Quote:
Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache
To me it’s not that, though. What exactly is ‘preparing yourself’?
When only 2 or 3 of 5 guys are in the right place on the ice, for example, you are more likely to be exposed. It’s that attention to detail that the coach has to instill. Players can’t prepare themselves to make the other 2-3 guys do their jobs. There has to be someone championing the messsge of what all 5 guys should be doing and for accountability to each other. Players can’t do that alone as individuals
There are the issues of each player knowing his role, and of developing chemistry. When the only tool in the toolbox is a blender, how do players prepare for inevitable uncertainty?
Then there is accountability. The old coach was more interested in sending a message to his poster boy, Bennett, than to, for example, Tkachuk.
Systems wise, that passive low pressure D zone structure does not lead to good results
The old coach was a bad head coach, and I have to believe it’s tough for players to ‘prepare’ themselves when there are so many things concurrently going wrong.
That’s where leadership is needed.
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No coach would ask his players to do any of the following ...
1) Take high percentage risks without support
2) Skate away from the puck backwards in the high slot and then one hand it when it finally comes to you
3) To literally check no one in your own zone
4) To back in on your goaltender
5) To not back check creating wide gaps
Stajan said it best ... it's not work ethic. They were all working hard, but they weren't on their toes, they weren't working smart. They didn't have themselves ready to play.
Sutter is a huge add to the mix, because he scares the hell out of players, so it's no longer allowed to not be ready, and they all take that seriously. So sure that's part of coaching, and Ward didn't scare the hell out of them.
But that doesn't change the fact that almost to a man they all too often didn't show up ready to play.