like i've been saying for years, this team plays with no instinct or "feel". It's not work ethic, they are a hard working team, it's no discipline, they are very disciplined, in fact maybe to a detriment. torts has everyone played so scared of making a mistake they often play very stupid with their chipouts and breakouts as well as their dumps. they have it so ingrained in their head get the puck up the ice, get the puck deep, they often forgo the short pass up the ice to a team mate to sustain a breakout or offensive zone entry in favor of a chip or dump which just turns it over. they give the puck away freely, they play so scared they avoid the sometimes necessary risky neutral zone passes to maintain puck possession.
the lack of creativity and often robotic puck movement and set plays in the offensive zone (the few times they are able to maintain puck possession), become to telegraphed and predictable that defenses adjust so easily, often forcing richards or someone to force a home run pass that just turns the puck over. even with the success last year this was very apparent, the offensive troubles will continue this season even with the addition of nash.
i think torts has to loosen the strings a little and let them play a more open style, i believe they do have the skill level they didn't use to have to employ more of a puck possession instinctive game, rather than the robotic get the puck deep, do not turn the puck over in the neutral zone or blue line no matter what mentality.
