News from Around the AHL/NHL/KHL 2024-25

[MJF]

My takeaway is that Lou isn’t the only GM giving out bad deals. That doesn’t excuse Lou nor does it make me feel better about the Islanders cap situation. Just a statement of fact.

True statement. Our concern should be how Lou’s moves have stagnated the team since 2022.

 

[seafoam]

True statement. Our concern should be how Lou’s moves have stagnated the team since 2022.

They haven't re-established an identity since Trotz left, and they can't execute a simple give-and-go. Everything is on the outside and on the points, they don't understand how to move the puck in the offensive zone so that the opposing team has their back to the puck (whether it's north-to-south or east-to-west).

They have one (okay two) powerplay setups where they are trying to feed the bumper or set up the point for a one timer, it's so easily telegraphed that junior players could clog the lanes and block shots.

 

[MJF]

They haven't re-established an identity since Trotz left, and they can't execute a simple give-and-go. Everything is on the outside and on the points, they don't understand how to move the puck in the offensive zone so that the opposing team has their back to the puck (whether it's north-to-south or east-to-west).

Yesterday after the game a reporter asked Roy about all the passing and not being able to score when we had the Canadiens hemmed in their end for 3 minutes. Roy’s first response was that the Habs didn’t score while we possessed the puck. If Trotz had said that many folks on this board would have had a conniption.

I think Roy is finding out his players do not have the high end skills to shoot on the fly, find seams, not slam on the brakes, finishing ability etc, that goes with a good puck moving team.

 

[seafoam]

Yesterday after the game a reporter asked Roy about all the passing and not being able to score when we had the Canadiens hemmed in their end for 3 minutes. Roy’s first response was that the Habs didn’t score while we possessed the puck. If Trotz had said that many folks on this board would have had a conniption.

I think Roy is finding out his players do not have the high end skills to shoot on the fly, find seams, not slam on the brakes, finishing ability etc, that goes with a good puck moving team.

That's disgusting and makes me want to throw up. That sequence was embarrassing, Barzal specifically was pathetic.

 

[MJF]

That's disgusting and makes me want to throw up. That sequence was embarrassing, Barzal specifically was pathetic.

So was Brock Nelson.

 

[seafoam]

So was Brock Nelson.

Brock has a little more runway with me than Barzal. Brock is 27th in goals the last two seasons and three seasons (ahead of Horvat last two, and behind him by one the last three). He's earned his money.

Barzal is being paid to be a top line player and is being outscored by some much cheaper players than him the last few years.

 

[MJF]

Brock has a little more runway with me than Barzal. Brock is 27th in goals the last two seasons and three seasons (ahead of Horvat last two, and behind him by one the last three). He's earned his money.

Barzal is being paid to be a top line player and is being outscored by some much cheaper players than him the last few years.

I’m not giving out leeway to anybody. These are 2 of our offense’s the most improtant players. One will likely never live up to the first liner he’s been here and the other is showing the beginnings of a decline. We need their best every game.

 

[Throttle]

Yesterday after the game a reporter asked Roy about all the passing and not being able to score when we had the Canadiens hemmed in their end for 3 minutes. Roy’s first response was that the Habs didn’t score while we possessed the puck. If Trotz had said that many folks on this board would have had a conniption.

I think Roy is finding out his players do not have the high end skills to shoot on the fly, find seams, not slam on the brakes, finishing ability etc, that goes with a good puck moving team.

Butchie said mid game, if it’s not working six times already, you have to give them something else to look at beyond the same thing. He was 100% right. The PP is stupid, terrible, and predictable.

Hockey the other night said the Isles don’t use the one-timer to just give a different look, get the opponent defense to overcommit, and change their strategy.

The isles won a faceoff on the pp in the MON, it went back to the D, which then passed to the other D, then it all went to crap playing red army keep away. Every team knows what the Isles are going to do.

 

[Throttle]

The bigger issue is not whether the player doesn’t live up to the alleged billing of a first liner, its that the player is largely ineffective at key pieces of the game, despite his skill, which impacts the other players on the ice.

Management and coaching are guilty for continuing to defy reality on believing it’s gonna work out. Outside of a Trotz like 4 line squad that shares around the responsibility and reduces the reliance on this player, the team ain’t going anywhere.

 

[MJF]

Hockey the other night said the Isles don’t use the one-timer to just give a different look, get the opponent defense to overcommit, and change their strategy.

Nobody on this team has an accurate one timer. Closest thing to a one timer in recent memory was Boychuck and his was more of a giant wind up that everyone knew what was coming.