Management Travis Green [Head Coach]

[BankStreetParade]

Who would you replace Sanderson with on PP1?

Start with Chabot, no? Or maybe you go with the 2dman PP formation and put Sandy in the trigger position. Move Norris down to PP2.

Who would get the minutes that Giroux loses? Maybe you push Giroux down to a lower line, but who do you move up?

It's not a 1:1 minute exchange, you need to disperse his minutes among 2-3 forwards. I just don't understand why a guy who's 37 is the team's top penalty killer and second among forwards in TOI/GP. He's scored 1 point in 9 November games, while his TOI has ticked up from his season average to a little over 20 minutes per game. That's f***ing nonsense to me.

I have an idea on my first question. Not sure it would be more effective, but it might be worth a try.

I’m just curious about your ideas on how to improve the team. You’ve identified some issues. But the solutions are important, no?

Yes, solutions are important. Running it back game in and game out with no modifications or changes is not the solution either. Our PP went from 42.9% in October to 12.5% in November. Our PK has been below average the entire year. What I'm seeing is that changes are needed to either the personnel in certain game situations or our schemes.

 

[bicboi64]

How about taking Sanderson off the top PP unit? 12.5% conversion rate and nobody plays more minutes per game on the PP than this guy.
How about reducing Giroux's minutes? He's averaging the second highest average TOI among forwards while producing a single point.
How about sitting Cousins? He's producing next to nothing in offense, defense or intangibles like agitation.
How about bumping up Gregor to the top PK? This guy shouldn't be averaging half the PKTOI that Giroux gets when he was brought in, specifically, for that type of role.
How about shaking up the gameplan when we get scored on first? Sticking to the blueprint is not working, as evidenced by a single win in 10 games where we give up the first goal of the game.
How about when your starting goalie is publicly saying he's not sure about his game you don't increase his workload? Sticking to your rotation after Forsberg shuts out Seattle doesn't make any sense.

I'm all about doing all of those things that you've mentioned. I hope Green is flexible enough to try a shakeup and let someone like Chabot take PP1 given how poor Sandy has been.

Havind said that, I want the best players on the ice every night and JBD is better and has more upside than Hamonic. Can't keep a healthy good player on the bench and then eventually expect him to perform. Plus gives Hamonic a breather so when he inevitably comes back, maybe he won't look like he's skating with cement blocks on his feet.

 

[Big Muddy]

Start with Chabot, no? Or maybe you go with the 2dman PP formation and put Sandy in the trigger position. Move Norris down to PP2.

It's not a 1:1 minute exchange, you need to disperse his minutes among 2-3 forwards. I just don't understand why a guy who's 37 is the team's top penalty killer and second among forwards in TOI/GP. He's scored 1 point in 9 November games, while his TOI has ticked up from his season average to a little over 20 minutes per game. That's f***ing nonsense to me.

Yes, solutions are important. Running it back game in and game out with no modifications or changes is not the solution either. Our PP went from 42.9% in October to 12.5% in November. Our PK has been below average the entire year. What I'm seeing is that changes are needed to either the personnel in certain game situations or our schemes.

Moving up Chabot to the PP1 unit was the idea I had in mind as well. Whether it would result in a big improvement or improvement is the part I’m not certain about. But I think I’d put it into the “its worth a try” category at least.

Does putting Ssnderson in the “trigger position” mean that you are moving him off of defense on PP2? I’m not sure what you meant. Trigger position means (in my mind or definition) in the bumper position for the one-timer, a spot that Norris has occupied in the past.

 

[Relapsing]

Props to Green for bringing JBD back into the lineup.

Now start stapling under-performers to the bench when it's warranted. I haven't seen anyone suffer because of their bad play yet and it's concerning.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

One thing I don't love about Sandy on the PP is how often he throws little wrist shots on the net. I know that it's considered wise to put the puck on net in a lot of cases, but there's been many times where I felt like he looked off better options to throw it on net with not much traffic or it gets blocked/cleared predictably. He's savvy at finding a lane more than most and can see what he's going for, but a little too often that's his choice of action imo.

 

[Big Muddy]

I'm all about doing all of those things that you've mentioned. I hope Green is flexible enough to try a shakeup and let someone like Chabot take PP1 given how poor Sandy has been.

Havind said that, I want the best players on the ice every night and JBD is better and has more upside than Hamonic. Can't keep a healthy good player on the bench and then eventually expect him to perform. Plus gives Hamonic a breather so when he inevitably comes back, maybe he won't look like he's skating with cement blocks on his feet.

I don’t think Hamonic has been the big issue at least for the last several games (call it “x” games as I’m not sure the exact number) as some people seem to think. Having said that, I think giving JBD some games is a good idea as they need to keep him warm with some reps on the big club so that he always ready at the very least.

To me the goal production has dropped off recently (emphasis on the word recently), and we need some more stops. I would place those issues higher on the list of priorities than Hamonic. If we replace Hamonic with JBD, we could see a minor improvement, but I don’t think that would be enough to produce a significant change (imho). I just think people get stuck on certain things.

 

[Big Muddy]

One thing I don't love about Sandy on the PP is how often he throws little wrist shots on the net. I know that it's considered wise to put the puck on net in a lot of cases, but there's been many times where I felt like he looked off better options to throw it on net with not much traffic or it gets blocked/cleared predictably. He's savvy at finding a lane more than most and can see what he's going for, but a little too often that's his choice of action imo.

I’ve thought we need more traffic in front of the net. I’m not sure why that hasn’t been happening. It could be situational I suppose i.e., not many real opportunities to do it. I just hope that players are headed towards the net and trying to take the goaltender eyes away from him as much as possible.

 

[DrEasy]

I’ve though we need more traffic in front of the net. I’m not sure why that hasn’t been happening. It could be situational I suppose i.e., not many real opportunities to do it. I just hope that players are headed towards the net and trying to take the goaltender eyes away from him aw much as possible.

Yeah, more traffic in case Sandy wants to shoot, and more one-timer options in case he wants to pass. Honestly I can't blame him for what he does given that those conditions are often not met.

 

[Big Muddy]

Yeah, more traffic in case Sandy wants to shoot, and more one-timer options in case he wants to pass. Honestly I can't blame him for what he does given that those conditions are often not met.

We get a lot of shots fairly frequently and opportunities to score, but it doesn’t seem like we’ve had a lot of so-called garbage goals on 2nd & 3rd shots. I am trusting my memory with this statement and I realize saying that of the limitations of my memory.

 

[Senovision]

We get a lot of shots fairly frequently and opportunities to score, but it doesn’t seem like we’ve had a lot of so-called garbage goals on 2nd & 3rd shots. I am trusting my memory with this statement and I realize saying that of the limitations of my memory.

That's because Brady is the only forward on our team that goes to the front of the net and plays in the tough areas. The rest of our players are perimeter players.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

I’ve thought we need more traffic in front of the net. I’m not sure why that hasn’t been happening. It could be situational I suppose i.e., not many real opportunities to do it. I just hope that players are headed towards the net and trying to take the goaltender eyes away from him as much as possible.

I've thought the same at times.

 

[Big Muddy]

That's because Brady is the only forward on our team that goes to the front of the net and plays in the tough areas. The rest of our players are perimeter players.

The thing is you also need some players with skill as well and not just big pylons. A player will not be standing in front of the net for his entire TOI, so they’ll need some other important skills as well.

So, we need both kinds of players and hopefully some larger rugged players with skill that can handle being in front of the net. There’s a lot less cross-checking, grabbing the stick, etc., so that has changed the game as well. I guess I’m agreeing with you basically but its a question of balance as well.

 

[Senovision]

I have seen Timmy battling a bit more in a few games.
Batherson is huge he should do that more.
Pinto is also huge he should be more physical.

 

[DrEasy]

The thing is you also need some players with skill as well and not just big pylons. A player will not be standing in front of the net for his entire TOI, so they’ll need some other important skills as well.

So, we need both kinds of players and hopefully some larger rugged players with skill that can handle being in front of the net. There’s a lot less cross-checking, grabbing the stick, etc., so that has changed the game as well. I guess I’m agreeing with you basically but its a question of balance as well.

Thinking out loud, how I imagine my set-up based on skills:

Batherson: skilled guy around the net, bumper when back to the net, one-timer option when facing the net
Norris: one-timer option, moves in the general area of his usual office, draws a defenseman toward him to open other options.
Tkachuk: messes with the goalie's vision, retrieves the puck behind the net along the board, bumper or tips shots (DOES NOT MAKE FANCY BETWEEN-THE-LEG MOVE, DOES NOT SHOOT AT THE GOALIE'S PADS)
Stutzle: moves all over the place, provides passing option to Sanderson, shoots if conditions are suitable
Sanderson: holds the blue line, distributes the puck, shoots if conditions are suitable

 

[BankStreetParade]

Moving up Chabot to the PP1 unit was the idea I had in mind as well. Whether it would result in a big improvement or improvement is the part I’m not certain about. But I think I’d put it into the “its worth a try” category at least.

Does putting Ssnderson in the “trigger position” mean that you are moving him off of defense on PP2? I’m not sure what you meant. Trigger position means (in my mind or definition) in the bumper position for the one-timer, a spot that Norris has occupied in the past.

No, I just mean in a 2D formation on the PP he's the shooter from the point. Instead of the umbrella setup they use in the 1D PP formation, it would let Chabot be the puck distributor and Sanderson be the trigger man from the point. He has a really good shot, it's hard and fairly accurate. We basically never see it from the point though.

 

[Big Muddy]

No, I just mean in a 2D formation on the PP he's the shooter from the point. Instead of the umbrella setup they use in the 1D PP formation, it would let Chabot be the puck distributor and Sanderson be the trigger man from the point. He has a really good shot, it's hard and fairly accurate. We basically never see it from the point though.

OK. Got it.

 

[Cosmix]

I’ve thought we need more traffic in front of the net. I’m not sure why that hasn’t been happening. It could be situational I suppose i.e., not many real opportunities to do it. I just hope that players are headed towards the net and trying to take the goaltender eyes away from him as much as possible.

We could use an offensively gifted defenseman to join the rush at ES. For many teams that is what elevates them to the playoffs.

Perron is not looking like a top 6 forward. Neither is Greig.

 

[DackellDuck]

4 losses in a row, 3 goals in the last 4 games... time for some more serious changes Travis.

- Greig in the top 6: stop it.
- Pinto with Perron and Amadio: stop it.
- MacEwen in the lineup: stop it.
- Sanderson with Zub: stop it.

Norris - Stützle - Batherson
Tkachuk - Pinto - Giroux
Ostapchuk - Greig - Perron
Cousins - Gaudette - Amadio

Sanderson - Jensen
Chabot - Zub
Kleven - Hamonic

Send down/waive MacEwen. Call up Ostapchuk.