We all know what it looks like when this team plays an uptempo style with motion and confidence in what you're doing. It's actually happened quite a bit this season. The issues are:
a. It doesn't happen enough. Blame the coach, players, whatever... It isn't being executed consistently enough and it isn't evidently getting better.
b. When it happens, they don't win enough. They probably only win 75% of the time when they play a good game. That's about finish and killer instinct.
c. When it doesn't happen, they never win. I don't know what to attribute this to. Lack of skill and finish is part of it, sure. I think there is some randomness in there as well. Tough to say.
When they are in joint, the team switches well, the d is active, the backcheck is strong, F3 is switching smoothly to keep a guy high. They absolutely get enough high dangers to be considered an elite team when this happens. Pucks are going into pressure ready areas. That is the vision of this team being good.
When they are out of joint, the switches are bad, they can't keep or get possession back easily, the puck pressure is off and they turn into a perimeter dump and chase team. That is this team as a failure.
I've been waiting for in joint to show up more often, but it hasn't happened. 37% of the season is left. That's a big enough chunk to be the story. We shall see.
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