Post-Game Talk: Ducks Spook Jets - 7-4

[Royale With Cheese]

Looks like I missed a good one.

The first minute of the first period was fantastic.

 

[Howard Chuck]

When will Maurice stop his favoritism of the vet Scheifele and finally play Little in the #1C role that he has earned?

You know, we joke (and bitch sometimes) about Little and his place on the team, the team really varies from night to night depending on a myriad of factors, but I would love to see Maurice make some in game adjustments. Last night would have been a perfect time to make the Little line our first line, but instead he again ran the 'first' line 23 minutes.

I just don't get the lack of in game adjustments, or the lack of adjustments in general.

 

[Ducky10]

7 loses in regulation in October and they haven't even played a good team yet.

Coach needs to get more out of them. Too many passengers and guys not buying in.

 

[Howard Chuck]

Maurice on Wheeler:

"I think he's been good"
"He's been good with those kids and he's been working his ass off like he always does"

I know he's not going to throw Wheeler under the bus, and he shouldn't, but again with the kids??? The kids were the best players tonight if Ehlers and Roslovic are the 'kids'.

 

[Howard Chuck]

Did Scheifele play tonight?

Nope, on the ice for 4 goals, and zero shots on net...... in 23 mins toi.

 

[Howard Chuck]

We need that Dallas owner that publicly chewed out Benn and Seguin last year to talk about 55 and 26.

I don't want a public flogging, but at least don't praise them. Suggest that they need to improve, our best players need to be our best players, maybe lower their toi?

Many options available.

 

[Ducky10]

I'm still scratching my head at some of the plays Wheeler made last night. Just some awful decisions with the puck under pressure. That extra half step he's lost is really limiting him through the neutral zone and gaining the blue line.

 

[Ducky10]

For all of the lack of size on the back end talk, it was a lack of talent that did us in last night. If Poolman and Kuli could skate and pass half as well as Pionk and JoMo, it's probably a different outcome.

 

[Howard Chuck]

I'm still scratching my head at some of the plays Wheeler made last night. Just some awful decisions with the puck under pressure. That extra half step he's lost is really limiting him through the neutral zone and gaining the blue line.

It's odd, although I DO think he is a little slower, but most of the things that make me shake my head are the brain farts, not a physically limiting factor, but mental errors.

 

[Ducky10]

It's odd, although I DO think he is a little slower, but most of the things that make me shake my head are the brain farts, not a physically limiting factor, but mental errors.

I think a lot of his mental errors are a result of his declining physical abilities. Mainly the change in his ability to get separation from defenders and maintain it. He gets rid of the puck far more than he used to, often to nowhere.

 

[Ducky10]

Scheifele is really pissing me off this year. I barely enjoy watching him play anymore. Something is up with that guy. I have major doubts he's been buying what Maurice is selling for awhile now.

 

[ffh]

I'm still scratching my head at some of the plays Wheeler made last night. Just some awful decisions with the puck under pressure. That extra half step he's lost is really limiting him through the neutral zone and gaining the blue line.

Wheeler played a great game according to who is on with troy never listen to show only xm but was on when I put on radio. Not an off game or a bad game but a great game.

 

[Howard Chuck]

Scheifele is really pissing me off this year. I barely enjoy watching him play anymore. Something is up with that guy. I have major doubts he's been buying what Maurice is selling for awhile now.

There are parts of some games, that he looks totally disinterested in getting involved in the play. There is no excuse for him to have zero shots on goal in a game.

I know it's conspiracy theory, but I feel like a couple of players are sandbagging for a coach replacement. It's the only thing I can think of? What else makes a 'student of the game' like 55 play the way he is? It doesn't look like injury.

 

[Hunter368]

It's going to be a very fun season!

I warned people back in June it was going to be a rough season.....some agreed and some thought we would be cup contenders still (not sure how).

I have no issue with a one year restructuring, developing and cap redistribution/balancing. It was due and I welcome it. A hockey team is like an investment, People need to focus on the big picture and not fret about every minuscule negative/dip in the investment/team.

 

[Hunter368]

Then things are going to get hilarious over the next 5 months.

For some maybe......others who are focused on the big picture this year is nothing but a tiny dip in the upward trend of a team.

 

[sipowicz]

Scheifele is really pissing me off this year. I barely enjoy watching him play anymore. Something is up with that guy. I have major doubts he's been buying what Maurice is selling for awhile now.

What happened to the guy who was huge threat to score on every shift like he was in 2017, 2018?

Schief looks like his switch was turned off sometime after New Years in 2019!

 

[DannyGallivan]

I warned people back in June it was going to be a rough season.....some agreed and some thought we would be cup contenders still (not sure how).

I can't see how anybody would have seen it differently with the cap situation. However, the Trouba and Byfuglien things were unexpected in June (thought we'd get more for Trouba and of course, nobody saw the Byfuglien thing). There was also some hope that Vesy would be able to advance to the NHL, and that improved seasons by Laine and Ehlers would help carry the team.

However, it was clear that the Jets would be a few steps behind last year's team, which had massive issues itself after Christmas.

 

[sipowicz]

For some maybe......others who are focused on the big picture this year is nothing but a tiny dip in the upward trend of a team.

Sadly I think you’re wrong here, team seems to be trending downward and towards another rebuild, what the hell happened?

 

[DannyGallivan]

What happened to the guy who was huge threat to score on every shift like he was in 2017, 2018?

Schief looks like his switch was turned off sometime after New Years in 2019!

He produced well early this season, which gave me hope that last year's woes were behind him. This is clearly the time that some adjustments need to be made by the coach. What's the definition of insanity again?

 

[tbcwpg]

Sadly I think you’re wrong here, team seems to be trending downward and towards another rebuild, what the hell happened?

Cup windows aren't as simple as, you went out earlier than the last season so it's closing. I think they're still in the window for the next 4-5 years. Making use of the pieces here, complimenting them properly with the right players, is what will show if the window is closed or not.

No one said the Tampa window is shut because they went out in the 1st last year, and are struggling to start this year.

 

[Electroflare55]

Cup windows aren't as simple as, you went out earlier than the last season so it's closing. I think they're still in the window for the next 4-5 years. Making use of the pieces here, complimenting them properly with the right players, is what will show if the window is closed or not.

No one said the Tampa window is shut because they went out in the 1st last year, and are struggling to start this year.

Id like to remind everyone that every media pundit had declared that Washington’s window had closed 2 years before they won the cup.

If you’re competitive and healthy, you have a chance. The talk of windows having this tiny length of time is just silly

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Poor game defensively. Too many chances that good easily have been avoided with some proper positional play.
Not the greatest goaltending but some of those shots were going in no matter what
Scheif was just bad last night. Wasted a real good effort by Connor. Wheeler was ok but he needs to push the play and forecheck more to be effective
2nd line was great I thought.
I kind thought Morrissey was not skating enough. Thought he got caught a couple of times out of position
Kuli was bad. His poor changed gave the Ducks a goal

For the most part their effort was good but its the small details in a game that will matter.

 

[Eyeseeing]

I warned people back in June it was going to be a rough season.....some agreed and some thought we would be cup contenders still (not sure how).

I have no issue with a one year restructuring, developing and cap redistribution/balancing. It was due and I welcome it. A hockey team is like an investment, People need to focus on the big picture and not fret about every minuscule negative/dip in the investment/team.

Tiny dip?
114 pts
99 pts
This year trending low 80’s
The writing is on the wall, change is needed start behind the bench.

 

[None]

I think a lot of his mental errors are a result of his declining physical abilities. Mainly the change in his ability to get separation from defenders and maintain it. He gets rid of the puck far more than he used to, often to nowhere.

I don't know if he's slowed down, but to me it looks like he's playing 5v5 like he has all the time in the world with the puck. He doesn't have that aggressive skating stride anymore; I think he's been slowly losing that aspect of his game since Laine joined the team and the PP dynamic changed.

That style could probably work if his linemates forecheck like Brendan Tanev on every shift, but they don't. Wheeler needs to get back to doing more of the heavy lifting and driving the play off the rush like he used to. People joke about Laine being a big guy needing to be reminded of it but it feels like Wheeler could use the same kind of reminder.

Maybe the 3rd guy on that line always seemingly doing the hard forechecking says something about where Scheifele and Wheeler's games are at right now. Laine didn't actually look bad in that role despite probably being the weakest skater of the 3.

I'm just throwing shit at the wall at this point, trying to explain what's wrong. Something feels off and has felt off since the beginning of last season. It's too easy to point at the defensemen being iced as the source of the problems this season, but I think the symptoms have been there longer.

 

[Hunter368]

Sadly I think you’re wrong here, team seems to be trending downward and towards another rebuild, what the hell happened?

Depends on your sample size your looking at and if you believe the issues in that sample size are due to coaching/systems or a lack of skill.