patience is a virtue Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) Nokelainen knows his role and take it seriously; he is focused and doesn't shy from the rough play. So far, from what I have seen, I like him a lot. +1 He really has a game face and gives directions to team mates from the face off dot with confidence. Also, he doesn't seem to get tossed very often, unlike Pleks. Cudos to PG for filling in two missing pieces after it became clear that Engqvist was not ready for the show: affordable veteran 4th line centre/ace face off man. My ideal healthy line up at forward: Cam-Pleks-Cole Gio-Gomez-Patches DD-Eller-AK Moen-Nokia-White Darche I know folks are getting excited about a post-Gomez era with DD and Eller stepping up into the 2 and 3 C spots, but I don't think that moment has yet arrived. Edit: I just noticed that Nokelainen is only 25. Interesting. Edited October 28, 2011 by patience is a virtue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 +1 He really has a game face and gives directions to team mates from the face off dot with confidence. Also, he doesn't seem to get tossed very often, unlike Pleks. Cudos to PG for filling in two missing pieces after it became clear that Engqvist was not ready for the show: affordable veteran 4th line centre/ace face off man. My ideal healthy line up at forward: Cam-Pleks-Cole Gio-Gomez-Patches DD-Eller-AK Moen-Nokia-White Darche I know folks are getting excited about a post-Gomez era with DD and Eller stepping up into the 2 and 3 C spots, but I don't think that moment has yet arrived. I still think we're a better team with Gomez than without him. He's still an nhl player. The only way I want Gomez gone is if he is replaced by another centre who can replace his offensive production. Sure you can do that for a lot less money than we are paying Gomez, but until you actually acquire that guy, there is no reason to jettison Gomez to leave a blunden in the lineup. I also think Desharnais is really much more suited to be a winger than a number 2 centre long term.Personally I'd play.Cam - plek - colePatch - eller - akDd - gomez - gio The third line might be small but it worked in the playoffs last year and I want to see that second line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I don't think DD is any sort of replacement for Gomez. In fact, I think it still has to be considered a question-mark whether he is actually a NHL player. His points totals are not terribly impressive and surely he is not a long-term candidate for a bottom-6 role. Not trying to bash the guy, I like him, but you have to be realistic. Oleg petrov came up in another thread, and there's definitely a 'Petrov' quality to DD. Eller is another story. His points totals are also low, but in my humble opinion he projects much more convincingly to be Gomez's replacement. The question is whether he can do it this season. We should note that his TOI has decreased considerably since the Florida game despite Gomez's absence and that DD has stepped into those vacated minutes. This suggests that he is not ready. Then again, either of these guys would be unlikely to do worse than Gomez last season, who was among the worst 2nd-line C in the NHL. Commandant's argument must be assuming that the Gomez of this season will not be as bad as that guy was. Otherwise you could just rotate DD/Eller into his spot, depending on who is hot. If you think you can contend this season, then there is every reason to keep Gomez around. Other than that, if someone (Calgary?) makes you a credible offer, I think you have to see it as addition by subtraction in the very specific sense that you open up $7 mil that could be invested in moves that could actually make us a contender. No matter what happens, he should be moved after this season...the question is whether we should move him now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCPetit Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I still think we're a better team with Gomez than without him. He's still an nhl player. The only way I want Gomez gone is if he is replaced by another centre who can replace his offensive production. Sure you can do that for a lot less money than we are paying Gomez, but until you actually acquire that guy, there is no reason to jettison Gomez to leave a blunden in the lineup. I also think Desharnais is really much more suited to be a winger than a number 2 centre long term.Personally I'd play.Cam - plek - colePatch - eller - akDd - gomez - gio The third line might be small but it worked in the playoffs last year and I want to see that second line. I agree with that. We need Gomez in the line-up. He might not play center all the time however. I would not be surprised if Martin used as a winger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saskhab Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I don't think DD is any sort of replacement for Gomez. In fact, I think it still has to be considered a question-mark whether he is actually a NHL player. His points totals are not terribly impressive and surely he is not a long-term candidate for a bottom-6 role. Not trying to bash the guy, I like him, but you have to be realistic. Oleg petrov came up in another thread, and there's definitely a 'Petrov' quality to DD. I think you're tied to a long since vanished idea of what 'Bottom 6' means. When you play best on best, essentially your 3rd line just has to be more talented than the other team's 3rd or 4th line. Desharnais can't go head to head with Malkin/Crosby, or even head to head with like, Brandon Sutter, and come out on top. But he can go head to head with guys like Bozak, or Artem Anisimov, or Stephane Da Costa. Plekanec's job is to take on Crosby and other top centres. Eller's job will eventually be to take on the Matthew Lombardi's and Brandon Sutter's of the NHL (what Gomez does currently). Desharnais should be able to be our 3rd centre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I think you're tied to a long since vanished idea of what 'Bottom 6' means. When you play best on best, essentially your 3rd line just has to be more talented than the other team's 3rd or 4th line. Desharnais can't go head to head with Malkin/Crosby, or even head to head with like, Brandon Sutter, and come out on top. But he can go head to head with guys like Bozak, or Artem Anisimov, or Stephane Da Costa. Plekanec's job is to take on Crosby and other top centres. Eller's job will eventually be to take on the Matthew Lombardi's and Brandon Sutter's of the NHL (what Gomez does currently). Desharnais should be able to be our 3rd centre. DD is a great third line center, for our type of line up. We have 3 scoring lines when healthy. DD is an excellent depth guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hab29RETIRED Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I don't think DD is any sort of replacement for Gomez. In fact, I think it still has to be considered a question-mark whether he is actually a NHL player. His points totals are not terribly impressive and surely he is not a long-term candidate for a bottom-6 role. Not trying to bash the guy, I like him, but you have to be realistic. Oleg petrov came up in another thread, and there's definitely a 'Petrov' quality to DD. Eller is another story. His points totals are also low, but in my humble opinion he projects much more convincingly to be Gomez's replacement. The question is whether he can do it this season. We should note that his TOI has decreased considerably since the Florida game despite Gomez's absence and that DD has stepped into those vacated minutes. This suggests that he is not ready. Then again, either of these guys would be unlikely to do worse than Gomez last season, who was among the worst 2nd-line C in the NHL. Commandant's argument must be assuming that the Gomez of this season will not be as bad as that guy was. Otherwise you could just rotate DD/Eller into his spot, depending on who is hot. If you think you can contend this season, then there is every reason to keep Gomez around. Other than that, if someone (Calgary?) makes you a credible offer, I think you have to see it as addition by subtraction in the very specific sense that you open up $7 mil that could be invested in moves that could actually make us a contender. No matter what happens, he should be moved after this season...the question is whether we should move him now. If we could dump Gomez's salary (would mean sending him to the minors), i'd gladly take DD over Gomez. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 If we could dump Gomez's salary (would mean sending him to the minors), i'd gladly take DD over Gomez. If we had dumped him in minors and made a go at Richards maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Sounds like I was too hard on DD. Hey, I hope so. He's still somewhat unproven in my book. But like everyone else, I pull for the guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habsy Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I think Gomez deserves his own thread on this site. He's not getting sent down, and we all know it. He's very difficult to trade, and we all know it. Can we put him on the wing? Is this something worth considering? Any precedent for such a move? Would he entertain that idea, maybe embrace it? I'm not suggesting Eller is ready. I realize we beat the Flyers with goaltending in disarray, and the Bruins who are off to a slow start. But we might be seeing encouraging signs for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I think Gomez deserves his own thread on this site. He's not getting sent down, and we all know it. He's very difficult to trade, and we all know it. Can we put him on the wing? Is this something worth considering? Any precedent for such a move? Would he entertain that idea, maybe embrace it? I'm not suggesting Eller is ready. I realize we beat the Flyers with goaltending in disarray, and the Bruins who are off to a slow start. But we might be seeing encouraging signs for the future. I like your thinking it is outside the box but I would be shocked if JM moved him away from Centre he is a VET and we know how JM treats his VET's I would love it if Gomez deiced he wanted to try wing and asked for it but again I would be really surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 I think Gomez deserves his own thread on this site. He's not getting sent down, and we all know it. He's very difficult to trade, and we all know it. Can we put him on the wing? Is this something worth considering? Any precedent for such a move? Would he entertain that idea, maybe embrace it? I'm not suggesting Eller is ready. I realize we beat the Flyers with goaltending in disarray, and the Bruins who are off to a slow start. But we might be seeing encouraging signs for the future. Gomez's game really doesn't fit on the wing. His best asset is carrying the puck through the middle of the ice in the neutral zone and then figuring out which way to cut to get the puck into the opposition zone. He should come back as the third line C, with DD moved to wing IMO. Leave Eller as your #2 C. Rotate minutes between Gomez and Eller's lines by who is playing better. Kindof a 2a and 2b arrangement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saskhab Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I think Gomez deserves his own thread on this site. He's not getting sent down, and we all know it. He's very difficult to trade, and we all know it. Can we put him on the wing? Is this something worth considering? Any precedent for such a move? Would he entertain that idea, maybe embrace it? I'm not suggesting Eller is ready. I realize we beat the Flyers with goaltending in disarray, and the Bruins who are off to a slow start. But we might be seeing encouraging signs for the future. I'd put Desharnais on the wing. Gomez is better than DD defensively and on faceoffs. Seems like a no-brainer. Of course, Eller has shown he can be a pretty good winger, too. I do generally agree with CC that our best 3 centres are still Plekanec, Gomez, and Eller. I also agree with him that of the two younger guys, Eller is the guy I think can replace Gomez. But I do think Desharnais is a NHL player, I'm convinced at this point. I'm not sure if he can't be more effective on the wing, though, where his faceoffs and defensive misgivings can be sheltered more. I guess until Leblanc (assuming we develop him as a C) is ready Desharnais is our best option... if we decide to move on from Gomez, which wouldn't be until season's end, anyways. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLassister Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 100% agree with DD as a winger. Lars Eller is clearly a C and a damn good one to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 100% agree with DD as a winger. Lars Eller is clearly a C and a damn good one to be. DD has looked excellent with two big wingers though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Has anyone seen this haha? Price has some history with Nokelainen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natural Mystic Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Has anyone seen this haha? Price has some history with Nokelainen lol yeah hockey is the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Yes saw this the day of the trade Hilarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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