It's the 32nd team defense that put them in this position. When the team dialed into defending harder, everything became easier. Suddenly they can hang with top teams and get points.
It just took them too long to figure it out.
They were unfocused in October and November. There was also a losers mentality when leads started to slip away, instead of working smarter and harder. Leadership didn't get it done, starting with the coaches.
Bunting ghosted for 15 games, and he's important.
Then there was not using Pickering to start the year, despite him being strong in camp. That was desperately needed.
There were some bottom-six choices I didn't like...starting with not using Puljujarvi that long. Could have called up a few Wilkes guys to replace shitters.
And also I feel that they've lost some points by demoting Blomqvist and not using Larsson.
Larsson was .932 in Wilkes at last check. Blom was the best of the 3 goalies when up.
So while there is an age component to this, they didn't control the controllables like they could have at all. They shouldn't be .500 right now.