Oshie Unlikely to Play Tuesday Following Unexcused Absence
Right now the Blues say they are handling the matter in house. Therefore I will wait and comment after GM Doug Armstrong decides how he'll handle the situation involving T.J. Oshie missing Monday's practice. Sources say it was an unexcused absence.
The Blues players were given Sunday off.
There is precedent here with Patrik Berglund missing a practice in the heat of a playoff race last season. The Blues went extremely easy on Berglund sitting him for only one game.
It's safe to say Oshie is unlikely to play tomorrow night when the Blues host Minnesota.
More to come,
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Is he untradeable? I'm walking the line on this one. He isn't going to be a prolific goal scorer and that's what we need. He does, however, create a ton of energy through his play and his infectious attitude. Can he go out and hit everything that moves night in and night out? No. It will take a toll on his body and I'm sure management has told him to tone it down. He has enough skill to not have to rely on being physical anyways. The ankle isn't helping right now either. It's obvious he's still not strong on it. Besides, not every team can have a prolific goal scorer on their team. There just isn't enough to go around. If it comes down to goals by committee, I'm fine with that. With our current lineup plus Perron (hopefully) and Tarasenko (cautiously optimistic), we could be a much more solid version of Nashville
Do I want to trade him? No. If the return is right, maybe flag this comment
Oshie's got a great skill set and he's smart. Come time to change his style he'll do just that to be as valuable as he can for the team.
Oshie's first season he was gassed by the end of the year and did very little in the playoffs. Now we're seeing how he plays when he's banged up and not playing with his usual intensity. I'd like to see him rely a little more on his skills and play a little smarter so he can save some of that energy and physicality for the post season. flag this comment
Any rumors about why he missed?
Blues need to reel off about 4 loses in a row.
I mean the only other thing I can think of is that some teams really key on him hard, because some nights he is a star and others invisible.
Well, one more thing would be that his reputation as a hard hitter has guys watching out for his number, and I can imagine how much harder it would be to play out there with everyone having their eye on you, trying to put you on the ice.
After I was done laughing, I told him he'd be lucky if he's a 50 - 60 pt. per season guy with the way he's been playing. Look, I agree with all of what's said above. He's fantastic at separating the guy from the puck and will stick his nose anywhere at any time, but he needs to focus more on being an offensive force. He does have all the tools to become a scoring threat, but with the way he currently plays....he'll be lucky to amass 60pts./season. For next season, I'd really like to see Oshie play center. Hell, the kid has all the energy in the world to skate and skate and skate. He lined up at center in college (and I do believe that's his normal position).....he's an awesome distributor of the puck and has great vision which would only help him become a great 2 way centerman. This way, we can move Backes back to the wing where he belongs as he just doesn't have it in him to play top-notch hockey all night long while playing center.
Look when he was coming into the league I thought he was over-rated. He seriously made me question that initial assessment. I don't understand why so many people are down on this kid other than rumors of parties and the like. Maybe he met a girl and was having a good time. I do know when his ankle was broken he was showing up to practices watching and cheering on his team mates.
The kid has heart and spunk to go along with speed, grit and determination. His point production this season isn't that bad considering what he went through. He hasn't learned yet quite a knack for the net for himself but he has tremendous on ice vision and some of the greasiest hands in the game.
You'll see him go and battle in the corners and against two guys and squeeze out with the puck. We saw the same thing from Steen when he had Crombeem and McClement as a linemate, less production and that gets a Charlie Sheen DUH-AH.
Well the kid from sources like TSN, THN and ESPN is considered a future all-star. This pace yourself BS has got to go. Good line up management by a coach should come into play. But in all seriousness this need to sign a free agent goal scorer is what's really got to go. Before the addition of Stewart I would agree but since then and what we expect going into next season we'll have enough of a balanced threat not to worry about over-paying for one player. The only thing I'd consider is a goaltender. Maybe Halak is our Huet. SO be it, b/c Chicago won a Cup.
Oshie is great, and I'm sure there's loads of you tube video out there to make you damn that was sick out there. Him and Backes also have looked great together. He's still young and his biggest knock imo is that he is injury prone. The ankle was a freak thing. Crap ice conditions. But two things as a GM I'd suspect every year is losing Oshie and McDonald for a few games. But I guess maybe you'd like to see great perimeter players like Brad Boyes lighting it up from one side of the boards and always making the move to the outside. They're loving it in Buffalo and on queue he's been playing more like his old self with one year remaining on his contract. First impressions gentlemen, first impressions. flag this comment
10 42 57
20 21 25
38 74 36
32 17 26
Not to mention Tarasenko isn't in there and I like Cracknell as well. Forward line combos look alot different when they are healthy. How good would it look if they had an owner with deep pockets who'd sign a Brad Richards? Then 42 moves to the wing....... OMG I don't even want to think about it. It will never happen. flag this comment
Yeah, I've noticed he's playing center on the lower lines. I'd like to see him center A-Mac and Stewy though. This is how I would construct lines next season:
McDonald - Oshie - Stewart
Perron - Bergy - Backes
McRae - Steen - Tarasenko
Dags - Cracknell - Reaves
flag this comment
I'd consider suspending him for the remainder of the season. It's a good time to make an example of someone going forward. A night off in the presser doesn't sound all too menacing to me.
To me, this begs the question - do the players fear Davis Payne at all?
From what I'm seeing, Doug Armstrong is not someone you want to mess with. The head coach needs to have that same level of respect from the players.
Oh, and as far as Oshie missing practice....I find it interesting that ESPN.com had an article about his unexcused absence. Is it really a big enough for ESPN to care about? That's what shocks me. flag this comment
I think it would benefit him to be forced to show he is something other than a 3rd liner. It doesn't help that this organization brainwashed the fans into thinking he was something great before he did anything. I'll even admit that I was at awe his rookie year. Now that it's been three seasons and he has yet to score on a curl and drag move, I've come to my senses. We don't need another Erik Johnson, unless it gets us another Stewert and Shattenkirk.
He seems better than average on face-offs (so far) and having him at center gives him defensive resonsibilities that utilize his speed and quickness. He can create a lot of turnonvers on the back check.
He's also not afraid to go into the hard areas in the middle of the ice and go to the net.
If he were centering a third line with a couple of good wingers, that'd be the ideal three scoring lines that Guru is always preaching.
flag this comment
great on-puck / off-puck work ethic
great vision and passing
motor that doesn't stop -- allows for him to skate well in all 3 zones
defends well
great distributor -- can also shoot the puck
Above all else, his ability to skate hard for full shifts and engage in all areas of the ice that a center needs to get too is intriguing enough. David Backes is a fine centerman, don't get me wrong, but he's not be utilized for success b/c he's being worn down covering as much ice as he needs to being a centerman and his power moves are diminished b/c his legs are dead after so long through any given shift. I just remember seeing a higher compete level out of DB42 when he was on the wing...hopefully that would help him as he could have more energy to battle down low in the trenches of the opposition's net. Having one line of DB42 and another line of CS25 sitting in front of the opposing team's net will pay dividends....and wear down the defense. flag this comment