GDT: Coyotes get swept away by a Hurricane (hopefully)

[Rick Davis]

Dodgy..is a nice choice. RBA didn't exactly instill confidence in that presser to me. He looked like he was at a loss for words and solutions to me. I'd like to see some incremental changes or improvements from him.

What would you have him improve given the injury situation at the moment? He’s just the coach…the highly compensated players on the team who aren’t on the injury list have to suck it up and start producing…

 

[hblueridgegal]

What would you have him improve given the injury situation at the moment? He’s just the coach…the highly compensated players on the team who aren’t on the injury list have to suck it up and start producing…

No offense..but it seems like other teams have the script and know what to do in advance of playing us. It's the coach's job to improvise and switch things up when situations aren't ideal..not to always go to the well with same old strategies. Players take direction and he needs offer something new. Look at how some of our top tier competitors respond to challenges..Colorado has a number of folks out.

 

[ndp]

Lord knows, I try to keep silent re: TDA, but it feels like they broke the team a bit. Taking away 1/3 of the line up of a team of old and new on the cusp and practically, a President's Trophy winner, just feels like such an overreaction to me..especially for the folks they brought in. I hope I am wrong. But, these guys are human and have attachments and familiarity. And, it feels almost like a rebuild instead of an improvement.

I’ve always looked at TB’s back to backs and thought one of the things that made them such a special team (besides having a few superstars and the best coach in the league) was how many players were part of the core of that roster.

Guys like Cirelli, Coburn, Gourde, Killorn, Paquette, Palat, these guys aren’t really stars but they were all a very important part of that core. Players who had been there for a few seasons, guys who literally grew together as a unit.

On top of that add Kuch, Stamkos, Johnson, Hedman, McDonagh, Point and of course Vasi. And that’s a large core of players.

The Hurricanes haven’t had or don’t have that kind of consistency in their roster. TB’s roster was built like what I assume Francis tried to do here, and what he’s doing in SEA. Francis just tried to play it too safe.

The Borg feels a little more like JR, but with an owner who’s willing to spend. Identify a small group of stars, try and get them locked up long term, and rotate the rest of the roster hoping you find that just right combination one season. Maybe you do maybe you don’t, and hopefully that small group of stars drags whatever shit stuck to the dartboard that off-season to the playoffs year after year.

Seems to me like it would be hard to develop consistency and synergy when you’ve got a new line mates, or defensive parter every other season. Add in a coach that’s quick to mix things up and it seems to me like some players could get frustrated pretty quickly.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I feel like last year our style of play through four lines gave teams fits because of our speed (Boston on road in season, Avs against us at rbc….they cited that game as the impetus to go out and get players for cup run).

This year, I don’t know what our identity is. We’re not a fast team, we’re not a heavy team (both forwards and defensemen), we’re not a high powered offensive team, we’re not an entertaining team. We’re just meh.

Borg/GM have done a bad job in setting up this roster.

 

[surfzone365]

No offense..but it seems like other teams have the script and know what to do in advance of playing us. It's the coach's job to improvise and switch things up when situations aren't ideal..not to always go to the well with same old strategies. Players take direction and he needs offer something new. Look at how some of our top tier competitors respond to challenges..Colorado has a number of folks out.

Both of you are correct. Where the rubber meets the road is Rods ability to adapt/adjust and for the players to produce.

 

[CandyCanes]

I now know why the Canes really took the L so badly tonight.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The power play really is the core issue right now. They’re on a run of 1-for-29 going all the way back to the Leafs game.

It’s hard to win games in the NHL if you’re not scoring on the PP. Chances are the other team is getting a PPG in any given game, so you’re behind the eight-ball if you need to outscore them by multiple goals at even strength. Tonight’s game has a completely different arc if they convert that 5-on-3 or any of the subsequent opportunities.

This team has some obvious chemistry issues, but the PP has to be the focus. Score a goal with the man advantage and those OTLs become Ws, and you don’t let teams hang around with a 1-0 lead till they catch a second wind.

 

[ndp]

This kinda makes me think about how much we talk about making the right play which naturally leads to a lot of cycling and dump ins.

I'd rather the guys get some more liberties from RBA and allow some more east west and creativity and offense off the rush.

Take advantage of our transition. Our shot totals will go down and we'll have more turnovers but I think we become more dangerous.

I encourage anyone who hasn’t watched NJ yet this season to do so. Their ability to break up a play transition to offense with puck control, no dump and chase BS. Reminds me of the 2018-19 Hurricanes.

 

[chaz4hockey]

1 pt away from dropping out of playoff list with Boston and Calgary up next.

Tampa and Florida have playoff rosters. It will be between Canes, Pittsburgh and Detroit for the last spot.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I encourage anyone who hasn’t watched NJ yet this season to do so. Their ability to break up a play transition to offense with puck control, no dump and chase BS. Reminds me of the 2018-19 Hurricanes.

Great post. Stall’s line needs to play dump and chase (and the fourth is so bad that I don’t know what they can play) but our top two lines SHOULD NOT be playing dump and chase.

 

[Svechhammer]

Great post. Stall’s line needs to play dump and chase (and the fourth is so bad that I don’t know what they can play) but our top two lines SHOULD NOT be playing dump and chase.

There's a lot of stuff our top two lines do that they shouldnt

 

[tarheelhockey]

I encourage anyone who hasn’t watched NJ yet this season to do so. Their ability to break up a play transition to offense with puck control, no dump and chase BS. Reminds me of the 2018-19 Hurricanes.

That has a lot to do with young legs. I’m looking at our lineup right now and seeing a lot of old legs. Everyone is 4 years older than they were that season. We still have some burners at the top of the lineup, but solidly half our lineup is on the slow side. In particular, our middle-six centers and four of our defensemen are lumbering skaters.

@chaz4hockey makes an interesting point about the identity change this team has gone through recently. It’s not that they added bad players, but they added players who aren’t cleanly fitting into the identity that this team built prior to this summer. They’re slower and heavier than before, with a lower energy level.

The one possible payoff down the road, which doesn’t help us much right now, is that there is a reality to pacing oneself over the course of a season. As a fan it’s hard to stomach the idea of “load management” from the standpoint of preserving one’s body from exhaustion and injury in the early season, at the cost of looking slow and unengaged in November games, but it’s a real thing that we’ve seen with a bunch of championship teams in the past. The question is whether that’s what we’re actually witnessing, or whether this group just sucks.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

I now know why the Canes really took the L so badly tonight.

It’s a twerky

 

[ndp]

Great post. Stall’s line needs to play dump and chase (and the fourth is so bad that I don’t know what they can play) but our top two lines SHOULD NOT be playing dump and chase.

I think the dump and chase is also what leads to some of Rods line combinations. Feeling the need to have a board battle guy on each line.

The 4th line is a complete mess.

Stastny I can’t figure out at all. I know the guy is 37 and his best years as a hockey player are well behind him. But can’t figure how his pts/60 are all of a sudden half of his normal. This is a guy who has played or scored at a 45+ point pace his entire career. All of a sudden he comes here and he’s barely playing at a 20pt pace? His ice time is a fraction of what he normally gets but still.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Stastny I can’t figure out at all. I know the guy is 37 and his best years as a hockey player are well behind him. But can’t figure how his pts/60 are all of a sudden half of his normal. This is a guy who has played or scored at a 45+ point pace his entire career. All of a sudden he comes here and he’s barely playing at a 20pt pace? His ice time is a fraction of what he normally gets but still.

I mean you pretty much explained it point by point.

- He’s 37 and looks it
- He’s playing 11 minutes a night when his prior career low was 17
- Those minutes are on the 4th line which is a grab bag of randos
- To the extent that he gets PP time, it’s on a terrible 2nd unit with no real scorers, and he doesn’t do squat to improve the situation

He’s not good enough to drive his line, and it’s hard to make a case for him to have better linemates when he’s showing no signs of life. So he gets minimal ice time, with which he does nothing.

I’d say we’re getting close to the point where we can call the Stastny signing a failure and move on.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

Was at the game, alot of valid points here. But what irritated me the most was sometime in the 2nd period when Pyotr covered the puck, Ritchie took a whack or 2 at his pads and NOONE came over to give him a face wash or whatever. No response at all. I mentioned to my buddy....'something is wrong with this team'. I'm not in the locker room but something is off.

 

[CandyCanes]

I mean you pretty much explained it point by point.

- He’s 37 and looks it
- He’s playing 11 minutes a night when his prior career low was 17
- Those minutes are on the 4th line which is a grab bag of randos
- To the extent that he gets PP time, it’s on a terrible 2nd unit with no real scorers, and he doesn’t do squat to improve the situation

He’s not good enough to drive his line, and it’s hard to make a case for him to have better linemates when he’s showing no signs of life. So he gets minimal ice time, with which he does nothing.

I’d say we’re getting close to the point where we can call the Stastny signing a failure and move on.

We're a quarter of the way through the season and our 4th line doesn't have a goal this year.

Drury, Stepan, Stastny. Yikes.... There's no offensive talent, no guys that are going to out hustle you, out check you, intimidate you, fight you. That 4th line is a gigantic blackhole of nothing. It's like they picked 3 randos to go out there and play hockey together.

Missing the days when we had the likes of McGinn & Foegele on our 4th line. They were guys that constantly out forechecked the opposition, they were high energy players, and had a little bit of offense to them. They were solid role players... When they weren't scoring goals, they were adding other factors to the game.

Jamieson Rees has 13pts in 14 games. I think it's time for us to give him a few games. From the sounds of it, seems like he can be another McGinn/Foegele type player for us. Seems like he's got some snarl to his game with a little bit of offensive upside.

I also think it's time to send Drury back down. I think he looks okay out there. But he still needs more time in the AHL in my mind.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

He’s not good enough to drive his line, and it’s hard to make a case for him to have better linemates when he’s showing no signs of life. So he gets minimal ice time, with which he does nothing.

My case: nothing else is working. Slow as it would be after Aho down the middle, Stastny to 2C might be the jolt the player needs at the moment.

 

[tarheelhockey]

We're a quarter of the way through the season and our 4th line doesn't have a goal this year.

Drury, Stepan, Stastny. Yikes.... There's no offensive talent, no guys that are going to out hustle you, out check you, intimidate you, fight you. That 4th line is a gigantic blackhole of nothing. It's like they picked 3 randos to go out there and play hockey together.

Missing the days when we had the likes of McGinn & Foegele on our 4th line. They were guys that constantly out forechecked the opposition, they were high energy players, and had a little bit of offense to them. They were solid role players... When they weren't scoring goals, they were adding other factors to the game.

Jamieson Rees has 13pts in 14 games. I think it's time for us to give him a few games. From the sounds of it, seems like he can be another McGinn/Foegele type player for us. Seems like he's got some snarl to his game with a little bit of offensive upside.

I also think it's time to send Drury back down. I think he looks okay out there. But he still needs more time in the AHL in my mind.

I agree. Rees might not be completely NHL ready, but this is a scenario where it makes sense to shake things up a bit. Just a couple of games, to see what we have.

My case: nothing else is working. Slow as it would be after Aho down the middle, Stastny to 2C might be the jolt the player needs at the moment.

I mean, try it for a few shifts and see what happens. I’m not sure I’d mess around with him for long if he doesn’t seize the moment. As bad as some of these guys have looked, he’s been the most invisible of them all.

 

[larueskee]

Meanwhile Eathan Bear has a goal and a assist to help the Canucks beat the Avs in regulation tonight.

 

[Daeavorn]

I think people have a right to be upset at how the team is playing. The front office absolutely swung and missed with their acquisitions.

It is time to stop playing moneyball. It was probably time to stop last season. If they dont move assets to get someone to help the team and we fall out of the playoffs, its hard to have faith in the front office that they can get us over the hump.

The front office has been playing fast and loose with the roster for awhile now and a lot of the more established hockey people have been skeptical of if this kind of strategy will work.

I think we may have tweaked ourselves out of a competitive roster and we will have to work extremely hard to get back to where we were.

I remember how happy we all were when we traded victor rask for nino and finally had more scoring talent on the team.

Right now the facts are we have 3 top 6 players and 9 bottom 6 players. That is why we cannot score.

Burns needs to get off of the PK, he is not good at it and its dragging the team down. We also need to let someone else QB the PP2. Give Skjei a shot it cant be any worse than what Pesce is doing.

Something had to chance. Im not sure TT and Patches can save the team at this point but we will see.

edit: we also need to finally have a serious conversation about Rod's system and if its holding the team back. I would bet money the only times they are finding success is when they play outside of it.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

That 5-on-3 stat earlier in the top is just shameful. Over 150 games without a 5-on-3 goal? Really? And there's been no change (that we can tell) with our PP system or coaching. That's inexcusable.

Meanwhile, the other game I worked tonight, Seattle put up 8 goals, including a 5-on-3. So at least I know it's not me. The rest of you need to set up some control tests so we can determine who's messing with the voodoo.

 

[ClarkBolzano]

We have guys on this team that shouldn’t be forced to do dump and chase. Jarvis, Aho, svetch necas have high skill but yet they are forced to the Staal line approach. That’s on Rod.

I absolutely agree. You have to use what you have. How many Times they throw the Puck in the Corner. Use the Skill they have. I dont know the Game Plan but they should be able to Play in different ways depending on the opponent. But on the Other Hand our best Guys Need to Score cause there are Always Grade a Chances.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I agree. Rees might not be completely NHL ready, but this is a scenario where it makes sense to shake things up a bit. Just a couple of games, to see what we have.



I mean, try it for a few shifts and see what happens. I’m not sure I’d mess around with him for long if he doesn’t seize the moment. As bad as some of these guys have looked, he’s been the most invisible of them all.

Agree Rees is worth a shot.

Unfortunately, he is the only wolve that is producing (Honda is -8).

Our immediate talent base is bereft of players and the Borg will need to engineer trades this year to upgrade our roster (Suzuki draft bust hurts as he should have been a “ready” player right now), presuming they can cap maneuver.

Btw: if Morrow is close to NHL ready I’d sign him and give him a shot thIs year with the big squad. Put him with Slavin and drop Burns to partner with 5.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Suzuki is a draft bust? because we could predict him taking a stick the eye 3 months later.

The narratives are hilarious