2021 Trade Deadline stuff

[theohall]

Holy crap! Dubnyk to Colorado for Pateryn and a draft pick. Darn Sharks making the Avs better!! Dubnyk will be really good behind the Avs current defense.

David Savard and Brian Lashoff to the Lightning for a 1st, 3rd, and 4th I don't get. The 1st and 3rd for career AHL defenseman Brian Lashoff who couldn't crack the Red Wings lineup?? True, Savard is a defensive defenseman who might help. This just looks like Tampa over-paying for a depth defenseman. Granted, their lineup is so deep they can afford to throw away another 1st round pick. Looking at Tampa's injury report, this is probably in case Rutta cannot return.

Montour to the Panthers I understand with their injury situation. They need defensive depth.

[WaukeeBlues]

Everyone losing their mind at the Taylor Hall deal. Ripping on the Sabres.

Dude had a full NMC and it sounded like it was a really short list of candidates he would accept a trade too. Even possibly just the Bruins. He's had a terrible year, had a poor season last year... I don't think it's a fleece job.

If the Sabres could've got a 1st for him they would've. But all the armchair GM's screaming and yelling how much of an idiot Kevyn Adams is really annoys me.

[theohall]

They can scream and yell about Adams all they want. 2 G in how many games plus taking on that salary for the rest of the year along with Hall having a NMC?? No wonder it was only a 2nd.

[JCShutout]

Geez, at those prices I’d have seriously entertained offers for Hoffman. I know we need him with Thomas and sunny out but dang, could we have gotten two firsts (or a first and second) for him?

[cprice12]

Geez, at those prices I’d have seriously entertained offers for Hoffman. I know we need him with Thomas and sunny out but dang, could we have gotten two firsts (or a first and second) for him?

Nah. Very doubtful IMO.

[theohall]

Geez, at those prices I’d have seriously entertained offers for Hoffman. I know we need him with Thomas and sunny out but dang, could we have gotten two firsts (or a first and second) for him?

No, we likely couldn't have. There was a bidding war behind the scenes for Mantha and Yzerman, whose been a doggone wizard as a GM ever since he became one, raped the Capitals due to that bidding war.

There were teams interested in Hoffman, but Armstrong refused to lower his price. Montreal was one of them but wouldn't give up what Armstrong wanted. Given Hoffman's relatively low salary, I think Armstrong did the right thing. Yes, I would've preferred to see Hoffman traded, which will be expounded upon below, but not at the wrong price.

The whole Hall for a 2nd thing - large salary, NMC, Hall held all of the cards. Kevyn Adams hands were tied due to the contract he signed Hall to in the first place. So it is ultimately on Adams, but the price is because other GMs aren't idiots and knew Adams hands were tied.

On to Hoffman. This whole "Use Hoffman right" thing...
Lowest Defensive zone start%
Highest Offensive zone start%
6th among forwards on the PP in ice time.
Average Time on Ice per game is 6th among forwards, seriously - even with his less than adequate 5-on-5 play.

If anyone tries to tell you Hoffman "isn't being used right" the answer is "How would you use him?" Let them answer, because other than him being #6 among forwards in EV ice time, all of the above will likely be what they say. To me, Hoffman should have 4th line forward even strength time given his flat out inability to enter or exit zones beyond a 33% success rate. The problem - 4th lines wind up drawing d-zone faceoffs, because they are 4th lines.

Hopefully, his 5-on-5 play will improve since he wasn't moved, but I wouldn't bet on it. If Thomas returns, I'd bet on Hoffman being scratched unless his play 5-on-5 play magically improves. Now, if Berube can "protect" him enough and he can provide those goals when the opponents do give him time and space - all for the good. Just don't bet on it.

[cprice12]

Geez, at those prices I’d have seriously entertained offers for Hoffman. I know we need him with Thomas and sunny out but dang, could we have gotten two firsts (or a first and second) for him?

No, we likely couldn't have. There was a bidding war behind the scenes for Mantha and Yzerman, whose been a doggone wizard as a GM ever since he became one, raped the Capitals due to that bidding war.

There were teams interested in Hoffman, but Armstrong refused to lower his price. Montreal was one of them but wouldn't give up what Armstrong wanted. Given Hoffman's relatively low salary, I think Armstrong did the right thing. Yes, I would've preferred to see Hoffman traded, which will be expounded upon below, but not at the wrong price.

The whole Hall for a 2nd thing - large salary, NMC, Hall held all of the cards. Kevyn Adams hands were tied due to the contract he signed Hall to in the first place. So it is ultimately on Adams, but the price is because other GMs aren't idiots and knew Adams hands were tied.

On to Hoffman. This whole "Use Hoffman right" thing...
Lowest Defensive zone start%
Highest Offensive zone start%
6th among forwards on the PP in ice time.
Average Time on Ice per game is 6th among forwards, seriously - even with his less than adequate 5-on-5 play.

If anyone tries to tell you Hoffman "isn't being used right" the answer is "How would you use him?" Let them answer, because other than him being #6 among forwards in EV ice time, all of the above will likely be what they say. To me, Hoffman should have 4th line forward even strength time given his flat out inability to enter or exit zones beyond a 33% success rate. The problem - 4th lines wind up drawing d-zone faceoffs, because they are 4th lines.

Hopefully, his 5-on-5 play will improve since he wasn't moved, but I wouldn't bet on it. If Thomas returns, I'd bet on Hoffman being scratched unless his play 5-on-5 play magically improves. Now, if Berube can "protect" him enough and he can provide those goals when the opponents do give him time and space - all for the good. Just don't bet on it.

I don't think Hoffman has been used effectively, and I'll tell you why...
Most of the time when he's on the ice this season, he doesn't seem to be the focus of the offense. In the offensive zone on the PP and 5 on 5, he should be being fed a steady stream of one timers at the right circle. That should be the game plan. And far too often it isn't. It seemed to be earlier in the season for a few games, but then they seemed to get away from that for long stretches. If they continually feed him, teams will start to take that option away, that expands the defensive box on the PK, and opens up passing lanes & more options elsewhere.
I'm not comparing Hoffman to Ovechkin by any means, but Ovechkin often sets up at the top of the left circle when o-zone possession is gained and just stays there...and the game plan is to work the pick around and feed as much as possible for that one timer. The Blues should be using that same strategy with Hoffman when he's on the ice. But they don't. Not near enough. He's a one dimensional player and they need to fully take advantage of that dimension, which is phenomenal...one of the best one timers in the NHL. There's nothing else special about his game.

[theohall]

The problem is getting in situations where they can us Hoffman that way. Too often, when he has to handle the puck coming out of the Blues zone, he turns it over and teams like Vegas and Colorado are forcing the play when Hoffman is on the ice to wherever Hoffman is - knowing he isn't good at moving the puck. They did get to setup Hoffman for one timers in the last game, because the opponent didn't take that option away. The caveat - the only time it works is when the Blues have an extra skater. That's it. If they aren't getting power plays, Hoffman is a detriment. The really good teams this season(Avs and G. Knights) have been really good at taking away the option of even feeding Hoffman one timers when the Blues do have the man advantage. When Hoffman is on the ice, watch what the Avs do in terms of trying to force play at even strength and taking away his one-time opportunities if the Blues do have man advantages. They've done it before.

[cprice12]

The problem is getting in situations where they can us Hoffman that way. Too often, when he has to handle the puck coming out of the Blues zone, he turns it over and teams like Vegas and Colorado are forcing the play when Hoffman is on the ice to wherever Hoffman is - knowing he isn't good at moving the puck. They did get to setup Hoffman for one timers in the last game, because the opponent didn't take that option away. The caveat - the only time it works is when the Blues have an extra skater. That's it. If they aren't getting power plays, Hoffman is a detriment. The really good teams this season(Avs and G. Knights) have been really good at taking away the option of even feeding Hoffman one timers when the Blues do have the man advantage. When Hoffman is on the ice, watch what the Avs do in terms of trying to force play at even strength and taking away his one-time opportunities if the Blues do have man advantages. They've done it before.

If teams take it away, they take it away. It's obviously not as easy as just doing it and goals will come. Teams defend against that shit. But you gotta continuously look for it and make that one of your 2 or 3 options on set plays or general play setups in the o-zone. And if that lane opens up, you gotta hit it. It may only happen a couple times a game. But you gotta take your shot with it.
Not defending Hoffman at all in the D-zone or neutral zone. He has issues carrying the mail there. Which is why he doesn't take many D-zone faceoffs.
I LOVE Hoffman in select situations. But not most others. And they knew that about him when they got him...they knew that's the kind of player he was. But Berube wants him to "do more" out there. Screw that. Get him some good matchups on the ice, and look for him for the one timer in the o-zone. Obviously it's not that easy, but that should be the general game plan with him. And for god's sake, don't let him carry the puck up the ice...and if he does, just have him dump it in after reaching the red line.

[theohall]

And that's the problem - he doesn't get where to dump the puck. In the OT win vs the Wild - he kept dumping the puck to where Blues players had no chance at getting to it first. It's like he's completely unaware of where his supporting players are on the ice.

Matchups? Why do you think he has the highest Offensive Zone Start% on the team and lowest Defensive Zone Start% on the team. Berube is trying to put him in good matchups. Compher is on the 4th line. That's the matchup that is supposed to favor Hoffman. Watching Hoffman literally quit skating as JT Compher went to the net was disgusting. That's a completely preventable goal with even a little more effort from Hoffman.

The Blues lose when the entire team isn't playing the same way, like when they have to adjust for one player. They simply don't play as well as a team when doing so.