Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Not Only on Giroux, Quick Hits

The Rangers are doing a great job stifling the top line, but they aren't doing a bad job on the rest, either.

With all the SOG the Flyers are getting through, the quality chances aren't there. And a lot of the guys are still looking for the pretty pass - whether they're being unselfish or due to confidence issues - and that's got to stop.

And the blocked shots...how about a fake shot now and then? Let them go down for the block and skate around them.

Frustrating.

I saw a philly.com article where giroux guaranteed a win in game 4. I give him credit for that and hope he can lead the charge. Hopefully mason isnt rusty and can keep it close... This team needs some cowbell... Have a good one.

I saw a philly.com article where giroux guaranteed a win in game 4. I give him credit for that and hope he can lead the charge. Hopefully mason isnt rusty and can keep it close... This team needs some cowbell... Have a good one.
- JoeRussomanno

Thing is Rangers havent had a whole lot of grade A chances either. Mason should do fine.

Lecavalier had an opportunity in Game Three to center the second line. The hoped-for spark wasn't there. Lecavalier has basically become a player who is a threat from a stationary position either blasting one-timers from the right circle or if the puck gets to him near the right post. If it involves skating the puck to a scoring area himself, Lecavalier struggles.
- bmeltzer

Spot on.

I suppose that's why it's so frustrating to see Chief continue to dabble in the 10/40/17 experiment. Vinny's not going to get his bread and butter looks with those guys... neither 10 nor 17 excel at drawing defenders and feeding him for open shots, and 10 happens to love the right side of ice, too. When those three are together, it really seems like they're getting in each others' way, on top of each other, more than opening up space for one another. Not to mention just how useless they are defensively as a trio.

With regards to the problems they have been having on the powerplay. I know Giroux likes to 1 time the puck from the middle left boards but every time a pass goes that way NY is all over him and that shot. Cycle the puck down low to Simmonds at the side of the net and get dirty. Any shot on goal has a chance and rebounds will occur.

would be nice if the flyers could get, and hold, a lead for a while in a game(s). maybe that would force the rangers to change their style

Spot on.

I suppose that's why it's so frustrating to see Chief continue to dabble in the 10/40/17 experiment. Vinny's not going to get his bread and butter looks with those guys... neither 10 nor 17 excel at drawing defenders and feeding him for open shots, and 10 happens to love the right side of ice, too. When those three are together, it really seems like they're getting in each others' way, on top of each other, more than opening up space for one another. Not to mention just how useless they are defensively as a trio,
- Tomahawk

It's not an experiment. But a Coach only has so many combinations that he can use. That line without Lecavalier wasn't getting it done either. Based on the entire season, that combination is the best they have for that 2nd line. They need to get the puck deep, and forecheck, and crash the net. Get dirty but good goals, and get on the Rangers defense. None of the players on that line are adept at carrying the puck and distributing and setting up scoring chances. So play a N/S game, dump the puck and forecheck. The best defense for that line is offense.

Spot on.

I suppose that's why it's so frustrating to see Chief continue to dabble in the 10/40/17 experiment. Vinny's not going to get his bread and butter looks with those guys... neither 10 nor 17 excel at drawing defenders and feeding him for open shots, and 10 happens to love the right side of ice, too. When those three are together, it really seems like they're getting in each others' way, on top of each other, more than opening up space for one another. Not to mention just how useless they are defensively as a trio.
- Tomahawk

It's a line that has had sporadic success, but it's not a good mix, especially right now. The first thing I'd like to see them try is putting Akeson on the win with either Schenn or Vinny centering and Simmonds on the other wing. I'd probably go with Lecavalier at C, and bump Schenn to Couturier-Read line's left wing, because Lecavalier isn't comfortable there and when he played with those two earlier it was like strapping a piano to Couturier's back.

It's not an easy issue to fix. Guys are simply not playing well, especially Schenn & Lecavalier. Rather than repeat what hasn't been working, I think they need to roll the dice and try to mix things up.

It's not an experiment. But a Coach only has so many combinations that he can use. That line without Lecavalier wasn't getting it done either. Based on the entire season, that combination is the best they have for that 2nd line. They need to get the puck deep, and forecheck, and crash the net. Get dirty but good goals, and get on the Rangers defense. None of the players on that line are adept at carrying the puck and distributing and setting up scoring chances. So play a N/S game, dump the puck and forecheck. The best defense for that line is offense.
- MJL

19/10/17 could play that style. Same with 12/10/17.

Vinny just doesn't excel at forechecking and puck retrieval anymore. He's a howitzer, not a bulldozer.

I'm not going to trash him, but G really needs to find SOMETHING.

His play away from the puck isn't bad, it seems- I haven't noticed brutal defensive gaffes on his part, but he needs to start something. Like Bill said, it's no secret the team goes as G goes.

Does he need to Ovechkin out on us and fire 8 shots on net? Nah. But the Rangers are ALL OVER HIM, which means, at the very least someone on the ice is open, right? Logic?

I think the gameplan needs to be a north south game. We know that. That's the easy part. The tough part is once they gain the zone and control the puck with sustained Ozone pressure (which the did well last game, actually), they need to move the goddamned Rangers around so they can open up lanes to exploit. Remember, they cheat to Giroux's side as it is. If the team starts to move their feet more in the offensive zone and dish the puck around (albeit SMARTLY, PLEASE), a lane has to open up. Fake shots, banks off the endboards....ANYTHING. PLEASE.

Easier said than done. I hope that's what the movie night was about- or on a macro scale anyway, I hope they looked to see how they can decrease the amount of shots blocked. The pressure was good, but they can't score if they shoot it into players' pads 50% of the time.

The Flyers can beat this team. I have no doubts about it. And anyone jumping off the Ben Franklin because they're down 2-1 hasn't watched the team close enough to know they thrive under adversity. Plus, Mason should be back between the pipes and- no disrespect to Emery- his puckhandling will be clutch and they frankly play a better game in front of Mase, for whatever reason.

~~~~~~~~~~~

By the way, whoever it was on the last blog that said something about Wilbur Buds....

Wilbur >>>>>>>> Hershey, and when the wind blows right, I can smell chocolate from my house. Me and my 2 roommates are working on a 5 lb box right now courtesy of the Easter Bunny

would be nice if the flyers could get, and hold, a lead for a while in a game(s). maybe that would force the rangers to change their style
- 13kdub13

Game 2 says hi

19/10/17 could play that style. Same with 12/10/17.

Vinny just doesn't excel at forechecking and puck retrieval anymore. He's a howitzer, not a bulldozer.
- Tomahawk

Those would work as well. Keeping those 3 together & wringing your hands at it and saying "It's the best we can do" is pretty pathetic. They have other options to shake things up. It's time to stop trying to use disperate pieces together just because they look good on paper.

Have they tried Vinny on Giroux's wing this year yet? I get that it's not something you want to try in the playoffs when the chips are getting down, but I wonder if it's a place he could slot in and be successful moving forward (mostly meaning into next year). Sometimes I think star (or former star) players don't work well with regular guys because they see the game a bit differently... zig when others zag so to speak. I just wonder if maybe Vinny and Giroux would be thinking zag more often than not, like he and Jagr did

By the way, whoever it was on the last blog that said something about Wilbur Buds....

Wilbur >>>>>>>> Hershey, and when the wind blows right, I can smell chocolate from my house. Me and my 2 roommates are working on a 5 lb box right now courtesy of the Easter Bunny
- Giroux_Is_God

If only statistical trends held true they would have 30 team goals through 3 games.
Damn rangers not letting them maintain a statistic!

Have they tried Vinny on Giroux's wing this year yet? I get that it's not something you want to try in the playoffs when the chips are getting down, but I wonder if it's a place he could slot in and be successful moving forward (mostly meaning into next year). Sometimes I think star (or former star) players don't work well with regular guys because they see the game a bit differently... zig when others zag so to speak. I just wonder if maybe Vinny and Giroux would be thinking zag more often than not, like he and Jagr did
- eayost

I say why not... Jake can help drive a potent 2nd-line, too.

Have they tried Vinny on Giroux's wing this year yet? I get that it's not something you want to try in the playoffs when the chips are getting down, but I wonder if it's a place he could slot in and be successful moving forward (mostly meaning into next year). Sometimes I think star (or former star) players don't work well with regular guys because they see the game a bit differently... zig when others zag so to speak. I just wonder if maybe Vinny and Giroux would be thinking zag more often than not, like he and Jagr did
- eayost

Didn't Akeson find some nice chemistry with Giroux at some point in life? Or am I incredibly confused?

Akeson-G-Hartnell
Schenn-Vinny-Jake
Simmer-Coots-Read

As a top 9? I mean, why not, right?

I say why not... Jake can help drive a potent 2nd-line, too.
- Tomahawk

Jake has games where he is the best forward on the team. He can be really good. I'm hoping long term that he'll be able to be good even without Giroux, stand on his own so to speak. I wouldn't mind seeing if he's able to be the catalyst of his own line in the event they do need to spread the wealth so to speak.

It is true that, for much of the season, the Flyers have gone as Claude Giroux has gone.
- bmeltzer

Kind of. The main issue is that special teams have been carrying them for most of the season. When they're not working as well as they have in the regular season, the team struggles.

Jake has games where he is the best forward on the team. He can be really good. I'm hoping long term that he'll be able to be good even without Giroux, stand on his own so to speak. I wouldn't mind seeing if he's able to be the catalyst of his own line in the event they do need to spread the wealth so to speak.
- eayost

I've been thinking this from time to time. I feel like Jake could really do damage on "his own" line. I mean- when you REALLY notice him, he's doing things himself. Whether that's because the ice is opened up alongside G...well I dunno. But I do know is that when he get's going he's a tank.

I say plop him down on the second line and see what he can do as (theoretically) the centerpiece of his own line

I've been thinking this from time to time. I feel like Jake could really do damage on "his own" line. I mean- when you REALLY notice him, he's doing things himself. Whether that's because the ice is opened up alongside G...well I dunno. But I do know is that when he get's going he's a tank.

I say plop him down on the second line and see what he can do as (theoretically) the centerpiece of his own line
- Giroux_Is_God

My only concern is that Bill is alluding that Vinny doesn't get to the right place at the right time because he has lost a step and vinny would be Jake's finisher so he needs to "get there".
And I think Vinny MUST play top six. His game has never been the traditional bottom 6 and him playing there puts him in a position to fail.
I remember a blob from Bill earlier this year about bringing someone up, I think Akeson, was a waste if her couldn't play top six because that is what his game is. putting a guy who scores and pays PP his entire career suddenly into a checking line role usually doesn't work well.

Bench Rinaldo and stick Laughton on the 4th line.

Bench Rinaldo and stick Laughton on the 4th line.
- Feanor

that would be nice if possible

Bench Rinaldo and stick Laughton on the 4th line.
- Feanor

That would be merciful.