How has Niemi looked? Has Buff throw not much at him?
- Aussiepenguin

Niemi has been solid... Second goal wasnt really on him at all.

The D has looked brutal tonight. Lots of give aways

Is it just me or does Kessel look smaller and faster...?
- MattStrat

His hair is definitely longer haha

Looking like it's preseason. Lots of misplays of the puck. Geno putting pucks onto opponents sticks. Good stuff from the first line though. I've missed seeing Letang come out of nowhere to break up plays too. Beautiful stuff.

Important: Maatta's skating looks a LOT better, smoother. He's not a fast skater, but at the moment it looks like he's moving his feet a lot better and isn't stick in quicksand like the last couple seasons. If that continues it could be huge for us.

Sids line is looking great. Every other line is pretty meh

Looking like it's preseason. Lots of misplays of the puck. Geno putting pucks onto opponents sticks. Good stuff from the first line though. I've missed seeing Letang come out of nowhere to break up plays too. Beautiful stuff.

Important: Maatta's skating looks a LOT better, smoother. He's not a fast skater, but at the moment it looks like he's moving his feet a lot better and isn't stick in quicksand like the last couple seasons. If that continues it could be huge for us.
- cygnus41

True, pre season play. Geno with 4 giveaways in one shift

Sids line is looking great. Every other line is pretty meh
- Thorny87

Agreed.

Also, Reaves has looked bad again. Like can't manage basic pass receptions bad. Sheary has left behind a few pucks too.

The D has looked brutal tonight. Lots of give aways
- Thorny87

That's true but on the flip side I believe a lot has been created and started from the back end as well.

Agreed.

Also, Reaves has looked bad again. Like can't manage basic pass receptions bad. Sheary has left behind a few pucks too.
- cygnus41

Reaves just isn't an NHL caliber player.

That's true but on the flip side I believe a lot has been created and started from the back end as well.
- MattStrat

Yeah, after watching for 2 periods everyone is giving the puck away. Just rust I suppose.

Agreed.

Also, Reaves has looked bad again. Like can't manage basic pass receptions bad. Sheary has left behind a few pucks too.
- cygnus41

He pretty much plays the shift like a dog chasing a ball.

Reaves just isn't an NHL caliber player.
- Feds91Stammer

Unfortunately JR didn't get this message.

SO this is what it looks like when we give the 1 and 2 lines a rest? Yikes.

Maatta got beat to a puck again, I expect to repeat that line about 82 times this year. Top line looks killer again, PK looks good, Geno looks like Geno...3rd line should get a pump with Horny back. Interesting to see Hags on the 2nd line tonight.

Maatta got beat to a puck again, I expect to repeat that line about 82 times this year. Top line looks killer again, PK looks good, Geno looks like Geno...3rd line should get a pump with Horny back. Interesting to see Hags on the 2nd line tonight.
- Thorny

Been calling for that last part for a while. Before Geno went down in 2016, the Hags-Malkin-Kessel line looked killer. Hags is a good fit there. And if you're gonna have Hornqvist as your 3RW, you don't want Hagelin on the other wing. That's not enough hands or playmaking for a line. I honestly am worried about Hornqvist on the 3rd since we really don't have a complimentary wing that fits well with him outside the bottom 6. I'd honestly move Sheary to the third with Rust on the other side and run a first line of Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist. I think that balances the skill across the top 3 lines well, which we'll need if we're just going to condemn ourselves to a dumpsterfire 4th line because we're dead set on playing Reaves.

Been calling for that last part for a while. Before Geno went down in 2016, the Hags-Malkin-Kessel line looked killer. Hags is a good fit there. And if you're gonna have Hornqvist as your 3RW, you don't want Hagelin on the other wing. That's not enough hands or playmaking for a line. I honestly am worried about Hornqvist on the 3rd since we really don't have a complimentary wing that fits well with him outside the bottom 6. I'd honestly move Sheary to the third with Rust on the other side and run a first line of Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist. I think that balances the skill across the top 3 lines well, which we'll need if we're just going to condemn ourselves to a dumpsterfire 4th line because we're dead set on playing Reaves.
- Victoro311

If they're dead set on playing Reaves, we need better than Rowney. Good gawd are those two painful to watch together......three steps behind every play. Reminds me of Glass and Adams.

I'm convinced we need two centers 'cause McPlugg isn't good either.

Reaves is the Deryk Engelland of forwards.

If they're dead set on playing Reaves, we need better than Rowney. Good gawd are those two painful to watch together......three steps behind every play. Reminds me of Glass and Adams.

I'm convinced we need two centers 'cause McPlugg isn't good either.
- madmike71

McKegg's hands aren't fast enough for his feet and mind. He gets in good positions and tries to make the right plays but doesn't have the skills.

If they're dead set on playing Reaves, we need better than Rowney. Good gawd are those two painful to watch together......three steps behind every play. Reminds me of Glass and Adams.

I'm convinced we need two centers 'cause McPlugg isn't good either.
- madmike71

McPluggenator??

McPluggenator??
- Aussiepenguin

Pluggy McPluggface?

Been calling for that last part for a while. Before Geno went down in 2016, the Hags-Malkin-Kessel line looked killer. Hags is a good fit there. And if you're gonna have Hornqvist as your 3RW, you don't want Hagelin on the other wing. That's not enough hands or playmaking for a line. I honestly am worried about Hornqvist on the 3rd since we really don't have a complimentary wing that fits well with him outside the bottom 6. I'd honestly move Sheary to the third with Rust on the other side and run a first line of Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist. I think that balances the skill across the top 3 lines well, which we'll need if we're just going to condemn ourselves to a dumpsterfire 4th line because we're dead set on playing Reaves.
- Victoro311

I just don't see them trading Horn, and I don't see them trading Rust. I just don't know where to play the bottom 6. If you keep hags on the 2nd line, do you go with Wilson, McKegg, Horn? Rust Rown Reeves? Do you flip Wilson and Rust? If you put Horn on the top like, do you go Rust Keggs Shear? I dont have an issue with the wingers on the bottom 2 lines, the centers are just awful.

If they're dead set on playing Reaves, we need better than Rowney. Good gawd are those two painful to watch together......three steps behind every play. Reminds me of Glass and Adams.

I'm convinced we need two centers 'cause McPlugg isn't good either.
- madmike71

I'm gonna go ahead and say the Reaves experiment lasts about 20 games.

I'm gonna go ahead and say the Reaves experiment lasts about 20 games.
- jmatchett383

I think you see him 60 games this year, mostly against CBus, Wash type teams. I could see him dressing opening night too. I think he will get sheltered minutes with sheltered zone starts too. I just think him playing with Rowney will be a disaster

I think you see him 60 games this year, mostly against CBus, Wash type teams. I could see him dressing opening night too. I think he will get sheltered minutes with sheltered zone starts too. I just think him playing will be a disaster
- Thorny

ftfy

Also, I think it will just be so apparent that it's not working that he'll be the extra forward by the 1/4 season mark.

Reaves is the Deryk Engelland of forwards.
- Rinosaur

Sadly, I feel Engelland looked better at forward when Bylsma would occasionally put him there than Reaves does.