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Post by hockey1981 on Dec 27, 2008 22:54:00 GMT -4
Wildcats are having great year, 1st game after Xmas break is probably toughest game of the whole year. But IMO cats need 2-3 quality players to be contenders.
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Dugger
Blue-Chip Prospect
Posts: 443
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Post by Dugger on Dec 27, 2008 23:00:41 GMT -4
If we want to go deep in the playoffs we need a sniper (2 would be better . I'm not complaining about the team, I'm enjoying watching this team but they lack that impact forward to put them to the next level. I'm not even saying that going out and getting one or two this year is necessarily the right thing to do it all depends on the asking price and long range goals of the team. We may have that impact forward in the line-up now just waiting to breakout but as it stands we come up just short of that go for it team.
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Post by Captain Obvious on Dec 27, 2008 23:24:03 GMT -4
Wildcats are having great year, 1st game after Xmas break is probably toughest game of the whole year. But IMO cats need 2-3 quality players to be contenders. You don't go half a season(plus 1 game) losing only 3 regulation games and not be a contender. It doesn't mean they will win the Q or should not try and improve the team...but they don't need deals to have a legit shot at winning it all. If the Cats are not contenders, then neither is anybody else because every team could add players and improve in some areas.
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Dugger
Blue-Chip Prospect
Posts: 443
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Post by Dugger on Dec 27, 2008 23:52:11 GMT -4
Wildcats are having great year, 1st game after Xmas break is probably toughest game of the whole year. But IMO cats need 2-3 quality players to be contenders. You don't go half a season(plus 1 game) losing only 3 regulation games and not be a contender. It doesn't mean they will win the Q or should not try and improve the team...but they don't need deals to have a legit shot at winning it all. If the Cats are not contenders, then neither is anybody else because every team could add players and improve in some areas. They are a contender by means of their record and play and yes with this team could win (but nothing is a given) based on their strong defencive play which is more important in the playoffs than offence anyway. The only thing is that some teams which are somewhat equal to us will load up or tweak in key areas and thus put them to the next level. Anything can happen, we have the best Goalie in the league and arguably one of the best "D" also but to increase our chances and stay pace with those other teams we may want to tweak ourselves. We lack a game breaker and all things being equal that could be the difference. All that being said we have a plethora of options we can make, it just depends on the strategy the team is using that will dictate which option they choose.
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Post by Arnold Slick on Dec 28, 2008 2:27:57 GMT -4
Cats had very good 1st. They looked plump in 2nd, awful 2nd. Not a bad 3rd IMO, a win in a win but when you can only beat Halifax 3-2, tells me that they aren't a contender. They are probably 1 D and 2 F's away from a contender. On side note, I thought Dimitruk played very well tonight paired with Barberio. Since when do you measure if a team is a contender by the first game back fter Christmas against a bottom feeder? It's funny how the sour pusses from other teams' come here and spew their venom when the Cats don't play very convincingly against bottom feeder teams. ;D In fairness tonight wasn't exactly the first game the Cats have unconvincingly beat a weak team. The game against Lewiston before the break and every game against PEI besides the home opener comes to mind immediately.
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Post by jimmy on Dec 28, 2008 8:26:59 GMT -4
I think we need to somehow build a second scoring line ... right now we have a (average) first line, a third line, and basically two (very good) fourth lines. Adding one or two offensive forwards via trade could do it ... or maybe tweaking our existing lines a bit ... Stephens had a pretty good game last night, he might be the best playmaker on the team - I think we should at least consider sliding him into Sill's spot ... make him, Brannon, and MacAusland our second line. Sill could form a shutdown line with Brown and Petterson. Sill is a great checker, but he is not getting anything done offensively, I think he is holding back Brannon and MacAusland from greater 5 on 5 offensive production.
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Post by Captain Obvious on Dec 28, 2008 9:38:30 GMT -4
I think we need to somehow build a second scoring line ... right now we have a (average) first line, a third line, and basically two (very good) fourth lines. Adding one or two offensive forwards via trade could do it ... or maybe tweaking our existing lines a bit ... Stephens had a pretty good game last night, he might be the best playmaker on the team - I think we should at least consider sliding him into Sill's spot ... make him, Brannon, and MacAusland our second line. Sill could form a shutdown line with Brown and Petterson. Sill is a great checker, but he is not getting anything done offensively, I think he is holding back Brannon and MacAusland from greater 5 on 5 offensive production. The berst way to build a strong 2nd scoring line is to put Stephens Brown and Famin together. Right now Flynn seems to be trying to balance the 3rd and 4th lines. The way Brannon is scoring, the Sill line is producing offensively without MacAusland or Sill finishing much.
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Dugger
Blue-Chip Prospect
Posts: 443
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Post by Dugger on Dec 28, 2008 10:17:14 GMT -4
I think we need to somehow build a second scoring line ... right now we have a (average) first line, a third line, and basically two (very good) fourth lines. Adding one or two offensive forwards via trade could do it ... or maybe tweaking our existing lines a bit ... Stephens had a pretty good game last night, he might be the best playmaker on the team - I think we should at least consider sliding him into Sill's spot ... make him, Brannon, and MacAusland our second line. Sill could form a shutdown line with Brown and Petterson. Sill is a great checker, but he is not getting anything done offensively, I think he is holding back Brannon and MacAusland from greater 5 on 5 offensive production. The berst way to build a strong 2nd scoring line is to put Stephens Brown and Famin together. Right now Flynn seems to be trying to balance the 3rd and 4th lines. The way Brannon is scoring, the Sill line is producing offensively without MacAusland or Sill finishing much. The best way to build a strong second line is to get one or two impact forwards for the 1st line and package the leftovers with Famin. Stevens and Brown don't have the offensive upside to be top tier second liners (I like Brown but the jury's still out on Stevens for me). This is a fantasy wish list, I think we're doing well with what we have but if we truly want a strong 1st and 2nd line we need to make a couple of moves.
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Post by hockey1981 on Dec 28, 2008 10:22:13 GMT -4
The berst way to build a strong 2nd scoring line is to put Stephens Brown and Famin together. Right now Flynn seems to be trying to balance the 3rd and 4th lines. The way Brannon is scoring, the Sill line is producing offensively without MacAusland or Sill finishing much. The best way to build a strong second line is to get one or two impact forwards for the 1st line and package the leftovers with Famin. Stevens and Brown don't have the offensive upside to be top tier second liners (I like Brown but the jury's still out on Stevens for me). This is a fantasy wish list, I think we're doing well with what we have but if we truly want a strong 1st and 2nd line we need to make a couple of moves. I totally agree with you. A center would be ideal but it probably won't happen, Acquire a top line guy, bump Lessard to 2nd line with Brown/Stephens/Famin.
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Post by oilers4ever on Dec 28, 2008 10:23:41 GMT -4
19 1 goal games 22 out of the 35 games you have been held to 3 goals or less.
Defense and goaltending is going to carry you only so far in the play-offs, you need someone to elevate their game offensively. Which one or more of the players of this squad is going to be able to do that?
I would like to see you guys make another long run, but would not be surprised if you don't make past the second round and if you did you won't match up well in a 7 game series with Shawingan or Drummondville.
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Post by Captain Obvious on Dec 28, 2008 11:10:25 GMT -4
19 1 goal games 22 out of the 35 games you have been held to 3 goals or less. Defense and goaltending is going to carry you only so far in the play-offs, you need someone to elevate their game offensively. Which one or more of the players of this squad is going to be able to do that? I would like to see you guys make another long run, but would not be surprised if you don't make past the second round and if you did you won't match up well in a 7 game series with Shawingan or Drummondville. It carried Lewiston further than Val D'or and Cape Breton 2 years ago when they made those big trades.
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Post by CrazyJoeDavola on Dec 28, 2008 11:52:02 GMT -4
19 1 goal games 22 out of the 35 games you have been held to 3 goals or less. Defense and goaltending is going to carry you only so far in the play-offs, you need someone to elevate their game offensively. Which one or more of the players of this squad is going to be able to do that? I would like to see you guys make another long run, but would not be surprised if you don't make past the second round and if you did you won't match up well in a 7 game series with Shawingan or Drummondville. It carried Lewiston further than Val D'or and Cape Breton 2 years ago when they made those big trades. Why do you always make the comparison to Lewy... and not BC of last year for instance, another team very strong defensively with some quality up front as well? Lewy were a rare case a couple years ago, not something that proves its the way to go.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2008 12:01:37 GMT -4
19 1 goal games 22 out of the 35 games you have been held to 3 goals or less. Defense and goaltending is going to carry you only so far in the play-offs, you need someone to elevate their game offensively. Which one or more of the players of this squad is going to be able to do that? I would like to see you guys make another long run, but would not be surprised if you don't make past the second round and if you did you won't match up well in a 7 game series with Shawingan or Drummondville. It carried Lewiston further than Val D'or and Cape Breton 2 years ago when they made those big trades. I see your point but Lewiston had a game breaker in David Perron- who is your Perron???
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Post by Captain Obvious on Dec 28, 2008 12:35:16 GMT -4
It carried Lewiston further than Val D'or and Cape Breton 2 years ago when they made those big trades. Why do you always make the comparison to Lewy... and not BC of last year for instance, another team very strong defensively with some quality up front as well? Lewy were a rare case a couple years ago, not something that proves its the way to go. ...because people keep bringing up offense like you can't win the Q unless you have the most offense. Gatineau and Lewiston won without being top scoring teams, so obviously it can be done. There is more than one way to win the Q, the Cats may have the formula or they may not, but I'm not convinced Drum or Shawinigan know what it takes to winn...Flynn has done it before.
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Post by chsb on Dec 28, 2008 12:35:40 GMT -4
It carried Lewiston further than Val D'or and Cape Breton 2 years ago when they made those big trades. I see your point but Lewiston had a game breaker in David Perron- who is your Perron??? Good question! Billy will not answer that for sure!
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