well none of us really know and it sounds like he's been walking around without a brace or anything. So sounds like he should be ok even if he's still out for a couple of games
If you want a deep dive on tactics, specifically focused on the Panthers, this podcast episode is a must listen.
I've listened to a couple of the post-game audio discussions they do with Colby on Twitter. Kinda neat. The 5v4 PP to me feels like it's simply a group of players that know they are way better than the other side...and are being patient to a fault. Hard to explain but basically they cycle around in a keep-away kind of way and wait for someone to make a 1v1 move and they know they are all good enough to do it. So they wait for someone to make that move almost teasing the defense. Similar to a basketball team that has a lot of iso-skill where guys wait to make their move until the guy with the ball makes his move. But then they wait so long that they end up not forcing the issue and it takes one block for the puck to be sent down the other way. They just need to get out of their own heads when it's 5v4.
The podcast>>> the postgame spaces. But I'm obviously biased. In a very basic sense (not meant to be derogatory towards you) you are absolutely right. They are in their own head and just waiting for the one perfect pass that leads to a tap in goal. What's really obvious and Jack Han does a perfect job of explaining it is that Ekblad isn't a PP QB. The most important player on the PP is the guy at the top. Because he makes one good pass that breaks the box and 2 quick passes later, the puck is in the net. Ekblad isn't creative enough to make that pass, so the box never really breaks. The other way to do it when you don't have a true PP QB on the roster is to have movement. Keep everything free flowing where guys are constantly swapping positions. Now the constant movement is what breaks the box and you don't need a true PP QB at the top. The issue here is that you will frequently end up with a defenseman down low and a turnover could be fatal, but the Panthers are already an agressive team. Might as well fully lean into it.
I think they really need to think of a coach move. I know injuries are an issue but the depth of this team can’t continue to play like this. Style isn’t working.
They weren’t wrong. They are running all over teams right now. 16-3 over the last 24 hours. That’s absurd.
Man people are overreacting to the road stuff. The Panthers consistently outplay and out chance every team on the road. If the Panthers had another game tomorrow vs. NYR, they'd likely win it. Good luck to any team* taking all of their home games against the Panthers in the playoffs and then good fucking luck in Sunrise. *Excluding Colorado
fucking this. I've never talked less about the Panthers online because I can't stand how fucking stupid this fanbase is. Top 5 analytics across the board on the road. The regression to the mean will come. But lose to the Rangers on the 2nd night of a B2B with a 2 week vacation staring the entire team in the face and it's time to melt down and say this team can't compete in the playoffs.
the other thing is that regular panthers writers were calling them bad/flat last night. Am I nuts when I think they played pretty well? They showed some relentless stretches and pretty sure xG were in the Panthers favor for most of it maybe up until the end. But yeah a tough 3rd period and whatever. The goals NYR scored were really nice and the 3rd one could have been easily avoided with just a better dump-in (the change itself was fine, actually). Play that same game again and the panthers win 4-1 or something. This is NOT what we looked like in Tampa last year. Only huge things are a) turnovers and b) some pass selections in dangerous offensive areas. A few times last night a guy was in the slot and tried a pass into the crowded crease area that didn't make it. NYR was way better prepared for those than CBJ so in those games you need to shoot more once you have a chance in the slot. Just too many "last pass" attempts. OH - and that Tippett goal should've counted.
I love GR to death, but he's not a hockey guy in the sense that he's not the most hockey literate beat writer out there. He will tell you everything going on with the team and stuff, but his understanding of analytics is minimal at best and his eye test has zero depth because of his lack of knowledge about playing the game. However, in my opinion, I don't believe they played a strong game last night. They had the better xG through 40 min and then ran out of gas with about 5 min left in the 2nd. shit happens when you are staring a 2 week vacation in the face and are in 1st place in the NHL. Wouldn't doubt that half the team are currently on flights to tropical locations for the next week plus. I'll disagree here. The first 3 goals were absolute gifts by the Panthers. Forsling deflecting the puck into the net, Brutal turnover by Ekblad and a poor effort from Knight, and the third goal was a terrible dump in followed by a bad change. (the defenseman HAVE to be reading that dump in before changing in a long change situation. 4th goal was another WTF moment from Forsling as he had his stick in the completely wrong spot to stop that pass. Play the rangers with rest 7 times and the Panthers will be the better overall team on the ice at least 6 of the games. The ONLY chance the rangers have in a series against the Panthers is Shesterkin going god mod and even that may not be enough if the Panthers play to their talent level. This is just how the Panthers play. They are good enough to sauce passes over bodies and shit. It works for them more often than it doesn't. Some times those passes hit a stick or skate and it just isn't your night. I will agree here. When you are struggling to get those passes through, just adjust. They didn't really adjust last night. I still haven't seen that replay. But either way, Tippett is raising his value with some pucks finally going in the net. If they can get him a handful of goals when they return from the break, he could end up being that main pience in a Chychrun deal.
Unlikely because the clear need is on defense, but getting giroux would be massive overkill on offense.
Just hate giving up assets that could land a defensemen for overfilling the offense. But it’d be crazy to add him.
They absolutely should be all in on adding a defenseman like chychrun or Giordano. BUT. If the choice is a bottom pairing caliber defenseman or Giroux, use your assets on Giroux and don’t look back. You will get way more value out of slotting giroux into the top 9 over a bottom pairing d-man who gets 8-10 minutes a night.
Yeah can’t hurt to just outscore. I’m sure he will also add more offensive zone possession time too. Can’t wait to finally see them in person 2/24 and 2/26. Going to be my sons first panthers game. and not to spoil him or anything but sitting 2nd row
Here’s my big takeaway on that one. That game was physical as fuck and the panthers leaned into it and played it right back and won anyway. Controlled most of the game but even last year against Tampa the physical games draggged Florida. tonight they shoved back and controlled a lot of the game. They missed on a ton of little things but man they brought it right back to Carolina. sweeping them is massive considering how bad of a matchup that’s been