Line Combos: Coaching Options Thread(Updated Lines In OP)Discuss Practice/PP/PK/Captaincy/lines

[Pokecheque]

Beastly? No. Let's not get carried away because he's not sucking quite as bad as before. This team is still a disaster defensively, and Stuart is a big reason why. Just because he impresses us with some stretches of solid defensive play shouldn't necessarily overshadow his many gaffes.

My problem isn't necessarily with Stuart, but the Avs acquiring him. He brings nothing new to the table. Nothing. He's decent for a bottom pairing, depth defender. For how long have we been saying that about Avs d-men!?

 

[henchman21]

Beastly? No. Let's not get carried away because he's not sucking quite as bad as before. This team is still a disaster defensively, and Stuart is a big reason why. Just because he impresses us with some stretches of solid defensive play shouldn't necessarily overshadow his many gaffes.

My problem isn't necessarily with Stuart, but the Avs acquiring him. He brings nothing new to the table. Nothing. He's decent for a bottom pairing, depth defender. For how long have we been saying that about Avs d-men!?

And this is why he will continue to be the board's whipping boy... people just can't let go of it... Stuart has been VERY good on the PK and is a big reason why that unit is playing well. 5v5 he hasn't been great, but solid. He is playing as a middle pairing guy again, and has been solid in that role. Nothing wrong with admitting it.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

And this is why he will continue to be the board's whipping boy... people just can't let go of it... Stuart has been VERY good on the PK and is a big reason why that unit is playing well. 5v5 he hasn't been great, but solid. He is playing as a middle pairing guy again, and has been solid in that role. Nothing wrong with admitting it.

Yep. Dude will never get the proper recognition with some of the board. And he has absolutely been beastly on the pk. He keeps playing like this and he will be worth that 2nd and his cap hit.

 

[bohlmeister]

Stuart's good play on the PK will be one of the reasons Guenin won't have to play.

 

[InjuredChoker]

stuart has allowed almost twice more shots on the penalty kill when he's been on the ice, compared to EJ.

stuart just happens to have sv% of 98% on the pk. which will go down over time.

i don't think he's been as bad as those fenwicks say but beastly isn't something that i would use to describe his play there.

as it's not necessarily all on him, hasn't he been paired a lot with holden on the pk?

 

[Pokecheque]

And this is why he will continue to be the board's whipping boy... people just can't let go of it... Stuart has been VERY good on the PK and is a big reason why that unit is playing well. 5v5 he hasn't been great, but solid. He is playing as a middle pairing guy again, and has been solid in that role. Nothing wrong with admitting it.

Sometimes the whipping is deserved. And he hasn't been solid as a middle-pairing guy, he has been better-than-expected, but overall the D is still awful. I think this is the result of everyone lowering their expectations to the point where they're thrilled when he makes a good play. I suppose watching Greg Zanon, Ryan O'Byrne, Ryan Wilson, and Cory Sarich over the years will have that effect.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

Dude is running over people left and right on the PK. Dude is just destroying people. I consider that beastly. More about the style than the effectiveness, which has obviously been amazing for everyone really.

 

[S E P H]

Beastly? No. Let's not get carried away because he's not sucking quite as bad as before. This team is still a disaster defensively, and Stuart is a big reason why. Just because he impresses us with some stretches of solid defensive play shouldn't necessarily overshadow his many gaffes.

My problem isn't necessarily with Stuart, but the Avs acquiring him. He brings nothing new to the table. Nothing. He's decent for a bottom pairing, depth defender. For how long have we been saying that about Avs d-men!?

[MOD] Stuart has not won nor lost us a game, and saying he is a big reason why this defense sucks is kool aid cyanide territory of hating. I admit that extending him before this year was extremely weird and distraught the Avs fan base, but we have to give him credit on how good the PK has been. Even though it has looked vulnerable at times and numbers are not sustainable...his presence has definitely improved this area of the game. Or if you want, Benoit or Sarich could return to top 4 PK duty be my guest...or perhaps acquiring Orpik or Niskane at long term contracts and money which could kill Marc Staal or another top 4 defense man from coming here would.

I would say that Hejda's regression has been more of an influence in terms of losing to the Avs than what Stuart has brought. Actually I wonder if Stuart was brought in here to eventually replace Hedja who IMO has looked way worse.

 

[Freudian]

The PK playing well is not only because of the defenders doing a good job but also because somewhere around game 3-4 the forwards became more aggressive. Any time the opposition doesn't have full control of the puck they're on them. They have closed the gap to the players on the point so they don't get to shoot at will. Talbot/Cliche/McLeod have had their problems this year, but lately they've been good on the PK.

 

[AnimalMother73]

I would say that Hejda's regression has been more of an influence in terms of losing to the Avs than what Stuart has brought. Actually I wonder if Stuart was brought in here to eventually replace Hedja who IMO has looked way worse.

This. Plus while he had warts Benoit could at least get the puck out to our forwards which is something neither Hejda nor Stuart are good at. This is why I wish they would play (stick with) Redmond over Guenin, to give us back 3 puck movers.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Even though it's probably too many minutes for him I thought Hejda looked better next to EJ.

 

[Pokecheque]

[MOD] Stuart has not won nor lost us a game, and saying he is a big reason why this defense sucks is kool aid cyanide territory of hating. I admit that extending him before this year was extremely weird and distraught the Avs fan base, but we have to give him credit on how good the PK has been. Even though it has looked vulnerable at times and numbers are not sustainable...his presence has definitely improved this area of the game. Or if you want, Benoit or Sarich could return to top 4 PK duty be my guest...or perhaps acquiring Orpik or Niskane at long term contracts and money which could kill Marc Staal or another top 4 defense man from coming here would.

I would say that Hejda's regression has been more of an influence in terms of losing to the Avs than what Stuart has brought. Actually I wonder if Stuart was brought in here to eventually replace Hedja who IMO has looked way worse.

You can characterize it however you'd like, I think people are overrating him already simply because he's surpassed incredibly low expectations. And the PK has looked spectactular mainly because, as always, Varly is making some spectacular saves. The Avs are still getting pelted during that time. I'll agree Stuart has at least been decent around the crease area clearing rebounds (and, well, that's what they got him for) but I still see him continually pulling himself out of position and doing stupid things when the puck is on his stick. The one thing I'm glad he isn't is abhorrently slow. He's not a speedster by any means, but at least he isn't Guenin/Holden/sick armadillo slow either.

Maybe I'll like Stuart better when he's a third pairing guy and nothing more, but that won't happen until the defense overall gets better, and that ain't happening anytime soon.

I'm not blind when it comes to the PK--it's definitely better than it was, in fact I've said the team does a better job a man down in terms of defensive scheme than they do at even strength, but it's still very average in terms of getting the puck away from the attacking team and clearing the zone.

 

[bohlmeister]

I think we are getting close to seeing the end of this man to man defensive system. It hasn't come close to working this season. Looks worse than last season.

 

[Pokecheque]

I think we are getting close to seeing the end of this man to man defensive system. It hasn't come close to working this season. Looks worse than last season.

Let's hope so. Of course Roy isn't realizing you can't do a M2M without a faster defense.

Seriously though, the team looks better defensively a man down than at even strength, because they're getting sticks in passing lanes and blocking shots, something they're not really doing effectively in the M2M. Wish Roy would review some of his own video and realize this. Zone would be much more effective, especially with a team constructed like this.

In all honesty I don't think it's his fault, but I won't be surprised if Tim Army is shown the door soon. Just a gut feeling, seems like something a desperate team would do, and he's pretty much the only holdover on the staff from the old regime.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Serious question and not trying to be sarcastic, but you don't think Roy looks at video and doesn't see some of these things? I know putting the same guys out there suggests otherwise but does anyone really think he either doesn't look at video or doesn't care? Is there any other explanation for doing this?

 

[Nihiliste]

The man to man is getting exploited like crazy. Minnesota exposed it in the playoffs, Roy and the team had no answer then and they still don't.

 

[Pokecheque]

Serious question and not trying to be sarcastic, but you don't think Roy looks at video and doesn't see some of these things? I know putting the same guys out there suggests otherwise but does anyone really think he either doesn't look at video or doesn't care? Is there any other explanation for doing this?

Well, that's a good question. Why he's continuing to give Holden big minutes, let alone dressing him for games period, and leaning on Guenin instead of Redmond, is beyond me. The video should be showing him that Holden is coughing up the puck everywhere. The only time Holden isn't looking completely out of his element is when he's clearing rebounds on the PK.

I thought he was very big on looking at video, so why he's not making any adjustments is frustrating and confusing to say the least. It could be the rest of the league has made adjustments and he's showing his inexperience. Or stubbornness. Maybe a mix of the two.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I think he is big on video and believe it or not stats. When he referenced scoring chances for/against by player I can't imagine he doesn't see this. Either he thinks his systems will work properly executed or he doesn't have the personnel to try something different. I agree Redmond would be an improvement in the puck movement department but you guys even said Guenin wasn't at his worst the last couple of games so if he's playing to the best of his abilities then Roy isn't going to take him out.

 

[Pokecheque]

I think he is big on video and believe it or not stats. When he referenced scoring chances for/against by player I can't imagine he doesn't see this. Either he thinks his systems will work properly executed or he doesn't have the personnel to try something different. I agree Redmond would be an improvement in the puck movement department but you guys even said Guenin wasn't at his worst the last couple of games so if he's playing to the best of his abilities then Roy isn't going to take him out.

Yup. I agree, Guenin, brutal performance tonight aside, shouldn't come out. Holden absolutely should though.

Hejda-Johnson
Stuart-Barrie
Redmond-Guenin

That third pairing is still scary, but makes a hell of a lot more sense than Holden-anyone.

 

[AvsRobin]

The man to man is getting exploited like crazy. Minnesota exposed it in the playoffs, Roy and the team had no answer then and they still don't.

This is his first real big test as a coach. His defensive system is exploited and he needs to come up with an answer for it. If he can't.. Then I'm seriously gonna get excited about Eichel or McDavid.

 

[Hans Landaskog]

This is his first real big test as a coach. His defensive system is exploited and he needs to come up with an answer for it. If he can't.. Then I'm seriously gonna get excited about Eichel or McDavid.

Sorry, correct answer was Hanifan.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Is it just extreme hyperbole at this point or does anyone really think a top 3 pick is possible?

Yeah we could be pretty bad but several teams have a plan in place and are not just going to let the Avs bumble thier way there.

Might be smart to start paying attention to the top 10 though, just in case.

 

[Pokecheque]

Is it just extreme hyperbole at this point or does anyone really think a top 3 pick is possible?

Yeah we could be pretty bad but several teams have a plan in place and are not just going to let the Avs bumble thier way there.

Might be smart to start paying attention to the top 10 though, just in case.

If the goaltending fails, then yes. If it holds up I don't think so. The team is otherwise too talented, and there are too many truly awful teams this year. I think they'll swing a trade and/or call someone up if things continue this way.

 

[Foppa2118]

Is it just extreme hyperbole at this point or does anyone really think a top 3 pick is possible?

Yeah we could be pretty bad but several teams have a plan in place and are not just going to let the Avs bumble thier way there.

Might be smart to start paying attention to the top 10 though, just in case.

I seriously doubt a top 3 pick happens, I don't think they're that bad.

There is a minuscule chance though that they could miss the playoffs and win the lottery getting the 1st overall pick. They pretty much doubled the odds of the bubble teams that miss the playoffs in 2015, although they are still small.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

A top-10 pick is entirely possible and more than likely, unless something drastic happens to shake up the team.

As for Stuart, he's a very solid bottom-pairing d-man, but he's being paid middle-pairing money. That's something that could come back to bite us in terms of cap problems, when/if we manage to acquire some blueliners that are paid 4-6M and okay like it.