I'd add Dickinson as a building block and frankly I'd add the building block from whatever we trade Musty for. I do believe this is and has to be the last year Grier can purposely stink up as there has to be a marked improvement next year. I do think he's going to make a big splash like a Jason Robertson or a Thomas Harley and sort of cheat in that regard.
21 I understood. 22 was just denial.
How do you know this? The guy is 37 years old and has won at every level he has been at. Other coaches raved about him, and he's working with a team that has zero top-3 defensemen, 4 top-6 forwards (2 of which are in their rookie or 2nd seasons), and one competent goalie who is a rookie basically. I completely agree with waiting until the team has more talent to assess his coaching abilities. This team is exactly where it is supposed to be in the standings with improved underlying analytics compared to last year's generational level tire fire.
Yeah given his track record at every other level, I'm going to wait to make conclusions. I suspect this is the last year of true tanking and Grier will make some big moves this summer to move the rebuild along. I'd like to see what Warso does with that improved roster.
I’m not willing to add Dickinson to that list until he’s in the NHL but it’s likely him and whoever is drafted in June. They still need more on defense though. It’s not easy to find guys on defense you can depend on.
I am. He's one of those high pedigree guys that are until they aren't instead of the other way around.
I haven't seen him coach anything other than dogshit players. I'm sure he'd do better with better players, but all coaches would do better with better players.
Actually, I was hoping someone would make a compelling argument on why he's good.
I don’t think he should be canned but I also don’t think he’s the right coach for this team at this time.
Well the easy measure is how he does with players or prospects who can't get by on natural talent or prior success. Can he learn to get something out of players with flaws?
Every argument about the roster was not made at all going into this season. The expectation was 64 pts, bad on all metrics but an improvement from their 47 point season.
How is that easy? Most players don’t get by on natural talent or prior success and our sample size here is roughly 30 players over 52 games in his rookie season on a bad team. Is he not getting something out of Eklund or Smith? Is he not getting something out of Walman even with his struggles lately? I just don’t get the panic landing on the coach. Bad teams tend to get worse as the season progresses as other more talented teams get better and more desperate with the playoffs approaching. Teams like the Sharks sell off and better teams add. I’m all for assessing the coach as he will need to develop too but we have to keep things based on realistic expectations of him and the team given the talent and where this rebuild is actually at.
This is an actual quote from War after the game. He acts like he's just one of the guys hanging out with his boys at happy hour, bitching about the boss when in actuality he IS the boss. I like War and think he'll be a good coach down the road, but right now the players don't need a friend behind the bench. He's acting like that cool grade 7 teacher who sits on his chair backwards, knows all the latest rap slang and buys weed for his students on the side.
I think you’re reading a bit too much into that. Again, I don’t know what you’re expecting here but a rebuild isn’t a linear progression back to a competitive level. We’re a young team that’s likely only going to get younger. They’re going to be inconsistent much less when they aren’t talented compared to the average NHL team.
This was an unrealistic expectation
I think you’re neglecting to factor in the addition by subtraction. Adding those pieces you mentioned didn’t just mean they were added, it also means zeroes like Zadina, Hoffman, Addison, Barabanov etc who can’t even get jobs in the NHL are no longer there. That’s probably bigger.
I’m not expecting much, but I just don’t think war is the right kind of coach for the team right now. Like I’ve said before there seems to be a real lack of on-ice leadership so there has to be some semblance of control and sanity behind the bench. War seems just as frustrated and bewildered as the players. What does that accomplish?
There is no "addition by subtraction" when you're talking about literally the worst team since 2006, you can only go up and those bad players are the equivalent of empty roster spots to fill
If the point is losing games, then why don't Warso playing the kids who are going to be together more so they can create more chemistry. Bring up Bordeleau, Graf, Cag and Muk. Get them as much exposure together in the NHL as much as possible. Sit Goodyear, Winnebago, VClassic, Roto Rooter, Diarrhea, or anyone else who is not going to be here next year. Right now, we are just losing games with dignity!
I'm not sure you understand what I mean, otherwise I don't know how you can say that. Literally removing the worst players on the worst team in 30 years is by definition addition by subtraction, unless they were replaced with blind people are people with no limbs.
