Quote:
Originally Posted by FiveSeven
Johnny looks like a totally different player...still amazing.
You can't say they weren't queuing in on him last season, Almost every team always said to watch out for #13.
He was trying early to get fancy, but then it wasn't working. Clearly coach and him thought to simplify and pass more, but I think he just needs to find that middle ground, where he was last season.
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I think Johnny is a player that kind of defies having a strict system. Not meaning he is defiant, but his talent is something that I don't think can be contained within something very rigid. I think this is why having a coach like Bob worked for him personally. It was kind of like, "go out there and do your thing, because no one understands what you do but you."
I think that there has to be a specific team structure, particularly on defense and zone exits/entrance, because the team needs to be in sync. But you also need to leave room for your truly special players to use their abilities to their maximum, and no one knows how to do that better than them.
Maybe he'll settle in and be able to work his same magic within the system Gulutzan is trying to implement, but I can't help but think it should kind of be "this is our team structure, but when we get the puck, and Johnny's on the ice, this is what he likes to do so look for it." rather than trying to fit him into a box, when he so clearly thinks outside of it.