Where is the top line?

[wbon22]

Seriously...where?
How is it that G simply vanishes offensively for long stretches? Same with Jake?
Why is the offensive spark coming from Cousins, Konecny and the 4th line?

Glad to see Vandy score ...but getting really really tired of the team relying on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines. If you are the man...be the man.

 

[Maverick426h]

I think Pierre alluded to this a bit during the game when he asked Eddie if Giroux looked fast with the puck to him, which to me, meant he thought he looked a step slow. We saw it again late in the game when G fanned on a glorious shot attempt during which he had a chance to tie it in the closing seconds. This is not a guy who fans on a wide open shot, he buries it.

Go ahead and start the rumor that he's playing hurt or past his prime...Lol

 

[wbon22]

I think Pierre alluded to this a bit during the game when he asked Eddie if Giroux looked fast with the puck to him, which to me, meant he thought he looked a step slow. We saw it again late in the game when G fanned on a glorious shot attempt during which he had a chance to tie it in the closing seconds. This is not a guy who fans on a wide open shot, he buries it.

Go ahead and start the rumor that he's playing hurt or past his prime...Lol

I don't think it would be much of a rumor...
he came back from surgery to play in the World Cup...where he got injured.
The nature and extent of his injury was kept pretty quiet and he has not looked like himself yet this season. He has lacked the burst in his skating and he has not been turning on shots (as you noted). He has most of his points on the PP. That is all well and good...but we need to score at even strength too...

 

[Maverick426h]

As long as he's healthy, I think we need more of Giroux and his competitive fire. If he's not healthy, then why is he even playing? So, I'm assuming he's fine.

However, why in the fuck is he only playing 15, 16, 17 and 18 minutes per over the last handful of games?

This is a guy who played 20:33 per game last season, which was 4th in the entire Nhl among forwards.

He is 32nd in that very same category this season.

I'm sorry, but that is far too fucking few minutes for a guy making $9 million this season.

 

[awaz]

As long as he's healthy, I think we need more of Giroux and his competitive fire. If he's not healthy, then why is he even playing? So, I'm assuming he's fine.

However, why in the fuck is he only playing 15, 16, 17 and 18 minutes per over the last handful of games?

This is a guy who played 20:33 per game last season, which was 4th in the entire Nhl among forwards.

He is 32nd in that very same category this season.

I'm sorry, but that is far too fucking few minutes for a guy making $9 million this season.

He's not very effective at 5 on 5 and the Flyers, until last night, weren't getting that many PPs. They had 6 last night after having 6 total over the previous 3 games. Giroux is 15th on the team in 5 on 5 points per 60 minutes. Also 15th in in CF%, though still positive at 52%. Those two stats are enough to raise an eyebrow for his play. The silver lining is Giroux and Schenn have a combined 1 goal on on 51 shots at even strength. That's less than a 2% shooting percentage. That will improve, that's unsustainably low for players of their caliber.

boom. advanced stats. took me like 8 seasons to get a hold of them, but i'm starting to get there!

 

[lasgop8]

As long as he's healthy, I think we need more of Giroux and his competitive fire. If he's not healthy, then why is he even playing? So, I'm assuming he's fine.

However, why in the fuck is he only playing 15, 16, 17 and 18 minutes per over the last handful of games?

This is a guy who played 20:33 per game last season, which was 4th in the entire Nhl among forwards.

He is 32nd in that very same category this season.

I'm sorry, but that is far too fucking few minutes for a guy making $9 million this season.

He is not playing heavy minutes because right now he is basically not helping us much when he is on the ice.

 

[lasgop8]

Seriously...where?
How is it that G simply vanishes offensively for long stretches? Same with Jake?
Why is the offensive spark coming from Cousins, Konecny and the 4th line?

Glad to see Vandy score ...but getting really really tired of the team relying on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines. If you are the man...be the man.

I believe Gee vanishes for long stretches and that hurts Jake.

 

[Maverick426h]

He's not very effective at 5 on 5 and the Flyers, until last night, weren't getting that many PPs. They had 6 last night after having 6 total over the previous 3 games. Giroux is 15th on the team in 5 on 5 points per 60 minutes. Also 15th in in CF%, though still positive at 52%. Those two stats are enough to raise an eyebrow for his play. The silver lining is Giroux and Schenn have a combined 1 goal on on 51 shots at even strength. That's less than a 2% shooting percentage. That will improve, that's unsustainably low for players of their caliber.

boom. advanced stats. took me like 8 seasons to get a hold of them, but i'm starting to get there!

Lol That's great and all, but Giroux is our $9 million captain and he's supposed to be in his prime here. We need to ride or die with him. Keep sending him out there until he gets it right.

The guys still has elite level skill, you just see more of it on the power plkay than at even strength. It's not like he's one of the Sedins here. Henrik is so bad right now that I am considering dropping him in fantasy.

 

[Maverick426h]

Winner, winner, chicken dinner on my part here...Lol

Much had been made about Claude Giroux only scoring one even strength goal through 24 games this season. Well, he gets 22:44 of ice last night (well above what he'd been getting lately) and nets two more crucial even strength goals, one the game winner shortly into OT.

I know Voracek deserves a lot of the credit for possessing the puck and making the plays on these goals, but someone has to finish them off and now Giroux is off and running.

Ride the captain, gentlemen.

And no, I never get tired of being right...Rofl

 

[lasgop8]

If we can only get 5 PPs per game Gee would be able to get his 22 minutes

 

[Maverick426h]

If we can only get 5 PPs per game Gee would be able to get his 22 minutes

Well, 22 minutes per night may be a bit much to ask, but he averaged 20:33 per game last season, so I at least want that again. He is at 19:20 this season, but that's only because they've started riding him more lately compared to mid November when he was literally getting about 17 minutes or less.

So, thank you Hakstol, for getting our captain back out on the ice here...Lol It is paying dividends right now. G has six points in six games, but is more importantly a +6 through this stretch.

 

[Maverick426h]

How funny is this thread right now?

9-0 since the original post and our top line is probably the hottest line in all of hockey.

 

[lasgop8]

How funny is this thread right now?

9-0 since the original post and our top line is probably the hottest line in all of hockey.

We were a couple games under when they woke up. If they had played like this all season we would be the 1st seed by far and other teams would be hoping we lose like i do for the Rags Pens Columbus and Wash.

 

[Maverick426h]

We were a couple games under when they woke up. If they had played like this all season we would be the 1st seed by far and other teams would be hoping we lose like i do for the Rags Pens Columbus and Wash.

Well, right now the only way those teams are losing is if they play us. It's insane. You could literally make the argument that the five best teams in the Nhl are in the Metro.

Chicago and Montreal would feel otherwise, but that is pretty much it.

 

[lasgop8]

Gee has vanished again with 1 goal and 4 assists in the last 11 games and a minus 10. On top of that the power play is non existent mostly because they rely on him and its just not there for him.

 

[Retroram52]

Not sure what everyone is stating here. WE are what, 7th seed in the East right now with 50 points and a 22-18 W-L record. I know that is not Number One seed and all but we could be playing worse. Just getting back as the football season is winding down.

 

[awaz]

Not sure what everyone is stating here. WE are what, 7th seed in the East right now with 50 points and a 22-18 W-L record. I know that is not Number One seed and all but we could be playing worse. Just getting back as the football season is winding down.

i agree with trying not to hit the panic button based on the position in the standings, but i actually don't think they can play any worse than they did this weekend. it was putrid. That Boston game was the worst hockey game i've seen an NHL team play in a long time. The 3rd period against the Caps was equally as terrible. They just threw in the towel and that's very disheartening. If I were Hakstol i would've called a timeout when they had a faceoff with a minute left, and pulled the goalie. Send a message that we give 100% effort every shift, even in a lost cause.

My concern is where they will be at the end of their bye week.

Canes 1 point back, 3 games before the Flyers next game (3 games in hand)
Senators 2 points back, 2 games before the Flyers next game (5 games in hand)
Panthers 2 point back, 3 games before the Flyers next game (1 game in hand)
NJ 5 points back, 2 games before the Flyers next game (1 game in hand)

So it's conceivable that they're 11th in the East by the time they play their next game. With the Devils right there. Plus, with the way the Canes are playing, there's a good chance they're 3 or 4, maybe even 5 points out. That's a big deficit with all the 3 point games that are played these days.

 

[Retroram52]

Didn't see the game, awaz. Thanks for the update though.

 

[lasgop8]

Not sure what everyone is stating here. WE are what, 7th seed in the East right now with 50 points and a 22-18 W-L record. I know that is not Number One seed and all but we could be playing worse. Just getting back as the football season is winding down.

What we are saying here is this team is embarrassing us right now.

 

[Maverick426h]

What we are saying here is this team is embarrassing us right now.

It's fucking uncanny. You can't even make this shit up. We've literally won 10 straight games and then proceeded to lose 12 of our next 15. I don't even have words for this fucking disgrace.

Way to get all of our hopes up as fans and then take a giant fucking shit on us.

I believe we are fixing to be the first team in Nhl history to win 10 in a row and miss the playoffs. These guys can turn it around absolutely, but they are showing us nothing right now.

Claude Giroux is our captain and I believe he is still our best player. The man is capable of steering this ship in the right direction. It starts with him and I think he can do it. Let's make this shit happen, G.