Ward is signed, and I am trying to look at the positives - and there are positives. It wasn't the choice that I wanted, but it is also far from the worst choice as well. I am willing to see how this team plays whenever the new season starts.
However, with the Game 6 fiasco, there is no defending Ward on it.
Why? Flames had Khudobin shaken-up early that game too. Dallas took a time out and it worked.
Why didn't Ward do the same thing? Take the time-out, rally your troops and get them re-oriented.
Fine, he thought pulling Talbot was better - but it was only going to be for a shift or two? I don't know about you guys, but you often see the pulled goalie walking down the tunnel after getting pulled and taking stuff off and trying to bust his stick, etc. Happens all the time. Maybe Ward should have stopped Talbot - or even had one of his assistants stop Talbot, and inform him that this was a temporary pull. So either way - whether it was a 'full pull the goaltender moment', or just 'for a few shifts', there is no defending that decision in my opinion.
Now, as far as the Cassie Campbell comment - this is also on Ward. Rittich isn't practicing hard enough? Find a way to MAKE him practice hard enough. If Ward notices that Rittich isn't, then why put him in? Why not take the time-out instead, as having Rittich not practicing hard enough means Rittich is going to be even more rusty, and Ward should have taken that into consideration.
The whole thing was a blunder. Ward basically saw the other coach, the other team and the other goalie in the exact same situation, saw what they did and how it worked, and then decided to do something else. It is indefensible in my opinion.
I anticipate that Ward learned from this and it was one of the 'growing pains' for him as a first time head coach in the NHL. I bet he doesn't repeat that mistake given the same situation. However, I think that is exactly that - a mistake. You just learn from it and move forward.
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