Post-Game Talk: Winless in Minnesota est. 2011

[PhysicX]

It's going to get worse before it gets better

Besides injuries, it cannot get any worse than this. We're last in the standings. On the positive side, we're looking at another year of high-end drafting with two first-rounders.

I'm seeing improvement in our defensive coverage, players are hopefully buying into that facet of the game, even a little too much at the expense of their offensive production. It's fine really, no team should be getting blown out every game. Next up for the players will be to find a better balance, but the focus should remain in improving the defensive aspect of their games and getting accustomed to the coach's system.

Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, but I'm more than fine with how this season is going presently. We're not as bad as what the standings show, and our farm team is cooking. If we can score one top prospect out of our two first rounders, I'll be satisfied.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Doubt we beat Utah, they just handled Carolina easily and Carolina are light years ahead of us…

Columbus? Maybe. I was shocked they beat Buffalo to be honest so I suppose anything is possible.

I’m just so done with Marty Saint John hockey. No systems, no accountability for some and far too much for others, little to no development, toughness non existent.

It’s like being forced to listen to the opening theme for “Coronation Street” on repeat.

Utah was home, and Carolina's goaltending was shit, while Utah's goalie had an epic performance. That happens. It's a one-off type game.

Utah is 3-5-2 in their last 10, and is not particularly good on the road. It's a winnable game.

Montreal's structure was fine last night. They played a really strong defensive game. Offense wasn't doing much, especially the PP.

 

[Seven7]

MTL is tanking, it's just clear as day.

Or Marty is just a very bad coach.

 

[mitchmagic]

Can't win when you don't shoot.

 

[Tuggy]

32nd overall and rightfully so.

Just a bad team right now.

 

[Theodore450]

What was last night excuse for MSL?

 

[BLONG7]

MTL is tanking, it's just clear as day.

Or Marty is just a very bad coach.

Could be...................a bit of both.

Can't win when you don't shoot.

Amazing how this team just passes the puck, and almost never shoots.......

 

[BLONG7]

Utah was home, and Carolina's goaltending was shit, while Utah's goalie had an epic performance. That happens. It's a one-off type game.

Utah is 3-5-2 in their last 10, and is not particularly good on the road. It's a winnable game.

Montreal's structure was fine last night. They played a really strong defensive game. Offense wasn't doing much, especially the PP.

The habs just can't seem to put it all together...............even in their wins, albeit not many this year, have they played a good overall game? Maybe the 4-1 win over the Senaturds.....?

 

[OldCraig71]

We played much better defensively, it was probably one of our best efforts of the season. The real issue is the drop-off at center after Suzuki, Evans is a 4th line center and Dvorak is awful. That guy would struggle to put up 30 points in the AHL, he makes so many bad mistakes at both ends of the ice. We would be much more competitive with a 50 point NHL center behind Suzuki.

 

[hvac412]

MTL is tanking, it's just clear as day.

Or Marty is just a very bad coach.

I would go with the latter ,it’s pretty obvious,not saying he’s not smart but it takes more than hockey knowledge to coach,one of the greatest players in the game (Gretzky) couldn’t coach or be a decent Gm .The odds were not in our favor when we started this rebuild but then again we also have a ROOKIE Gm who put this green coaching staff in place.

 

[eklund the clown]

MTL is tanking, it's just clear as day.

Or Marty is just a very bad coach.

or both

 

[WeThreeKings]

We played much better defensively, it was probably one of our best efforts of the season. The real issue is the drop-off at center after Suzuki, Evans is a 4th line center and Dvorak is awful. That guy would struggle to put up 30 points in the AHL, he makes so many bad mistakes at both ends of the ice. We would be much more competitive with a 50 point NHL center behind Suzuki.

They need to get Dach back to form and back at center, until that happens, yes, it's going to look like this.

Laine coming back and Dach getting his confidence back would give us a legitimate 2nd line, and they'll play themselves out of the bottom.

Also agree that it was their best defensive efforts of the year, that's a Minnesota team that's scored a lot of goals this year. They really looked organized most shifts, were playing up on pucks and sticks.

Definitely a sign of a young, fragile team, they can get a good defensive effort out but then the offense dries up, or they can score goals but the defense and goaltending is porous.