Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
I am a bit curious how much Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk were playing the system last year vs just kind of going a bit rogue.
The rest of team last year outside of the top line looked like and produced pretty much identical stats to the way the team is playing this year.
The top line last year was the exception to the system and I do wonder how much might have been those guys going "Screw it - contract year". It really does seem like Tkachuk didn't think much of Sutter, his comments about Maurice being "the best coach I've ever played for" were pretty much a tell. Gaudreau hasn't really ever said much about Sutter.
Last year without the top line on the ice at 5v5:
Corsi For: 54.8% xGF%:53.1% GF%: 49.2% Shooting %: 6.33% SV%: .921
This year without Huberdeau:
Corsi For: 56.4% xGF: 54.1% GF%: 51.2% Shooting %: 7.93% SV%: .897
Really it's the top line that somehow bucked the trend of what Sutter's system is doing. Everyone else is high corsi, high shots, no finish, and biggest problem is this year no goaltending either.
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Everyone is way too focused on the “system,” to the point where it’s actually hard to believe. Like, it’s hockey, this isn’t Darryl Sutter playing these guys like a video game. These guys have a certain level of autonomy out there to do what they want to do, to do what they were acquired and paid to do. Darry Sutter of all people would know that since he was a GM once.
Ask yourselves this question, do players even have enough time out there to think about what’s about to occur and what they need to do? The NHL game moves fast and the quick pace at ice level is not for everyone, that’s why guys with poor hockey sense like Nail Yakupov couldn’t cut it in this league. He was fast and dynamic and had a ton of skill, but if you don’t have NHL level instincts, you can’t play the NHL game.
Gaudreau and Tkachuk on the other-hand were on the opposite end of the spectrum. Their natural instincts and ability to read, react and execute quick plays in tight spaces was what allowed them to have so much success last season. Even when they didn’t have the time, that duo had the rare ability to buy time and manufacture space, albeit in different ways. Huberdeau doesn’t own these traits in my opinion, he panics and coughs up pucks when attackers approach and when he needs to buy time, he’s easily out muscled mono e mono.