[browna]

I come back to where things were at 2 seasons ago when finishing 2nd in the league.

IMO, The talent assembled now is better on paper, with the same core leading the way. The willingness is there, but they are lacking leadership and confidence on the ice to take it to that next level. The good part is that it is fixable.

Being succesful via the Peters game plans implemented, lead to winning and bred that confidence that what the coach planned out, and then made adjusments for in game, worked. Because they had a strong personality behind the bench, he that got the most out of players at key parts in the game and made sure everyone did what they were supposed to do. If he hurt some feelings or pushed some buttons, he wasn't going to apologize for that, as it got the desired result.

Ward, like Gulutzen before him, doesn't have that personality to keep players on edge. For whatever reason, that type of task master is what this team needs to stay on track in game and best utilize their talent. And in game, Ward seems to, like Gulutzen, let the players figure it out on the ice when they get into a lull and by the time he tries something to get out of that lull, it either is too late or just isn't effective.

Whether that's because he doesn't know what adjustments to make or doesn't make severe enough adjustments, or freezes a bit, I don't know, but not having methods that work, leaves the players lacking direction and wondering what to do within the game, and as the results start to go thr wrong way without having that coach to lead them and change things, slowly lose confidence in the coach.

I don't really.any players only meetings under Peters (I could well be wrong) but there's been I think a couple now for Ward (may be wrong, this may the first) and there was a couple under Gulutzen. There is a fine line in coaches roles on motivating players, especially NHL highly paid players; pushing too hard vs not enough, vs timing vs intensity, but I think this team needs a task master coach, and Trelving thought the same when selecting Peters after how he saw the team reacted to a good x and o's coaching Gulutzen, walking all over him.

I see the same signs with Ward, a good guy and coach but not able to get the absolute most out of individual players at key part of the games and keeping the overall team intemsity(bordering on fear) up with the game and game to game.