Quote:
Originally Posted by midniteowl
You still haven't said anything to back up your claim that Johnny doesn't hate to lose, I'm not trying to slander you either, but if you make the claim, back it up, at the very least give an example.
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If you listen to the clip, when Kypreos and Maclean and Francis are talking, they are asking the question as to who the leaders are. Kypreos says he doesn’t know if Johnny and Mony are ready to do what it takes to win. They all agree that Tkachuk has it, but wonder about the top duo.
Frankly there are a lot of legitimate questions that some people bristle about but are legitimate questions that do need to be asked.
Johnny - the guy has always been small and had something to prove. There was always the next level and the goal of being in the NHL. He has proven that he not only can make it, but that he can be among the league leaders in scoring, and he has now been paid. When he started in the NHL, he was picking guys’ pockets in the neutral zone and playing like he cared. So why did he skate by Kane and leave him ridiculously wide open? That’s not a mistake, it is pure “don’t give a s***”. I know the game doesn’t matter, but still he has teammates and a goalie to be accountable to. Is he trying to show up the coach? The goalie? It was pretty darn unprofessional, whatever it was.
Hamilton - yep, he is one of the top offensive d men in the game. But he sometimes lets guys very easily go to the front of the net, and he has been directly responsible for losing the team points by just not being hard to play against. We all remember Bouwmeester. The Flames could not win with him as the go to guy on D. At least Hamilton brings offense. But is he a guy that you can win with? That you can count on to have the compete you need in the d zone all the time? I spent a lot of time in Boston and the fans very much had that concern. Boston is hard to play against, and when you watch Dougie, he is not in the same conversation as Chara, Bergeron, Krejci, Marchand, etc.
Can he be taught to do what it takes to win or would he have value in a trade, for an elite winger?
Smith - do the guys in the room like him? He sure has no trouble throwing teammates under the bus. Maybe it is refreshing. Maybe it rubs guys the wrong way when he lays several eggs in a row. Who knows? Remember Kipper who was amazing without being a loudmouth?
Just saying.
The team clearly has character issues on the whole, and I don’t think that CP whipping boys like Brouwer and Stajan are the problem. This team is not losing because of the 4th liners, I think it is more plausible that there could be issues with entitlement, accountability, drive, and things like that.
So when people are suggesting trading any of these guys, any GM who has a pulse on the room may have more available options to consider than CP thinks.
Certainly anyone on CP, in my mind, should be able to ask if any of these or other guys should be moved without being attacked.
(I really think that Hartley individually challenged a lot of guys and got the best out of them, and don’t think Gulutzan does. Just my opinion based on watching some practices and watching him and how he engages with players on the bench. I think each of these guys could be better but have to buy in to playing hard and be held accountable)