Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
This is my issue with the coaching discussion. I still feel like a lot of posters overvalue the players (or at least some of them) and think that a coach will suddenly unleash the eliteness in them. Whereas I think that many of the top players are talented but most have significant flaws that make them easier to defend than true elite players. The most well rounded player is Lindholm and he’s just not skilled at the level of the other top 4 guys. The other three have individual challenges - Gaudreau with size and his top speed can’t turn a defender, Monahan slow and not a tremendous stick handler, and Tkachuk being not just slow, but actually a bad skater.
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Yeah, for me it isn't a "this" or "that" conversation.
It's:
- Sean Monahan isn't a #1 centre, neither is Elias Lindholm. So you can't meaningfully improve without addressing that hole
- Mark Giordano, Mikael Backlund have both established themselves as not being able to lead this team to the proper level. We need to change our leadership group
- As of today, we lack a #1 and #2 defenceman. Valimaki and Andersson may be able to fill those holes, so I'm not all that worried about next year and beyond, but this season it's a problem. This year is a development year for those two in my eyes.
- Geoff Ward is the worst coach in the entire league
So, in order to get this team to the next level I think the adjustments are:
1. Need a top-end #1 centre
2. Need a significantly better coach
3. Need to re-shape the leadership of this group. Not sure how one goes about doing that, but it needs to be done.
Oh, and overall depth needs to improve. We need Gawdin/Ruzicka/Phillips/Dube to step into the NHL and actually be meaningful, contributing NHL players because the rubbish we're tossing around now is not good enough.
...but how the hell do you address #1? How do you get a top-end #1 centre? If trade key pieces like Gaudreau, well we just opened a huge friggin' hole that we then have to back-fill.
It all cycles back to Jack Eichel in my eyes. There's also noise around Aleksander Barkov maybe being available due to extension issues (LeBrun speculated this at the start of the season)...but in going after a player at this level, the only key roster player we can afford to lose Monahan (if Lindholm is transitioning to #2 centre) or Backlund (...who likely holds almost no value). So is anyone open to trading their #1 centre for a WHOLE bunch of futures (picks and prospects)? Seems like a tough thing to pull off, but it is necessary in my eyes - and if you can't do it, then it's rebuild time.