Constantly we hear about how playing in Toronto is difficult due to the intense fan base and the pressure that is put on it's team to succeed. Even when Stajan was our 1st line Center, Brian Burke was constantly saying how we were big blue, and how not making the playoff was unacceptable. The team was atrocious, but Burke succeeded in raising the expectations of the abysmal roster.
It doesn't matter how often you say this, if your roster doesn't match your expectations, then your just setting yourself and the fans up for failure.
This goes the same with our players, they are constantly being scolded for not performing, for not being good enough.... instead of talking about rebuilding and growing pains with young players, management says.... we expect better from our players.
I think the collapses aren't because of the players, so much as it being because of the intense pressure the players are always under to succeed.
If I was Shanahan, I would've came in and changed this. I would've said it how it was. "I'm not going to sugarcoat this team, im not going to demand playoffs, or expect them. I will however, guarantee that we will put this team on track to succeed in the future. We will let the players play, assess their abilities, and make moves that are required for this team to succeed. We will not beg the players to compete. We expect it."
Instead management puts together the roster, tells the media and fans that we expect them to make the playoffs. When the young players falter, or don't play to the style of the coach, instead of silently shopping them and moving them, they are thrown beneath the bus, publically ridiculed or benched. Pressure compounded on pressure.
Why are trying to change a leapards spots? Why when we continually don't get the effort we need from players, instead of just moving them, we continually think we can change them?
Lupul will never play like a Toews, or Kopitar... he's 30, never has and sure the heck isn't suddenly going to start.
Kessel will never go to the dirty areas. He's 27, he never has and sure the heck isn't going to start.
Phaneuf, he's our Captain, Phaneuf isn't Captain material. Sorry the guy's game isn't stable, his career is barely stable. His character is in question, as there are a lot of rumors of why he was moved. Sutter himself, said Phaneuf is the reason Phaneuf was traded, a comment that sounds more personal then a result of playing capabilities.
Gardiner, he's never going to be a defensive stalwart, or a tough player to play against. So Carlyle, take him for what he is. A puck rushing, offensive defender. By this time, Carlyle should know if he's making progress to be a effective defender.
etc etc.
As a fan, I just want to see progress. I don't care if we lose, so long as I think management knows why we are losing, and isn't blind to the fact that this roster isn't good enough. That the core of this team, is faulted. Lupul, Kessel, and Phaneuf were traded to us, because they had faults. Faults they still have.
This roster stinks, lets call a spade a spade, not piss and moan and act surprised when they lose, and start putting players who want to play on the ice. I'd rather watch a team full of Komarov's lose, but have the opposing team limp to their bus... then watch a bunch of prima donna's go out there, cover their faces and then come off the ice and say, "we shouldn't have covered both eyes".
Should we go back to last week on these boards where everything was sunshine and roses, we were discussing playoffs, etc? A tough loss to pitts which was very close, and then two bad games, and now this is the worst team in the history of everything and we need to trade and fire everyone.
