agree there are some holes. i'd like to get a look at lyubimov.

not a big deal, but disappointed by g tonight. invisible. metrics might prove other wise, but i just didn't notice him much at all. very quiet.
- hammarby31

He didn't do well at all, even in his easier no PK, high o-zone start minutes. He was one of the worst possession forwards. But that's a lot on Kopitar. Which is the issue many of have with the logic of his so-called "cushier" usage. It's kind of a myth. 2/3 of line shifts don't even start on a face-off, and it's really more about who you're matched up against anyway. It will get better at home, but it's really in G's hands that he improves, not Boyd Gordon's.

I was the only one who believed.
- Crimsoninja

always true

IKR

It's just so crazy. Morin, if he continues to develop, could get some games and help them with some of the physicality issues we saw tonight, when guys like Kopitar and King were just heavier on the puck

I haven't been this excited about this team since 2004
- AllInForFlyers

i'm more than willing to be patient for morin. he'll get his chance. he will add a whole other dimension to their back end that is lacking right now.

that 2004 team is my 2nd favorite of all time, as i've said here more than once. they had some young guys, but most had been in the league a few years by then, and heavy with vets. this team has a different makeup, obviously. i'm very excited. particularly about our goaltending. and the D. my god, the D.

i vote this for win gif
- -davies-

Im ok with it

A few thoughts

Provorov instantly recovers from mistakes, which I believe build greatness.

I don't like that Sean Couturier has never started PK defensive zone starts. Never. If he wants to be as good as Richards or Brind'Amour, this should be a given.

I think you'll get all the flash you'll need from Konecny but the important plays will come from Provorov.

I was the only one who believed.
- Crimsoninja

omg cool it with the self-love bro

omg cool it with the self-love bro
- Mononoke

#O1

I was the only one who believed.
- Crimsoninja

come at me bro.

i'm more than willing to be patient for morin. he'll get his chance. he will add a whole other dimension to their back end that is lacking right now.

that 2004 team is my 2nd favorite of all time, as i've said here more than once. they had some young guys, but most had been in the league a few years by then, and heavy with vets. this team has a different makeup, obviously. i'm very excited. particularly about our goaltending. and the D. my god, the D.
- hammarby31

The two goalies is going to be key

I don't like that Sean Couturier has never started PK defensive zone starts. Never. If he wants to be as good as Richards or Brind'Amour, this should be a given.
- SuperSchennBros

that's on the coach, who chooses to start each PK with his pet unit of PEB and VDV even though they're not as good. He literally doesn't have any say in that. If the coach wants to start the worse unit, that's on him entirely. And of course he starts PK d zone starts. It's just under Hakstol that he doesn't always get the first one.

He didn't do well at all, even in his easier no PK, high o-zone start minutes. He was one of the worst possession forwards. But that's a lot on Kopitar. Which is the issue many of have with the logic of his so-called "cushier" usage. It's kind of a myth. 2/3 of line shifts don't even start on a face-off, and it's really more about who you're matched up against anyway. It will get better at home, but it's really in G's hands that he improves, not Boyd Gordon's.
- Mononoke

like i said, i'm not concerned. i just want to see him be visible. making things happen.

lot of defensive broing in here against crim's believing prowess

The two goalies is going to be key
- AllInForFlyers

i love our goalies.

#O1
- Crimsoninja

Do you cry watching Embiid dominate in preseason and his teammates doing jack poop, while Simmons is fighting for his life?

lot of defensive broing in here against crim's believing prowess
- -davies-

i never doubt he believes.

i love our goalies.
- hammarby31

I'm a huge fan of Mason's and don't think he got enough credit for helping them get into the playoffs down the stretch last season

But if Hakstol does slightly prefer Neuvirth, I can understand that -- Neuvirth's done nothing but play well for him

like i said, i'm not concerned. i just want to see him be visible. making things happen.
- hammarby31

The fear some of us have in the back of our brains is that it has nothing to do with usage or too much work but the start of G's decline. Doesn't have to be a rapid one, but a decline nonetheless. This season will be huge to disprove that. At this juncture, have to have some optimism with G though that he will re-find his ELITE self

The fear some of us have in the back of our brains is that it has nothing to do with usage or too much work but the start of G's decline. Doesn't have to be a rapid one, but a decline nonetheless. This season will be huge to disprove that. At this juncture, have to have some optimism with G though that he will re-find his ELITE self
- Mononoke

I was touching on that earlier -- decline is coming. No way to know when. But I think he's going to play well against the Coyotes tonight

I'm a huge fan of Mason's and don't think he got enough credit for helping them get into the playoffs down the stretch last season

But if Hakstol does slightly prefer Neuvirth, I can understand that -- Neuvirth's done nothing but play well for him
- AllInForFlyers

i don't think he does. i think he has supreme confidence in both, as he should, and seems to let the guy who's winning carry the mail. i think both will get plenty of playing time. i don't see a 1a/1b. i see a 1/1. really.

The fear some of us have in the back of our brains is that it has nothing to do with usage or too much work but the start of G's decline. Doesn't have to be a rapid one, but a decline nonetheless. This season will be huge to disprove that. At this juncture, have to have some optimism with G though that he will re-find his ELITE self
- Mononoke

he always starts slow. i want him to break that trend. tonight didn't help.

The fear some of us have in the back of our brains is that it has nothing to do with usage or too much work but the start of G's decline. Doesn't have to be a rapid one, but a decline nonetheless. This season will be huge to disprove that. At this juncture, have to have some optimism with G though that he will re-find his ELITE self
- Mononoke

one game off of what looked like an injury in that tournament thing matched against kopitar all night... let's hold off on a decline just yet

one game off of what looked like an injury in that tournament thing matched against kopitar all night... let's hold off on a decline just yet
- -davies-

don't worry. crims believes.

one game off of what looked like an injury in that tournament thing matched against kopitar all night... let's hold off on a decline just yet
- -davies-

It's not just this game though. That'd be silly to judge based on that. It's more so that it has been seasons of his ES scoring trending down already. He looks like he has more trouble finding open space to do his magic, like he does on the PP. Down years can happen, or a few in a row can signify a trend. That's why I said this season will be huge. The team is really starting to crystalize around him, especially the back end. They'll be driving play more, so we hope he can benefit.

we can do this everyone

Regarding Giroux, to me, it's all about matchups. For the longest time, G has been the primary point-getter for the team and therefore has seen the most difficult matchups. Thus, most of his points come from the powerplay. It's easy to look at Giroux's game and instantly say that he's not elite, but in six seasons, he's still the top point-getter in the league, and the healthiest player by far. I don't care if he scores EV or on the PP, as long as he contributes to getting the puck in the net, either way is fine by me.