Coaching is a serious problem.

[Lafleurs Guy]

Guys...those who don't think Marty has a structure, wrong, he does, but it's stupid.

He wants players to play man on man until a bit inside the blue line then collapse into a zone defense.

It's stupid because players are ambivalent about supporting their mates along the boards 10 feet inside the blueline, thus losing possession battles....and then collapse into zone defense, prolonging us getting trapped inside our zone.

Just watch the games....I wasn't aware of it until the Pens game and then confirmed it in the Kings game.

Marty biggest issue is he doesn't have experience to know his players and systems limitation. He's learning on the job...and at our win/loss column.

Or maybe you’re more concerned about the short term win/loss column than he is.

It’s pretty clear the team has long term ambitions to win the cup. Sometimes the way to get there may not coincide with the best way to win now.

Does anyone doubt for example, that we would win more games playing the trap? We probably would. But is playing that system conducive to player development? Will it help us long term? I don’t think it is.

I’m not saying MSL can’t do a better job or that the only choice is man to man or the trap - just saying that they have a plan in place that’s probably more geared towards skill development.

 

[HankyZetts]

I think a big part of the problem, which Marty has to take blame for too, is that our captain is a nonchalant player. He doesn't move his feet consistently enough, nor does he get to the dirty areas first, most of the time.

When he's skating our team is completely different. He sets the tone. Right now with dach clearly still recovering his stride from off-season surgery, it's not a good look in the top 6.

The best teams captains and #1 centers are generally 200ft beasts. Very rarely are they nonchalant in their play style. I think Marty has to push him harder, to get him to be more of a high motor guy