The Bell Atlantic Yellowpages: no other book can matchett.
- jmatchett383

oof

oof
- Scoob

worthy of another time out

oof
- Scoob

I actually had to use that on the phone to correct people. I got "Mache," "Machete," etc. and no one could just pronounce the damn name like it's spelled.

worthy of another time out
- YuenglingJagr

Don't worry; I'm a dad, it's allowed.

Agree with all of this. However, to be a future catalyst of this team his skating needs to go to another level, not just something that doesn't hurt him.
- Baxter27

No argument here. I have nothing to base my projected point totals on for Patrick outside of how good his line mates have looked so far and how good the second PP unit has looked with him on it. Just a hunch. He's playing the game the right way.

I actually had to use that on the phone to correct people. I got "Mache," "Machete," etc. and no one could just pronounce the damn name like it's spelled.
- jmatchett383

lol...I nicknamed you "three" in my head to avoid all those issues

I don't watch juniors, but I am struck in the difference of this assessment and the kind that was floating around till Hischier shot up the charts. In fact Bill, you wanted us to get NP over Nico.

For example:

https://futureconsiderati....ca/player/nolan-patrick/

A lethal combo of size, speed and skill


So, he looks slower than he did in juniors? If so, with his injury history, this is surely of considerable concern.
- PT21

Two seasons ago, during his 100 point season with Brandon, he seemed to have an ability to get separation. Now, how much of that was junior-paced play and his hockey sense and skill advantage against the average WHL player, I'm not sure. But his mobility struck me then as above-average for a larger-framed player.

Right now, I'm not super concerned about Patrick's skating. I would think that the dual hernias had an effect on his burst even if he is otherwise feeling fine now. Besides, quickness and anticipation is more important than pure speed. Plenty of just-OK skaters from a speed standpoint (ala Rod Brind'Amour) have had better careers than pure speedsters (ala Alexandre Daigle).

The rest of Patrick's game is strong and he's a complete player. Eventually, I think he'll score a decent number of goals, too.

Watched the first last night. Probably same tonight. Damn you west coast

Watched the first last night. Probably same tonight. Damn you west coast
- Pelle31Forever

Take a nap sweetie

Two seasons ago, during his 100 point season with Brandon, he seemed to have an ability to get separation. Now, how much of that was junior-paced play and his hockey sense and skill advantage against the average WHL player, I'm not sure. But his mobility struck me then as above-average for a larger-framed player.

Right now, I'm not super concerned about Patrick's skating. I would think that the dual hernias had an effect on his burst even if he is otherwise feeling fine now. Besides, quickness and anticipation is more important than pure speed. Plenty of just-OK skaters from a speed standpoint (ala Rod Brind'Amour) have had better careers than pure speedsters (ala Alexandre Daigle).

The rest of Patrick's game is strong and he's a complete player. Eventually, I think he'll score a decent number of goals, too.
- bmeltzer

How can he be McDavid if he isn't fast

Of course I'm kidding, I'm with you on the surgeries. He'll get his sea legs back soon enough and he'll start driving the play even more. He probably won't leave anyone in the dust but his skating is far from mediocre and farther from a liability. Definitely as adequate wheels for an NHLer, complimented by off the charts hockey IQ on both sides of the puck, a good shot, and a clean passing game.

Kid is going to be just fine.

So what's the deal with Patrick's footspeed? That should have nothing to do with rookie jitters.

Is this a groin issue? In that case we are done for. Was he always slow in juniors? If so, how come the hype?

Don't tell me we have another Michal Handzus - good hands, solid defensively, good passer, slow as hell.
- PT21

He's one of those 'once he gets a head of steam' kind of skaters, not a guy who is fast off the line. And yeah, double hernia doesn't help.

Last night, Bob McKenzie echoed something others have said: Patrick does a host of things well but isn't flashy and his skating isn't very impressive. McKenzie called it a triumph of substance over style. I am still hoping that the lack of quickness and separation is the product of needing dual hernia surgeries within a year and he'll start showing some improved first-stride burst as this season progresses.

Truth of the matter is that, from the rookie game through last night, he's only had one Grade A scoring chance and a couple others where there was at least an outside chance of scoring. He's been good in many other areas -- protecting the puck, winning battles, defensive play, setting up teammates
- bmeltzer

Besides his surgery and getting back up to speed (literally), it's not like his skating is capped at the tender age of 19. Worse skaters than him improved at similar ages. There are so many examples...Patrick's skating is still OK, it's far from broken (like Draisaitl's was, and he turned out fine, and the names just go on and on).

For every other player who is still a few years away at a similar age, all the talk is how they'll improve their burst, their stride, their footwork, and so on with rigorous training and power skating work. His skating doesn't have to be a finished product anyway at present just because he is ahead of his age group in other ways. I'm no skating instructor, but besides the usual muscle gain for burst, his stride could be cleaned up to my eye. It can be short at times.

-- but his feet so far have been every bit as sluggish as Lindblom's (which was apparently the main thing that got him sent to the AHL).

I still don't get the logic in this one (not you, your source). Lindblom has noticeably improved his skating over the last 3 years. His skating as pertains to being at NHL level looks perfectly fine to me. What the heck is a couple months (hopefully!) of AHL time going to do to his skating? No one can convince me the answer is anything but: absolutely nothing. Either that's a convenient excuse for a roster jam and him being waivers safe, or I have a serious issue with that logic. His skating is already where it needs to be. If you're talking about playing at a quicker pace, that's different as pertains to the rink size and level jump (I might even agree based on pre-season), but that doesn't seem to be what you're referencing.

Flyers (*SPOILER) tonight












*roll
book it

He's one of those 'once he gets a head of steam' kind of skaters, not a guy who is fast off the line. And yeah, double hernia doesn't help.
- Tomahawk

I don't think his "head of steam" skating is all that good either -- like Couturier's for example, who gets criminally underrated in that department. I think he's an average-ish skater in pretty much every way. Though his footwork in tight might actually be deceptively above average though (Couturier's is decidedly not). Long-term I actually worry more about his top end speed up/back ice than first couple steps in either end, but perhaps I'm in the minority.

For every other player who is still a few years away at a similar age, all the talk is how they'll improve their burst, their stride, their footwork, and so on with rigorous training and power skating work. His skating doesn't have to be a finished product anyway at present just because he is ahead of his age group in other ways. I'm no skating instructor, but besides the usual muscle gain for burst, his stride could be cleaned up to my eye. It can be short at times.
- Mononoke

There was a video over the summer (maybe on Sportsnet.ca?) where they had a skating instructor compare Hischier and Patrick's strides. IIRC, the conclusion was that Patrick had less pop, but his technique was rock solid. Hischier looked more dynamic, but there was some fundamental issues w/ his stance (too hunched over, something like that) that would need to be fixed.

There was a video over the summer (maybe on Sportsnet.ca?) where they had a skating instructor compare Hischier and Patrick's strides. IIRC, the conclusion was that Patrick had less pop, but his technique was rock solid. Hischier looked more dynamic, but there was some fundamental issues w/ his stance (too hunched over, something like that) that would need to be fixed.
- Tomahawk

Hischier isn't the high end straight line skater people think he is either. He's just elusive as (frank). His top end speed can cut out a little quick, though it's certainly above average.

But to my other post, in response to Bill, they're 18-19. Forget Patrick's surgery, he has plenty of time and room to improve on his skating anyway. But I'm not as in love with Patrick's skating stride as that Sportsnet person. It's in no way fundamentally unsound, but there's a lot of room to improve. His leg extension can at times be short; I think he could integrate more cross-overs to generate speed; and he can hunch over a little too. Better conditioning no doubt will help out in the coming months.

I still don't get the logic in this one (not you, your source). Lindblom has noticeably improved his skating over the last 3 years. His skating as pertains to being at NHL level looks perfectly fine to me. What the heck is a couple months (hopefully!) of AHL time going to do to his skating? No one can convince me the answer is anything but: absolutely nothing. Either that's a convenient excuse for a roster jam and him being waivers safe, or I have a serious issue with that logic. His skating is already where it needs to be. If you're talking about playing at a quicker pace, that's different as pertains to the rink size and level jump (I might even agree based on pre-season), but that doesn't seem to be what you're referencing.
- Mononoke

I think your latter point is what it is about. Adjusting to the quicker pace of the game in the NHL and pro level hockey in North America. Learning how much quicker you have to play and jump into holes offensively. It's not realistic to expect a player to improve his actual physical skating in a few months of AHL time. We have to remember that it is Lindblom's first pro hockey season. It's really not surprising that he needs a little AHL time.

Flyers (*SPOILER) tonight












*roll
book it
- Crimsoninja

I BOlieve

I think your latter point is what it is about. Adjusting to the quicker pace of the game in the NHL and pro level hockey in North America. Learning how much quicker you have to play and jump into holes offensively. It's not realistic to expect a player to improve his actual physical skating in a few months of AHL time. We have to remember that it is Lindblom's first pro hockey season. It's really not surprising that he needs a little AHL time.
- MJL

It's Lindblom's first NORTH AMERICAN pro hockey season. He's a pro already.

I don't think he needs AHL time -- and not playing him 3/4 of the final games, coming off his best performance, where something could've clicked, wasn't sensible to me -- but I also thought he was a little panicky and hesitant with the puck and making assertive offensive decisions. As angry as I am about the defensemen, I'm okay with Lindblom spending a month or two in the AHL, or however long he takes to force their hand. But Bill has mentioned several times that Lindblom was sent down specifically to improve his skating as a skill, not to adjust to pace of play.

It's Lindblom's first NORTH AMERICAN pro hockey season. He's a pro already.

I don't think he needs AHL time -- and not playing him 3/4 of the final games, coming off his best performance, where something could've clicked, wasn't sensible to me -- but I also thought he was a little panicky and hesitant with the puck and making assertive offensive decisions. As angry as I am about the defensemen, I'm okay with Lindblom spending a month or two in the AHL, or however long he takes to force their hand. But Bill has mentioned several times that Lindblom was sent down specifically to improve his skating as a skill, not to adjust to pace of play.
- Mononoke

It's different and it's a higher level of hockey. The Flyers made the right decision and are doing what is best for his development as a player in my opinion. Bill mentioned that the Flyers want him to be quicker getting from spot A to spot B. I know what that suggests to me. You can be angry about it all you want but spending half a season or so could be really good for Lindblom. It's definitely not going to hurt him. His play away from the puck was ready but his offensive game wasn't.

Weise was ineffective, had a costly turnover and remains a waste.

It's different and it's a higher level of hockey. The Flyers made the right decision and are doing what is best for his development as a player in my opinion. Bill mentioned that the Flyers want him to be quicker getting from spot A to spot B. I know what that suggests to me. You can be angry about it all you want but spending half a season or so could be really good for Lindblom. It's definitely not going to hurt him. His play away from the puck was ready but his offensive game wasn't.
- MJL

Did you even read my post? You literally repeated every point of my post back to me as if I said otherwise.

There was a video over the summer (maybe on Sportsnet.ca?) where they had a skating instructor compare Hischier and Patrick's strides. IIRC, the conclusion was that Patrick had less pop, but his technique was rock solid. Hischier looked more dynamic, but there was some fundamental issues w/ his stance (too hunched over, something like that) that would need to be fixed.
- Tomahawk

What i saw last night was average. I didn't think it was broken. I liked his pace along the walls during the cycle, thought his stride was fine -- i think he will get to scoring areas ok

According to my sauces, Travis Sanheim MIGHT BE IN*



*don't blame me if he isn't, hope is a dangerous thing

Did you even read my post? You literally repeated every point of my post back to me as if I said otherwise.
- Mononoke

Why yes I did. Especially the part where you said you didn't think he needed AHL time which is why I posted what I did in response. Did you even read my post? I also read where you stated you're angry about it. I'm not. I disagree with your take on Linblom needing AHL time. I absolutely agree 100% with how the Flyers are handling Lindblom's development right now. Sending him to the AHL was the right call.