IMO, there have been two significant changes to the way they play that have had detrimental effects:
1) they completely abandoned the transitional game - sometime late last season, and particularly in the playoffs where they went ultra-conservative. It has never returned
2) they have gone back to the super passive defensive play in their own zone under Ward that we saw under Gulutzan. It is nauseating to watch.
I think both of these things have reduced the amount of time they spend in the opposition zone, and increased the amount of time they are spending in their own zone.
And when they do get the puck, the D to D to D to D passes, that force the forwards to stand still in the neutral zone, and then have no option except to chip it in when it finally does come to them, are vomit-inducing.
I find Ward hockey to be very similar to Gulutzan hockey. And it is so frustrating and boring and lacking in inspiration, that I don't even really enjoy it when they do manage to win a game.
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