Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyB
It's seems obvious that there are two big differences from last year. First is lack of top end scoring, and second is lack of top end goaltending.
Last year the team's top two forwards ranked 2nd and 8th in the league for points, and the team's top line finished ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the league for +/-. Huberdeau and Kadri came in ostensibly as replacements for Johnny and Tkachuk, and weren't far off them in production last year, but so far this season the guys who last year were 2nd (Huberdeau) and 19th (Kadri) in scoring are now sitting at 95th (Kadri) and 110th (Huberdeau). And while last year the top end talent was 1-3 in plus minus, this year they're at 186th (Huberdeau), 385th (Lindholm), and 689th (Kadri).
Fortunately, Toffoli is having a good season that's helping the team, but this is also offset by Mangiapanne being a shadow of what he was last year.
On goaltending, what needs to be said? Last year Markstrom was a strong Vezina candidate. This year it's debatable if he should even be a number one goalie.
So, I don't think it's Sutter or the system. I think the team lost top end contributions at the level of NHL stars, both from the forwards and the goalie.
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But the questions is why? Kadri I get, last year was a career year but he has been great and if Huberdeau was doing what he normally does I bet Kadri would be a PPG. So, what is wrong with Huberdeau? I'm sure there was a stat that said in the last 4 years going into this year only the wonder twins up north had more points. How does he go from a 100-point guy over 4 years to a 50-point guy? IMO new team new system was a good excuse but it's January. These guys should be rolling now. But the lines all seem to be off. Maybe that is on Sutter but IMO Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman have looked great but with Mangiapane on that line the top 2 lines just don't have the right mix. Ruzicka should probably move up for Lucic, but Lucic has been ok on his line. Most nights the top 2 lines are just not dominate. IMO it's not that the players aren't good they just don't complement each other. Speed skilled winger is the missing ingredient. I could also live with a good skating big physical winger that can score goals.
This team can't skate the puck and make passes that create high danger chances in transition.
I'd love to see a breakdown of high dangers chances where the goalie is set making the save vs on the move.