Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
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.
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Yes, I agree with all that. (Except there were actually situations where players would back away from the puck to get to a 'place' - it happened every game so it was definitely coming from the coaching staff.)
But where the disagreement lies, is that you feel that it is on the players to be ready to play, and to play on their toes. However, I think that is easy to say, but if you don't believe, if you are confused as to what your role is, if you are consistently frustrated by bad play and mounting losses, it is human nature to lose energy, to be emotionally defeated, to make mistakes.
IMO, when everyone is failing, it is an environmental problem. And the coach is ultimately responsible for that. And most of all, he had NO answers when it came to solving any of the issues.
When the
entire team doesn't come ready to play, night after night, there has to be an external problem. They are professional athletes and have all come 'ready to play', since they were teenagers.
It isn't that they are scared of Sutter - that won't lead to success. It is that he communicates their roles to them well, and sets them up for success - and holds them accountable. In other words, he is doing the things that the head coach needs to do - and guess what? It seems to be working! And has worked everywhere he has coached.