[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Buff

Did everybody here who are upset that Geoff Ward could be the Head Coach, do you think coaching is why the core didn't elevate their play and have playoff success?

A bit of both.

Is Johnny's poor season on Johnny or on the coaching?

Coaching. This play along the boards dump and chase game is not suited to the manpower this team has at its disposal. Gaudreau is not a horse you put on a plow. You can go up and down this lineup and the same condition applies. The coaches have not implemented systems that use the strength of the players and is instead making them rely on the weakest components of their individual games.

Is Monahan not being a more dominant game changer on Monahan or coaching?

This is just a stupid loaded question. Sorry, just gotta call it out. Monahan has never had the tools to be a dominant game changer, and anyone who thought he did was an idiot. Monahan is a very good center, but a complimentary piece. He doesn't have the puck skills or the speed to be that dominant game changer that people demand of him. What he is capable of is being a solid centerman who is a finisher. Use him that way and you have a great player. Expect him to be Connor McHobo or Nathan Mc####face and you're setting yourself up for failure.

Is Giordano not looking like a Norris winner in the playoffd on Giordano or coaching?

Both. Giordano looks like he took a step backward. That may be a result of not being able to train appropriately during the COVID stoppage, or it could be father time catching up to him. On the other side of the coin, the system employed did Gio no favors, as did the amount of ice time he received. Ward showed he was incapable of adapting and that hurt the players as well.

Many people have said that they've made coaching changes and now it's time to change the players. Do you agree? Would you be willing to give Ward a try if one or two (or more) members of the core were traded for newer core pieces?

Both. This is not a binary decision. I don't know why you think this is an either or situation. This is a both situation. The coach has be good at his job, and a large part of that adaptability. The players have to be able to execute their roles, but a large percentage of that is the coach implementing systems that leverage their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. I would not give Ward a chance as I have not seen any level of adaptability from him or ability to use his players by implementing a system that works to their strengths. I am more than willing to see players moved. They are widgets, nothing more than a cog in the machine. If one doesn't work replace it with another. The important thing is the coach recognizes the widgets he has to work with and implements a design that gets the most out of the pieces. It is a symbiotic relationship.