For the 100th time, it’s not the system, it’s the player. CP’s continuous crapping on the coach needs to stop. Every here yearned and lamented for an elite coach with a Stanley Cup winning pedigree and you finally got him. Now he’s struggling with a mediocre roster and everyone wants him fire like the others. Here’s an idea, maybe it’s not the coaching! When do people do the fingers start getting pointed at the GM or the players instead?
In regards to Huberdeau himself, the dude’s had 50 games so far to practice tight checking, playoff style hockey and he’s looked every bit as bad as I feared he would. He has the easiest role on the team too, winger, tons of ozone starts, lots of powerplay time, easier matchups and he hasn’t taken advantage of the opportunities he’s been given.
He’s a one dimensional player who looks like a superstar playing shinny style hockey, but when push comes to shove, he’s too soft and can’t elevate his game when it matters. Bill Zito knew it too and off loaded him when he had a chance. One play that absolutely defines his softness is that play in the 3rd where the team needed him to make a gamebreaking play, but instead he gets easily stripped off the puck in the corner again and the puck goes the other way.
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