[Jeff Lebowski]

A repeat post of what I've written elsewhere but the thinking is:

-CGY played it's best hockey all year in that 2 game MTL series (Darryl's first games). Pace of play was elevated and there was a confident team pinching, getting pucks on forecheck, directing pucks on net etc. Matchups were controllable but CGY was executing.

Since then CGY pace of play has decreased but teams have countered the CGY forecheck with team play of TOR (as Darryl said in post game) and puck handling of Mike Smith. When the neutral zone and forecheck game is non existent CGY plays the 3/4 game Tanev was talking about - battle hard to get it out and then have the opponent come downhill at you again.

Ideally you have a good team when top 6 F and top 4 D (plus G) are consistently good - and seperate to a great team when other players chip in more often than not. Unfortunately the consistently good players (including G) for CGY have been just Tanev and Hanifin.

50% of top 6 F (Gaudreau - Monahan - Ritchie) are playing too slowly.
50% of top 4 D (Giordano - Andersson) are playing too slowly.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ritchie
I agreed with Darryl's assessment of needing to get some size, speed and power on the line but it feels like Gaudreau is still being asked (by his linemates) to drive the line: carry the puck, generate offense and Gaudreau is not controlling the play crucially when he is in open ice - he slows it down but is not finding guys in dangerous areas. Conversely Ritchie is not able to make plays in open ice lately to find Gaudreau and Monahan. Monahan and Ritchie have not been able to start any kind of cycle game down low and that, to me, is the key for this line to have success - Ritchie and Monahan have to be able to physically control the puck below the goal line and start the cycle where they can spot Gaudreau and then he can distribute.

Try: Tkachuk - Lindholm - Gaudreau
Tkachuk and Lindholm are cycle players. Having 2 guys strong in the cycle on each line is, imo, the key to getting sustained pressure within Darryl's framework. Furthermore Lindholm, Tkachuk and Gaudreau are the three most skilled forwards on the team. To me they can make great plays in small areas: when any of them give the puck away to the others, they know they will get the puck back (quickly). Lindholm has the ability to carry the puck himself (like a Kopitar) plus, with his shot, he should be getting 5 shots a game minimum.

Tkachuk and Gaudreau thrive in a quick puck movement style where some creativity (smarts, poise and skill with puck) in the zone allows them to be at their most dangerous.

Tkachuk and Lindholm are very good defensively and on breakouts they will be able to use Gaudreau to his maximum benefit (make some plays) or they can lug the puck and start a cycle.

Try: Bennett - Monahan - Dube/Leivo
Straight line, Canadian hockey. I would even see if Dube can handle the middle if you have speedy opponents but if you want a line to throw out that will quickly get the puck deep and have the speed and power to get there. Bludgeon the opponent's d with this line plus have a shot volume mentality - I think this could be a very irritating line to play against.

Bennett will have to step up his game but on this line he will just have to play simple, direct hockey and he has shown chemistry with Dube to produce this kind of hockey. This is the kind of line you put out there when you want a reset for team play: simple, fast, hard, direct hockey that can score. Bennett being unleashed to physically light up the opponent RD is a valuable weapon in this division imo.

Try: Lucic - Ryan - Ritchie
This is not meant to be some punishment or indictment of these guys. I like them all but want to maximize their good plays and minimize the sometimes poor puck plays by having them play 12 mins a game in a very hard hitting focused game. Ryan plays well with both guys and just knows how to use heavy guys effectively. Crucially this line can create emotion and energy plus chip in offensively and take care of any issues.

Try: Mangiapane - Backlund - Leivo/Dube
It's not that I think Lucic - Backlund were bad but to my eye, I see Backlund rolling the puck into Lucic's corner as the go to play. Again it's not a bad tactic but I just think Backlund is capable (and more effective) in making better plays and creating more. I think this trio will spend more time in the offensive zone and Backlund would be able to set up Leivo's shot instead of rolling the puck into a corner.

Try: Gio - Tanev
The numbers don't lie and Tanev is playing phenomenal. He gaps up really well and just defends so smartly. I noticed him skating the puck up (to dump in like Doughty did) a lot during the MTL series so his mobility is excellent. CGY D corps needs to get to pucks first so they can turn it up ice faster and this, to me, has been the challenge for the other pairings not including Tanev - Hanifin.

Try: Hanifin - Andersson
could write the same thing for Rasmus as for Gio. Andersson transitions pucks very well so if Hanifin is getting there first and giving to Rasmus that is going to lead to offensive zone time and catching teams with odd man attacks. It seems Andersson's confidence is lower this year and a return to Hanifin looks to me as just what Rasmus needs to get back to his confident, assertive game.

3rd pair
This is another situation to Andersson. I think you need a guy who can get back to pucks fast and then use Valimaki who can use his smarts to quickly get the puck going in transition. They obviously need to be good with in zone defending but CGY d corps needs to get there first so they can quickly transistion the puck the way Darryl wants. When the puck is in Valimaki's feet near the boards he isn't able to make a little play and it becomes the beach head for the opponent forecheck.

This beach head to forecheck is what is happening to Gio - Andersson: They get tied up and the puck stops moving.

Goalie
I'm happy with both guys but both have had up and down stretches. However if the team can defend faster and harder so to spend less time in their end that will have great benefit to the goalies. Just stay in the net and stop the puck. No need to over play it if the rest of the team is defending fast.

I think Darryl's way of playing can work well with this roster but it needs a little shake up so they can get more just a little more speed to fully roll. CGY just needs to gain a step in their top 6 and top 4.

I think you can approximate the Zetterberg - Datsyuk style of take aways defensively that turn into instant offense. The key is that defensive ability to work in order to steal the puck back. Lindholm (Gaudreau) and Backlund (Mangiapane) can be those guys that get in the kitchen (hands) and take pucks. Then turn and go.

Again, I look at how they played their first 2 games under Darryl and what that looked like. I believe the above tweaks will give that extra 2-5%.