GDT: CARWAS: Workin' At the Carwash!

[Navin R Slavin]

Yeah, I would have killed for this team's "talent and mental toughness issues" anytime during our lost decade. We fans get spoiled in an awful hurry.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Yeah, I would have killed for this team's "talent and mental toughness issues" anytime during our lost decade. We fans get spoiled in an awful hurry.

Yup. Like, damn guys, we might only have to wait 11 months instead of 10 years for playoff hockey, how is anyone mad lol

 

[bleedgreen]

Glad you used "despite." Otherwise I would think this is a perfect example of what my history professor was talking about when he devoted a class to "revolutions of rising expectations." People get a little taste of happiness and then attack those who provided it.
Teravainen is on pace for 61 assists—that is more points than the team leader had in 12-13, 13-14, 14-15, and 15-16. It is more assists than the top two assist leaders had in 15-16 and only two less than the top two had in 16-17. Sure that is a low bar, but when added to the fact that Aho and TT are the most dangerous penalty killers in the league that is pretty good.

When we need them the most we need them to step up. When we have pp’s in games that we need to score so we can squeak out a defensive struggle, we need them to score. They’re expected to be leaders now. Points isn’t enough, points when they’re needed the most is what we lack in these tight divisional down the stretch games.

Aho can get 100 pts, but if he doesn’t them in the games that we need them the most in the end it’ll be disappointing. This has been the bane of every top players career. Points are great, but the true respect comes when you do it when the big games are on the line. With the contracts come the expectations. It was the same with E Staal.

Nothing wrong with raising the bar.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Yup. Like, damn guys, we might only have to wait 11 months instead of 10 years for playoff hockey, how is anyone mad lol

Because most of us want consistent success. Multiple consecutive playoff appearances. Not one year making it, followed by 3+ years of missing.

Given how the team seemed to buy into RBA's coaching last year, I was hoping it might have been built upon this year. So that we might eventually become a team like Boston, Pittsburgh, etc, where even in lulls in play, they find a way to win.

Instead, it looks like we've stayed basically the same, if not taken a step back. Which wasn't really in the game plan, especially after theoretically improving the team in the off-season.

 

[LostInaLostWorld]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Agreed it looks like we have back stepped a bit etc. But look at the points we have been racking up this year. The team is still much more fun to watch (mostly) than the past decade. We are young.

The problem is we are in the friggin Metro and the East.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Because most of us want consistent success. Multiple consecutive playoff appearances. Not one year making it, followed by 3+ years of missing.

Given how the team seemed to buy into RBA's coaching last year, I was hoping it might have been built upon this year. So that we might eventually become a team like Boston, Pittsburgh, etc, where even in lulls in play, they find a way to win.

Instead, it looks like we've stayed basically the same, if not taken a step back. Which wasn't really in the game plan, especially after theoretically improving the team in the off-season.

How is 100 point pace and 8th place in a league of 31 teams a step backward?

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Because most of us want consistent success. Multiple consecutive playoff appearances. Not one year making it, followed by 3+ years of missing.

Given how the team seemed to buy into RBA's coaching last year, I was hoping it might have been built upon this year. So that we might eventually become a team like Boston, Pittsburgh, etc, where even in lulls in play, they find a way to win.

Instead, it looks like we've stayed basically the same, if not taken a step back. Which wasn't really in the game plan, especially after theoretically improving the team in the off-season.

Yeah - that's what I said. I didn't say "we made it last year, why are we mad?" I said "it looks like we'll make it again this year, why are we mad?" We are in a good position to make the playoffs again. Not one year making it, followed by 3+ years of missing. So why are we mad? Because we're not Boston or Pittsburgh sustained high-end performers? Seems premature. Give the youngest team in the league (now only 5th youngest with Williams) a little more slack before we pretend last year was right on schedule instead of massive overachievement.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

This group isn't talented enough to be an elite regular season team, tbh. There are flaws in all 3 areas, from the lack of a true high-end scorer up front to a missing Top 4 guy on the blueline to the inconsistency in net. The top end of the defense and the depth of the forward group is good enough to make the playoffs. I see them as a 100 point team +/- 2. What have we seen through 46 games? Here's my 5 minute Excel chart:

View media item 7069

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Yeah - that's what I said. I didn't say "we made it last year, why are we mad?" I said "it looks like we'll make it again this year, why are we mad?" We are in a good position to make the playoffs again. Not one year making it, followed by 3+ years of missing. So why are we mad? Because we're not Boston or Pittsburgh sustained high-end performers? Seems premature.

I'm not as confident in our playoff chances as many here appear to be. Out of all the teams we're realistically competing with (CBus, Philly, NYI, Tor, and Florida), we've probably played the worst out of them since the new year. Hell, even the Rangers have an outside shot and they're playing much better of late.

If recent trends continue, I worry about us keeping the tenuous grasp we have on the playoff spot. Especially if we can't figure out how to win a divisional game.

 

[MinJaBen]

How is 100 point pace and 8th place in a league of 31 teams a step backward?

Well, if 100 points misses the playoffs...

 

[Joe McGrath]

I'm not as confident in our playoff chances as many here appear to be. Out of all the teams we're realistically competing with (CBus, Philly, NYI, Tor, and Florida), we've probably played the worst out of them since the new year. Hell, even the Rangers have an outside shot and they're playing much better of late.

If recent trends continue, I worry about us keeping the tenuous grasp we have on the playoff spot. Especially if we can't figure out how to win a divisional game.

Since Jan 1

Philly 2-3-1
Toronto 2-2-1
NYI 2-3-1
Columbus 4-2
Florida 4-2
Carolina 3-3.

So of the competing teams you listed who are all trending up in the new year, 2 of the 5 them actually have better records in that time.

 

[SlavinAway]

I guess I'm in the minority who isn't disappointed in the team this year.

I'm not going to worry about the playoffs for at least another month. We've had some consistency issues lately but I'll take where we're at today over New Year's last year any day. The East and Metro are hot; every single one of these teams on the bubble are feeling it.

I think Williams easing back in the room and the all star break will be enough to give us a little reset and get us there. My money is on Metro 3 or WC1 come April.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Since Jan 1

Philly 2-3-1
Toronto 2-2-1
NYI 2-3-1
Columbus 4-2
Florida 4-2
Carolina 3-3.

So of the competing teams you listed who are all trending up in the new year, 2 of the 5 them actually have better records in that time.

You know as well as I do that you can win a game while playing poorly and lose a game while playing well. Hell, look at the last LA game we had. Didn't deserve to win that one at all, but we did.

Though I will admit that I thought Toronto was still riding the high of their new coach. Didn't realize they had lost the last 3. I know they've had injury troubles lately, so maybe they'll slip some more.

 

[SlavinAway]

It's that damn loser's point. Only 3 teams have more wins than us right now.

WSH, PIT, STL

 

[Navin R Slavin]

This group isn't talented enough to be an elite regular season team, tbh.

And I don't care if they are or not. It's not like the English Premier League. Literally no one cares if you won the Presidents Cup.

The first season means nothing. Hockey isn't basketball, where only the top seeds have any chance. It's a team sport. You have just enough talent, you play together, you peak at the right time. The LA Kings were probably not good enough on paper to win one Stanley Cup, let alone two.

I think we're gonna be good enough to get to the playoffs most of the next 10 years. We've got the talent and the front office commitment that we've never had before. That means we're gonna have a chance most years. As a fan, that's all you can realistically ask for.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I guess I'm in the minority who isn't disappointed in the team this year.

I'm not going to worry about the playoffs for at least another month. We've had some consistency issues lately but I'll take where we're at today over New Year's last year any day. The East and Metro are hot; every single one of these teams on the bubble are feeling it.

I think Williams easing back in the room and the all star break will be enough to give us a little reset and get us there. My money is on Metro 3 or WC1 come April.

I don't think you are in the minority. I think that negative energy is just louder than positive energy.

 

[hblueridgegal]

When we need them the most we need them to step up. When we have pp’s in games that we need to score so we can squeak out a defensive struggle, we need them to score. They’re expected to be leaders now. Points isn’t enough, points when they’re needed the most is what we lack in these tight divisional down the stretch games.

This was exactly Forslund's point. In head to head competition against the opponent's best, they need to be coming out on top more or at least, evenly matching them and we're not. He said he wasn't seeing that kind of effort or performance. I appreciated his candor over the homerism that surrounds certain players.

For the record, I am not mad. I think they're a fun, entertaining bunch worth the price of admission. Been a fan since the relocation. However, in comparison to more steely minded teams, they just seem to be distracted and/or flighty at times.

For the record, last week TD said he thought we'd be better than we are right now, too. He is taking it to heart. He said the only person more disappointed by every loss is RBA.

 

[DougieSmash]

Underrated part of the season: we have so many wins while we are playing not our best. Imagine if we hit the pedal very hard?

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

It's that damn loser's point. Only 3 teams have more wins than us right now.

WSH, PIT, STL

It works the other way though too. The loser point gives false hope to a lot of teams on the outside looking in. For much of the last decade we were one of those teams. But if it gives false hope, it also give false heartache to the teams above the line. This year, we’re that team. We aren’t guaranteed a playoff spot, but even if between us and Columbus is only 4 pts, currently sitting on top of that stack of 4 is a pretty massive advantage.

 

[My Special Purpose]

I think virtually everything we complain about can be explained in three words: we're very young.

I am also guilty of having lofty expectations this season, but in retrospect, I know I was probably expecting too much. Svech is 19, Aho is 22, Necas is 20, Foegele is 23. John Carlson, you know, the guy who is just now coming into his own as elite, just turned 30, which would make him the oldest player on our defense. Trying to do too much, stick penalties, frustration, mental breakdowns ... all symptoms of a very young team.

I honestly think we're three years from peaking as a team with this core (Aho's age 25 season, Dougie will be 29, Slavin/Pesce 28, Svech 23 and Necas 24). We should expect improvement over the next two seasons, but there seems to be some expectation that we've arrived at our peak already.

The run to the conference final probably has a lot to do with that. If we had lost Game 7 in Washington, we'd probably be looking at this season as a major step forward.

We need to keep in mind that we were totally outclassed by Boston and probably would have faced a similar fate against St. Louis. We got some goaltending and made a run with eight playoff wins, but that doesn't mean we're a Final Four team every year. We're super young. We have to remember that.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I think virtually everything we complain about can be explained in three words: we're very young.

I am also guilty of having lofty expectations this season, but in retrospect, I know I was probably expecting too much. Svech is 19, Aho is 22, Necas is 20, Foegele is 23. John Carlson, you know, the guy who is just now coming into his own as elite, just turned 30, which would make him the oldest player on our defense. Trying to do too much, stick penalties, frustration, mental breakdowns ... all symptoms of a very young team.

I honestly think we're three years from peaking as a team with this core (Aho's age 25 season, Dougie will be 29, Slavin/Pesce 28, Svech 23 and Necas 24). We should expect improvement over the next two seasons, but there seems to be some expectation that we've arrived at our peak already.

The run to the conference final probably has a lot to do with that. If we had lost Game 7 in Washington, we'd probably be looking at this season as a major step forward.

We need to keep in mind that we were totally outclassed by Boston and probably would have faced a similar fate against St. Louis. We got some goaltending and made a run with eight playoff wins, but that doesn't mean we're a Final Four team every year. We're super young. We have to remember that.

THANK you!

 

[AD Skinner]

I kept telling myself last year that no matter what happened, making the playoffs was the goal. Anything after that was gravy. I think realistically that's still true this season, as much as I'd like to say the bar has been raised a ton. The hurricanes have only made the playoffs in consecutive years once in their entire existence so really that's still a big deal

 

[DougieSmash]

Yeah, I think it's too early this core to be the best in the league. But we have foundation: Slavin, Pesce, Hamilton, Aho, TT, Necas and Svech. This is awesome core. Foegele is too young. Remember that Wheeler/Marchand wasn't that good in their first few seasons? Build around this and be patient.

 

[Joe McGrath]

You know as well as I do that you can win a game while playing poorly and lose a game while playing well. Hell, look at the last LA game we had. Didn't deserve to win that one at all, but we did.

Though I will admit that I thought Toronto was still riding the high of their new coach. Didn't realize they had lost the last 3. I know they've had injury troubles lately, so maybe they'll slip some more.

There’s also the idea that good teams find a way to win when they don’t deserve to win.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Given how the team seemed to buy into RBA's coaching last year, I was hoping it might have been built upon this year. So that we might eventually become a team like Boston, Pittsburgh, etc, where even in lulls in play, they find a way to win.

Instead, it looks like we've stayed basically the same, if not taken a step back. Which wasn't really in the game plan, especially after theoretically improving the team in the off-season.

You know as well as I do that you can win a game while playing poorly and lose a game while playing well. Hell, look at the last LA game we had. Didn't deserve to win that one at all, but we did.

Though I will admit that I thought Toronto was still riding the high of their new coach. Didn't realize they had lost the last 3. I know they've had injury troubles lately, so maybe they'll slip some more.

Wait a minute...