Post-Game Talk: Utah undefeated vs Habs all time. Bergevin trade strikes again.

[Jigger77]

It's not that he doesn't care. It's that Nick and a few guys end up extending their shifts. Most times because they get caught in their zone. So they go to the bench exhausted.

This has been an issue since last year. And it's a big one now that is still not addressed. Which is frustrating because it should be very easily addressed. I'm not saying it would fix all their problems (because they have many) but it would be a huge and easy step in the right direction to address them. I guarantee this pisses off the other guys on the team too.

Right now after 20 games this is where these guys rank for TOI per shift (entire league).

Matheson: tied for 5th OA with 59 seconds
Suzuki: tied for 6th OA with 58 seconds
Hutson: tied for 6th OA with 58 seconds
Caufield: tied for 7th OA at 57 seconds
Slaf: tied for 8th OA at 56 seconds
Dach: tied for 8th OA at 56 seconds

To me this is a glaring issue and would be the first thing I would address as a new coach coming in.

 

[Riggins]

This has been an issue since last year. And it's a big one now that is still not addressed. Which is frustrating because it should be very easily addressed. I'm not saying it would fix all their problems (because they have many) but it would be a huge step in the right direction to address them. I guarantee this pisses off the other guys on the team too.

Right now after 20 games this is where these guys rank for TOI per shift (entire league).

Matheson: tied for 5th OA with 59 seconds
Suzuki: tied for 6th OA with 58 seconds
Hutson: tied for 6th OA with 58 seconds
Caufield: tied for 7th OA at 57 seconds
Slaf: tied for 8th OA at 56 seconds
Dach: tied for 8th OA at 56 seconds

To me this is a glaring issue and would be the first thing I would address as a new coach coming in.

Holy cow, that is insane. Thanks for the stats. They need to cut that back significantly. No wonder Suzuki always looks like a slug out there.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Holy cow, that is insane. Thanks for the stats. They need to cut that back significantly. No wonder Suzuki always looks like a slug out there.

Suzuki has been overused for like 4 years straight

Literally have to playhim non stop to get somehow some offense

 

[ReHabs]

This has been an issue since last year. And it's a big one now that is still not addressed. Which is frustrating because it should be very easily addressed. I'm not saying it would fix all their problems (because they have many) but it would be a huge and easy step in the right direction to address them. I guarantee this pisses off the other guys on the team too.

Right now after 20 games this is where these guys rank for TOI per shift (entire league).

Matheson: tied for 5th OA with 59 seconds
Suzuki: tied for 6th OA with 58 seconds
Hutson: tied for 6th OA with 58 seconds
Caufield: tied for 7th OA at 57 seconds
Slaf: tied for 8th OA at 56 seconds
Dach: tied for 8th OA at 56 seconds

To me this is a glaring issue and would be the first thing I would address as a new coach coming in.

Another indication of bad coaching and bench management.

MSL seems to be a hockey theorist rather than a bench boss. He lacks the pragmatism and cynicism needed to fend off athletic complacency and motivate performances from jocks. Soccer terms: he seems more of a Jurgen Klinsmann than a Pep Guardiola.

 

[Jigger77]

Another indication of bad coaching and bench management.

MSL seems to be a hockey theorist rather than a bench boss. He lacks the pragmatism and cynicism needed to fend off athletic complacency and motivate performances from jocks. Soccer terms: he seems more of a Jurgen Klinsmann than a Pep Guardiola.

I'm not a soccer guy so I don't understand the reference, but I agree. I think sometimes you just need to crack the whip, and I don't know if he's the guy to do that.

 

[RationalExpectations]

Another indication of bad coaching and bench management.

MSL seems to be a hockey theorist rather than a bench boss. He lacks the pragmatism and cynicism needed to fend off athletic complacency and motivate performances from jocks. Soccer terms: he seems more of a Jurgen Klinsmann than a Pep Guardiola.

If he is a hockey theorist I am not sure he is a good one
More of a communication guy

 

[ReHabs]

I'm not a soccer guy so I don't understand the reference, but I agree. I think sometimes you just need to crack the whip, and I don't know if he's the guy to do that.

Guardiola is the super duper coach who’s got an incredible trophy haul and also has changed soccer tactics — he has many critics but he’s ushered in changes to now the game is coached and played. He’s changed how teams practice and train tactically and thus is ruthless with players who don’t perform within the tactical plan.

Klinsmann was a good player, better than Guardiola even (though slightly different eras), but as a manager he was all about vibes and off-pitch changes to training and routine. Introduced yoga and other such things to his teams. He’s so kumbaya that he’s now known as a joke.

Both are “revolutionary” but MSL’s non-scheme non-tactics seem to me to be more Klinsmann than actually revolutionary, actually actionable, actually impactful Pep Guardiola.

If he is a hockey theorist I am not sure he is a good one
More of a communication guy

He’s probably got the right vision for where the game is heading and how it ought to be played. He’s probably in way over his head in terms of all the other things that make a good coach.

If everyone important on the roster is underperforming and if he can’t manage his bench and his players’ shifts…

 

[The Real Timo]

I love Max Lapierre.

"You are getting paid millions and you don't want to skate GTFO of my dressing room"
He's so old school but knows exactly what he's talking about.

I loved it when he said that these guys have to work 20 minutes a night... and if they can't show up for that... I've been saying this for years. 20 f***ing minutes. For millions of dollars. GTFO... you're not living in the real world.

 

[RationalExpectations]

He’s probably got the right vision for where the game is heading and how it ought to be played. He’s probably in way over his head in terms of all the other things that make a good coach.

If everyone important on the roster is underperforming and if he can’t manage his bench and his players’ shifts…

I don't think he even has the right vision, he has the vision of what he would have done. But the situation where his team would be was part of the system the coach made him play.

This is why I am skeptical when people think great players understand the game better and make good coaches. Because they rely a lot on instincts, I think they actually miss on many other parts of the game. I think your Guardiola example is particulary good in this regard. He was a cerebral player but not an elite player.

 

[RabbleMasterBlaster]

I think u hit it on the nail. No good vet influence on the team. The guys who are there know they aren't there for much longer so have no real reason to nurture the young kids. Could be that our kids are also a bunch of arrogant pricks that no one wants to deal with.

There's no Doug Gilmore on this team. His closest comparison is Gallagher, who despite his limitations is the only guy who seems to give a shit. Which is crazy ironic Imo. Team needs more Gallaghers and less IG p***yes.

Because amongst other things, the veteran leadership is completely non existent. Who do the young guys look to for inspiration when they see ghosts like DVo Armia, Anderson and Savard give no second effor

 

[HuGort]

The dach experiment is over in my opinion

Dach and Sergechev trades have a lot in common. Both terrible

 

[Pazucha]

Slaf somehow went from amazing to irrelevant. Dach is awful, Newhook is very bad, most other forwards are completely irrelevant too. What the freak happened?

Slafkovsky is playing a PP position he clearly is not comfortable in.. He is not getting any touches on the PP which has the effect of being invisible.

Similar thing happened when he played all 4 games with Suzuki and Caufield his every offensive play was to screen the goalie unlike previous season.

Now compare that to a previous season or the World Cup. Watch the first 4 minutes of this video for example and look how different Slafkovsky plays. He takes completely different routes and plays in different positions. Because of that he is able to make amazing passes and take shots on a goalie.

 

[Kennedys]

I want to like this team but players like Dach and Slaf , who don't give a f*** and Newhook who is just a bad hockey player make it hard

 

[Walrus26]

That game was the very definition of turgid. Defensively responsible, which is a big improvement, but the top 6 is either unfit, injured, uncaring, pissed off with the whole setup or any / all of them at once.

Evans, Heineman and the Gally / Dvo / Anderson line are all that's passing the eye test for effort as forwards, and we aren't going to win much relying on them to be the offence. CC still looks somewhat interested though, in fairness.

One shot on goal every 5 minutes. Again. Let that sink in.

It's time for change.

 

[OldCraig71]

How long do you let a team run Suzuki-Evans-Dvorak as their top three centers? Regardless of the rebuild.

This is the real problem, but oh well, everybody continues waving their arms in the air and screaming about MSL being incompetent. He isn't John Cooper back there, but we need help down the middle, and until we trade for it, we can expect more of the same. No coach can fix this.