Post-Game Talk: [GM41] Canucks lose to Hurricanes | 0-2 | Pathetic Effort

[VanJack]

I've been as frustrated with Tocchet at times as anyone, but he can't go out on the ice and play defense.

When you have a blueline that can't skate the puck out; can't transition it out; and can't hit a forward in the neutral zone in stride and with some separation; you're not going to generate shots or goals.

It's really as simple as that. Watching guys like Juulsen, Myers, Desharnais and even Soucy just blindly shoot the puck out of the own zone is enough to make you want to cry at times.

It wasn't Tocchet who signed these guys. And as he's pointed out, you can't play Quinn Hughes more than 30 minutes every night. So short of some major infusion of blueline talent, this year's team is probably toast.

But that's on the GM, not the coach.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Tonight’s Game

• Had 25 missed shots; you gotta hit the net
• Lots of offensive zone time but a lot of missed opportunities
• Mentions a 2-on-1 where they tried to pass instead of shoot
• Little frustrated with their overpassing and missing the net

Pettersson

• Thought he was pretty good tonight

Team Confidence

• Need to stick with it and work on your game
• Put pucks on net
• Powerplay needs to come up with a goal

Get More Shots

• “No magic tic-tac-toe stuff”
• There are opportunities to shoot
• Hurricanes are one of the top shooting teams and only had 18 shots
• Need players to move their feet

Last year Toc press scrums were so refreshing and honest.

What a difference a year makes.

 

[centipede2233]

The Canucks are on their 5th coach in the last 12 years, at what point is coaching not the problem. Tocchet is the reigning jack adams winner. Like or dislike whatever moves he makes but he isn’t perfect and isn’t the problem. The injuries and demko looking like an ordinary goalie is what hurt this team, add in the rift for good measure, this team is cooked this year

 

[Regal]

I think this is pretty accurate, but with the caveat that this is what we are *while injured*. Healthy Demko last year over Sievelovs would have been massive and this year every single core player has been badly hurt.

I still think last years team was pretty good while healthy... this year, with the dropoff from Zad/Cole/last years Soucy to Forbort/Desharnais/this years Soucy.... not so much.

Yea, I think last year’s team was actually pretty good. They certainly were hot in the first half, but their underlying numbers were actually good in the second half and they could always close out leads and often could make late offensive pushes to win or tie the game. This year is definitely considerably worse, and it’s shown in the underlying numbers as well. The defense is a big part, but Miller and Boeser’s regression is also huge. They’re definitely capable of being a good team again with everyone healthy and with a couple defensive additions, but they just seem like a mess right now

 

[Nick Lang]

I never thought I would say this after last year but a coaching change seems inevitable.

This team has become the most boring, no risk team since the 2010 wild.

I'm not one to overreact but my God I have turned off more games recently than at any other time because you know exactly what the outcome is going to be.

This team has either lost all their offensive talent or they are being choked by a boring system.

I see too many posters with this stance around here. The first sign of adversity and out the door. So many people were just saying how great we played the game before. It's an up and down season I know but jeez people are quick to give up. Not in first, struggle a bit? Blow it up, fire everyone lol. The coach of the year is getting fired while in a playoffs spot after losing a significant part of the core the entire year long. Seems a little unfair and pre-mature.

 

[Big zZz]

Yea, I think last year’s team was actually pretty good. They certainly were hot in the first half, but their underlying numbers were actually good in the second half and they could always close out leads and often could make late offensive pushes to win or tie the game. This year is definitely considerably worse, and it’s shown in the underlying numbers as well. The defense is a big part, but Miller and Boeser’s regression is also huge. They’re definitely capable of being a good team again with everyone healthy and with a couple defensive additions, but they just seem like a mess right now

The everyone healthy excuse is becoming so lame duck anymore. Yes at one point we were down a lot of key guys but now it's Hronek and Joshua. Those guys shouldn't be affecting every forward on our rosters inability to drive the play.

 

[Diversification]

Doesn't make sense to me that Foote is the tree-lover. He's not a huge guy, was just a mean SOB to play against and had decent skill for a shutdown type of guy. I don't know where this love of trees comes from when the whole NHL has pretty much eliminated anyone that can't skate over the last 10 or so years.
2 way d are the name of the game, and these guys are not it.

Maybe... Foote just has problems seeing the forest for the trees.

 

[pitseleh]

I don’t think there’s any question that Tocchet’s approach sacrifices offense for defence. But this team was top-5 in even strength goals for just last season. You can say it was good luck/PDO but they are outperforming their xG by about the same rate as they did last season so it’s not like this is just the result of them falling back down to earth.

Hughes has the same on-ice GF/60 as Cale Makar at even strength. Hronek’s numbers are even better. Neither is quite at MacKinnon/Kucherov/McDavid/etc’s level but this team doesn’t have anyone at that level either. There’s probably a bit more juice to squeeze there, and opening things up a bit may even be better from a goal differential perspective, but I don’t think there’s a lot of room for things to get better there either.

The problem is the team scores less than half as much when Juulsen is on the ice, and a bit more than half as much when Desharnais, Forbort, and Soucy are on the ice. Some of that is usage but I don’t know how you open things up with those types of players without it hurting you more than it helps you.

The coaching staff continues to shoot themselves in the foot by not playing Brannstrom but he’s also not a world beater who will magically change things.

I’m not sure it is fair to lay the blame at the coaching staff’s feet given the personnel they have to work with.