottom 6

i'm more concerned that a couple of the top 6 show up
- -davies-

They can show up, they still lack the sniper type forward they could use.

They can show up, they still lack the sniper type forward they could use.
- ob18

Unless they were willing to commit major money and years they weren't adding a sniper this summer anyhow.

Voracek isn't likely to shoot 5% this year. Schenn should be able to maintain. Couturier had 11 goals despite injuries and was scoring at a 50 point pace. Giroux had 22 despite dealing with his hip. With a bigger role Laughton, Raffl or Read may score more goals, too. Hell, Weise had 14 goals(11 at ES) last year in 56 games with the Habs, so he's not devoid of talent.

They need their top six guys to return to their normal production and a kid or two to step up. That happens and they're not that bad off.

Unless they were willing to commit major money and years they weren't adding a sniper this summer anyhow.

Voracek isn't likely to shoot 5% this year. Schenn should be able to maintain. Couturier had 11 goals despite injuries and was scoring at a 50 point pace. Giroux had 22 despite dealing with his hip. With a bigger role Laughton, Raffl or Read may score more goals, too. Hell, Weise had 14 goals(11 at ES) last year in 56 games with the Habs, so he's not devoid of talent.

They need their top six guys to return to their normal production and a kid or two to step up. That happens and they're not that bad off.
- Jsaquella

I'm fine with that, it's more likely they draft one than they sign one which I have no problems with them doing.

I'm fine with that, it's more likely they draft one than they sign one which I have no problems with them doing.
- ob18

It was likely to be another bridge year anyhow. Give a bigger role to Laughton. See what he could do. Try Raffl with Voracek and Couturier. Maybe he fits in with those two play driving beasts. Or maybe Laughton can have success working the boards and being a banger with Couts and Jake.

Summer isn't over yet, either. Maybe he ends up signing a guy like Jiri Hudler or Kris Versteeg for cheap in a week or ten days. Maybe he swings a trade. Maybe he wins the Vesey sweepstakes

It was likely to be another bridge year anyhow. Give a bigger role to Laughton. See what he could do. Try Raffl with Voracek and Couturier. Maybe he fits in with those two play driving beasts. Or maybe Laughton can have success working the boards and being a banger with Couts and Jake.

Summer isn't over yet, either. Maybe he ends up signing a guy like Jiri Hudler or Kris Versteeg for cheap in a week or ten days. Maybe he swings a trade. Maybe he wins the Vesey sweepstakes
- Jsaquella

I'd like Vesey

Unless they were willing to commit major money and years they weren't adding a sniper this summer anyhow.

Voracek isn't likely to shoot 5% this year. Schenn should be able to maintain. Couturier had 11 goals despite injuries and was scoring at a 50 point pace. Giroux had 22 despite dealing with his hip. With a bigger role Laughton, Raffl or Read may score more goals, too. Hell, Weise had 14 goals(11 at ES) last year in 56 games with the Habs, so he's not devoid of talent.

They need their top six guys to return to their normal production and a kid or two to step up. That happens and they're not that bad off.
- Jsaquella

This.

Honestly- offense wise- the past season was the perfect storm. G needs to be take on more defensive responsibilities, and offense was (naturally) the trade off. Voracek gets absurdly unlucky, then once it looked like he starts to turn it around, gets hurt. Coots hurt on and off as well.

Sure, Schenn stepped forward which is sweet. Simmer was himself. But having a not so offense minded Giroux with a 5% shooting Jake on his wing....you're not going to get super results. Hopefully that changes now that Hexy went out and solidified the bottom 6- hopefully making them a little more defensibly sound and trusted by Hak. Maybe that means G can switch back to 80 point G.

Ghost for a full year...possibly Provorov back there should help the offense out too.

I don't think they starve offensively as much as last season. I'm not saying they'll be a powerhouse, but hopefully they're adequate.

This.

Honestly- offense wise- the past season was the perfect storm. G needs to be take on more defensive responsibilities, and offense was (naturally) the trade off. Voracek gets absurdly unlucky, then once it looked like he starts to turn it around, gets hurt. Coots hurt on and off as well.

Sure, Schenn stepped forward which is sweet. Simmer was himself. But having a not so offense minded Giroux with a 5% shooting Jake on his wing....you're not going to get super results. Hopefully that changes now that Hexy went out and solidified the bottom 6- hopefully making them a little more defensibly sound and trusted by Hak. Maybe that means G can switch back to 80 point G.

Ghost for a full year...possibly Provorov back there should help the offense out too.

I don't think they starve offensively as much as last season. I'm not saying they'll be a powerhouse, but hopefully they're adequate.
- Giroux_Is_God

They'll still need another top 6 scorer to take the next step, but they don't need to take that step right now, this year.

Lifting some of the burden off Giroux could be huge, too.

They'll still need another top 6 scorer to take the next step, but they don't need to take that step right now, this year.

Lifting some of the burden off Giroux could be huge, too.
- Jsaquella

Yup.

There was no answer for that this year, either.

And before anyone says it- no, Okposo is not the answer.

Yup.

There was no answer for that this year, either.

And before anyone says it- no, Okposo is not the answer.
- Giroux_Is_God

There were answers, but unfortunately those answers created other questions. They sign Okposo, they face issues next year when Ghost needs a new deal

Ryan White won 46% of his defensive zone draws last season. Gordon won 58%
- MJL

A web site I found says different. Unless the designer stop bothering with the site mid season.

A web site I found says different. Unless the designer stop bothering with the site mid season.
- roenick97

I'll go with the NHL's site

http://www.nhl.com/stats/...iveZone&aggregate=0&pos=S

Johansson, Forsberg, Subban, Josi, Rinne, Neal and Fisher. Wow!