Elias Lindholm talks us all off the ledge

[Toonage]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...t-season-flop/

Some light August reading, and rational thought.

[SportsJunky]

"I think as soon as we clinched, we were — you’re not doing it [intentionally], but without knowing it, you’re like ‘Oh, try to take a breather’ and relax a little bit," said Lindholm. "And Colorado kept fighting for a playoff spot. As soon as the playoffs started they were ready to go and we weren’t. I think that’s what happened to Tampa as well. Yeah it’s tough, that’s probably something we can learn from. I think it all stings for everyone there, for our team, we were expecting more of ourselves and to go further in the playoffs.

I don't have a problem with his analysis of why Calgary fell so short. It seems likely that once they took their foot off the gas pedal it was hard to ramp up and meet Colorado's intensity. Lesson learned, hopefully.

[Locke]

Well, thats no surprise, we all saw that.

[CroFlames]

Well, that doesn't actually make me feel any better.

Here's hoping a lesson was learned at least.

[colbym72]

Obviously he would know better than most, but the team really didnt play at a high level for far longer than just after they clinched. The top guys went through a longgggg slump

[Rick M.]

The problem with this explanation is that the team’s performance began to decline at the Allstar break.

[Enoch Root]

I think everything that he said is true and valid.

I think there were largely two reasons for the poor showing:

1) the team offense had gone cold and wasn't clicking when they hit the playoffs (like he said)

2) they got outcoached - all year long, the style of play was fast transition and a 5-man attack. Then come playoffs, they start playing the conservative, off-the-glass-and-out game. They totally stopped skating and stopped playing the style that got them to the top of the standings. And that played right into the hands of Colorado's fast transition game. It allowed them to skate us into the ice because they were aggressive and we were standing still, chipping it up from zone to zone.

Completely different team than we saw in the regular season. And I blame Peters for both things. He didn't get them back up to speed before the playoffs. And he dictated the conservative play in the playoffs.

I really like Peters as a coach, but that was a failure - one I hope he learns from.

[EVERLAST]

I'm still convinced Jared Bednar told the avs to let us win game 1 . Then told them okay....let's go to work.
Peters had his hands full. He said all year we have the skill.....just not the work ethic .
How many coaches have said this? All of skid say.
Gio leads but how many guys listen? Lindholm I believe is about to become a great great leader on this team....I see a little Peter Forsberg in him. I hope it rubs off on a few guys namely his linemates.
After the scoring dried up last year that top line forgot what it takes to win and stopped trying regardless of injuries, excuses etc.

Hopefully the Give a F meter doesn't dip too low this year.

[undercoverbrother]

I forget that he is only 24.

[Johnny Makarov]

Why did he go beast mode in game 1 and then did the Tenderness after?

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Why did he go beast mode in game 1 and then did the Tenderness after?

Likely a product of the rest of the team wilting. Hard to connect when your teammates are either out of position, shying away from the play, behind the play or flying the zone.

Edit: Worth noting the whole team took a turn the moment Zadorov pasted Tkachuk to the boards in G2

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

I'm still convinced Jared Bednar told the avs to let us win game 1 . Then told them okay....let's go to work.
Peters had his hands full. He said all year we have the skill.....just not the work ethic .
How many coaches have said this? All of skid say.
Gio leads but how many guys listen? Lindholm I believe is about to become a great great leader on this team....I see a little Peter Forsberg in him. I hope it rubs off on a few guys namely his linemates.
After the scoring dried up last year that top line forgot what it takes to win and stopped trying regardless of injuries, excuses etc.

Hopefully the Give a F meter doesn't dip too low this year.

“He said all year we have the skill.....just not the work ethic”

What? I don’t recall Bill Peters saying this very often (or at all), especially not “all year”.

[Flames1217]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

“He said all year we have the skill.....just not the work ethic”

What? I don’t recall Bill Peters saying this very often (or at all), especially not “all year”.

I recall him saying this many times, and would than discuss how the Ryan line is effective due to this.

Was brought up quite a bit that we needed to be ''Muckier''(I believe thats the term he would use)

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I think everything that he said is true and valid.

I think there were largely two reasons for the poor showing:

1) the team offense had gone cold and wasn't clicking when they hit the playoffs (like he said)

2) they got outcoached - all year long, the style of play was fast transition and a 5-man attack. Then come playoffs, they start playing the conservative, off-the-glass-and-out game. They totally stopped skating and stopped playing the style that got them to the top of the standings. And that played right into the hands of Colorado's fast transition game. It allowed them to skate us into the ice because they were aggressive and we were standing still, chipping it up from zone to zone.

Completely different team than we saw in the regular season. And I blame Peters for both things. He didn't get them back up to speed before the playoffs. And he dictated the conservative play in the playoffs.

I really like Peters as a coach, but that was a failure - one I hope he learns from.

I'm just guessing from the outside, but I don't see it as coaching. I see it as trust and execution.

Peters wouldn't have coached them to collapse low, widen gaps and back in on their goaltender. They were scared. McKinnon torched them and they almost to a man started playing in fear instead of taking the play the other way. The result was a prevent defense that destroyed their transition and made them ineffective to counter or sustain pressure.

I can't see that as being a plan.

[Toonage]

^ Wasn't the plan, but the out coaching came when Peters didn't/couldn't get the team to adjust

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm just guessing from the outside, but I don't see it as coaching. I see it as trust and execution.

Peters wouldn't have coached them to collapse low, widen gaps and back in on their goaltender. They were scared. McKinnon torched them and they almost to a man started playing in fear instead of taking the play the other way. The result was a prevent defense that destroyed their transition and made them ineffective to counter or sustain pressure.

I can't see that as being a plan.

When it's turned back on you and the other team is coming at you, no, that is not a plan. That is a result.

The 'plan' was too much chipping it out of the zone and standing still. They played a safe, defensive strategy. And that put them on their heals. The result of which was exactly what you described.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

When it's turned back on you and the other team is coming at you, no, that is not a plan. That is a result.

The 'plan' was too much chipping it out of the zone and standing still. They played a safe, defensive strategy. And that put them on their heals. The result of which was exactly what you described.

Fair.

I see it more chicken then egg though. I think the defensive posture came from getting burned wide early in the series and then they refused to play the way they can for fear of looking foolish.

I don't think they were told to chip or stand still, or play safe.

[blender]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Likely a product of the rest of the team wilting. Hard to connect when your teammates are either out of position, shying away from the play, behind the play or flying the zone.

Edit: Worth noting the whole team took a turn the moment Zadorov pasted Tkachuk to the boards in G2

I will happily put up with Lucic all regular season as long as he is there and willing to deter opposition from that and do it to the other team come playoff time.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Fair.

I see it more chicken then egg though. I think the defensive posture came from getting burned wide early in the series and then they refused to play the way they can for fear of looking foolish.

I don't think they were told to chip or stand still, or play safe.

For sure there is give and take. And both teams are trying to impose their style of play. Games are fluid with multiple factors at play. And no, they weren't told to stand still - that's another result, or symptom. But I saw a team playing a very different style than the one they played very effectively for the first 60 or 70 games of the season.

[Beninho]

The Avs top line took our top 3 lines to the cleaners is what happened. They played with speed the flames played like they have never been there before.


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