Speculation: When Does Bruno Get The Boot?

[Armourboy]

Given the constant state of flux in NHL rosters from one season to the next, it seems fair to ask if integrating 3 new players into this system going pear-shaped is more the system or the players, or is it just nothing to worry about at all?

Not to slow the winning momentum in any way, but the last couple of games, even though we managed to win somehow, we looked, well, rancid in our execution for stretches of those games.

But then there's "saved by the poll post" reverse mojo to consider...

I think its just a case of a system working on paper, but if your players aren't the best in the world it falls down to some issues.

Our Dmen generally aren't good enough to do what Brunette wants on the offensive end, which leads to them being out of position and forcing forwards to cover for them, and not all forwards are good at that. Also because of that we are often seeing players like Forsberg stuck out there playing at the blue line rather than out there doing what we pay them for.

Secondly, he has some guys he is giving alot of ice time too that have no business getting it. We saw the same thing with Hynes and Granlund. He's also got some guys not getting ice time that don't make sense either.

Just in this last game you have Cole Smith pulling nearly 15 minutes while Evangelista got 7. Now if Evangelista is hurt then fine, but we don't know that so on the surface it just looks bad. It's also got some of us sitting back here just waiting for him to be benched.

At the end of it all I think Brunette is trying to play a system made for a fast, young team, but his former NHL grind it out mind just defaults to giving grinders and hardworkers the roster spots. Now I have no issue with giving guys spots for working hard, but they still gotta be good to go along with it.

 

[nullednumbed]

Funny to think I may have saved Brunos job by posting this last night

Indeed. Either way unless the wheels fall completely off I think he is safe for the season.

 

[Kat Predator]

I think its just a case of a system working on paper, but if your players aren't the best in the world it falls down to some issues.

Our Dmen generally aren't good enough to do what Brunette wants on the offensive end, which leads to them being out of position and forcing forwards to cover for them, and not all forwards are good at that. Also because of that we are often seeing players like Forsberg stuck out there playing at the blue line rather than out there doing what we pay them for.

Secondly, he has some guys he is giving alot of ice time too that have no business getting it. We saw the same thing with Hynes and Granlund. He's also got some guys not getting ice time that don't make sense either.

Just in this last game you have Cole Smith pulling nearly 15 minutes while Evangelista got 7. Now if Evangelista is hurt then fine, but we don't know that so on the surface it just looks bad. It's also got some of us sitting back here just waiting for him to be benched.

At the end of it all I think Brunette is trying to play a system made for a fast, young team, but his former NHL grind it out mind just defaults to giving grinders and hardworkers the roster spots. Now I have no issue with giving guys spots for working hard, but they still gotta be good to go along with it.

I can agree with that.

I guess my point was more that when you bring in 3 new skaters, you still have 15 guys who were there the year before and should know the systems and what is expected of them, etc. So why are they "freezing up" and the team looking so unable to execute anything? The 3 new guys haven't done anything at even strength, but neither have guys like ROR and Josi.

The other day AJ talked about how it will just take some time. Then I watch other teams and they have 3, 4, 5 new faces in their lineup from last year, and their play isn't completely incompetent for stretches. So, that reasoning doesn't seem to carry much water.

 

[101st_fan]

Just in this last game you have Cole Smith pulling nearly 15 minutes while Evangelista got 7. Now if Evangelista is hurt then fine, but we don't know that so on the surface it just looks bad. It's also got some of us sitting back here just waiting for him to be benched.

At the end of it all I think Brunette is trying to play a system made for a fast, young team, but his former NHL grind it out mind just defaults to giving grinders and hardworkers the roster spots. Now I have no issue with giving guys spots for working hard, but they still gotta be good to go along with it.

Smith had 13:12 at ES (plus PK time). Luke had 6:38 (plus 18 seconds of PP time). Now, which lines were creating chances and which were largely invisible? The Jankowski - Sissons - Evangalista line generated two shot attempts, neither of which was on goal. The 4th line had four SOG plus another seven attempts that were blocked or missed ... then there is that detail of them scoring twice and allowing none.

When the McCarrons and Smiths of the world get under 9 minutes of ES TOI, nobody bats an eye. When their line is creating chances and it is the only time to date this season where Smith gets over 10:30 of ES TOI, it becomes an issue ... even when Marchessault says they are the real first star of the game.

When the plugs are doing plug things, they don't see the ice much at ES. When they are creating, they get rolled out more often. When the 3rd line disappears, it gets a shorter leash.