The Petey Predicament

[Cornuck]

Though, I think back to all those midnight beer league games at 8-rinks in the summer, on rinks 5 or 6 - and that ice was terrible, everyone was tripping
over ruts/bumps/frozen snow.

[rats19]

I made note of 40’s first tumble….. 14secs in…

[Carl Yagro]

Though, I think back to all those midnight beer league games at 8-rinks in the summer, on rinks 5 or 6 - and that ice was terrible, everyone was tripping over ruts/bumps/frozen snow.

I'm so old I skated there when it was 4-Rinks.

4

The ice was sloped to one side. Seriously.

The ruts felt like it was an inch deep.

You stayed away from the boards because it was an ice ditch.

All the building walls were duct-taped.

The first time I ever played hockey there, my pals rented me equipment... I had old leather tube skates. Seriously.

[Lancer]

Though, I think back to all those midnight beer league games at 8-rinks in the summer, on rinks 5 or 6 - and that ice was terrible, everyone was tripping over ruts/bumps/frozen snow.

I'm so old I skated there when it was 4-Rinks.

4

The ice was sloped to one side. Seriously.

The ruts felt like it was an inch deep.

You stayed away from the boards because it was an ice ditch.

All the building walls were duct-taped.

The first time I ever played hockey there, my pals rented me equipment... I had old leather tube skates. Seriously.

You walked uphill to school both ways in waist-deep snow as well?

Or did you wear an onion on your belt - which was the fashion at the time?

[Cornuck]

Or did you wear an onion on your belt - which was the fashion at the time?

[JelloPuddingPop]

Cuz might come here for the solid discussion.

I come here for this shit. You guys kill me

[Carl Yagro]

You walked uphill to school both ways in waist-deep snow as well?

Or did you wear an onion on your belt - which was the fashion at the time?

No onion. Not sure what that burn meant but I'll take your word for it

Yes, yes, I did walk uphill to school both ways in knee-deep rain. It's actually possible. Don't question this.

You young whippersnappers may laugh, but everything I wrote about the original 4-Rinks is 100% certifiable truth!

Did they upgrade the original part when they duct-taped another 4 rinks to the building? NO! It was left in its glorious run-down condition, while the new addition was built with scrap material from old torn down buildings.

It's possibly the worst rink complex in all of Canada.

Lancer, beating up seniors online is not nice

[donlever]

Simpsons.

Onion on belt.

Ironically Grandpa.

[donlever]

I liked 4 rinks.

The boards swayed like the tide when you hit someone.

[Carl Yagro]

Doh!

Hey Don, just eat the damn orange!

[Lancer]

Lancer, beating up seniors online is not nice

Gotta get my licks in before I become a target myself - which is coming soon enough!

Hell, I'm already getting lumped in with Boomers by the youngsters around my place.

[donlever]

Yeah....being Gen X and labeled a Boomer by Millenials and Z's is commonplace.

Little fucks.

[Meds]

You walked uphill to school both ways in waist-deep snow as well?

Or did you wear an onion on your belt - which was the fashion at the time?

No onion. Not sure what that burn meant but I'll take your word for it

Yes, yes, I did walk uphill to school both ways in knee-deep rain. It's actually possible. Don't question this.

Aliens were involved.

I could sense Cuz’s puzzlement over it…..now he’s on board.

[Ronning's Ghost]

Maybe dude is just one of those humans that doesn't fit back together properly once damaged.

When he was drafted, my biggest concern was that someone with such a slight frame augured likely to get injured frequently.

Rather than not healing well, I think there is a possibility that what would be a minor injury on another hockey player is a serious injury for EP. The difference is that in my interpretation, there is some possibility that if he can go long enough without aggravating the original injury, he might heal -- eventually.

Its hard to explain, how much Petey has fallen from a productivity perspective. When explanations aren't obvious, we all get into some pretty wild speculation territory. My personal worry is that everything his done in the past couple of years has been a childish response to the childish challenges to his manhood and less childish but still misguided attempts by Tochett to make every forward capable of playing like Tochett. Too weak. Get big and strong (and he seems to be, but not where it really counts in hockey (legs). Too soft on the opposition. Hit (and a lot more). And the problem with that is the problem that befalls so many players who are trying to make up for the things they were weak at -- they underuse the skills that made them exceptional and eventually those skills diminish. Add to the "weak" criticism a style of play that diminished the value of the rush and creativity (Tockey Hockey), and the things that made EP40 stand out above his peers weren't valued on his team -- and he largely excised them from his game.

EP40s new size? Its kind of worthless as an enhancer of what made him a special player (though I do think it has helped his defensive game). Its another tool -- but the tools of a 3rd liner. If he can't get the first liner tools back, it doesn't matter.

I'd like to see him skate with the puck faster and more, shoot more, and dangle more (I am seeing this a bit more this season -- it hasn't yielded a lot of success yet). You know, all the shit Tochett didn't like. Play with some swagger, dude.

There's probably some merit to the whole "he's getting coached out of his strengths" argument.

Good point, and good summary of the point.

One of the many "ifs" of this season was how good a coach Foote could become, and how quickly he could realise that potential. Most coaches like a well-controlled game, and few first-year coaches would have the confidence to defy convention. If this is a significant part of the problem, I'd have to call it a pleasant surprise if it gets addressed.

...a player is often viewed through a lens that considers his production versus contract value.....and rightfully so.

...In a 2C role at $8M AAV, I don't think anyone is complaining about this guy. So I don't blame the player for the contract.

I think most managers who did what JR/PA did would have been axed for the way things went afterwards.....the fact that they haven't reinforces the rumour that it was ownership who told them to do it.

Yes, at the organizational level, EP's problems are ultimately on the ownership/management group, and past experience makes it reasonable to attribute more of the fault to ownership.

On his skating, there was a bit more pace with the puck, but you have to love the fact that after Boeser scored EP40 skates towards #6 to celebrate and EP40 trips on nothing at all.....

Whatever his physical limitations as an NHL player, EP is clearly a gifted athlete in the kinaesthetics sense, and therefore I would expect that at least competent skating should be attainable for him.

There are coaches who specialize in fixing skating. I remember that Horvat worked with one, and reported being very happy with the improvement he achieved. I think that getting EP working with the right skating coach should be a priority for the organization this off-season.

[Meds]

On his skating, there was a bit more pace with the puck, but you have to love the fact that after Boeser scored EP40 skates towards #6 to celebrate and EP40 trips on nothing at all.....

Whatever his physical limitations as an NHL player, EP is clearly a gifted athlete in the kinaesthetics sense, and therefore I would expect that at least competent skating should be attainable for him.

There are coaches who specialize in fixing skating. I remember that Horvat worked with one, and reported being very happy with the improvement he achieved. I think that getting EP working with the right skating coach should be a priority for the organization this off-season.

This is true, but Horvat already had the platform to build on.

Skating coaches can correct technique, they can help a player enhance and better utilize what they already have.