Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
Now I do think part of this issue is the core players still struggling and the roster composition, but I don’t think he’s the long term answer at head coach either
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Agreed. There’s undoubtedly an issue with the top players willingness to hold themselves and each other accountable. It’s a group that needs the coach to play that role, and it doesn’t appear that Ward has been able to do that.
The underlying numbers have declined since he took over, which has been partially offset by strong goaltending when they strung wins together. I think it’s highly unlikely that Ward has fundamentally changed the message or tactics since taking over, so the decline in play comes down to his ability to get the most out of this group, and his management of the bench.
This isn’t to excuse the fact the roster is flawed, just seems that Ward is getting less out of the same team.