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Brock Trotter


bizmoDDO

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based on the 09-10 season, and the first game of this season, Brock Trotter is on pace for 300 points in Hamilton this year.

Wouldn't that be so random if he just got 300 points haha

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I've watched this guy a lot in the AHL, and I've said this before on other boards.

He's the AHL version of Mike Cammalleri.

Terrific shot (especially onetimer).... natural goalscorer, but has other good offensive skills like hands, passing and decent enough skating; but he has the same warts as Cammy... hes small, not physical, and not selke worthy defensively.

So what does that mean... could he be a "poor man's Cammy" in the NHL.... a 15-20 goal third line guy? I don't know, but I'd like to see him get a chance at some point.

That said... Palushaj was better in camp and earned this callup.

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Trotter looks like a top-6 guy or bust and as the entire league proved a few weeks ago, no one considers him top-6 worthy yet. If he can learn the defensive side of the game (much like Desharnais slowly did), I'll like his NHL chances a whole lot more as someone who can play on the bottom lines while bringing some offensive upside to the table.

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Trotter looks like a top-6 guy or bust and as the entire league proved a few weeks ago, no one considers him top-6 worthy yet. If he can learn the defensive side of the game (much like Desharnais slowly did), I'll like his NHL chances a whole lot more as someone who can play on the bottom lines while bringing some offensive upside to the table.

Agreed

I don't see him having enough skill to be a top 6er. So the question is, can he learn enough defense to be the 10-15 goal third liner I mentionned.

I should also note, that I see a big change in the way the NHL is going. Think about the following players.

Plekanec, Mike Richards, Jordan Staal, Eric Staal, Pavel Datsyuk, Ryan Kesler, Patrice Bergeron, Stephen Weiss, Mikko Koivu, Jeff Carter, Mike Fisher, David Backes, Joe Thornton, etc....

What do they all have in common? They are either 1st or 2nd line offensive centres on their team, who are also trusted by their coach to handle the "shut down" matchup against the other team's top line.

I think there is much more emphasis on 2 way play in the top 6, and a belief that a good offence is a necessary part of an effective defence. So the third line is not going to be a Carbo/McPhee, or Jarvis/Gainey style line anymore. I see more and more teams going to a top 9/bottom 3 philosophy.

So while Trotter has to improve his D to make the NHL, I don't think he needs to make it to a Selke level either to make the league. What is passable on the third line has changed.

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It's times like this where I wish the Habs would instruct Clement Jodoin to focus on playing Trotter in a defensive role with the Bulldogs. Obviously it's counter productive to success (though he could still play the powerplay) but it would go a long way in determining his ability to be able to improve defensively. Maybe it's just that this strategy works in HWL (HW's simulation league) for me but I think it would really help in this instance. (I was saying the same thing about Desharnais last year too interestingly enough...he didn't get checking line time but at least saw some work on the penalty kill.)

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It's times like this where I wish the Habs would instruct Clement Jodoin to focus on playing Trotter in a defensive role with the Bulldogs. Obviously it's counter productive to success (though he could still play the powerplay) but it would go a long way in determining his ability to be able to improve defensively. Maybe it's just that this strategy works in HWL (HW's simulation league) for me but I think it would really help in this instance. (I was saying the same thing about Desharnais last year too interestingly enough...he didn't get checking line time but at least saw some work on the penalty kill.)

Not sure what Jodoin is doing with Trotter this year, I'd have to see the games.

But there was an obvious move with Desharnais last year to put him in the "Plekanec Role" for the Bulldogs before he was called up. Cunneyworth and co were matching him against the other teams' top line every night. It was only after he was called up that White got that job... and finally Engqvist after White's callup.

Desharnais is actually pretty good defensively given his faults. His positioning, his anticipation, his stick work, all of that is fine defensively. The one thing that hurts him is size and strength.... he loses puck battles and down low containment because of that. Its why he's a good PKer (can play high, use his positioning and stick work) while not a good defensive centre (more down low work against the cycle) and why i think his ultimate position will be as a winger (more covering the point up high).

On the other hand Trotter doesn't have the defensive zone awareness, nor the positioning and stick work to be as effective as Desharnais. He's a bit bigger, but still small by NHL standards. Can he learn better defensive zone play? Thats a good challenge for Jodoin.

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Trotter, Palushaj, Weber, etc would be a better choice for top 6 than friggin Moan!

I thought that dumb idea was finally history with Cole signing, but Moan gets his 1 nice goal for the year and Martin thinks he is now a sniper or will compliment Plekanec and Cole? Not likely, but Martin will have his dogs-breakfast of line juggling by the 10 minute mark anyways i guess.

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Based on what??

His play the last few seasons in hamilton.

2009-10 Regular Season Hamilton Bulldogs 75 36 41 77 33 56

2008-09 Regular Season Hamilton Bulldogs 76 18 31 49 8 32

Plekanec does have chemistry with Moen, they'd play the PK together.

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Trotter, Palushaj, Weber, etc would be a better choice for top 6 than friggin Moan!

I thought that dumb idea was finally history with Cole signing, but Moan gets his 1 nice goal for the year and Martin thinks he is now a sniper or will compliment Plekanec and Cole? Not likely, but Martin will have his dogs-breakfast of line juggling by the 10 minute mark anyways i guess.

Moen is a doesn't hurt, doesn't help player. When he's on the ice, very little good or bad happens. So he won't hurt the Habs by playing against top lines with Plekanec. But yes, the line is less effective because Cammalleri is quite effective. But the reason Moen gets promoted ahead of the Desharnais' and Pouliot's of the world is because those players can get burned by those top line, elite players. Kostitsyn, on the other hand, actually is quite good in that role so Martin is presumably going for balance here... it's an interesting move in this situation. Last year, promoting Moen made more sense than this year in a similar situation, IMO.

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His play the last few seasons in hamilton.

2009-10 Regular Season Hamilton Bulldogs 75 36 41 77 33 56

2008-09 Regular Season Hamilton Bulldogs 76 18 31 49 8 32

Plekanec does have chemistry with Moen, they'd play the PK together.

Sorry, i was referring to you alluding to his Big Club production (or lack of) and if you think Moan is a top six player, then i cant argue and we will just wait and see, but i am very pessimistic and feel the same when he moves Darche up there (but at least Darche seems to work hard every shift, whereas Moan seems to be floating a bit since being signed).

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Sorry, i was referring to you alluding to his Big Club production (or lack of) and if you think Moan is a top six player, then i cant argue and we will just wait and see, but i am very pessimistic and feel the same when he moves Darche up there (but at least Darche seems to work hard every shift, whereas Moan seems to be floating a bit since being signed).

All 2 games of Brock Trotter's Big club production?

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All 2 games of Brock Trotter's Big club production?

And I believe one of those games was against the Penguins in back to back afternoon games and he was amazing with DD and someone else, they created towns of chances and were very exciting.

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And I believe one of those games was against the Penguins in back to back afternoon games and he was amazing with DD and someone else, they created towns of chances and were very exciting.

Yes, both games were back to back matinees.... Penguins and Bruins, where he played on the "Bulldog line" with Desharnais and White. It was Superbowl Weekend 2010. They were amazing against Pittsburgh. Not good, but not bad against boston, but after that we started to get healthy and he went back to Hamilton.

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Yes, both games were back to back matinees.... Penguins and Bruins, where he played on the "Bulldog line" with Desharnais and White. It was Superbowl Weekend 2010. They were amazing against Pittsburgh. Not good, but not bad against boston, but after that we started to get healthy and he went back to Hamilton.

So its not that he hasn't produced at the nhl level but we just havn't made the room for him... interesting.

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the whole league has been in a youth movement for some time, unless you are the calgary flames.

Gomez, for all of his baggage, is a natural talent like Kovalev. Some skills go outside of the objectives of the game. Kovalev has the stick, gomez has his feet. His ability to get going north south with the puck is something that I would assume PK has to love watching and learning from.

(regardless of what happens once gomez gets where he's trying to go.)

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With three points in the first half of the game tonight, Trotter now has 7 points in 4.5 periods this season. Not bad.

Does he have to go through waivers if he is called up?

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