Eagles Vs Rocket

[countryboy]

Can someone give a rundown of who looked good and who looked not so good as well as a synopsis of the scraps?

Couldn't make it in tonight.

cb

[IslandersHKY]

A couple of individual player thoughts on the game.

Firstly Lafleur looked like a top goalie out there last night. He is big in the net, challenges shooters and made all the saves look easy including a couple of hard ones. He did let in a fluke softie but was in control all night. It really looks like he is going to challenge Bernier and Blanchard again this season.

Understandably Walker & Morrison had other things on their mind last night. For a couple of shifts they turned it on and dominated but for the most part there were simply out for a skate and I am glad both going to NHL camps completely healthy. Likewise for Lessard who played hard but was a little more cautious than usual.

I thought Latal really worked hard and is really driving the net well as he started to do late in the season. He looks stronger out there and I loved seeing him, Kana and Doyle as a line.

To me Doyle looked like a veteran out there. He worked hard played the body had some chances and looked especially good on point for Powerplays. Especially 5-3 he should be on the Point with his shot.

Schmidt continues to show that he will contribute to this team this season. As I said I really liked what I saw from him in Summerside and he continued to show it. Actually he looked pretty good on the top line with Morrison & Walker which might be a possibility if he keeps playing so well although I would still put him on the third line with Lachaine.

Too bad Locke hurt his shoulder part way through the game and I hope he is alright. Before he got hurt he was playing hard and throwing the body which is when he is most effective.

Main continues to impress me and thought he was one of our better defensemen overall last night. He plays tough with an edge, obviously winning to fight if needed and if he continues to play like that I would feel very comfortable with him as a 3rd pairing regular.

Deighan also played well. He was physical, good along the boards and only made a few noticable mistakes.

Southorn showed some dominance at times but I also thought he took some big risks that didn’t work out.

And What can I say about Paynter I know I have been one of the few questioning if he should be on this team but he certainly made an impact last night. It was a nice tip on the goal and not a bad tilt. Main almost went with Fountain at the end of the first but Paynter challenged right away in the second. He got a few solid punches in early before a misstep and getting taken down. I would say a draw maybe the edge to Fountain for a couple of good shots after the misstep. Paynter was clearly frustrated and he was favouring his hand going into the box but it didn’t stop him.

Wright later challenged Fountain and got the victory but it wasn’t that much different just he got some good shots in at the end.

On the negatives side.

Clow had a really rough game and looked like a completely different player from a week ago but everyone has an off night and I am sure he will turn it around.

Swit didn’t look like a 20 yr old veteran, he was beaten a few times, out muscled by 17 & 18 yr olds and Main looked much better. If his game doesn’t improve I would be in favour of trading him for a draft pick (open 20) and use Main as our 5th/6th defenseman.

DesRoches looked a little overshadowed tonight. Not necessarily bad just not at the level most of the other players were. I still really feel it would be best for him to play Jr A and get the occasional call up if needed.


On CB’s side the two players who impressed me the most were Gauthier (#16) who has some good offensive skills and Quesnel (#18) who played terrific and did everything.

Laberage was barely noticable, Lamontagne looked slow and I may have been expecting too much from Slaney who looked more like a veteran 3rd liner than a potential 1st liner.

Benda played pretty well and made a lot of tough saves. I only saw him once but he looks like he can be a regular starter this season and Corcoran was probably their best defenseman.

Anyone know what happened to Haddad?

[Krang7]

Great post HF99.

I gotta disagree with you on a few points though, of course. I thought Doyle looked like he was playing like Walker and Morrison out there, not really giving 100% and as if he was out there for a skate. I wasn't impressed by his game at all. That being said he looks like he's an inch or two taller and about 15-20 pounds heavier which is good to see. Hopefully he'll be able to use his bigger body well this season (and he was definetly throwing it around well last night, I'll give you that).

Locke didn't look like a player that was challenging for a spot on the top two lines at all to me. He looked like a 3rd liner which is a bit disappointing. He was outplayed by a number of players that I would have put behind him on the depth chart before the preseason, including Cliche, Schmidt and Paynter. I'd say Cliche has an outside shot at playing with Walker and Morrison at this point. It looks like Latal-Doyle-Kana is going to be our second line.

Speaking of Latal and Kana, they both had really good games. Latal seems like he has a whole new swagger, very confident. I'm worried about some overconfidence, but we'll see how things go. He was definetly getting under the CB players skin. Kana seems to come just as advertised. Small but isn't afraid at all to get dirty, crashing and banging. A number of times he went to the front of the net and got into shoving matches with much bigger players. He's not going to score a lot for us, but he'll be a very nice addition. Probably max about 15 goals, 40 points.

Paynter's fight was probably a draw, although he got a lot of good snaps in right at the start of the fight like he usually does. Wright's was a decisive victory. Wright is nowhere near a major junior hockey player and he should be cut soon.

I thought Clow had a good game. He seems very confident with the puck, especially coming out of the corners where a lot of kids his age playing their first season in this league would panic. He'll be a great addition to our blueline this season. Deighan was also very solid, if unspectacular. They should both make the team.

[IslandersHKY]

Locke to me didn't look like a scoring line forward but I thought he was working hard.

And based on the games that I have seen out of Cliche, Locke & Schmidt I think Schmidt looks like he would produce the most on the top line. Although I think there are going to let Cliche ride shotgun with Morrison/Walker and see if he can produce. If they do that and Cliche produces Schmidt/Lachaine/Locke would actually be a pretty good third.

I really like Clow but I thought last night he had a horrible game. Struggled with the puck, looked flustered and got beat bad a few times. It doesn't change my opinion that he has the potential to become a great defenseman and is capable of playing top 4 minutes this season, he simply had a rough game last night IMO. I also really like Deighan's game. He gives you solid minutes, nothing spectatular but plays with an edge. I see him as a younger more skilled version of Lachance who I was a big fan of.


Just throwing this out there but one option I would be open to considering is keeping Main as our 5th/6th defenseman and trading Swit when we get everyone back. Then at the Christmas break adding a 20 yr old forward and moving out one of our veteran forwards.

[rocketlauncher]

Krang, I agree with you on Clow. Last nights he was better than last week. Those two mishandled passes at the blue line in the O zone we a result of bad passes, not Clow's errors. I thought the 2 D off thier game were Southorn and Swit. Southorn got benched at least once for bonehead decisions....just trying to do too much. Hes a super talent, but he needs to eliminate the mistakes. Swit.....I hope he was just having an off night, becasue he was the worst

Deighan will give you the same thing every night. Hes very consistent, prob not a lot of upside, but will be steady every night. He won't blow your mind with a super game, but he will give stability to the team. Definitely will make it.


Gervais had a cast on his arm yesterday. Whats up with that?

My projected depth chart as of Christmas on D:

Lessard
Southorn
Clow
Gervais
Deighan
Swit
Malouin/Little??

assuming Main plays forward.

Latal is going to be even more awesome this year. My only worry is that he might get a primadonna attitude. I have seen some signs of that. I think it was a great line with Doyle Latal and Kana. I think the 2 Euros should be together. Morrison, Walker are good...but we seem to be missing that perfect fit for a third on that line. Perhaps since Doyle and walks havesome history we might see Morrison center the 2 Euros

LaFleur....has that same type swagger as Latal. He will win a few games on his own this season.

Schmidt......growing on me. He is proving himself every game. Cliche....I am liking the change in him. The project may be paying off there.

[1barney22]

I did not see the game last night, but I give Paynter props for dropping the gloves. I know he has a pretty sore hand. As a 17 year old, Wright is showing some signs of being a future heavyweight in the league.

[pug]

way to go parker. greg. brendon. nathan. clow. pug*

[1barney22]

Looks like the Roster will be very similar to last night. Clow is out by the looks of things and Malouin is in. Rest of the D will be the same I think.

[IslandersHKY]

1barney22 said:

Looks like the Roster will be very similar to last night. Clow is out by the looks of things and Malouin is in. Rest of the D will be the same I think.

If you have seen the Roster what about Morrison, Walker & Latal. My guess is they won't be playing.

[1barney22]

Pretty sure they are in. I was at the rink getting tickets and saw a handful of guys doing a bag skate....so I assume they are not playing.

Some of the guys I recognized were Clow, DesRoches, Coon Come, Little, Mosher, and Locke...there were a few more but not sure who

[countryboy]

hockeyfan99 said:

.


Just throwing this out there but one option I would be open to considering is keeping Main as our 5th/6th defenseman and trading Swit when we get everyone back. Then at the Christmas break adding a 20 yr old forward and moving out one of our veteran forwards.

Could be an idea. If Deighan, Clow and Malouin are able to play beyond their age and can contribute every night, we might be able to add an offensive player up front.

I agree with HF99 ... probably best to wait until after guys are back from NHL camps before making a move like that.... remember, 20's can be moved at any time.

cb

[countryboy]

1barney22 said:

I did not see the game last night, but I give Paynter props for dropping the gloves. I know he has a pretty sore hand. As a 17 year old, Wright is showing some signs of being a future heavyweight in the league.

I saw Wright play in Summerside and agree with most about his skill level being not at major junior level right now. He's only 17 though and has impressive size. What do folks think about his potential as an enforcer in the league as an 18 and 19 year old.

As we've seen, finding a quality enforcer is tough and they're usually suspect 19 y/o's. With Manson (assuming he's got similar abilities as Tristan and anton) and Wright, we've got a solid future in that department.

cb

[wallee]

decent game last night....for a preseason game. there were some good spots and some poor spots in the game.

for the life of me i do not see how cliche would play on a first line. his positioning on the ice is the worst of any player we have. he has a good shot, (so i'm am told) but nothing else. coach jean...do you know what you are doing?

sound system was excellent! way to go CCC.

impressed with ken, i could see him on the first line with morrision and walker. to me that makes more sense...imo.

lafleur looked confident.

i think we r going to have a good season. looks like a stronger team than last year.

[hockeychick21]

I think Cliche is having a pretty good pre-season, first line material no but its pre-season so why not play around with lines

[Score]

Cliche is fine....and yes, playing with Walker and Mo may make him look out of place, but he'll have a solid season.