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Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper
This “Mickey Mouse” breakout, PP, set up and etc still made the playoffs last season despite a horrendous start. I guess half the league would be considered even more amateurish then.
People talk about potential all the time and how this team should be some juggernaut. But I completely disagree, I’m not blinded by the big names and the roster on paper. My expectations weren’t sky high because I’ve seen this song and dance before and I’m not getting fooled by it again and I figured by now everyone else would be more skeptical. Acquiring a Hamonic, or a Hamilton or a Bouwmeester doesn’t guarantee anything as evidenced by our playoff misses in 2010 and 2016.
To me, it’s all about the personnel and not about the coach. This team made the playoffs last season, we had a top 10 ranked power play and we have essentially the same players this season. The answers are in that room. If our defensemen didn’t turn the puck over so often early on maybe we’d be in a playoff position, if Sam Bennett played better in his first 15 games maybe we’d have a couple more wins, or if Jankowski started the season with the big club maybe we’d have a couple extra wins or if the 1st line was playing better than they are now then maybe this thread doesn’t exist. Or maybe we replace the 4th line and that solves all our problems.
I don’t know the answer. But all I know is that the games are all close right now and the team is prepared to win on most nights. I think that’s all you can ask from the coach since he’s not on the ice. It’s up to the players to execute. It’s a very fine between winning and losing, if our top snipers hit those empty nets in Minnesota or we get to OT vs San Jose maybe we’re 20-14-2 instead and no one is talking about how terrible we are.
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We can agree to disagree
We barely got into the playoffs and if not for a magical 10 game win streak, there was no playoffs. At the end of the day, playoffs is playoffs so I will give you that....until we are man handled in 4 games and done for the year. Even so, it was a learning curve... GG used learning new systems as the excuse for early failures and we all know goaltending was another issue. Tre solves Glens goalie problems and Glen has a team that now knows his system....whats this years excuse?
If I watched a consistent effort each night and we were having the issues we are, then absolutely I would agree with you. I feel like there are 1 of 3 teams we could watch on any given night.
Watch the game tonight and count the number of times
On the breakout, there is no pressure on the d man but they force a long pass. 1 of 3 things will happen
- A very high % of these are turnovers.
-A fwd now has the puck with a guy all over him.
- It is deflected into the zone to chase but the D man takes too long to make their decision so the fwds are standing still and the other team easily retrieves the dump in.
The D could easily continue to bring the puck up ice which eventually opens up a passing lane or easy entry into the zone.
On the PP, count the shots from the point or high wing that are wide, blocked or ring around the boards and leave the zone. Watch other teams use the point to draw attackers high to open up some nifty play down low. Watch the flames use the point as the main shot with incredibly low odds of getting through. The best was when we decided to mix the quick pass into the slot to Monahan and all of a sudden we started scoring for a few games. Who would have thought other teams would pick up on that and take it away all while we have no answer but to go back to the point shot.
Watch the number of times Smith plays the puck and the D men are along the boards near the hashmarks. By the time the puck is played, there is pressure on the D man. It counts as a turnover but they really had no chance and we now get hemmed into our own zone. I believe this is why we have the success we do with Rittich in net. He stops it behind the net and allows the team to regroup. As the coach you either need to tell Smith when he wants the puck left behind the net or draw up a plan to utilize his elite puck handling.