Are there any Marty Saint John defenders left?
If so, why?
I'm still in that camp. Last year though unless something changes.
Why? Our d-corps is basically an under 24 group and not particularly well-balanced. Our two senior guys are not exactly Weber/Markov. Our number 1 goalie is a waiver wire pickup, and the other a 7th round pick. And our third line is composed of players who while providing energy are not that productive. We also don't have a second line center anymore.
If I recall, the board pretty much unanimously predicted a bottom 5, or bottom 8, finish again this year. We're in that mix. The huge losses reflect, in part, a very fragile confidence. It takes very little for them to get destabilized. The game last night is an indication of this. It wasn't wire to wire bad. The game was close going to the third, and then it snowballed.
At a more personal level, I guess I also have respect for MSL's intelligence and capacity to explain himself. He seems someone self-aware. I suppose I have a bias towards that kind of profile, especially after years of inarticulate babblers with god complexes. I also never hear a peep from players expressing frustration towards their coach. They respect him. I knew when he was hired that it might be a long road, and so I guess I mentally prepared for this eventuality. I want to see him and his vision succeed. I don't get shook up with bad periods, games, or even stretches, I never bad mouth our players over a lousy shift. I assume all this is part of the process, especially with such a young and inexperienced d-corps/goalie combo. That is just incredibly difficult to overcome.
That's pretty much it. I guess I'm not so much a defender, as I am not ready to declare the project a failure. They've been playing much better lately collectively. For sure the big losses are very concerning. But as mentioned, still ready to see this season out. I know this board is essentially an outlet for rage and anger, or conversely, blind optimism, when it comes to the team, not particularly suited to a long term vision/discussion. And I get it, truly. I was genuinely disappointed with the Reinbacher pick, but again, waiting to see what will turn out. We can't just keep switching course all the time. I guess I'm one of those angry at the system itself that has encouraged failure as a means of success, and that has prioritized perpetual mediocrity across the NHL. Luck is a much bigger factor than any micro-decisions at the club level. I see great coaches sometimes doing badly, bad coaches sometimes succeeding in spite of themselves, so not easy to gauge their influence. Fin.
