GDT: 12/7 Stars vs. Sharts, 7pm

[BigAl]

[Troy McClure]

Man, Stars fandome is in total panic about Hintz being sent down, Smith being waived, and Nichushkin being scratched. That's right. Three forwards with a combined four goals on the season being out of the lineup tonight is enough to send what seems like 40% of the fan base to fire up Linkin Park and start cutting themselves.

[BigAl]

The only thing I’ve noticed about Hintz is that he’s got a good skating stride, and I only noticed because Razor mentioned it during the broadcast. Otherwise he’s been Wandell-ing up out there.

[ScubaSteve]

I thought Hintz was the worst player on the ice to start the season, but he has improved marginally since then.

[ToddM]

I'm willing to give up completely on Hintz. I mean, it's already been 13 NHL games.

[B Kat]

Perhaps Nill is giving us a Hintz that a deal is coming down.

[SaintAngerBH]

Man, Stars fandome is in total panic about Hintz being sent down, Smith being waived, and Nichushkin being scratched. That's right. Three forwards with a combined four goals on the season being out of the lineup tonight is enough to send what seems like 40% of the fan base to fire up Linkin Park and start cutting themselves.

I'm glad it's not just me who feels this way. I can't stand the majority of Stars fans, honestly. The only ones I like are all located on this forum...

The only reason I'm annoyed about Smith being waived is because it wasn't Ritchie, but I'd be glad to see both gone really. Nichushkin should be sent on the next plane back to mother Russia. He is the new Pavel Patera.

[Troy McClure]

I'm willing to give up completely on Hintz. I mean, it's already been 13 NHL games.

Hey, he has points in three of them.

Some teams are able to bring offensive players up who earn ice time by contributing offense. The Stars instead have guys who accumulate excuses for their lack of production. I kinda wish the Stars would consider trying the way other teams do it.

[slaps]

Hintz was sent down to get playing time since he would have been a healthy scratch, and he's exempt from waivers.

[wonko80]

The Stars like to fill their lines with older "proven" vets that contribute the same lack of offense as the younger guys.

[SaintAngerBH]

Huh. It looks like Hanzal changed his number to number 11.

I guess Todd Harvey's jersey is the next to be retired.

[ToddM]

The Stars like to fill their lines with older "proven" vets that contribute the same lack of offense as the younger guys.

And ten times as expensive.

[Stars2099]

But can you blame people? It's not like there is any better options coming over the horizon, might as well *goddess* about different crappy player choices to kill time. Better than accepting the endless despair of this roster.

[One_Timer]

Man, Stars fandome is in total panic about Hintz being sent down, Smith being waived, and Nichushkin being scratched. That's right. Three forwards with a combined four goals on the season being out of the lineup tonight is enough to send what seems like 40% of the fan base to fire up Linkin Park and start cutting themselves.

The comments section of every DBD article

[Troy McClure]

But can you blame people? It's not like there is any better options coming over the horizon, might as well *goddess* about different crappy player choices to kill time. Better than accepting the endless despair of this roster.

But I think that's what annoys me most. There's zero downside to playing Hanzal over Nichuhintzsmithitchie. The worst thing Hanzal does is go out there and generate no offense... just like the interchangeable warmn bodies he's taking ice time from. But, if he does produce some offense, that's awesome and an upgrade. It's a no risk proposition.

But I guess why I blame people, is a lot of these same folks spend their time shitting on Shore. It's crazy. Shore is a young guy who actually goes out there and uses his ice time to earn points. Dickinson is as well (at a lower rate, but he's still miles ahead of the excuse generators). I guess I just don't get the fascination with low ability players.

[Stars2099]

But can you blame people? It's not like there is any better options coming over the horizon, might as well *goddess* about different crappy player choices to kill time. Better than accepting the endless despair of this roster.

But I think that's what annoys me most. There's zero downside to playing Hanzal over Nichuhintzsmithitchie. The worst thing Hanzal does is go out there and generate no offense... just like the interchangeable warmn bodies he's taking ice time from. But, if he does produce some offense, that's awesome and an upgrade. It's a no risk proposition.

But I guess why I blame people, is a lot of these same folks spend their time shitting on Shore. It's crazy. Shore is a young guy who actually goes out there and uses his ice time to earn points. Dickinson is as well (at a lower rate, but he's still miles ahead of the excuse generators). I guess I just don't get the fascination with low ability players.

I guess people are looking at potential versus actual input. Nichushkin was at one point projected as a top six, so the idea being he can one day become that with playing time. Despite Nichuskin showing absolutely zero evidence that he'll ever be that, at least there is that one in a million hope. Hanzal will never be that, that's more definitive in their mind so why use him when the ever present potential is waiting in the wings. I don't agree with it cause as Parcells would say "Potential just means you haven't done *poo poo*."

[slaps]

Because the Stars sell these guys as "the future." There's a guy on Reddit right now arguing with me that the Stars will be better off in the long run having chosen Gurianov over Barzal. What do you even do with that?

[Troy McClure]

I guess people are looking at potential versus actual input. Nichushkin was at one point projected as a top six, so the idea being he can one day become that with playing time. Despite Nichuskin showing absolutely zero evidence that he'll ever be that, at least there is that one in a million hope. Hanzal will never be that, that's more definitive in their mind so why use him when the ever present potential is waiting in the wings. I don't agree with it cause as Parcells would say "Potential just means you haven't done *poo poo*."

I guess I'm probably jaded because I don't care about potential. I want wins now and playoffs now. If some crusty old vet is going to be better now than a rookie, give me the vet. I'm *fargin'* tired of playing for the future. This franchise has been dog *poo poo* for 15 years.

[Troy McClure]

Because the Stars sell these guys as "the future." There's a guy on Reddit right now arguing with me that the Stars will be better off in the long run having chosen Gurianov over Barzal. What do you even do with that?

Hope the person doesn't have a driver's license or children.

[ToddM]

Economically, Gurianov will always be cheaper than Barzal, so there's that.

[Troy McClure]

Economically, Gurianov will always be cheaper than Barzal, so there's that.

Just because AHL and KHL salaries are so much less.

Jokes aside, I'm all for calling him up to see what he has. Like playing Hanzal, why not? Maybe he provides some offense. No harm in trying.

[wonko80]

I guess people are looking at potential versus actual input. Nichushkin was at one point projected as a top six, so the idea being he can one day become that with playing time. Despite Nichuskin showing absolutely zero evidence that he'll ever be that, at least there is that one in a million hope. Hanzal will never be that, that's more definitive in their mind so why use him when the ever present potential is waiting in the wings. I don't agree with it cause as Parcells would say "Potential just means you haven't done *poo poo*."

I guess I'm probably jaded because I don't care about potential. I want wins now and playoffs now. If some crusty old vet is going to be better now than a rookie, give me the vet. I'm *fargin'* tired of playing for the future. This franchise has been dog *poo poo* for 15 years.

Sure, but Blake *fargin'* Comeau for 3 years? What a waste of a roster spot. I mean, he plays defense fine and all that, but I wouldn't really say he's helping the team win. Instead, he means we have less room to see if Gurianov or Robertson or whoever has anything. But we sure as *poo poo* know what Comeau provides. For two more *fargin'* years.

[ToddM]

Yeah, Comeau provides nothing that Hintz does, at a fraction of the cost. Actually Dickinson is probably a better comparison, because he's doing all the things Comeau was supposed to do but can't, and doing them better.

Really, other than nailing it on the Radulov signing, it's pretty clear Nill has had a terrible run of free agency. All GMs do to an extent, and Nill is not the worst by a long shot, but he's below average all the same.

[BigAl]

Speaking of disappointments, Pitlick has been surprisingly disappointing this year. We’re 1/3 into the season and he’s got 4 whole points. Maybe last year was a fluke?

[wonko80]

Speaking of disappointments, Pitlick has been surprisingly disappointing this year. We’re 1/3 into the season and he’s got 4 whole points. Maybe last year was a fluke?

Yeah, he's another one that seems to be escaping criticism but has been mostly invisible. Thankfully he's really cheap, but he really should be doing more than he is.

[ScubaSteve]

But can you blame people? It's not like there is any better options coming over the horizon, might as well *goddess* about different crappy player choices to kill time. Better than accepting the endless despair of this roster.

But I think that's what annoys me most. There's zero downside to playing Hanzal over Nichuhintzsmithitchie. The worst thing Hanzal does is go out there and generate no offense... just like the interchangeable warmn bodies he's taking ice time from. But, if he does produce some offense, that's awesome and an upgrade. It's a no risk proposition.

But I guess why I blame people, is a lot of these same folks spend their time shitting on Shore. It's crazy. Shore is a young guy who actually goes out there and uses his ice time to earn points. Dickinson is as well (at a lower rate, but he's still miles ahead of the excuse generators). I guess I just don't get the fascination with low ability players.

It has always been that way. Back in the HF days, there were people who would refuse to trade Steve Ott for Crosby.

[ScubaSteve]

Speaking of disappointments, Pitlick has been surprisingly disappointing this year. We’re 1/3 into the season and he’s got 4 whole points. Maybe last year was a fluke?

Really he didn't do much the back half of last season either. He was a pleasant surprise for the first half of the year, but then completely disappeared.

[Troy McClure]

Even though Comeau was a bad signing, he's also having his worst season in forever. He's usually a 30 something point guy, and instead, he's looking at half that if he picks things up.

The only forwards up offensively are Shore, Spezza, and Radulov. Pretty much everyone else is either close to their usual/expected production or way way down.

Janmark, Pitlick, Comeau, Nichushkin, Ritchie, Faksa, Hintz, and Smith (RIP) all haven't delivered. All are far below where anyone at the Stars had to have been expecting them to be, and that is 8 guys.

[slaps]

Pitlick is a guy. He's defensively fine, he's fast. He fills space on the 3rd / 4th line for not too much above league minimum. More points would be nice, but it's not a deal-breaker if he doesn't produce a lot.

[ToddM]

Even though Comeau was a bad signing, he's also having his worst season in forever. He's usually a 30 something point guy, and instead, he's looking at half that if he picks things up.

The only forwards up offensively are Shore, Spezza, and Radulov. Pretty much everyone else is either close to their usual/expected production or way way down.

Janmark, Pitlick, Comeau, Nichushkin, Ritchie, Faksa, Hintz, and Smith (RIP) all haven't delivered. All are far below where anyone at the Stars had to have been expecting them to be, and that is 8 guys.

Offensively, Monty has been more Hitchcockian than Hitchcock himself. Tho maybe that's because all his d-men are injured, so he's been keeping the forwards back a lot more than he'd like.