Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
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.
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Yes, I remember you saying that. And I remember you also dismissing some of the occurrences for whatever reasons. So I counted the next game - 19 times they did it. IN THE FIRST PERIOD. So I stopped counting.
Last night, 3 times.
Yes, the breakout gaps being better is execution. However, the big gaps were largely a result of the D setting up and delaying. By the time the D moved the puck to the forwards, they were often at center ice already, and forced to stop. That's systems, because the D were purposely setting up before moving forward.
It's both: they are passing faster, no question (i.e. executing). But they are also playing a completely different strategy - or prioritization, if you want a different word. The name of the game before was set it up. That slowed everything down. Now, it's head north. And that speeds everything up.
Anyway, I am done discussing this - it is ruining the enjoyment of it all.