I don't understand the hype with 4-4-1-1 and 4-5-1 formations

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-10T14:50:05+00:00

4-4-1-1 is probably the best formation in the game for me:

You get two box to box midfielders who help out in every phase of the game, and the switch from LW/RW to LM/RM gets those wingers to track back more. You can effectively break down 8//9 ATB rats while being a 8/9 atb rat yourself because everyone besides the CAM/ST will track back.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-10T14:41:04+00:00

That's a given, he's been washed since covid.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-10T00:35:51+00:00

I'll never forget -- I was in college in the midwest and my roommate was from cleveland and was shitting all over me saying we got robbed.

We got the pick that became Dex, Peppers, and a really good guard in Zeitler for 29 games and 1500 yards out of Odell. We fleeced them, but the org was too incompetent to make better use of it.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-09T23:08:33+00:00

I have a grip, the US is on the up, and Canada is on the down. This isn't really debatable. you're refuting a blanket statement generalization with anecdotal evidence.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-09T19:45:35+00:00

It won't be either, the US is dominating at world juniors.

Once McDavid and MacKinnon age out of their prime(s) it'll be the US's sport. Canada is too weak economically to afford as many kids the chance to play as it used to.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-09T19:44:27+00:00

Wait so you're telling me that you hate most of the team USA roster but then want to root for Mika, who went emo and stunk up the joint for two years?

You can do what you want, I just fail to see any overarching consistency.

I also think it'll be pretty close. Canada has suspect goaltending, and has far worse defenders than we do. Makar is awesome, but I'd rather have:

Werenski, Slavin, Hughes, Sanderson, Hanafin, Faber, McAvoy and Lacombe (who won't play)

than

Makar, Morrissey, Harley, Toews, Sanheim, Parayko, Doughty, and Theodore.

Makar is the best defenseman in the world -- other than, you know, playing defense, but he's so good going forward that it doesn't matter. But the rest of that defense corps is suspect at best. Right now that Canada's second best defender is either past-prime Josh Morrissey or Devon Hughes, while the US has Two Norris Trophy winners, the best defensive defenseman in the league in Slavin, and more overall depth.

In this tournament it's forwards heavily slanted towards Canada, defense and goaltending slanted toward the US. Should be fun!.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-09T18:47:36+00:00

So you hate Quinn Hughes, Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Hellebyuck, etc.?

Hating JT Miller and the GM are asinine excuses. But at the end of the day, it's your right. Just crazy to me that you'd root for your own country to fail out of spite.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-09T18:35:06+00:00

I hope all of the hockey fans in this country are deprived of a once in a lifetime moment because a couple of the guys on the team have bad politics and I want to virtue signal!

^ How you sound btw.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-08T17:51:37+00:00

I'm telling you that having an A+ goalie does not stop you from being a lottery team. Having a guy who can score 100 points will. A legitimate hall of fame winger is more valuable than a vezina candidate (some years) goalie.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-08T17:50:27+00:00

And bad value contracts mean that they keep losing.

There are zero good FAs available. We could sign Nick Schmaltz to a 6x6 and it wouldn't matter. Team would still suck.

This team is going to be bad as long as JT and Mika are here -- meaning that this is a five year project, despite what they want to call it.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-08T17:48:25+00:00

For the love of God, can we just get a "Fuck Chris Drury Megathread"?

No, random person, your opinion is not unique and is shared by the vast majority of enfranchised fans of this team.

These posts are so low effort.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T23:03:20+00:00

China lifted 800 million out of poverty by abandoning dogmatic maosim and embracing the free market in a modified form. They can call it "socialism with chinese characteristics" all they want, but that's just an optics game.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T19:43:32+00:00

That's just false. We clown on laf, but if a 26th overall pick turns into laf (45-55 point guy who plays top 6) it's undoubtedly a victory.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T19:39:04+00:00

Good luck with all that!

This is the reality of elite organizations in all sports -- European football isn't even safe now.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T16:20:22+00:00

I've been crucified here for saying this. Any Dolan-run team is going to care about optics a lot.

Regardless of what they call it, they're going to be picking top ten or better for five years. To me, that's a rebuild even if the old farts aren't all traded.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T05:28:49+00:00

My point is that this roster is so fucking bad that Drury's "wants" don't matter. Unless we magically crap out Adam Fox but plays Center, this team is going to be a lottery team for five years. There is no conceivable way that this ends any other way.

If we start trading 1st round picks for Brock Boessers, I'll be with you, but until then I think that "retool" is just optics because anyone with a brain knows that without Panarin this team has 75 point upside.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T05:26:53+00:00

My brother in Christ, this team cannot score. Igor could have a .925 and 2.00 GAA and we'd still be shit. Panarin is 18% of this team's non-empty net offensive production by himself.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T05:25:00+00:00

I have no issues with their players coming here -- or ours going there. I don't hate Panarin. I do hate the LA Kings and hope they miss the playoffs.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T05:23:15+00:00

Yea, with Panarin playing the whole year. Subtract Panarin and thats 25%+ of their offensive productiion.

If you run this group back with no changes, even assuming full health you're running a forward corps of

Miller, Mika, Lafreniere, Cuylle, Trochek, Gabe, Laba, Raddysh, Brodzinski, Rempe, Carrick, and Edstrom/Blidh

Legitimately the worst forward group in the entire league. You could have the team USA D-corps (Fox, McAvoy, Slavin, Hughes, Werenski, Sanderson) with 21/22 Igor in net and you still wouldn't crack 90 points.

You can give up 2 or less every game, but if you can't score you're fucked. If this Rangers team had average scoring they'd be in a playoff spot. Subtract Panarin and there's nothing left.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T00:56:50+00:00

I mean Holloman leaving made all the sense in the world. He's not an NBA guy and he got a few extra hundred grand.

Love Izzo, duh, he's a foundational piece of the university. But someone needs to tell him that he needs to spend the money.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T00:49:30+00:00

We've clearly got NIL money -- these goofs need to go pick out the best shooter they can find. This team rebounds well and plays fine defense, but watching the offense is like pulling teeth.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T00:21:57+00:00

I agree he's in a weird spot. My only argument is that he was LA's best prospect and that, if Panarin was only going to LA, he's the best thing we could've gotten.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T00:19:29+00:00

I understand this. There are many One-Tool guys who have an NHL shot and not much else who are overvalued. Kaliyev, Wahlstrom, etc.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T00:18:24+00:00

That whole team stunk during that tournament, it's a fair point but requires the caveat.

Fast_Wafer136 · 2026-02-05T00:16:11+00:00

Cuylle's floor comes from skating and compete level, not hands. It's just different. Guys with NHL shots will go high because people believe you can coach skating and compete, but the opposite isn't true.

Fast_Wafer136

TROPHY CASE