I have the same question for Warsofsky, as he seems to be confused on this point. He's coaching like a guy who wants to impress you on how great a coach he is by eke-ing 10 more points out of one of the worst rosters in the NHL instead of understanding that a team with practically no offensive skill should be figuring out how to build the game and confidence of the most skilled healthy player on their squad.
Whether we fans like it or not, NHL coaches are going to coach to win. Warso has the team playing hard nosed, grindy hockey, which plays to our "strengths" as in we only have a handful of mediocre skill players and a whole lot of decent grinders. Warso is putting the entire team's identity first and it's working. That doesn't mean it's the best thing for Smith (clearly not) or our continued rebuild, although I suspect we will still not win many games until our 1C is back and either we drop Smith to the AHL or he gets his feet under him with Granlund on his wing (my preference).
This is why I keep saying smith needs to move down to the 3rd then move him back up to the 2nd once he gets his game together
He was on the third line tonight, or possibly fourth, Wenny line went second most of the time and the Dell line I'm guessing had similar ice time 5v5, although I haven't checked that.
This season is not about "being hard to play against", lol, talk about buying the snake oil being sold, this season is literally only about prospect development and nothing more
The only current players who matter are Celebrini, Smith and Eklund, everyone else of consequence is playing at a lower level right now
Our results don't matter and it has no bearing on the future whether or not Mikael Granlund wins his minutes, the results of every game can be thrown in the trash, not only do they not matter but it is still beneficial to lose games, we are a minimum of one top-5 draft pick away from starting to improve, likely 2 top-5 picks if I'm being realistic, wins are about morale only at this point, I don't give a shit about whether or not Luke Kunin has good on ice habits when we still probably haven't even drafted our future #1 defenseman
I agree with you, especially about the top 5 picks. Anything could happen to Dick, Musty, Smith, Askarov, hell even Celly (lisan al gaib). But I don't think Warso is thinking this way and I think Grier is on board with them trying to "eke 10 more points out of a bad roster" as someone else put it. We will still be a bottom 5 team because we don't have much offensive threat without a true 1C and with Granny at 1C we have an enormous hole at 2C that Wennberg absolutely cannot fill and Smith certainly can't yet. I personally like watching us play frustrating, hard nosed hockey. As you said, two OT games and a very close game and we're way better than last year and still bad! What a time to be alive!!!
I knew this season would be bad, but man we are 3 games in and it's already chaos on here. We got 79 more games to go, take a deep breath.
Smith will be fine.
Biggest surprise? I know he's been serviceable so that helps but really expected more Goodrow hate like back in the day.
Agreed, everything is going to plan. The team is bad, but playing closer games. The worst thing is that Smith is not the second coming and everyone is losing their marbles. Don't worry everyone, we'll get another high pick to fret about soon! We're still only 3 games past absolute rock bottom in a rebuild that's likely to be closer to a decade than 2 years.
The Wennberg Kunin Goody line looks like a very good checking line. Only problem is, none of them can finish. But it's a very solid hockey line for its purpose.
Everyone else is missing a 1C and a 2C.
