Billy739
Joined: Dec. 2017
Posts: 6,590
Likes: 1,629
Hoffmans been great
2 GWG and 3 wins since he came on
He's one of the only people showing up
The issue for him is no Center Depth so he's being forced into a Defensive role chasing pucks
We're not utilizing him right and he's still producing
Of all the questionable decisions he's not one of them especially on his deal
Our issue is we need to get a bottom 6 Center capable of taking 1000+ faceoffs at 50% or greater
If we have someone helping handle Defensive Zone Faceoffs Suzuki and Dvorak will get more time in the Offensive Zone for Faceoffs
Lehkonen and Armia also cant succeed without a steady 4th line Center
Last year when Armia player with Staal he performed as a clutch playoff player for us
Its not what We added that was wrong outside Savard aka Alzner 2.0
Its what we didnt replace choosing not to find a replacement for Danault or Weber
Replace those guys and even a start with 5 key SCF regulars including Price out wouldnt have been this rough
IMO keeping Perry wouldnt have helped as much as i wanted him to stay he's not a Center and that's our issue on Offense.
We're really hurting Suzuki and Dvorak forcing them into a Defensive role by Proxy.
Dvorak lead ARZ in Goals ahead of Kessel and Garland for 2 years while top 10 in NHL faceoffs because he has Center Support even in ARZ
Suzuki's Offensive upside is being hindered by this and i think for him to live up to his new deal he needs more support from Marc Bergavin
Even a Luke Glendenning or Eric Staal would have made all the difference on offense
Issue is now the seasons started there are few options without overpaying
If im MTL im acquiring Sissons from NSH
Move out Lehkonen, Poehling and a pick to pull it off
Poehling maybe doing better in Laval and closer to the NHL
But he'll only ever survive on a team with Center Depth
Behind Duchene and Johanson he could become a reliable bottom 6 Center like Sissons
Issue for Poehling has deffinately been travel during the pandemic as he spent his entire life in Minnisota until MTL brought him to Laval.
I think if you get him a little closer to home that will also help him out a lot. Nashville may not be next door but it will atleast help with travel restrictions .
Perrault-Sissons-Armia could actually be a great 4th line that will help take on DZ faceoffs and win at likely a team leading rate.
This will allow 4th line to create chaos like Perry-Staal-Armia did last year becoming really the 2nd best line consistently behind Toffoli-Suzuki-Caufield