Feels like we are playing what Verbeek expected in the last 20 or so games, we are a game over .500 in that time, not bad given this Line up.
This roster is poorly constructed, I’m also indifferent with Eakins even if I tend to lean on the moving on from him side. Like you said he has crap to work with. The PP is putrid again but I don’t think that is on him. Really showed how underrated Geoff Ward was. Have to give props to the PK, has really done a 180 this season.
Verbeek was on record saying that a team with new players and system takes 20+ games to figure things out. That statement, with the .500 statement, indicate that Eakins is achieving pretty much exactly what Verbeek expected. The key point will be how he feels McTavis, Zegras, and Terry were developed.
Three things changed at ES play recently
1. McTavish became a top-6 center
2. Strome moved to wing
3. Lundy returned from injury as dynamic Lundy
The youths down the middle are developing and are one of the main reasons for the improvement. Although, I think McTavish hit a wall as of late. I think Klingberg's offensive mind has been better as the season as gone.
In our top-4 scoring, three of them are our youths Z, Terry, and McTavish; Rico is third in scoring. That's impressive the youths are leading the team in scoring despite not having proper defensive support.
The PK did make huge changes around game 16 and continued to make changes
1. Rico became a regular & FO specialist
2. Vatrano became a regular ... speed
3. Megna, a waiver wire pickup, became a regular & FO specialist ... speed
4. Recently, Lundy can chip in on the PK.
