Coyotes 2021 Roster Discussion

[WrinkledPossum]

Gotta be a call by BA.

Lol... at some point a tad of credit needs to go to Toc.

I am far from the biggest Toc fan, but I also am one to give credit where credit is due.

I think experimenting with the "Short-leash line" and this move are solid smart moves by Toc.

I don't see BA pushing for this, would be below a GM to do so. Also makes his job harder by lowering Demers trade value.

He's reduced Demers ice time this season. Shot him a dirty glare last game. When him and Goose were at their worst he put Gross on the top line to send a message. He hasn't liked him this season.

I've made many critical posts of Tocchet since he was hired, but he's been much better this season.

 

[Canis Latrans]

I have been pleased with reformed Kessel so far, but at ES he's still not producing or providing any push and has bad numbers.

Unlike Crouse/Larsson/Fischer, he isn't giving defense in exchange for this. In terms of 5v5 xGF%, which considers a players contributions and subtractions, he has been the worst forward on the team. That's really saying something when Larsson and Fischer have not been on for a 5v5 goal this year. Keller is averaging twice as many high danger chances, as an example. Brassard hasn't had as much impact since dropping to that line. I would say he's a PP specialist but his impact has only been better than Hayton and Pitlick when up a man. Schmaltz on ice GF/60 rate is twice Kessel's

I would really, really consider finding another 3C and moving Hayton to 2LW in Cags spot with Dvorak. The 3rd line having minimal push and production is probably what is holding back the team IMO. And I don't think it's great for Hayton's development this year.

Kessel has improved, but he's still lagging for sure. From the looks of it, he just seems to be a step behind on the play offensively, offering enough time for the defender to nullify any advantage he might have had. With the short leash guys, they're either making the clean pass to allow the receiver that time, catching most passes and instantly moving into motion to maintain that advantage, or being squirrely enough to create a new advantage. I'm not seeing that with Kessel. He's certainly giving more effort than we've seen in the past, particularly on defense, though it's just not enough for him to take advantage of his actual weapons. Maybe stacking up the top two lines will afford him just enough to stay respectable on the third line, otherwise he's just back to being an overpaid bad fit.

If they are going to keep him on the powerplay, I think he's too slow to ever be on the top unit, and I think that's gotten through finally. I have less of an issue with him being on the second unit so long as they continue stacking the top one (Short Leash + Dvorak & Chychrun - maybe OEL here and there).

 

[XX]

Lol... at some point a tad of credit needs to go to Toc.

I am far from the biggest Toc fan, but I also am one to give credit where credit is due.

I think experimenting with the "Short-leash line" and this move are solid smart moves by Toc.

I missed this post but burying Garland is a Tocchet staple and he was not a fan of Schmaltz as a center. Someone else is setting up these lines. BA essentially forced this by throwing Stepan overboard. He's managing Tocchet. Tocchet is the public face of the coaching staff but that doesn't make him the originator of these ideas.

A coach doesn't just manifest new abilities out of thin air after many years of not having those skills, especially when their stated position is/was often contrary to what we are seeing.

The better passing, zone entries, cycle, breakouts is all Varady. He and BA get the vast majority of the credit for the improvement this year.

 

[technoviking]

I missed this post but burying Garland is a Tocchet staple and he was not a fan of Schmaltz as a center. Someone else is setting up these lines. BA essentially forced this by throwing Stepan overboard. He's managing Tocchet. Tocchet is the public face of the coaching staff but that doesn't make him the originator of these ideas.

A coach doesn't just manifest new abilities out of thin air after many years of not having those skills, especially when their stated position is/was often contrary to what we are seeing.

The better passing, zone entries, cycle, breakouts is all Varady. He and BA get the vast majority of the credit for the improvement this year.

I hear you, but there’s no guarantee that is the case. Perhaps schmaltz and garland finally made strides in their play without the puck and have earned trust, and yes maybe the departure of stepan forced them into the opportunity for growth, but I don’t think all power has been taken from Toc and he’s just a talking head.

 

[lanky]

I missed this post but burying Garland is a Tocchet staple and he was not a fan of Schmaltz as a center. Someone else is setting up these lines. BA essentially forced this by throwing Stepan overboard. He's managing Tocchet. Tocchet is the public face of the coaching staff but that doesn't make him the originator of these ideas.

A coach doesn't just manifest new abilities out of thin air after many years of not having those skills, especially when their stated position is/was often contrary to what we are seeing.

The better passing, zone entries, cycle, breakouts is all Varady. He and BA get the vast majority of the credit for the improvement this year.

Yep. I don't think Tocchet spent the fall contemplating new ideas that contradict his old ideas.

 

[Sm00chy]

Yep. I don't think Tocchet spent the fall contemplating new ideas that contradict his old ideas.

So you don’t think it’s possible an NHL coach adapted in the offseason?

 

[technoviking]

So you don’t think it’s possible an NHL coach adapted in the offseason?

Ya I definitely don’t care much for Toc, but some of the things people infer about him and what he does and says behind the scenes is odd and extreme.

 

[lanky]

So you don’t think it’s possible an NHL coach adapted in the offseason?

That would be too much of a coincidence. Tocchet has a new boss. The new boss just traded away Stepan for a pick. Tocchet played Stepan more than any forward not named Taylor Hall last year. The new boss replaced Tocchet's hand-picked assistant John Maclean with two new assistants that Tocchet had no involvement in choosing.

 

[rt]

Goligoski looked a lot better.

I hate allowing that second empty netter.

Hayton is sloooooooow as f***! Send him down. He’s so f***ing slow. His hands and his feet. Sloooooooooow.

 

[technoviking]

That would be too much of a coincidence. Tocchet has a new boss. The new boss just traded away Stepan for a pick. Tocchet played Stepan more than any forward not named Taylor Hall last year. The new boss replaced Tocchet's hand-picked assistant John Maclean with two new assistants that Tocchet had no involvement in choosing.

Sherlock Holmes and his deductive reasoning over here.

 

[moosemeister]

Agreed on sending Hayton down. He’s not playing bad but he needs to line minutes

 

[XX]

That would be too much of a coincidence. Tocchet has a new boss. The new boss just traded away Stepan for a pick. Tocchet played Stepan more than any forward not named Taylor Hall last year. The new boss replaced Tocchet's hand-picked assistant John Maclean with two new assistants that Tocchet had no involvement in choosing.

Yeah, I'm not sure why people are struggling with this. Tocchet has shown no ability to adapt to date. He has never been a 'tactics' guy and has literally never paid those dues as a HC elsewhere and is not noted for being a tactical assistant. He famously did awful in Tampa.

Manifesting an ability that has never existed before and is completely contrary to his career to date is the much bigger reach.

"He will be in demand" reeks of his friends firing up a flare, hoping to convince ownership to extend him.

 

[Jakey53]

Good to get the taxi guys reps. As much as they are not long term guys, they can’t just practice all year. Imagine getting to May and needing to slot one of these guys in the lineup and they haven’t played in a game in more than a year.

Almost like what RT did to Hayton last year.

 

[Jakey53]

Goligoski looked a lot better.

I hate allowing that second empty netter.

Hayton is sloooooooow as f***! Send him down. He’s so f***ing slow. His hands and his feet. Sloooooooooow.

Hayton is improving and gaining confidence. I keep him on the roster and let him gain experience. Also, I don't think he is as slow as you say.

 

[rt]

Hayton is improving and gaining confidence. I keep him on the roster and let him gain experience. Also, I don't think he is as slow as you say.

His reactions and reflexes are crazy slow. His positioning and decision making is excellent. He was so frustrating to watch last night. I’d much, much rather have Hunt or Hayden in the lineup. Hayton isn’t helping the team at all. And the team isn’t helping him. He’s languishing not thriving.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

His reactions and reflexes are crazy slow. His positioning and decision making is excellent. He was so frustrating to watch last night. I’d much, much rather have Hunt or Hayden in the lineup. Hayton isn’t helping the team at all. And the team isn’t helping him. He’s languishing not thriving.

The lazy ass Hunt, that let up and couldn’t skate hard through the dots, negating an icing and costing us the game last night?
No thanks, I’d rather the kid get NHL ice time.

 

[Jamieh]

 

[Name Nameless]

Hayden to Covid Protocol

Oh. So it begins...

 

[hbk]

His reactions and reflexes are crazy slow. His positioning and decision making is excellent. He was so frustrating to watch last night. I’d much, much rather have Hunt or Hayden in the lineup. Hayton isn’t helping the team at all. And the team isn’t helping him. He’s languishing not thriving.

I actually thought Hayton had one of his better games.

 

[rt]

I actually thought Hayton had one of his better games.

Is it not troubling how low that bar is?

 

[hbk]

Is it not troubling how low that bar is?

his second period was strong. I’m not opposed to his playing in the A. It should be recognized that he stepped it up when he was moved down the lineup. He created offence last night. That’s what we were waiting for.

 

[TheLegend]

Larsson is getting a hearing from player safety.

 

[hbk]

Larsson is getting a hearing from player safety.

Player with puck ducks his head and leans down and into check. Why is this being reviewed? Did i see the wrong replay?

 

[WrinkledPossum]

Hayton was looking more confident last night, he still has a lot of room to improve though.

He tends to look timid. Hesitant to crash the net, carry the puck. He passes off to other players when he could keep the puck. He looks like a 20 year old kid in the top men's league.

But last night he was the catalyst for own only goal. He had the puck on his stick a lot leading up to that goal. He looked as confident as I've seen him.

So far he hasn't looked out of place at LW1, decent but pretty invisible at 3C. Good at 4LW. He needs minutes so he should get a shot a 2LW with Dvorak.

 

[WrinkledPossum]

Larsson is getting a hearing from player safety.

Is this just an automatic thing that happens after every hit to the head call? It was not malicious at all.