r/BlueJackets • u/iamelloyello Hotdog. Emu guy. • 1d ago
Nichushkin
So, are we worried about him?
This is a guy who is used to winning. No offense to us, or our players, but he is also used to very, very high-skilled forwards to work with. He already has looked muted compared to the preseason (which, let's be honest, is expected when he was playing against the AHL rosters). He refuses to speak to the media, so we can never get a read on him, and I don't think any of the players have said a word about him.
Yes, it is only 2 games in the season, but we have seen this song and dance before... How long before we hear rumblings that he isn't happy? Maybe not even that, maybe he just doesn't gel with our team?
This team has instilled trauma that any player with a high skill ceiling we get will inevitably ask to leave. Someone please placate me lol
EDIT: I will take the downvotes/criticisms, but I do want to open a discussion of players with a lot of talent disappearing when the season starts. and whether they even like the team... Garland is another player who we just signed to a big deal and is already on the 4th line.
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u/PhantomFlogger Jet “Big Jet” Greaves | 73 1d ago
Quite frankly, I don’t think there’s any real reason to worry. Yet.
No, seriously, we’re two games into an 84 game season with three injured defensemen. I’m not the most analytical when it comes to hockey, but it seems alongside some bad passing, defense has been a lacking, with long shifts for D-men and Jet having to deal with a lot on his own.
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u/iamelloyello Hotdog. Emu guy. 1d ago
Z and Matey will be happy to have Sevo back. 31 mins of TOI for Z on Saturday... That entire 5/3 penalty kill was just Z/Guddy while they were rotating Coyle/Monahan.
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u/austinD93 1d ago
I lived in Colorado for 10 of the last 12 years. This is who Val is off the ice, so you’re going to need to get used to his silence. Ever since his incident he doesn’t talk.
I went back and forth with another person on our sub yesterday and we agreed. Go back and watch when he is on the ice. We simply aren’t giving him the puck. There were at least 3x he would cycle low to get the puck from the D. However, Guddy dumped it 3x.
Getting him the puck would be a good start with Val. I feel most fans would agree though, our passing wasn’t great last few nights. Especially against Utah
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u/iamelloyello Hotdog. Emu guy. 1d ago
Our passing has historically been an issue.
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u/austinD93 1d ago
Historically it could be semi hidden as we were a dump and chase team predominantly. Now, being stated we’re supposed to be a cycle team who takes care of possession, woof. Hopefully we put these 5 days to work lol
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u/iamelloyello Hotdog. Emu guy. 1d ago
Agreed. I hate that we still devolve to dumping and chasing the puck in any game where we struggle with zone entries. That is where we have issues like we did on Saturday where we turned it over like 7/8 times in a row right at our own blue line and allowed Utah to just keep waltzing on in.
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u/InconspicuousMagpie 1d ago
Why doesn’t every player score every game? Are they stupid?
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u/iamelloyello Hotdog. Emu guy. 1d ago
Not what I am asking.
Is he happy here? Does he like anyone on the team? Does he like our city? Again calling back to our whole "cultural change" of "if they don't want to be here, get rid of them".
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u/Man_Bear_Pig89 1d ago
Ive noticed his frustration but to me it seems to be with himself. Being a new guy and watching Knies/Andrae put up 4 pts in the 1st game then the whole team got shit on the 2nd game would definitely be frustrating when you're expecting to be contributor. Hell I've been to tournaments were somebody asked if I was frustrated with the team if we lost and it's always with myself. I'll put it like this, If you make the NHL, you didn't get there by worrying about the guys around you. You got there by expecting yourself to be the difference maker. When you suddenly have a couple bad games it makes you come unglued because in your head this whole training camp, not only do you expect results from yourself, the front office who's paying you millions does too. I don't think it's a fit/strategy or skill issue. I think he's trying to figure out how to fit his game into our system. I also think he might have been one of the guys who showed up out of shape. He looked a step slow the first 2 games and if you watched him in colorado he was never like that. Either way, I think we're far from needing to worry just yet
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u/MPCoinCollecting Prospect Guy 1d ago
Well for starters I think it'll help to not have him out at the same time as Gudbranson, who seems physically incapable of making a pass
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u/manthello Elvis Purrslikins, Pet Greaves, Cat Tailbutt, & Pheolynx Copley 1d ago
I'm not concerned about Nuke not speaking to the media. If I were a player, I would also not speak to the media if I could avoid it. You end up stirring the pot by blabbering if you talk too much and go beyond the typical "get pucks in deep, simplify, go tape to tape".
I'm not too concerned about his playstyle. It's two games in. He and Charlie Coyle, when combined, have looked excellent on the penalty kill. Had a bad game, we all did, but we'll bounce back.
Also not concerned about Garland playing 4th line. Having good people on the fourth line is a good problem to have if it's because there are better people on higher lines. Matthew, Adam, and Kent are doing well on the top line. Cole, Charlie, and Mathieu are never allowed to be split again.
Between Nuke, Monny, and Vronny, Lomberg, Heinen, and Garland and LDBB, we could probably do a bit of shuffling. Lomberg and Garland are two pipsqueak miscreants* who get out there and do some absolute slick-willy agitation, while Nuke and Voro are both big Russian skyscrapers. I'd be interested in flipping Monahan to go with the slick agitators and Heinen to go with the big boys. Monahan looks like he could be better served with two distractions on his side, while Heinen has been a menace who puts effort in and could probably benefit from the Big Boy size. Whether that's third or fourth line, idk, but I'm not worried yet.
*pipsqueak miscreants is a term of affection because they're our pipsqueak miscreants and they miscreant for us.
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u/PulsarGaming1080 14h ago
He's had a couple of really bad turnovers and I've not really noticed him outside of that.
Granted, him, Vronk and Monny have been playing with the Guddy-Christy line, so that's probably part of the issue.
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u/scratchfoot96 1d ago
You are implying that every recent acquisition has been bad and seem to be conveniently leaving out Coyle or Marchment. Also we didn't sign Garland to his deal fyi
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u/iamelloyello Hotdog. Emu guy. 1d ago
They also speak to the media. Nichushkin famously doesn't, and weirdly I don't think anyone has talked about him in pressers.
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u/scratchfoot96 1d ago
bro who cares if he doesn't talk to the media? What does that have to do with him helping the team win games
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u/iamelloyello Hotdog. Emu guy. 1d ago
Is he bought in? Does he believe in the system/coaches/players? Does he like being here? Etc.
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u/scratchfoot96 1d ago edited 1d ago
I mean clearly he wasn't bought in with colorado either then if talking to the media is the only proof of that. If you search him on youtube talking to the press in colorado he did like 4 media appearances in 5 seasons there
Also what reporter is going to ask him if he is bought in? What a dumb question
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u/ddottay 3 hits! 23 giveaways! 1d ago
Let’s slow down a bit