SOW-Nucks @ devils mar 24/25 4:30 pm PDT Prime

[Blob Mckenzie]

If folks can't get behind this group after watching the last dozen games and the effort they are playing with, I'm not sure they ever will. You have posters wanting to tear it down at 1 point out of playoffs for a late 2027 1st and a late 2027 2nd for Suter and Boeser.... what can you say? The charge to the finish line is worth it to these guys. If they were ten points out, like they constantly were when they usually wan out of time due to someone getting his Moore's card laminated while he chugged a 40 pounder of CC.

The kids like the challenge, Demko needs the work, the free agent are playing their bag off and they are close. A couple good moves and this is a good hockey team.

There's a good Slow Pitch League around Riverview where Danny plays. They learn to bunt and pull their pants up to their tits. Could be a jungle gym, a tether ball pole and a birdbath there. Participation ribbons for all!! Might be a good spot for some of the more non competitive folks. I for one like the bite and bark one of this squad with all the shit they've been through.

[2Fingers]

Agree Blob, love watching the team battle but RT has to figure out how to get the team to play better d zone coverage after they score a goal.

Picking on small things but that seems to be a bit of a problem I see with this team at the moment.

[dangler]

Lekkerimaki

[2Fingers]

Lekkerimaki

Do you think he can replace BB? Not 30 goals next season but 15-20?

[Nuckertuzzi]

Pure Cups...

Mic. Drop!

Crosby just wins. All he does is win. All he knows how to do is win. Despite the Pens sucking in recent years (through no fault of his own).

...But to be fair I wouldn't put Pavel in the category of star players who don't show when it matters most, of which we have a long enough history of. In fact, quite the opposite, Pavel was a bigtime gamer. All he was missing was a Quinn back in 94 or he'd have a Cup or three. Can you imagine....Leetch, Zubov, meet Quinn fuckin' Hughes motherfuckers.

Or how about Pavel with Quinn in this era? Mr. Breakaway with no clutching/grabbing, no red line, Quinn's stretch feeds, shootouts,...tailor made for PB. And 3 on 3 OT with those two on the ice, absolute nightmare for opposing teams.

[dangler]

Lekkerimaki

Do you think he can replace BB? Not 30 goals next season but 15-20?

Yup

[Picker of Cherries]

Paying top dollar for Suter and Boeser when we know they aren’t the best skaters and the team’s Achilles heel a lack of skating speed to generate shots is probably not the best idea. If they are willing to take a team friendly discount, I’m okay with signing either, but for the money and term they seem to be asking, management should use the cap space to acquire plays with more speed.

[UWSaint]

Lekkerimaki

Do you think he can replace BB? Not 30 goals next season but 15-20?

If Sushi got regular ice time he'd probably score 15 now.

Kids like Sushi tend to make stepwise improvements -- or they don't. He has the core skill for scoring 30 now, that's the lethal shot. Now its a matter of finding a way to get it off a lot. Near as I can tell, that requires at least the following three things that are missing: (1) he has to be able to fight through people to get to spots (but he knows where the spots are); (2) he must improve his ability to maintain possession and extend offensive zone time; (3) he must play better defensively to earn ice time.

[rats19]

Is sushi Suter or lekerimeki?

[5thhorseman]

Maki Sushi, Rats

[Lancer]

Lekkerimaki

Do you think he can replace BB? Not 30 goals next season but 15-20?

If Sushi got regular ice time he'd probably score 15 now.

Kids like Sushi tend to make stepwise improvements -- or they don't. He has the core skill for scoring 30 now, that's the lethal shot. Now its a matter of finding a way to get it off a lot. Near as I can tell, that requires at least the following three things that are missing: (1) he has to be able to fight through people to get to spots (but he knows where the spots are); (2) he must improve his ability to maintain possession and extend offensive zone time; (3) he must play better defensively to earn ice time.

The nice thing is, I don't see any of those three things as beyond Sushi's grasp. 1 and 2 are just a matter of him getting muscle and working on puck skills; He already looks thicker than the twig he was when he was drafted, which suggests he can put the muscle on, and his skill-set suggests he can pick up those skills that help him along the boards. As for 3, that will be a bit of a learning curve but the fact Tocchet has him out there playing significant minutes when they need every win they can get is indicative of his trust in the kid, or his desperation.

Either way, if management replaces Boeser's spot with Lekkerimaki we should anticipate a slight dip in goal production next season. After that, though, he will more than replace Boeser's production.

Even so, would like to have both Boeser and Sushi in the top-6 if Boeser's ask is reasonable. One doesn't discard one of their Captain's best buds lightly.

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Lekkerimaki

I checked the game yesterday and thought we lost. Nice to see the team pull through.

The young Swede beating the old Swede like a rented mule. Man, our old bud Marky Mark was pissed after he let that in. *LOL* As Grapes would notice after a guy scores a big goal: JL23 acting like it's no big deal, barely smiling or raising his hands, just something he does all the time and another day in the office.

On a side note, I hope the Prime numbers are shit and they just put all the games back on the SPAC. Or maybe just put the games on both.

[dangler]

Even so, would like to have both Boeser and Sushi in the top-6 if Boeser's ask is reasonable. One doesn't discard one of their Captain's best buds lightly.

It would certainly simplify things only having to find a top end Center instead of a top end Center and a top 6 RW.
With everything that's not happened with Boesers contract I can't imagine him not testing the ufa waters though.

[Meds]

Crosby easily over Bure for me.

Interesting vis a vis Hughes/Makar.

I'd hate to live on the difference.

Makar I think can physically handle bigger forwards than Hughes, simply by virtue of size.

Hughes is the better skater.

I'd be curious to see what Makar's production would be like if he hadn't been playing so much with the 2nd best player in the league for most of his career.....especially on special teams. I would imagine it would be similar to Hughes.

[Nuckertuzzi]

Paying top dollar for Suter and Boeser when we know they aren’t the best skaters and the team’s Achilles heel a lack of skating speed to generate shots is probably not the best idea. If they are willing to take a team friendly discount, I’m okay with signing either, but for the money and term they seem to be asking, management should use the cap space to acquire plays with more speed.

Yup, center and team speed need to be the top priorities. While I like both players, I don't think we can commit term to them, especially if Raty is a player they plan to move forward with. There's too many slugs in the lineup as is. That's gotta change.