Sudbury Wolves 2023-24 Season Thread (Part 4)

[Lycanthrope]

Sudbury is proving it’s not a serious franchise that is here to win championships and really doesn’t deserve the passionate fans it has. It’s so shortsighted. Wouldn’t you want to build your brand and become a fabric of the city, that the community can be proud of?

Nope…. Go cheap on coaching , no obvious long term plan, $5 Wolves brew…

It is pretty interesting to think of how this team would play under a coach like Cameron or Richmond. I’d love to see it.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Unfortunately the owner has no idea how hockey operations work to be successful and continues to have faith in a GM who is content to sit on the fence and not see how close we were to be heavy favorites to win the conference this year. Just look at the moves North Bay made at the deadline. Our GM still did not see how weak our goal tending is and did not have sense to address it. Do you not think this affects the players when they work their butts off only to be rewarded by a continuous reign of soft goals.

To his credit he did secure an NHL drafted import goalie, unfortunately it hasn’t really worked out so far. Fair to say that was unexpected. As far as Krawchuck, I think it’s fair to say we were excited to see him take the next step and maybe even challenge Vondras, so it’s fair to say he expected us to be set in net. He recognized we weren’t and overpaid for a largely unproven goalie that happened to have a good stretch. I don’t think it’s reasonable to have expected him to move Vondras so we’re left with hoping we can get capable enough goaltending out of one of them.
Not great because there‘s no more important position. The other night was a good example of how you won’t be able to out score your goaltending, on a regular basis anyway.
All the more reason to play as well as possible defensively. You have to wonder what our goalie coach is doing because our goalies don’t seem as technically sound as they should. Not sure what’s going on with Krawchuck but he seems to have regressed, it was almost embarrassing in Windsor and on any breakaway I never feel like he’s going to stop it.
I’m not sure the issue is ability, maybe it’s coaching, mental toughness or a combination but it’s unexpected and the biggest question mark among several heading into the playoffs.

 

[dirty12]

It is pretty interesting to think of how this team would play under a coach like Cameron or Richmond. I’d love to see it.

The team would have been built entirely different. If the team would have been inherited by one of those two, I think the roster would have been substantially altered.

 

[dirty12]

allowing 11 goals by two goalies combined to a19th or 20th place team indicates more than goalie problems

 

[Lycanthrope]

allowing 11 goals by two goalies combined to a19th or 20th place team indicates more than goalie problems

That’s what I was referring to when I said biggest question mark “among others”.

 

[Sudburysaturdaynight]

Regardless how the season plays out ken goes back upstairs and they'll have to decide who will coach the team going forward. But who knows I never thought ken would be behind the bench this season

Why does he even do that..He has been part of decades of mediocrity

 

[Lycanthrope]

allowing 11 goals by two goalies combined to a19th or 20th place team indicates more than goalie problems

Number one obviously the Wolves weren’t ready to play but as far as your point, each goalie was as bad as the other and to me that as much as anything else contributed to the loss. Not saying it was Stan Butler type defence by any means but don’t forget whenever the Wolves tried to get back into the game they would be deflated by what was often a stoppable shot.
It should be so obvious as to not need mentioning to anyone who is the least familiar with hockey, but your goalie is the last and most important line of defence. The foundation on which the team is built. Often, especially on the road the away team will be outplayed early and that’s when you need your goalie to hold the fort while you play your way into the game. How many times has a team looked back and said good thing we got the saves early.

As far as missed coverage and other mistakes that’s part of the game and that’s when they‘re supposed to “save” the team, especially on routine shots. If most mistakes are going to end up in the net forget it.

I don’t care who you have on the team, you're only as strong as your foundation and weakest link. For me it’s been goaltending…..and maybe throw in coaching.

 

[Lycanthrope]

The team would have been built entirely different. If the team would have been inherited by one of those two, I think the roster would have been substantially altered.

I mostly disagree, I think a good coach could help the current roster excel. The talent and now experience is there.

Why does he even do that..He has been part of decades of mediocrity

Maybe he’s like J. Edgar Hoover and has a book on everyone in the organization

 

[djscooter]

I mostly disagree, I think a good coach could help the current roster excel. The talent and now experience is there.

I feel like we saw a difference between how the team played under Derek MacKenzie to Ken that showed how important coaching can be.

 

[BuffaloSabres72]

I feel like we saw a difference between how the team played under Derek MacKenzie to Ken that showed how important coaching can be.

I'm new here but have insight. Too a player the boy's all hated Derek MacKenzie and are glad he is gone. They wish now that Ken would stop referencing Derek in the changeroom. Neither of them had the room. Fact. A new coach would make these boys motivated. They are a good bunch led by lousy leaders. Villy invited to the Prospects Game because of injury. He's earned it. Walton there because some NHL teams have him first round despite Wolves limiting his ice and frankly that of Villy's.

 

[jellybeans]

allowing 11 goals by two goalies combined to a19th or 20th place team indicates more than goalie problems

You cannot be successful on defense without a goalie.

 

[BuffaloSabres72]

Glad they are finally breaking up the 1st line. Dvorsky their worst forward the past few games. The players know. Ice time however guarantee in place. OHL reality.
Watch out. The 3 line will be good as it has been the last 10 games.

 

[WeThe North]

Glad they are finally breaking up the 1st line. Dvorsky their worst forward the past few games. The players know. Ice time however guarantee in place. OHL reality.
Watch out. The 3 line will be good as it has been the last 10 games.

You’re new here and lighting fires like you’re a unhappy guy in the room. Guys hated Dmack ? The guy who showed them how pros play ? The guy currently coaching in the NHL ?

 

[howlman]

Glad they are finally breaking up the 1st line. Dvorsky their worst forward the past few games. The players know. Ice time however guarantee in place. OHL reality.
Watch out. The 3 line will be good as it has been the last 10 games.

What are the new lines?

 

[djscooter]

I'm new here but have insight. Too a player the boy's all hated Derek MacKenzie and are glad he is gone. They wish now that Ken would stop referencing Derek in the changeroom. Neither of them had the room. Fact. A new coach would make these boys motivated. They are a good bunch led by lousy leaders. Villy invited to the Prospects Game because of injury. He's earned it. Walton there because some NHL teams have him first round despite Wolves limiting his ice and frankly that of Villy's.

He's there to develop the players and win games, not be their best friend.

Musty and Goyette played the best hockey they've ever played under him. He did his job.

 

[Voice from the North]

I'm new here but have insight. Too a player the boy's all hated Derek MacKenzie and are glad he is gone. They wish now that Ken would stop referencing Derek in the changeroom. Neither of them had the room. Fact. A new coach would make these boys motivated. They are a good bunch led by lousy leaders. Villy invited to the Prospects Game because of injury. He's earned it. Walton there because some NHL teams have him first round despite Wolves limiting his ice and frankly that of Villy's.

That’s quite the first post….and unfortunately an accurate one

 

[BuffaloSabres72]

What are the new lines?

Musty - Dvorsky - Konyen
Goyette - Giroux - Delic
McCallum - Villeneuve - Walton
Coughlan - Pharand - Yearwood

 

[BuffaloSabres72]

He's there to develop the players and win games, not be their best friend.

Musty and Goyette played the best hockey they've ever played under him. He did his job.

Sorry to disagree. You can't develop players unless the players respect you. The players haven't had any use for the coaching staff since Duncanson. That's been the issue. The coaches do not have the room.

 

[BuffaloSabres72]

You’re new here and lighting fires like you’re a unhappy guy in the room. Guys hated Dmack ? The guy who showed them how pros play ? The guy currently coaching in the NHL ?

I'm sorry to disagree. I wish I was wrong. Dmac was hated by the players. They did not want to play for him. They to a player are glad he is gone. He was arrogant and thought coaching in Sudbury was beneath him.
By the way, just because you're coaching in the NHL doesn't make you competent. There are lots of incompetent bosses. You might have one yourself.

 

[BuffaloSabres72]

I feel like we saw a difference between how the team played under Derek MacKenzie to Ken that showed how important coaching can be.

The team was on the verge of mutiny under Derek MacKenzie. His style was to belittle and insult players but the entire organisation.

 

[dirty12]

You cannot be successful on defense without a goalie.

That’s too easy to say without context.
The sv% of Vandenberg was 20 pts higher with the IceDogs than the wolves; perhaps the wolves don’t offer their goalies as much defensive support as the IceDogs do.

 

[billoink]

You’re new here and lighting fires like you’re a unhappy guy in the room. Guys hated Dmack ? The guy who showed them how pros play ? The guy currently coaching in the NHL ?

Ask Lando what his thoughts are on Derek

 

[djscooter]

Ask Lando what his thoughts are on Derek

Has he considered not slewfooting the opposing goalie in a playoff game?

Sorry to disagree. You can't develop players unless the players respect you. The players haven't had any use for the coaching staff since Duncanson. That's been the issue. The coaches do not have the room.

Honest question, do we think the players respect Ken MacKenzie? If they do, I'm concerned by their play even more.

 

[djscooter]

Abraham for Windsor dodges a suspension for his slewfoot, that was 100% a slewfoot. I don't understand this league sometimes...

 

[justawolfan]

I'm sorry to disagree. I wish I was wrong. Dmac was hated by the players. They did not want to play for him. They to a player are glad he is gone. He was arrogant and thought coaching in Sudbury was beneath him.
By the way, just because you're coaching in the NHL doesn't make you competent. There are lots of incompetent bosses. You might have one yourself.

I wondered why he took the job. He seemed very uninterested and didn't show any passion during his time here so your comments are believable in my opinion.