Leaderboard

Don't worry. His real middle name is Penis.

I'd like to see... Rasmussen Vanek - Larkin - Mantha Green Berruzzi Nyquist - Nielsen - Zadina Hronek

I will now lower my bid to $4.00

Exactly my thinking. Couple that with Mantha being more of a playmaker on the PP throughout his career, and I think you have enough logic to justify moving Mantha to the wall or top circle. Again, not a must, just an idea.

So what your'e saying is, the blueline has become so slow and untalented that it has begone collapsing in upon itself. Becoming denser and denser, sucking the coaching staff and the entire team into it's ever expanding black hole of suck. And when we scream into the defensive void, the void answers only: "take these left handed forwards, may they serve you well"

Very rare Gordie Howe item. 2 sticks, both signed. 2 pictures, 1 signed. 1 hockey card signed as well. Let me know if you want to purchase!

$4.50

Asking the real questions

I like dat setup, I'd go with this opening day: Mantha Vanek Larkin Zadina Green Rasmussen Frk Athanasiou Nyquist Hronek

Wouldn't surprise me if Rasmussen's in front of the net on the first PP unit on opening night. That's one of the reasons why I'm thinking Mantha could -- and maybe should -- be moved to the wall or the high slot on the first unit. https://www.nhl.com/redwings/news/wings-blashill-its-a-wide-open-roster-more-than-ever-before/c-298952646 "Rasmussen, to me, when I went out and watched him, if he does what I think he can do and that's make our hockey team, he's got a real chance to make our power play better," Blashill said. "He's an excellent, and I mean excellent, net-front presence guy with his ability to tip pucks, his ability to score in tight areas, so we should be excited about that. He wants to do that, that's where he wants to be. That's pretty high praise for a teenager who's never played a single game of pro hockey. Clearly he has big plans for the big guy.

And I agree with you, moving Mantha to the outside probably puts him in Nyquist's spot. Then where does Nyquist go? It's all a puzzle, and yes we have to make those puzzle pieces fit to the most benefit of the team. I think everyone is on board with that. Maybe the best setup is Mantha in front of the net full time, maybe it's not. I could see either way at this point. I think the PP needs lots of shuffling and experimentation. I know I'd definitely like to see Ras playing net front on the PP at some point this season, even if it's on the 2nd unit. I definitely agree that Mantha is an upgrade in front of the net than Abby or Bertuzzi (probably). Is it more of an upgrade than Mantha at wing? I don't know really, which is kinda why I'd like to see Mantha play there for a few PPs. Again, I think the darkhorse in all of this is Rasmussen. He's been advertised to us as great all-around player who likes to play in front of the net, kinda like Getzlaf, Pacioretty, etc. as Kip mentioned. If this is true maybe he ends up as a better net front guy than Mantha and displaces him there? Will be interesting to see what Byslma does this year, he is a pretty good PP coach in my mind.

I don't really understand this line of thinking. Tons of skilled player, most more skilled than Mantha, see regular or exclusive net front time on the PP. Off the top of my head, Benn, Perry, Pacioretty, Wheeler, Backes, Kreider, JVR, and Simmonds are all highly skilled players who also play in front of the net. So maybe there's something to it and it's not that Blashill is "wasting" a skill player. Maybe it's actually preferable to have a skilled guy there.

No, I agree. I'm just saying the problems highlighted in that piece are so bad that it seems reasonable to assume coaching/systems is compounding the talent deficiency.

It takes someone with a significant PENIS to stand in front of the net on the PP. Abby should be there. His PENIS is the largest.

My point was that IMO the threshold on talent for being a net-front guy is lower than for most other roles. Not that it's not a skill. It certainly is. In front of the net you don't have to pass/skate/think-the-game too much. Which is why big strong players who are not as skilled can fill this role. For example: I like Abdelkader in the front of the net, but I wouldn't want him anywhere else on the PP. Mantha is big and strong, like Abdelkader, so he's great at net-front... but he's also very skilled where Abby is not. His passing/skating/IQ essentially isn't being utilized on the PP in this role. Which is why I can see the argument that you put some one else (like an Abdelkader or Rasmussen) there and let Mantha loose on the open ice. Anyway, my view on Mantha's role is not rigid. I'm fine with him playing either role, I think he has the skills to do either/or. You seem to be certain he should only play net-front... I would have to disagree there. I think he can probably do both jobs

Ah, so he's just showing solidarity with them dudes playing kneelball?