Rick needs to make some f***in adjustments. Dump and chase ain’t working and the forwards need to generate more rush chances. I feel like I’m watching a Travis Green team
The thing is...this team is overall, slow as heck. You can't just manufacture extra "rush chances" without overwhelming speed. At least, not outside of what the Canucks under Riktok have done well, which is counterattacking and capitalizing on bad/risky breakouts and over aggressive neutral-zone play from the other team.
Mikheyev is one of the only players on this team who can genuinely "create" rush chances through the neutral zone (and he's been doing it here and there)...yet half the fanbase are screaming at the top of their lungs to bench him for Podkolzin for some reason.
This doesn't look anything like a Travis Green team. They're still playing with tons of structure and purpose. The Preds just aren't giving them anything. And it's a slow ass team with approximately 3 players who have "plus" long speed to generate anything that way.
Mikheyev - who is beyond snakebit at this point. Zero finish.
Hughes - a defenceman.
Zadorov - borderline and also a defenceman and isn't necessarily a guy you want consistently rushing the puck, despite his success doing it when he picks his spots like tonight.
Beyond that...nobody on this team really has the speed or is capable of carrying the puck dynamically through the neutral zone to create more "rush chances". They have to rely on east-west "tic-tac-toe" stuff climbing the ladder through the neutral zone (which Nashville is stifling), or just chip it in and chase tactics. Trying to set up a forecheck posture that can turn the puck over to create quality chances. Which Nashville are largely avoiding by simply playing a similar "simple" style right back at them.
It's just not a "fast" team at all. There are some "quick" players in short areas, but that's not what you need to play a wide open run 'n gun rush trading game.