Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
This is the worst part to me.
He clearly does still have a mind for the on-ice aspects of the game, especially at 5v5.
But he's just unwilling (or probably more unable) to soften his approach a little off the ice, and in terms of player deployment to evolve to where the game is heading.
I actually think the Sutter system but with more speed and youth would still be successful (and even then that's where LA was successful when they won cups) but instead he's fixated on veterans now.
I sometimes wonder if he realizes that his most successful seasons have actually been with more youthful teams. Look at his three teams that went to the finals, and their average age and the players on the roster under 24 that played at least 40 games in the regular season+playoffs)
03-04 Flames: 26.7 (13th Youngest; Under 24: Lombardi, Kobasew, Saprykin, Leopold, Regehr, Ference)
11-12 Kings: 26.7 (13th Youngest; Under 24: Clifford, Doughty, Voynov, King, Nolan, Kopitar, Johnson, Martinez, Lewis)
13-14 Kings: 27.1 (14th Youngest; Under 24: Toffoli, Pearson, Clifford, Doughty, Voynov, King, Muzzin, Nolan)
When Sutter is actually forced to play his system with young players it's when he has his most success.
When he has old teams... that's when he struggles.
16-17 Kings: 28.3 (Oldest team in the league, Under 24: Nick Shore, Pearson, Toffoli, Forbort, Gravel)
22-23 Flames: 28.7 (26th Youngest; Under 24: Dube, Ruzicka)
It's like you almost need the GM to have enough power to save Sutter from himself when it comes to having all these veterans in the lineup.
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