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Forums :: Blog World :: Paul McCann: 15 weeks later...
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Paul McCann
Nashville Predators
Location: Nolensville, TN
Joined: 09.15.2005

Feb 26 @ 8:02 AM ET
Paul McCann: 15 weeks later...
holycow_75
Nashville Predators
Location: Nashville, TN
Joined: 01.26.2012

Feb 26 @ 9:25 AM ET
The Preds did some good things last night - especially in the 2nd & 3rd periods with good special teams, solid goaltending, and responsible defense. But that was against Ottawa. The lines continue to be shuffled - but perhaps they are just giving Hynes a viewpoint on the entire roster and then he will set some more permanent lines in the coming games. The longer Hynes is behind the bench, I think maybe he has something with his system. Perhaps not all the players fit, but once Forsberg & Johansen adjust a bit, maybe they will be okay.

Ryan Ellis was a difference maker last night. His absence has to have cost the Preds at least 3-4 points in the standings. That's huge. And further deepens my dislike for Corey Perry. What a scumbag.

The next two games should tell us where this team is. Calgary and Winnipeg are both playoff-caliber teams. If the Preds can get two wins, or maybe a win and an OT loss, then they stay on track against teams they need to beat. They have an opportunity to control their own destiny in a way. I'm not overly hopeful at this point - but stringing together a few wins against tough opponents could change the course for this team...and could re-energize the fan base in this "year of the fan."
FoxMulder
Nashville Predators
Location: Christiana, TN
Joined: 02.26.2018

Feb 26 @ 10:07 AM ET
It's funny how Ellis can miss so much time, come back and immediately have an impact, when we've had guys that have missed no time and we can barely find them, ahem Forsberg and Duchene.

And what's up with TWO power play goals? Did they sacrifice some chickens pregame?

Kudos to Ottawa, who played hard. And shout out to Bobby Ryan, coming back from what he's been through. I think the Sens are going to emerge from their nightmare pretty soon. They've got picks, prospects and youth on their side. They'll be contenders in a few years. That's good, I can't wait for the Battle of Ontario to kick into high gear again.
Squatchy
Nashville Predators
Location: Clarksville, TN
Joined: 05.09.2018

Feb 26 @ 11:52 AM ET
The Preds did some good things last night - especially in the 2nd & 3rd periods with good special teams, solid goaltending, and responsible defense. But that was against Ottawa. The lines continue to be shuffled - but perhaps they are just giving Hynes a viewpoint on the entire roster and then he will set some more permanent lines in the coming games. The longer Hynes is behind the bench, I think maybe he has something with his system. Perhaps not all the players fit, but once Forsberg & Johansen adjust a bit, maybe they will be okay.

- holycow_75


I perused the Devils boards to get some fan insight on Hynes when he was first hired, and one their chief complaints was weird line combinations and frequent shuffling. Apparently, this is just something he does, so frequently changing line combinations are something we're just gona have to deal with. As long as they're winning I guess I don't care, but when they're not, it's going to get old fast.
Squatchy
Nashville Predators
Location: Clarksville, TN
Joined: 05.09.2018

Feb 26 @ 12:08 PM ET
It's funny how Ellis can miss so much time, come back and immediately have an impact, when we've had guys that have missed no time and we can barely find them, ahem Forsberg and Duchene.

And what's up with TWO power play goals? Did they sacrifice some chickens pregame?

Kudos to Ottawa, who played hard. And shout out to Bobby Ryan, coming back from what he's been through. I think the Sens are going to emerge from their nightmare pretty soon. They've got picks, prospects and youth on their side. They'll be contenders in a few years. That's good, I can't wait for the Battle of Ontario to kick into high gear again.

- FoxMulder


I don't know what's wrong with Forsberg, but every time I see him carry the puck in the offensive zone, he seems to get immediately mauled by the defense. I don't know if the league has figured out a way to defend him, or if he's slowed down a step and it's just easier to defend him now. The puck keeps getting taken from him, and it just looks and feels like its happening way to easily. I think the pressure to perform is getting in his head somewhat too. I've seen him make as many turnovers and poor puck decisions over the last couple of months as I've seen him make in any other stretch of his career.
wrister
Joined: 12.28.2011

Feb 26 @ 3:49 PM ET
I don't know what's wrong with Forsberg, but every time I see him carry the puck in the offensive zone, he seems to get immediately mauled by the defense. I don't know if the league has figured out a way to defend him, or if he's slowed down a step and it's just easier to defend him now. The puck keeps getting taken from him, and it just looks and feels like its happening way to easily. I think the pressure to perform is getting in his head somewhat too. I've seen him make as many turnovers and poor puck decisions over the last couple of months as I've seen him make in any other stretch of his career.
- Squatchy



Completely agree. He looks as if he has "checked out" this season. I don't know if he's pissed that he is not getting enough attention ie..Duchene, Josi or money ? ?
FoxMulder
Nashville Predators
Location: Christiana, TN
Joined: 02.26.2018

Feb 27 @ 10:47 AM ET
Many are wondering why Nashville – a team with so much talent on paper – is underachieving this season. Special teams have a lot to do with it. Their power play is not good, and their penalty kill is somehow even worse. In terms of rate numbers they rank bottom-10 in expected goals against – indicating they give up a lot of chances – and dead last in goals against. They’re giving up nearly 10 (9.7) per 60 minutes of play.


From the Calgary blogger. It's amazing (1) we still can't get our blogger to do anything but recap wins, (2) how awful special teams have been for this team for so long and that (3) no one seems to be able to fix any of it.

I'm just waiting for the Preds to announce the official special teams policy is thoughts and prayers. As if...
Squatchy
Nashville Predators
Location: Clarksville, TN
Joined: 05.09.2018

Feb 27 @ 11:56 AM ET
From the Calgary blogger. It's amazing (1) we still can't get our blogger to do anything but recap wins, (2) how awful special teams have been for this team for so long and that (3) no one seems to be able to fix any of it.

I'm just waiting for the Preds to announce the official special teams policy is thoughts and prayers. As if...

- FoxMulder


The PP is a little easier to explain. We have talent but it's a bit overrated, and quite frankly, just not that good at it. Even when the PP was decent, it relied heavily on the D-men hammering shots from the back end, and once other teams figured out how to take that away, the Preds haven't been able to adjust since. Two years of horrendous PP is not a fluke, the guys playing on it are just not good at it, and find creative ways to suck at it to boot. When the PK can just create a box in front of the net, never move, and wait for the PP to shoot itself in the foot... Well, the Preds PP makes penalty killing look easy most of the time.

The PK is harder to explain, that's almost always been a strength. Actually, it's not hard to explain... Can't win face-offs on the PK, don't really pressure or challenge anybody with the puck, struggle to clear the puck when they do get a hold of it, always seems to be someone at the side of the net, completely unguarded, ready to just tap the puck home as soon as it hits their stick... The team on the PP always seems to control the puck for the entire 2:00 or however long the PP Lasts... I mean, a PP should control the puck most of the time, but when the Preds are the PK it just looks too easy for the opposing PP. In comparison, the Preds usually waste the first minute of their PP's just trying to get the puck into the zone so they can set up and pray to get one shot off that either gets blocked or misses the net. It's not hard to explain now that I think about it, it's just hard to explain why it's happening. Some of it was the poor goal tending early in the season. How many of these PP's have we seen that lasted 30 seconds or less? Face off win, one shot, in the net, done... Unless it's a just a perfectly placed shot, that's usually on the goalie. Then again, I've seen Hammer and Weber on the ice during the PK too so that might have something to do with it.
Squatchy
Nashville Predators
Location: Clarksville, TN
Joined: 05.09.2018

Feb 27 @ 12:18 PM ET
Todd also posted his New Jersey blog 30 minutes later.

Not trying to poop on anyone just saying... Todd Cordell is one of the best bloggers on this site though... Probably not a fair comparison
FoxMulder
Nashville Predators
Location: Christiana, TN
Joined: 02.26.2018

Feb 27 @ 12:24 PM ET
How many of these PP's have we seen that lasted 30 seconds or less? Face off win, one shot, in the net, done... Unless it's a just a perfectly placed shot, that's usually on the goalie. Then again, I've seen Hammer and Weber on the ice during the PK too so that might have something to do with it.
- Squatchy


It's so annoying to me that they hardly ever try a one-timer. They'll always try to steady the puck, get it perfect and then shoot, which allows the goalie or defenseman to reposition. Drives me crazy. Watching the Blues/Hawks game the other night, I couldn't count how many times the Blues were setting up a one-timer, and they always tried the shot rather than wait for the perfect puck lie.

If I were Haynes, I'd be practicing that and telling them to hell with the perfect puck position.
FoxMulder
Nashville Predators
Location: Christiana, TN
Joined: 02.26.2018

Feb 27 @ 3:46 PM ET
FYI, I just got notification that Youtube TV is getting rid of all the Fox regional networks on February 29, including FSTN. So if anyone has YTTV, time to switch. I think Hulu is the only streaming network now that carries these networks. It's a bunch of BS.