I think the forwards are much, much better this year...I don't know if it is just maturation or coaching or a combo of both.
But watch the layers of support in the defensive zone seems to be pure coaching to me?
It's tough to say how much of it is Ruff adjusting, Ryan McGill adding his influence, and just improved play from the defenders, but I've noticed far fewer times this year that both defenders end up chasing the puck carrier and leaving the slot to be covered by wingers. It also helps that the wingers have definitely improved in their coverage when that does happen, a lot of that is growth from the young players, Tatar rebounding from his worst season in the NHL, Haula being night and day compared to Zacha at even strength.
All of it feeds into another aspect of the game. Last year they couldn't forecheck and activate the defense quite so aggressively because some of the defenders were slower or less reliable than what we have there now, and they had to play more conservatively because the goaltending was so abysmal. And we tend to gloss over how little Hischier and Hughes were available at the same time last year so we were constantly playing with 2.5 lines instead of the 4 they're rolling now. Now, they are playing with confidence because the goaltending is bailing them out, the forwards are supporting the D, the defenders have confidence to play aggressively because of that and add numbers in the O-zone, which makes it easier on the forwards to generate offense, keep the puck from the other team, minimize time spent in their own zone, so it's easier on the goaltending and the skaters spend less energy defending so they can keep it up the whole game. It all builds off itself.
I think this is closer to how they would have played last year with better goaltending and injury luck, and the addition of Marino, Vanecek, and Haula plus the added experience of the young players, leadership of Hischier, Smith, and Haula/Palat when he's been there are all things that set it over the top to how they're performing now. I'm hoping they get back to really dominating against some of the weaker competition to keep it rolling.
shero’s fingerprints are all over this team, specifically the forwards. lou took a three year shit at center ice, and shero somehow sculpted that pile into one of the deepest offensive teams in the league.
sure would’ve been nice if he had the time to address the defense, but he was fired. worth noting he could’ve thrown massive contracts at UFA defensemen to pacify people on a message board, but he didn’t. if the right moves weren’t there, he didn’t make any, which is why we have no horrific contracts on our books.
shero had his work cut out for him, while fitz walked into a pretty good situation. they both fixed the mess lou left us in, for which i’m eternally grateful.
My only complaint with Shero is that he made a lot of moves that were fine in a vacuum, but cost the team a decent number of 2nd/3rd rounders in the long-term that could have added even more depth to the pipeline.
I also do think it's fair to be skeptical of the type of defensemen that he clearly valued based on his time here and in Pittsburgh, but as you said he didn;t really get a chance to prove if he learned anything from that.
