Cullimore

Anyone care to speculate on his return? I've seen nothing in the local media other than the mention of his wrist injury; no timetable for return or anything.

Here's to hoping he's back for the Conference Finals, we'll need his body when we play two of the bigger/tougher teams in the League.

-chris

Yeah I don't trust on Pratt...

Yeah I don't trust on Pratt...

Pratt's played incredibly well since Cully went out. My man's +4 in 6 games, and he's been out there in key situations, too. His game is perfect for the playoffs: safe, simple and just physical enough to keep 'em honest. It made me furious today to hear the Bigot Dog ragging on Pratt. "If you look at these games, some of the defensive breakdowns, number 44 is on the ice," he said. That's interesting, Bigot Dog, since Pratt's been on the ice for only two goals in the playoffs and they were both powerplay markers. Those "breakdowns" mustn't have been too awful.

Until Cully's ready to go, I'm perfectly comfortable with Nolan Pratt. The ONLY thing that worries me about Cully being out and Pratt being in is that it puts us just one more injury away from Neckar or Rumble.

And THOSE are guys I don't trust.

Pratt has earned a lot of trust from me this postseason. Way to step up his game. Earlier in the season I cringed at his attempts to break out of the zone but he seems to have simplied that and avoid making huge turnovers. That was the only part of his game I didn't like to that point.

I think Cullimore also brings just an inkling more of offensive talent; but other than that that played as good a d as anyone on the backline, and hits more than everyone except maybe Sarich. Maybe one of the reasons why Cullimores been skating for almost a week and not in the lineup is Pratt. He's given Cullimore time to heal.

Pratt's played incredibly well since Cully went out. My man's +4 in 6 games, and he's been out there in key situations, too. His game is perfect for the playoffs: safe, simple and just physical enough to keep 'em honest. It made me furious today to hear the Bigot Dog ragging on Pratt. "If you look at these games, some of the defensive breakdowns, number 44 is on the ice," he said. That's interesting, Bigot Dog, since Pratt's been on the ice for only two goals in the playoffs and they were both powerplay markers. Those "breakdowns" mustn't have been too awful.

Until Cully's ready to go, I'm perfectly comfortable with Nolan Pratt. The ONLY thing that worries me about Cully being out and Pratt being in is that it puts us just one more injury away from Neckar or Rumble.

And THOSE are guys I don't trust.


Well I agree that Pratt have played well in the play-offs so I guess it's something from previous years when he looked quite unsecure

So true Joe. Pratt has been pretty invisible throughout the playoffs- meaning no glaring mistakes. I did not know he was a +4, that is very interesting, but of more importance is that he is playing on the PK. If Torts did not trust him then he would not be playing there and I trust Torts to make the right decision about who should play where. Wow, if you had asked me two years ago if i trusted Torts i would have really hesitated and said he needs to prove himself- well Torts certainly has done that. I guess because Duemig cannot take out after Kubina anymore he has to find a new whiping boy, too bad he really is not a student of the game. When you look at our stats through the last 9 games our team is playing incredible hockey. We are 8-1 and no one else is anywhere near as good.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that Pratt was shaky during the regular season with the puck on his stick, but in the playoffs he's eliminated that flaw in his game by wasting no time and making the safe, smart play. He seems to have bought into Torts saying, "Don't think, do." Most impressive thing to me is that Pratt more than held his own against a fast skating Montreal team, which is exactly the kind of system I would've feared using him against (since he's not the most mobile guy).