Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
I think you've completely missed the boat here.
'The breakout' under Ward was to regroup, set up behind the net, wait for all 5 players to be set, then go.
Now, it is go north as soon as you get possession. That isn't the same breakout, only faster, it is a completely different mindset and gameplan - forget waiting until the forwards are set, go before the other team can get set. Literally the opposite.
And again, dumping it in more isn't the change in their system, it is a result of the change I was describing: the idea is attack immediately, regardless of how many bodies are available. If they cross center and don't have enough support, they dump it in. Cause and effect: the gameplan is attack with speed, one of the effects is dump it in if you are under-manned.
It's a result of the system you are refusing to see, not 'the only thing he's changed systematically'.
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See here’s the thing. People said they were setting up behind the net, so I watched specifically for that, just to see why there were doing it, because it’s true, that’s not good. But the thing was - they just weren’t doing that - not in Toronto and not in Ottawa. And it wasn’t confirmation bias because I was excepting them to do it, because people said they were. The only exception was on a line change, when they always had a long pause. Sutter has improved that a lot - that’s a discipline thing. But, and this is a big thing - no matter what they did, behind the net, one pass up, or skating and passing - they were not passing quickly. Everything was a hesitation. They were looking for guys who weren’t there. The forwards were way too high and they’d have to circle back. It actually was not a f man group, it was too spread out, with not enough options. Now the guys are there and the D don’t have to wait.
I’m not refusing to see it - what you are refusing to see is that this is an execution and detail change. The breakout gaps being better is execution, not system. The quicker line changes to avoid delays in the breakout is execution, not system. And Ward had utterly failed to get them to execute, so yeah, I was in favour of his dismissal, though not for a Gallant - for at least a Boudreau, because I felt that the team would only respond to a coach who was a bigger name than them. Off season I wanted Sutter but mid-season I didn’t think he was possible.
I agree the game plan is attack with speed. I don’t think there’s a single coach who doesn’t say attack with speed. But Sutter has gotten them to actually do it. Ward didn’t.