Observations, Part VIII

[Scoresberg]

This team.. everyone got their new, big contracts in summer and stopped playing. So frustrating.

 

[drwpreds]

And to make tonight even worse, the Blues, Wild and Hawks all win.

And don't look now, but the Flames, Oilers and Avs are all starting to get hot.

If we don't pick it up soon we are going to be staring at the bottom of the Western Conference...

 

[triggrman]

Even an offensive coach can't get Poile's forwards to score. The next change should be Poile

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Even an offensive coach can't get Poile's forwards to score. The next change should be Poile

That change is going to carry far more ramifications than just trading a spare d-man for a center. It may be Poile's time to go, but a GM change is likely to signal a significant change in organizational direction and a pretty severe roster shake-up, and not in a way that everyone is going to like. There's no guarantee we'd get back to being competitive this season, and none that we would try to be over the next several seasons. Whole different ballgame.

Beside that, this team has taken significant steps backwards from last season while not having lost any real pieces. Unless all last season was anomalous, that signals coaching issues as much as it does talent issues.

 

[jwhouk]

I don't think we'd finish fourth in the NFC East.

 

[Byrddog]

It's official. We are either the best bad team in the league or the worst good team. Cann't decide which right now. And what's more I don't really care at this point.

"don't really care at this point"

Well I do not believe that for a minute.

 

[FossilFndr]

Did anyone notice Wilson still favoring his right leg? Maybe his hamstring or hip? Definitely don't think he was ready to be back on the ice last night.

 

[Armourboy]

He didn't do much that is for sure.

 

[101st_fan]

Even an offensive coach can't get Poile's forwards to score. The next change should be Poile

Somehow four of those same forwards netted 20+ last season and a fifth scored 19 in an injury shortened season. Smith managed to score 20+ under both Trotz and Lavi. Why is it that these same players are not scoring as they have in the past?

 

[Pred303]

the only good things about bad times is that failure forces changes to be made while success, no matter how ugly or lucky, never does.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

the only good things about bad times is that failure forces changes to be made while success, no matter how ugly or lucky, never does.

Truer words have never been said. Now is the winter of our discontent.

 

[wadesworld]

This is so frustrating.... I thought we played an excellent game last night. But we couldn't hit water if we fell out of a boat.

 

[tampa pred]

Watched the St Louis feed last night. Panger had a lot of great stats throughout the game. Here are a couple of interesting facts that he brought up:

We have the second worst PK in the league and are allowing 1 PP goal per game.

We are 2nd in the league (behind only Dallas) in crossbars and posts hit with 27. It seems like it should be higher since I remember one game where I counted 6.

He also said that Wilson had been a healthy scratch in the last 4 games. Is this true? I figured that he had to be dealing with an injury.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I'm gonna bust a nut if Wilson has been a health scratch. Just proves my point we shouldn't have signed him for so long and should've traded him all those years ago for Kessel. Ugh.

We are in the valley of despair right now as a team and a fanbase. We just don't have the offensive talent to compete every night. If a change doesn't happen soon (and it doesn't even have to be a trade mind you) we are going to be looking like Avs by the end of the new year. No easy games ahead. No games we are even favored in.

 

[Drake744]

Since our season went into a free fall last February, our regular season record is 24-27-7. I understand that it's split over two seasons but that is an unacceptable stretch of nearly 60 games. Over an 82 game stretch, that's a 77 or 78 point season.

 

[Byrddog]

Since our season went into a free fall last February, our regular season record is 24-27-7. I understand that it's split over two seasons but that is an unacceptable stretch of nearly 60 games. Over an 82 game stretch, that's a 77 or 78 point season.

Drake I have been pointing the very same thing out except my numbers started with the Islanders loss last year. Im glad you see what have for some time. This was more than a slump at the end of last year and it is more than a slump now. I was pretty sure at the start of the season over the course it would somewhat stableize but with FF9 struggling there has been no way to make up for no scoring threat on the 3rd or Smith and Wilsons collapse.

If Poile and the front office do not see what the issues are and select to stay the course this team will miss the playoffs. I was not against signing Riberio really and was glad Fish signed and thankfully they are short contracts. Whats going to hurt worse if Smith and Wilson the length of those contracts may well be a boat anchor. Smith is on pace for 17 goals. I know he still has his supporters here and something could happen and he goes on a run and makes it to 20 but if he does and still finishes with 30 odd points was this a good signing? Not IMO teams can cover for a couple streaky players if they have consistent scoring from elsewhere. The only consistent scoring we have seen in quite a while if from the defenders and they can not carry the team. Its a friggin mess and adding one guy is not going to come close to fixing it like some think. But they have to start somewhere. Since Poile has made it thru the day I don't expect we are going to see any moves until after the new year. And its going to be too late then to salvage this season. Already saw the first tank for Mathews post this morning. This is where my blood starts to boil when people who have been critical of my pointing out the real issues the team has now will jump on the TANK wagon. But that's the way it is I guess.

 

[hockey diva]

Byrd, sometimes denial and optimism override reality.

I have been one of the folks who disagreed with what you saw. Denial and wishful thinking kept me from admitting you were correct. I'm sure you derive no comfort from being able to tell us "I told you so."

I will continue to support the team and try find some fun in being at the game with friends. But I am no longer in denial and my hope is gone for this team as currently constructed.

 

[Byrddog]

Byrd, sometimes denial and optimism override reality.

I have been one of the folks who disagreed with what you saw. Denial and wishful thinking kept me from admitting you were correct. I'm sure you derive no comfort from being able to tell us "I told you so."

I will continue to support the team and try find some fun in being at the game with friends. But I am no longer in denial and my hope is gone for this team as currently constructed.

I do not want to be an I told you so type. But your exactly correct the denial and wishful thinking segment do have there influence too. For a lot of years I was in that boat in all my sports viewing. There was just something about that Yotes playoff series loss that reformed me. I was spoiled as a sports fan in the late 60's thru the 70's as a Big Red Machine fan and a Vikings fan always in the post season doing well for the most part yeah yeah I know the Vikes have never won the big one When I started playing roller hockey I started following the Oilers the Great one thing for a kid. Also pulled for the Flyers what was I thinkin.

Now my limited ability to evaluate players goes a lil deeper than just watching and looking at end of the year stats. I prefer to look at game logs and track trends these things do matter in my mind in who is the truly effective players be it Hockey Football or any other sport. I still get a lil excited about some young players but im much more cautious than I was in the past. Heck at one point Denis Arkipov was my favorite Pred but he flamed out quickly. Its makes me smile to see others raving about the speed of a player which morphs into someone that the team can not do without while in fact that's the only ability said player has. If speed were a prerequisite to being a great player the Hall would be pretty empty. I like to point to Foppa for that example the guy always looked like he was skating in mud but he had no wasted effort every move the guy made was for a reason and he was one of the best finishers I have ever seen. SO there are a number of things that make successful players if you look close with an open mind you can see them. But far too often we are all drug into the hype heck I was last year with the addition of Neal and the potential of FF9 I bought in early reguardless of what I knew was probably going to happen.

At this point the list of players on this team I would absolutely protect is small very small, and the only trade chips we have are from the defense side. And I know your feelings about removing Poile and im now in that boat with you. He has done a decent job setting the foundation for this team but he has gone as far as he can. He is loyal to the point of being painful. I have had issues with this ownership bunch that's no secret but im not sure they are involved in this sport enough to know when its time to change the GM. Last year they turned a profit of 2 mil. the smallest profit of all the profitable teams in the league but still a profit. Im afraid that this team will need to miss the playoffs two years in a row and return to unprofitable befo0re they will replace Poile. So where are we? We will yet again stand pat Poile will be forced to make some changes in the offense in the offseason he will attempt to Band-Aid up once again Weber, Rinne, Fish will get a year older the team will backslide as they do The young guys are not talented enough to make a difference and Neal and FF9 are hurt by all of it. It is a dark time right now and honestly I do not see any relief in sight.

 

[Pred303]

another hockey day. another chance to get better. another chance to put aside all the negative thoughts and lack of enjoyment.

 

[FossilFndr]

so your farts smelled like sunshine and flowers this morning?

maybe they will give us some early Christmas cheer, everyone needs it. go preds

 

[Pred303]

I'm 61. have lived a long life and seen almost everything in this world. long ago I was taught that one of the secrets to true happiness in life was to avoid negative thoughts and people and to try not to worry and sweat the small stuff. As much as I love it, Hockey is small stuff honestly. It's about enjoying each game. When it quits being fun and enjoyable it's time to move on to other things.

We all take this too seriously at times. It's just a meaningless game. When you're losing like we have been, it isn't much fun. There's a huge difference being critical and being negative. I choose to be critical yet still positive things will work out better. I know a lot about hockey from all these years. So yeah, I think we are good enough to turn this around.

 

[101st_fan]

the only good things about bad times is that failure forces changes to be made while success, no matter how ugly or lucky, never does.

The issue is honestly identifying the problem to make the right change and not change for the sake of change. Is the main problem within the players, coaching staff, or front office?

Five of our current top six forwards (when healthy) scored 19 or more goals last season ... only Neal is on a similar pace to last season ... the issue isn't glaringly obvious. When we keep noting the lack of net front presence, players trying to do things as individuals rather than as a team, the lack of an effective forecheck, etc ... that indicates a leadership issue to me. It's a lack of developing a gameplan and ensuring the players implement it. It's a lack of practicing situations that are biting the team in the butt. It's a lack of discipline that results in repeatedly putting a struggling PK on the ice. All issues that point to leadership.

For all of Forsberg's talent, he hurts the team when he tries playing as an individual rather than a teammate. The same goes for Neal, Wilson, Smith, Ribs.

Lavi's short shelf life was a known quality when we signed him. How long can he hold the room with this current group of assistant coaches?

 

[FossilFndr]

just being tongue-in-cheek kidding you 303 about morning optimism. really hope tonight they give a good effort, especially against the Wild. I think the best part of the season is ahead of us. tired of the gloomy games, this time last year we expected the team to play hard and score late in the game with Rinne holding on for a one goal win. want to get back to believing in them.

 

[hockey diva]

OT but wanted to give a heads up. For those who know him, our pompous Habs fan is making the trip down for the game on Monday. PM me if you want to meet up.

 

[roseyc]

Well every team goes through the down cycle ..we did it last year at the end of the season and now we are doing it again ....The problems are fixable though ....Rinne is not elite anymore ..He's better than the bottom half of goalies in the league. Is it health or lack of coaching..Foresberg is not a superstar so far this year..He still has great ability but his goals are missing ...Wilson is the biggest missing piece ...we are fast but not tough..Our D don't hit consistently..the opposing team is flying through the neutral zone...Neal Josi and Weber are doing the scoring ...the rest are a lot of 3's and 5's that's not going to get it done. Faceoffs are a problem ...We need to make a trade for 1 center and get rid of the clutter. The minors aren't bringing any solutions...I like Jones but he is only piece that would bring 1 center back along with a pkg. We have to entertain thoughts of trading Weber and Rinne and the players they could bring back ....Do we have the team with the current roster and hope for better second half and hope the pendulum swings back or do we play with what we have and wait for the offseason or the deadline to setup the trade scenarios for Weber and Rinne.... The best case scenario is to add a center. When the lines are set correctly the second line is lacking and third line and fourth line are scoring at the same pace which is not going to produce many goals. Poile offseason moves are in play now and not working We aren't getting the production from Smith and Fisher and Riberio and Wilson. Poile's constant ploy of finding Diamonds in the rough are masking the real need for another proven scorer and playmaker We will see something has to be done