You're getting too fancy. Next thing you'll want to eat food on a plate with a knife and fork instead of just tossing it on the counter and gnawing at it.
- Feanor

That's Fancy grubbing!

Come on now, all fancy stats people claim +- is not a good stat to look at, you know better. The guy has never cracked 40 points but everyone keeps claiming he's driving play and making other better, why isn't he putting up points? did you see that shot on the breakaway last night, it literally had no chance of going in.
- ClaudeFather

You mean the shot where he was at the tail end of a long shift and would really have liked to dump the puck in and get a change because he was gassed? That one?

I think Matt Read is gonna have to go apartment hunting in LHV.
- johndewar

He could live in Morin and Sanheim's old place with NAK.

www.courierpostonline.com...s-lehigh-valley/95329638/

You mean the shot where he was at the tail end of a long shift and would really have liked to dump the puck in and get a change because he was gassed? That one?
- Doc_Sarcasm

and in preseason...

yes, the score sheet does say something about Couturier. Over the past few seasons, everyone who plays with him scores more.
- MBFlyerfan

Bingo... and when he stays healthy, is individually capable of 10-15 game stretches of averaging a point-per-game (almost entirely in even strength production) without sacrificing a thing defensively.

That's why I'd kind of like to see what he could over an extended look with Giroux and Voracek on his line. There IS more offense he is capable of providing if he can shorten those long droughts in between.

I personally have seen enough of the 3 rookie defenseman to make a final determination. Although I thought that Sanheim was just okay last night and has been better in previous games that I saw then he was last night. Nobody can tell me that Sanheim is any less prepared to play in the NHL than Hagg and Morin are. Different kinds of players for sure but all three are capable of playing in the NHL right now in my opinion.
So what does it come down to. For sure there will be growing pains for all three players at some point. That's going to happen whether they start in the NHL now, in the middle of the season, or next season. So let's deal with that now and get them the experience. Coaches are normally reluctant to rely heavily on rookie defenseman but that's just something they'll have to deal with.
I see Manning as a solid 7th defenseman candidate for a number of factors. Won't retard his development by not playing, good cap, and capable. So in my view it comes down to a choice between keeping Sanheim or MacDonald. No doubt that MacDonald is the more experienced player and a better defender in his own zone, shot blocker, etc. As I've said many times, MacDonald is a player that will only help you not to lose. He won't help you win a lot. That's just the kind of player he is. I don't want to get into a debate on MacDonald as a player. Been there, done that. So it comes down to balancing out who is going to make more of an impact in the final count to the team, Sanheim or MacDonald? I think it's Sanheim. With his skating and puck skills he has far more ability to make a positive impact on the game than MacDonald does. Sure there may be some bad stretches and some issues defensively from time to time but he is not a slouch defensively by any means. You would also expect him to get better as the season goes along. They can waive MacDonald and send him down without a threat of losing him. If one of the young kids falters, you can recall MacDonald and put him right into the lineup. That's what I would do anyway. We'll see what Hextall decides.
- MJL

I agree on the three rookies. Let them play. It's a bubble year at best anyway so might as well get them going.

My only differing opinion is I'd keep AMac as the 7th and send Manning away, unless they can somehow trade AMac, that is - but arguing about who the 7th dman should be is not something I think needs to be done.

I think Matt Read is gonna have to go apartment hunting in LHV.
- johndewar

I am going to redo a spare bedroom "Bemidji State" themed and put it on airbnb for him

Come on now, all fancy stats people claim +- is not a good stat to look at, you know better. The guy has never cracked 40 points but everyone keeps claiming he's driving play and making other better, why isn't he putting up points?
- ClaudeFather

He put up 73 points in his last 129 games.

Agree 100%, with the difficulty this team has had generating offense at ES, Sanheim needs to be in the lineup. I can live with the mistakes, it's part of being an NHL rookie, but his talent and skill should be a huge plus for this team.

- BiggE


Yeah. I said it in the other post but MacDonald just looked out of place last night. not that he did anything wrong he just looks odd compared to guys like morin, hagg and Sanheim.

Also one thing I have noticed is the young guys seem to be able to get out of the zone so much quicker. either with their passing skills or moving the pucks themselves.

He could live in Morin and Sanheim's old place with NAK.

www.courierpostonline.com...s-lehigh-valley/95329638/
- Feanor

French Quarter Allentown...awesome place

Bingo... and when he stays healthy, is individually capable of 10-15 game stretches of averaging a point-per-game (almost entirely in even strength production) without sacrificing a thing defensively.

That's why I'd kind of like to see what he could over an extended look with Giroux and Voracek on his line. There IS more offense he is capable of providing if he can shorten those long droughts in between.
- bmeltzer

Are we talking about Dale Weise...

Woah, look at Mr. Fancypants with his pre-killed food!
- Scoob

French Quarter Allentown...awesome place
- YuenglingJagr

Its more like a Nickel, tbh.

Are we talking about Dale Weise...


- ggunky

Dale Weise can provide a small amount of heat if he were set ablaze immediately upon impact with the sun

Does this signal an end to the "fine tune his defensive game" posts?
- YuenglingJagr

I sense an ulterior motive with this post. All three rookie defenseman need to fine tune their games.

Come on now, all fancy stats people claim +- is not a good stat to look at, you know better. The guy has never cracked 40 points but everyone keeps claiming he's driving play and making other better, why isn't he putting up points? did you see that shot on the breakaway last night, it literally had no chance of going in.
- ClaudeFather

He has put up points. He was gassed and at the end of a long shift on that breakaway. Did you not notice that? Take a look at his ES scoring numbers in seasons past and compare it to more highly regarded offensive players around the league.

I sense an ulterior motive with this post.
- MJL

Gee, ya think? lol

All three rookie defenseman need to fine tune their games.

Of course. This will be the case for the next few seasons, actually.

I agree on the three rookies. Let them play. It's a bubble year at best anyway so might as well get them going.

My only differing opinion is I'd keep AMac as the 7th and send Manning away, unless they can somehow trade AMac, that is - but arguing about who the 7th dman should be is not something I think needs to be done.
- Scoob

There's no reason to risk losing Manning to waivers.

Since Sanhiem is showcasing himself well maybe its time to keep him, Morin, and Hagg all with the big club and flip Ghost for Duchene?

Dale Weise can provide a small amount of heat if he were set ablaze immediately upon impact with the sun
- YuenglingJagr

Seriously though, the stats of a player define that player after several seasons of consistently putting up the same stats.

Coots is what his stats says he is. We can talk about fancy this and meals on a counter top that, but his stats says who he is.

He is a high 30s point a season guy.

I personally have seen enough of the 3 rookie defenseman to make a final determination. Although I thought that Sanheim was just okay last night and has been better in previous games that I saw then he was last night. Nobody can tell me that Sanheim is any less prepared to play in the NHL than Hagg and Morin are. Different kinds of players for sure but all three are capable of playing in the NHL right now in my opinion.
So what does it come down to. For sure there will be growing pains for all three players at some point. That's going to happen whether they start in the NHL now, in the middle of the season, or next season. So let's deal with that now and get them the experience. Coaches are normally reluctant to rely heavily on rookie defenseman but that's just something they'll have to deal with.
I see Manning as a solid 7th defenseman candidate for a number of factors. Won't retard his development by not playing, good cap, and capable. So in my view it comes down to a choice between keeping Sanheim or MacDonald. No doubt that MacDonald is the more experienced player and a better defender in his own zone, shot blocker, etc. As I've said many times, MacDonald is a player that will only help you not to lose. He won't help you win a lot. That's just the kind of player he is. I don't want to get into a debate on MacDonald as a player. Been there, done that. So it comes down to balancing out who is going to make more of an impact in the final count to the team, Sanheim or MacDonald? I think it's Sanheim. With his skating and puck skills he has far more ability to make a positive impact on the game than MacDonald does. Sure there may be some bad stretches and some issues defensively from time to time but he is not a slouch defensively by any means. You would also expect him to get better as the season goes along. They can waive MacDonald and send him down without a threat of losing him. If one of the young kids falters, you can recall MacDonald and put him right into the lineup. That's what I would do anyway. We'll see what Hextall decides.
- MJL

Right now I would agree with your approach. However, if Manning continues to be the absolute train wreck he's been, I'd waive him instead of Macdonald.

There's no reason to risk losing Manning to waivers.
- MJL

It's a calculated risk, sure, but him being claimed wouldn't be a slam dunk.

You mean the shot where he was at the tail end of a long shift and would really have liked to dump the puck in and get a change because he was gassed? That one?
- Doc_Sarcasm

He was on a breakaway bud, why on earth would he have dumped that in? Him being tired doesn't make up for shooting low right, not above the pad. Goalie goes down to butterfly and makes that save everytime. Step your game up.

Presumably "step your game up" also applies to Giroux missing an open net on Monday?

That's why I'd kind of like to see what he could over an extended look with Giroux and Voracek on his line. There IS more offense he is capable of providing if he can shorten those long droughts in between.
- bmeltzer

The droughts come because of lack of PP scoring. Playing with Giroux at ES will have no impact on that.

He's been the team's best and most consistent ES scorer for two years while playing with almost every winger on the team. Konecny, Raffl, Read, Schenn, Simmonds, Weise, Voracek... they all scored better with Couturier than without. Moving Giroux from his best position seems unwise when Couturier has already shown he can do well with so many actual wings.

I sense an ulterior motive with this post. All three rookie defenseman need to fine tune their games.
- MJL

Just some perspective to the endless rebuttals to Mono's posts about players like Sanheim being ready last year

Sanheim is doing exactly what he was doing for the entire second half of last season and to a large extent what he was doing his last year in Calgary