Several people have mentioned that the team is young and thus requires some time and patience. I think that I am substantially more patient than the average fan, but I don't think that argument really holds water with respect to this roster.
IMO, the way the D are being asked to play, and the way they are utilized, is not working. We have a very strong D core on paper, but night after night, they look horrendous on the ice. Patience? This is Gulutzan's 2nd year with all but one of them. And they aren't young, they are in their prime.
Avg age: 27.5
Avg # of seasons in the league: 6.8
Avg # of NHL coaches: 2.9
The team systems should be built around maximizing this D core. They should be firing on all cylinders. They should be among the best in the league.
But they are not. They look confused. They look disinterested. They are not producing offensively, and they are awful defensively. And it isn't because they are young or need time. They aren't that young, and they have had more than 100 games with this coach (other than Hamonic).
This fact alone is reason enough for change IMO.
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