NHL Season 2016-2017

[von Rantala]

Just came home after 13 hour work day (its closing to 00:00) here and start to watch last night Wild game. Stalock is in the goal, i have asked and bleeded Bruce to use him last two month and now he finally give him start I know he can be better back up goalie than Kuemper and finally Bruce bench very poorly played Kuemper and give rest to tired Dubnyk. No matter how game end, this was right choise from Bruse and i have to again admire his courage and its good that He moved COyle to third line too from first line. Its time to start win games again and if Stalock can answer and give us solid back up goalie game we can rest Dubnyk and get him back to his track too. Now i start watch game, it will be 02:AM when get it watched, but tomorrow i can sleep long so, could not leave it game tomorrow.

[Helsen]

Ok, now it is the 1st of april. The great thing is Rantala makes predictions on the start of the season. And maybe most of those prediction are easy, when you follow and understand hockey all your life. Still it is very fascinating to read and now see how these predictions worked out so far. So I checked what Ranta wrote and compared that with current standings... just for fun.

 

Ranta was right on with the following teams:

 

San Jose, St. Louis, Anaheim, Chicago, NYR, Washington, Minnesota, Montreal and Pittsburg. I guesss most of these are also easy bets? Some might be surprises?

 

Who are still heavily in the running? :

 

Boston, L.A., Nashville, Ottawa, Toronto and surprisingly.. Tampa (who was placed in the next stanley cup finals, exiting )

 

Who will not make it to the pay offs, but were predicted to go:

 

Dallas, Detroit, Florida

 

What are the surprises:

 

Calgary, Columbus, Edmonton.

 

 

 

All in all Ranta did a good job, nice to see not all is preplanned too. And does it seem that canadian teams do well this year?

 

By the way: my team end absolutely dead last this year, and I with a lot of wishfull thinking hoped and predicted they would at least make it to the p.o. hahahaha

 

Have fun all, and I do hope the canadians will go far this year

[von Rantala]

Stalock played well in last game, and i wish we give him second start row when we play afternoon game today. Stalock is small side goalie but very agressive, i like agressive goalies, Niittymäki was very agressive and flexibel and fast goalie.

 

Here is SS what show that we havent played poorly our goalies (mainly Dubnyk) has just betrayed us

 

 

Our team is very dependent on good goalie game, it affect us a lot if goalie playing poorly, we stop trying and skating, now when we had Stalock in goal we was like different team, we had huge amount of jump and we was out skating Ottawa. I know we need Dubnyk to get his game in track, but maybe we could play Stalock more now and see if he can take starter role for playoffs.

 

 

Ok, now it is the 1st of april. The great thing is Rantala makes predictions on the start of the season. And maybe most of those prediction are easy, when you follow and understand hockey all your life. Still it is very fascinating to read and now see how these predictions worked out so far. So I checked what Ranta wrote and compared that with current standings... just for fun.

 

Ranta was right on with the following teams:

 

San Jose, St. Louis, Anaheim, Chicago, NYR, Washington, Minnesota, Montreal and Pittsburg. I guesss most of these are also easy bets? Some might be surprises?

 

Who are still heavily in the running? :

 

Boston, L.A., Nashville, Ottawa, Toronto and surprisingly.. Tampa (who was placed in the next stanley cup finals, exiting )

 

Who will not make it to the pay offs, but were predicted to go:

 

Dallas, Detroit, Florida

 

What are the surprises:

 

Calgary, Columbus, Edmonton.

 

 

 

All in all Ranta did a good job, nice to see not all is preplanned too. And does it seem that canadian teams do well this year?

 

By the way: my team end absolutely dead last this year, and I with a lot of wishfull thinking hoped and predicted they would at least make it to the p.o. hahahaha

 

Have fun all, and I do hope the canadians will go far this year

 

Columbus is not surprise for me, i did wait them to go in playoffs, they point just was not enough because they defence group was so big question mark, now when Jones and Werenski has take big steps in there it has made they defence group solid and would get rating 8 now. Dallas is mainly out because they defence group is so poor and they had a lot injuries in start of season, you cant only blame goalies, Niemi and Lehtonen, but very poor defence group, maybe worst in NHL. Edmonton was borderline for me, they defence group and goalie didnt give them enough points in my early season prediction, but it was just a time when they will be in playoffs and this year Talbot played very good season and leading them to playoffs. Calgary is surprise for me, coach Gulutzan has done a lot better job than i waited, for this team i was  totally wrong and it has surprised me most. Florida i waited to be in playoffs because they have good team, but very poor coach after they kicked Gallant, that was mistake, i think they was in playoff spot when they kicked him out, and they didnt take prober coach, instead GM think too much of himself and wanted to get more tv time and made himself as coach and now they are dropping out from playoffs. LA have good first line and d-core but they dont have secondary scoring thats why they are outside.

[meow]

Don't get your hopes high on Stallock, he was terrible in San Jose.

 

Talking about the Sharks...They're a mess right now, they are on their way to the 2nd wildcard, damn -.-

[von Rantala]

Don't get your hopes high on Stallock, he was terrible in San Jose.

 

Talking about the Sharks...They're a mess right now, they are on their way to the 2nd wildcard, damn -.-

 

Do they play with heart? Do they skate? What is going in there? I am interested to hear, because with Wild it was mainly goalie problem, yes there was couple game where we didnt skate and played without heart. Jones dont have solid numbers even that team play very defence hockey, his numbers are just avarage numbers has been whole season and was that in last year too, he played good playoffs tho. Is your problem in goalie too, i think some problems are in goalie side too, your back goalie had a lot better numbers, i know all cant be seen by numbers, but with better goalie you could be better team. We went thourgh slump too, it will end in some point, Washington, PIT and CLB went minor slumps too. So all teams go that once in season so dont worry too much yet, there is still a lot hockey left to get it fixed before playoffs. As outsider its also look that, your young players, Donskoi, Hertl Bödker and Karlsson havent been able to take that next step what team needed and waited. Plus in paper your third-d pair look little bit weak.

 

PS. Yes stalock is small golie what can be problem if players start shot up.

Edited April 1, 2017 by von Rantala

[von Rantala]

How to heck Bobrovsky was not first star of month, amazing numbers 1,09GA and 96,7SV% and 4 shutout and 9-1-1. That one of best month from goalies what we have seen for long long time. What goalies have to do be number on star of the month. If he would been playing in Montreal, Chicago or Boston he would have been first star, but no they selected Kucherov first, yes he played good month but not so big than Bob. Bob should won his second Vezina.

[von Rantala]

Stalock is in net against NSH and first period is over, i followed him closely in first period and he played very well, he is super agressive, playing way over his blue paint, his weak point is that he is so small so if players get close to net and he is in deep of his net, players can shot puck in the up and there is room. But sametime its good to remember that our goalie coach is NHL best, if you watch goalies who has played in Wild and played they best hockey in Wild net and then havent able to do it other teams name list is long and i say some who come in my mind. Dubnyk as first ofc, then Roloson and Fernandez whos career ended couple year after he leaved from Wild, then there is Theodore who got new life to his career when he visited in Wild, Bryzgalov got boost too. So maybe coach Bob Mason get more out from Stalock, ofc if season would be new i would look someone stronger goalie to challange Dubnyk, because Dubnyk play better when he get enough rest, but Stalock is better choise than Kuemper is/was. Depent how well Stalock play we could look new back up in next summer or keep him, couple names who are available in prize what is good for us and who can challange Dubnyk are, Rämö, Halak (if NYI buy him out) Raanta Grubauer and Darling. Bishop would be great, but then we would need to give up Dubnyk.

[meow]

 As outsider its also look that, your young players, Donskoi, Hertl Bödker and Karlsson havent been able to take that next step what team needed and waited.

 

This. It's always the same players getting the points. The other guys have to start doing something. Couture is hurt, Burns has slowed down lately, and Thornton is getting old. The depth has to step up.

 

I wouldn't blame Jones. Could he be better? Yes, but so does the whole team.

 

At the beginning of the losing streak, I think it was a lack of effort, but now, they just can't seem to score. The effort is there. They gotta find a way to get back on track before the playoffs.

If they go down to the 2nd wildcard and face Chicago...I think they're gonna lose.

[von Rantala]

This. It's always the same players getting the points. The other guys have to start doing something. Couture is hurt, Burns has slowed down lately, and Thornton is getting old. The depth has to step up.

 

I wouldn't blame Jones. Could he be better? Yes, but so does the whole team.

 

At the beginning of the losing streak, I think it was a lack of effort, but now, they just can't seem to score. The effort is there. They gotta find a way to get back on track before the playoffs.

If they go down to the 2nd wildcard and face Chicago...I think they're gonna lose.

 

Its little bit same as us, we playing good hockey but just cant put puck in the net, last game Granny had empty net in front of him, but he hit the post.

 

Here is some numbers showing that we havent played poor hockey we just cant get puck in the net as we did in early of season, ofc against Nsh we was worse team, and Nashville had more jump.

 

 

I start to be little bit worried too, four game left and we just cant find our game, against Ottawa we played very good game, and we defenced well, our goalie game is just problem (Stalock played well against NSH). I am worried also that Bruce dont mix up PP units, they have been in huge problems, but he stick on same units. Second unit (Niederreiter-Koivu-Granlund-Spurgeon-Brodin/Pomminville) did work well most of season, but has been strugles lately, our first unit where play Staal, Parise and Suter (with Coyle,Pomminville or Hanzal), has strugled whore year. Bruce havent tryed Staal in Koivu line and Parise is totally dry in PP. In NSH we started well, we was better team in first period, but then again Bruce put Parise in Staal line what just dont work, it havent work in whole season but Bruce try force that line to work and we lost balance from teams and we was worse team after that move. We won game against Ottawa when Parise was out and Staal line made two goal and was our best line. Staal, Niederreiter working better as duo than Parise and Staal.

[von Rantala]

We have won two game row now and team play looking a lot better, we skating and making a lot goals, tuesday against Carolina we played against hot team. Start from Dubnyk was poor he allowed 3 goal from first 6 shot and i was asking Bruce to swap goalie (was surprised to see that Stalock was not back up role), but he kept Dubnyk in goal and you could cleary see first time in 3 month that he was top of his game, he saved 24 last shot what he faced and there was couple tricky ones too. Dubnyk looked good after second period and if he can keep on that play we can play as we did in early season when we was best team. Bruce also finally decided to give new try for Parise and Niederreiter in Staal line and they have made four goal in two game now, Bruce sayed that he will keep them together now and he finally give up with Coyle. Bruce forced and forced (gave about 40 game) for Coyle-Staal-Parise line and it never didnt work, Coyle was playing better with Staal without Parise, and Parise was playing better with Staal without Coyle, but with together they just didn't work and Bruce keep forcing them to work, now he have give second try for Niederreiter-Staal-Parise line what did play 3 game together in middle of season with good stats and they have worked very well. Coyle is also playing well with Pommer and Hanzal in third line and we have now very good thirdline. I just have to amaze how long it take from Bruce to see this line combo working better than what he was forcing in our losing streak. In our first 50 game he was not forcing line ups to work and we was winning and now when he finally mix up lines after 20 game period we are winning. He sayed in interviews that he wanted find line ups for playoffs and thats why he stopped mix up lines, he thought its working better in playoffs when you have steady lines without mixing.

[von Rantala]

Sometimes its annoys me how unprofessional our commentators are, they never give credit for Koivu two way game, but they always praise Parise, even that he has played poor season they praise Parise in the roofs after one good game, when Koivu never get good words. They praise line where Parise playing saying its our best line even that its not true lol.

[von Rantala]

So r egular season has ended, Who was in your mind biggest surprises and biggest disappointments. Couple coach and one GM has already fired. From Kings Sutter and Lombardi got kicked off, i am little bit surprised that Lombardi got kicked off too, but maybe reason was that he didnt act when team downhill started. Couple year ago, when Kings first time dropp out from playoffs, almost all sayed that they dropped out because team was tired, i didnt buy that, but most of NHL fans and kings orgnasation did buy that, after that they did dropp out in first round and now didnt make in the playoffs, if they would have done couple trade and update in roster rightway when they first time dropped out from playoffs they would be one of stanley favorites now. They need more dept in the roster, they trusted too much on they young players like Tanner Pearson, who is more like fourt to third line player than first liner where Kings forced him to play. They also trusted to couple veterans who production has tipped, like Gaborik. They defence core Doughty, Muzzin and Martinez is still one of best in NHL, but they havent even tryed to look out that fourth good defender in the group, they also need to find more dept in the third line and some one who can product in the first line and second line.

 

Biggest disappointment was TBL for sure, and they should kick they coach. Even that Stamkos was out most of season, they still had very good players in the roster, and i think they have best forward group in the NHL and for that i mean deepest with Wild and the Washington. Biggest positive surprise was Calgary. I underestimate Gulutzan as coach and he was able to get young team to play together with better five man defence and this team is biggest surprise for me. Also that Dallas did not play in the playoffs are minor surprise, all blame they goalies, but for my eyes biggest disappointment was that they great coach Lindy Ruff didnt get them play five man defence hockey. They defence group is young, and it can be one of best in the future, but now it was weakest. They forwards did not help in defence duties and thats why they our out. Ruff probably go to FLA and Sutter in the Las Vegas, Dallas or in the Tampa Bay. Gallant ex FLA coach should find new NHL work too, maybe in VAN.

Edited April 11, 2017 by von Rantala

[von Rantala]

Koivu is Selke finalist. I hear that news when i watched fourth game against St. Louis. I was soo extremely happy on that news. No matter how our season will go in the playoffs i am happy that he finally get recongnasation on his two-way play and he can win Selke its probably mean huge things for me, it will be first big personal trophy what my idol has won. Sometimes those personal trophies mean more to fans than player itself. Today i see game a live against St. Louis and i hope we will keep our season alive, this has been my favorite season (after 2009-2010 season when Niittymäki was starter in TBL) so i enjoyed every moment and we still can beat Blues.

 

 

Was surprising to hear that Bylsma got fired, yes team probably have better individuals than what ranking show, but there is not enough wide in the roster. All the playoffs teams had more wide in they roster, they have couple very good individual like Eichel, O'Reilly, Ristolainen and Lehner, but they cant blame Bylsma. If you would ask me to put top three from NHL coaches, he would be in top three. (Quenneville, Laviolette and Bylsma) So i wait that Bylsma find new job fast. Maybe from FLA or from Dallas and maybe from Detroit. (has Detroit kicked coach already i try catch up last two weeks news today?) Lets be honest Bylsma got team play solid defence play, he got a lot out from Lehner and other swedish goalis from they group, even that they are not close to top goalies in league, they just didnt get goal support, in paper forward group looking better, but its not wide enough, you can defence against team if it have only one good line.

[D..X]

[von Rantala]

Couple week for season starting. Pre-season games started. I try make somekind small prediction before seasons start on teams who will go to playoffs and who will dropp out, also i try to make fast look on goalies situation, because its area what interest me most.

 

I also send SS of my Fantasy teams once i get all ready. Will let Parise go and didnt take Vanek when he would had to play in fourth line. Will have to think which players i take as extra players when Ryan Carter retired. I might take Marcus Foligno back.