Quote:
Originally Posted by kukkudo
But has the game really changed much since 2014?
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Ironically the game changed because of Sutter, as the Kings became the poster childs for corsi-ing your way to the cup. Every green coach from Bill Peters to Glen Gulutzan runs some variation on what Sutter was doing in L.A., which to some extent Sutter ripped off Babcock's Red Wings besides his own systems before then.
Problem is when everyone is doing something, it becomes normal. The first change over the last decade is that teams employ way fewer scrubs at the bottom of their lineup - fewer Bartkowskis and more Schlemkos, basically. Which in turn has led to all teams now being closer to the median when it comes to puck possession, which in turn means Sutter Style puck possession dominance is less possible. Beyond that from a coaching perspective Sutter's style has become the new left wing lock and the counter to it seems to be instinctive to most teams these days because you see the breakouts every night.
I think that's why Ottawa is suddenly a good team. They might be the only team with the skill and depth to play a possession game who elect to play a counterpunch game instead. There's a difference between not having the skill to possess the puck, and not having the will to.
I'm not saying puck possession is unimportant - it still results in the best overwhelming wins - but I do think Sutter is watching carefully to see if his systems from the Kings era ran their course. The game is always evolving.
All that said Sutter in a playoff game would coach circles around Gully. Full on ray traced spheres, actually. Sutter is a playoff adjustments mastermind while fast-acting Gulutzan could be tactically outwitted by a 7 year old putting pegs into his/her Battleship Game.