Watched the game last night and a couple of things stand out to me. The team this year looks eerily similar to the inaugural team in Omaha. Not a lot of offensive skill or creativity, just grind it out and muck it up. The loss of Taratukhin really takes away from the offense.
Some of the second year guys look like they are still adjusting to the pro game. Chucko should be a senior in college and is still struggling to find consistency. On a couple of rushes he looks like he can play, on others he looks like he's just earning a paycheck. Van der Gulik just doesn't look to have the same fire as last year. Maybe things came a little too easy for him last year, he's been given a larger role on the team and he's having a hard time adjusting.
The defense is very young. Hambly is the old man on the team and he's in his 4th year as a pro. Palin (3rd), Ramholt (2nd in N.A.), Pardy (3rd), and the rookies (Pelech, Baldwin, Cole) aren't doing too bad of a job. The groundwork for a solid defense for the next five years is being done this year.
It's too bad the QC fans didn't have last year's team. Taratukhin and Boyd leading the offense, McElhinney dominating in net, and a much more experience group on the blue line. The departure of Ryder really set this team back offensively but the team is better without him if his heart wasn't in it. The wait for additional offense may be a couple more years away. It's up to guys like Chucko and Van der Gulik to take the necessary steps to provide more offense for the team.
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