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 inverno76
Messages: 2575
Registered: September 2005
Location: Prince Albert, Saskatchew...
2 Cups
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| RDOilerfan wrote on Mon, 27 May 2024 11:30 |
| Mike wrote on Mon, 27 May 2024 11:24 |
| RDOilerfan wrote on Mon, 27 May 2024 14:14 |
I will give Knoblauch props, he's got balls.
Scratching McLeod to get Henrique in is not an easy move but probably the right move. Hopefully this is a wake up call as he has to go to the net to have a chance top score and he isn't right now. Lots of times playoffs are all about who's going and who's excelling in the role the team needs and right now, defensively he's been OK at times but teams need some level of scoring from their 3rd line and he's not giving them any.
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McLeod has absolutely elite speed, and that is awesome. But I literally don't recall many softer/easier to play against players than him. Finishing your check in the NHL, let alone in round 3 of the playoffs, is not optional - it is part of your job.
Not sure I would have taken him out instead of Ryan, but hopefully it's a one game thing and it lights a fire under him. Because he does have the skills to be effective - he just needs to want it.
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Tough call between McLeod or Ryan.
McLeod's speed is great but if he's not using it to go around guys or go hard to the net (which he's not), then it doesn't do much for the team. My guess is Knoblaugh, who I believe is a big fan of McLeod's as he tends to say lots of good things about him, has talked to him many times about being harder in the playoffs and it's not happening. As you said, he is one of the easiest players to play against and being hard to play against doesn't mean you have to drill guys or fight. Being hard to play against can be being relentless on pucks, constantly winning puck battles and taking the puck hard to the goal. All things he is more than capable of doing and he chooses not to.
My guess for Ryan is they like how smart he is, he is good on draws as a right shot, very good on the PK and when I watch Ryan, he doesn't have the speed of McLeod, he's not very big but I do see him mucking it up in the corners and he will go to the net a lot more than McLeod. So that could be part of the reason why.
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Throw Ryan into McLeod's 6 foot 3 frame and then watch out. McLeod has all the physical attributes with speed to burn, and this is why he is so frustrating to watch.
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