HockeyBasedNYC
Feeling it
I agree with a lot of this. It's as if management in it's heart of hearts want to play a Boston/Pitts/Calgary style of grindy, gritty game but at the same time have invested a lot of time and resources in having stars that play a wide open run and gun style of hockey, currently Florida style. This contradiction has to be sorted out at management level too. This start and stop, giving gas and hitting the breaks simultaneously situation is absurd. Which vision is in charge?
I mean part of it too is trying to take the next step and getting a more experienced coach in - not to mention that Gallant was the best available option out there. You arent going to have the pick of the litter, you jut have whats available at the time of the opening you need filled. So Drury has that and then filling the holes around him to fit the coaching style.
But I also agree in that theyll need to be some compromise somewhere but admitting to that is a problem in and of itself isnt it? If you have these star players who are unwilling or incapable of playing a certain type of style you are trying to impart into the team then they only options are to trade them or live with it.
Or, as I mentioned earlier - have a coach that can really get through to these guys and actually make a big enough impact on them to change their game. Gallant is really our true hope in all of this.