The Paul Maurice Pitchfork Thread (MOD Warning Post #1)

[Gentle Man]

Damn you Maurice

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Rushing to these judgements this early, IMO, is a bit premature.

I’m willing to accept this criticism and am still hopeful that I’m wrong. I want to watch winning hockey.
If I’m right though, please refrain from telling me in two weeks (or two months or whenever you think it’s not premature) that my criticism now was unjust. I feel pretty confidently that I know what I’m looking at and I only hope to be wrong, but this team looks like it’ll be fighting for a playoff spot.

 

[BabyBennettov]

The team is performing admirably by most metrics. We are 5th in team defense as far as shot and chance suppression and like a top 1 or 2 team in generating chances. The disconnect between the metrics and our record is this

View attachment 604603

And I am not even the biggest analytics guy around here but my eyes are matching what the numbers suggest so I can't really throw them aside.

We are shooting below league average and getting below league average goaltending. If you think that keeps up through 82 then we will be a fringe playoff team. If you think that corrects itself to at least league average over 82 we will make the playoffs rather easily because of our generation vs suppression.

But what you cant say that this is a result of bad coaching. That just wouldnt make sense. The team as a WHOLE is playing the right way. How our anchors are performing (Staals and Kierstad) are not an affect of bad coaching OUTSIDE of being in the lineup. However, that is a consequence of our cap situation. Talk to me about the lines once everyone is healthy (Duke, Hornqvist (who sucks too)).

You can make a case our poor PP is in LARGE....MEGA LARGE part of Reinhart and Barkov being really poor players to start this season. And again, Ill ask the same question. If you expect that to last through 82 then the PP will suck. If you think it will correct itself then there shouldnt be a concern.

The PK however will be concerning but that should improve somewhat with a better SV%.

Amen.

 

[FinlandPanther]

I think Maurice is going to go with the 3 strong lines combo of: Barkov-Swaggy-(who gives a shit), Bennett, Tkachuk, Balcers, and then Lundell, Reinhart, Luo.

 

[Mogo]

I think Maurice is going to go with the 3 strong lines combo of: Barkov-Swaggy-(who gives a shit), Bennett, Tkachuk, Balcers, and then Lundell, Reinhart, Luo.

White? Balcers has been dissapointing. I can see him going

Swag-Barkov-Tkachuk
Luo-Bennett-White
Lomberg-Lundell-Reinhart
Cousins-Heponiemi-Balcers

I'm kidding.. of course he'll play Staal over Heponiemi

 

[FinlandPanther]

White? Balcers has been dissapointing. I can see him going

Swag-Barkov-Tkachuk
Luo-Bennett-White
Lomberg-Lundell-Reinhart
Cousins-Heponiemi-Balcers

I'm kidding.. of course he'll play Staal over Heponiemi

White was my who gives a shit Becuase the third wheel is fine regardless but yes Balcers has been. A ghost lately

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

The team is performing admirably by most metrics. We are 5th in team defense as far as shot and chance suppression and like a top 1 or 2 team in generating chances. The disconnect between the metrics and our record is this

View attachment 604603

And I am not even the biggest analytics guy around here but my eyes are matching what the numbers suggest so I can't really throw them aside.

We are shooting below league average and getting below league average goaltending. If you think that keeps up through 82 then we will be a fringe playoff team. If you think that corrects itself to at least league average over 82 we will make the playoffs rather easily because of our generation vs suppression.

But what you cant say that this is a result of bad coaching. That just wouldnt make sense. The team as a WHOLE is playing the right way. How our anchors are performing (Staals and Kierstad) are not an affect of bad coaching OUTSIDE of being in the lineup. However, that is a consequence of our cap situation. Talk to me about the lines once everyone is healthy (Duke, Hornqvist (who sucks too)).

You can make a case our poor PP is in LARGE....MEGA LARGE part of Reinhart and Barkov being really poor players to start this season. And again, Ill ask the same question. If you expect that to last through 82 then the PP will suck. If you think it will correct itself then there shouldnt be a concern.

The PK however will be concerning but that should improve somewhat with a better SV%.

Again, this is all true but the teams Florida has been facing are terrible. Florida should probably be at least 9-3-1 (Flyers, Coyotes) but there's not enough of a sample size against good teams. We'll have a better idea after the next 5. (minus the Canes game because that looks like a bloodbath.)

 

[iam76]

No.

Some things are bigger than hockey.

Just because one organization f***s up on a collossal level doesnt mean we should too.

Besides, last year proved we can win without Q.

I don't disagree.. the point was being made before the league came out against the bruins deal.. I just want consistent rulings

 

[Gentle Man]

Again, this is all true but the teams Florida has been facing are terrible. Florida should probably be at least 9-3-1 (Flyers, Coyotes) but there's not enough of a sample size against good teams. We'll have a better idea after the next 5. (minus the Canes game because that looks like a bloodbath.)

Islanders twice (3rd in metro) Philly (tied for third (yes I understand they are the Harts)) Buffalo (winning record).

Looked good against Tampa and Boston.

I think you are underselling a bit

 

[zeroG]

gotta agree with @Gentle Man. i'm as frustrated as anyone watching this mostly low-event, losing hockey but i don't think it's the coaching.

both goaltenders have been less than stellar and our big guys just aren't scoring. we could easily have another 2-3 wins if we bury some glorious chances or get a big save.

but i think more importantly, we have to be thinking of the long game - building a playoff-type game. this is probably about as ideal a start as zito and maurice could have imagined - we're playing ok while forging a new identity.

plus the team is getting some of the adversity maurice said they avoided last year. (that's a good thing)

 

[sinDer]

I prefer to be 7-5-1 with players like Barkov and Reinhart not scoring, below average goalie and terribad PP, rather than being 10-2-1 with Horny and Cousins having 6 goals each, goalies with 0.940 save % and 40% on PP.

In the first case, we know for sure Barkov will start scoring, we know our PP will get better. Goalies, I'm not so sure, but I doubt they start to play worse.

In the second case, we would all know that it wouldn't be sustainable and that we would be just playing over our heads.

 

[Gentle Man]

Just for reference.

We have 525 shots on goal shooting 8% which is 42 goals.

Raise that shooting percent to league average at 10% and we have 52/53 goals. Ask yourself how many more wins is that? That 7-5-1 would look more like 10-2-1 honestly

 

[Chaos2k7]

Talk to me at thanksgiving

 

[drktmplr12]

Talk to me at Christmas*

*or Easter

 

[Little Bobby Boo]

Talk to me at thanksgiving

Canadian or American?

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

Just for reference.

We have 525 shots on goal shooting 8% which is 42 goals.

Raise that shooting percent to league average at 10% and we have 52/53 goals. Ask yourself how many more wins is that? That 7-5-1 would look more like 10-2-1 honestly

I don't like this particular line of reasoning for one simple fact:

When your gameplan is to put as many pucks on the net as possible, you are by necessity going to be forcing low quality shots. There is no reason to assume that your shooting percentage will increase to league average when you are intentionally taking shots for the sake of taking them.

 

[Gentle Man]

I don't like this particular line of reasoning for one simple fact:

When your gameplan is to put as many pucks on the net as possible, you are by necessity going to be forcing low quality shots. There is no reason to assume that your shooting percentage will increase to league average when you are intentionally taking shots for the sake of taking them.

Except we generate the most slot shots in the league and lead the league in expected goals which asseses shot quality

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Except we generate the most slot shots in the league and lead the league in expected goals which asseses shot quality

There’s a technical definition for shot quality and then there’s an assessed quality of shots. If your expected goals is trailing actuals despite quality shots, it can be poor luck. It can also be that they’re not actually quality shots. I’m not going to sit here and play the “that’s not what I see!” game. One thing we know for sure is that “luck” or lack thereof doesn’t last all season. That’s just not how statistics works. So, much to the messaging of @Chaos2k7, time will tell. The longer we wait, the more will be clear.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Canadian or American?

I celebrate both but, American.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

6 for our last 25 PPs, 6 games (24%)
11/13 on PK in last 4 games. (84.6%)

It's something positive in the special teams area

 

[CanePanther]

All you can do is ask your coach to make adjustments…he’s doing better Sonebody has got to go and as much I see value in Duke he’s just not going to do well in the 2022 version of the Panthers. this stupid situation big decisions by Vito will play just as important role.

 

[HockeyRulez]

Coach said Balcers is on waivers

 

[BB88]

Underachieved with a loaded roster in Winnipeg.

Underperforming with talented roster in Florida.

Will still say that this move was Zitos biggest mistake, see Vegas, see Boston in comparison

 

[Panteras]

We have a talented roster? lol

Maurice is not the one outshooting opponents every game and not finding the back of the net….
Or the one letting in garbage goals…he can’t control those. As far as I know.

 

[FinlandPanther]

We have a talented roster? lol

Maurice is not the one outshooting opponents every game and not finding the back of the net….
Or the one letting in garbage goals…he can’t control those. As far as I know.

This is where I’m kind of at as well. Yes we do look a little “neutered” offensively, but we are missing so many prime chances. The shots are a little misleading but I thought we’ve been the better team in most of our games.