GDT: 10/7/17 - 7:00PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ Florida

[Stammertime91]

Saw someone mention Cooper went out partying with players and there were pictures of it.

When was this? I need to see this lol.

 

[Sky04]

PS- Not to mention that the whole thing turned around as soon as Stamkos and Callahan started traveling with the team last year.

Make no mistake. I'm not happy with this. But I ask myself "Hmm where have I seen this before" and I'm gonna see if my gut is right on this. If we don't turn it around then there's gonna be no choice but to fire Cooper

Your whole argument last season was the team was "missing leaders and leadership" and citing the absense of Stamkos/Callahan - I'm not quite sure but can you let me know if those 2 guys have dressed the last 2 games and if you saw a better team than last year?? Leadership and all.

 

[BrookswasHere44]

You should be fairly satisfied as long as Kunitz is on 4th line. Probably be rather frustrating overall for you guys but for your sake hopefully he saves something for the playoffs. Loved him im Pittsburgh except for the last few years when he's very frustrating and terrible mostly

 

[Steazy Doo]

Saw someone mention Cooper went out partying with players and there were pictures of it.

When was this? I need to see this lol.

There were pictures of Cooper at Palat's wedding and such, looked like they were having a good time. Maybe that's it.

 

[JoVel]

Saw someone mention Cooper went out partying with players and there were pictures of it.

When was this? I need to see this lol.

Someone photoshop a pic where Cooper is passed out with some players and send it to Yzerman.

 

[Bolt 45]

I'm gonna have to disagree with the general consensus on Kunitz... and I say this as someone who hated the signing, and despised him as a player. If we play him on the fourth line, he's an upgrade in terms of basic skill and hockey IQ, he will eventually chip in with fourth-line-acceptable offensive production, and he's still one of the better pests in the game. We've been a soft team for a while, and he ads something in that regard. It's not even about fighting or hitting either, it's about his mentality. Kunitz is an aggressor, he loves to stir things up and actively does so, whereas most everyone else on the team will hesitantly mix it up only in response to provocation. Brown and Paquette could actually learn a lot from him, even if I'd rather see Syracuse guys like Peca or Erne get their ice time.

 

[Stammertime91]

There were pictures of Cooper at Palat's wedding and such, looked like they were having a good time. Maybe that's it.

Lol really? He was having a nice time, oh no! I hope that's not it, I'm genuinely interested in seeing these partying with the boys type photos lol.

Someone photoshop a pic where Cooper is passed out with some players and send it to Yzerman.

Lmao that'd be great.

 

[These Are The Days]

I'm not gonna respond to like 5 people. I'm putting it all in one post

Like I said I'm giving it a few weeks. Matt made a great point. We're drama free, rested and healthy. If we don't win then Coop is done. Plain and simple. I had my reasons for defending Coop in the past and everyone knows what they were. We disagree but big deal. We agree unanimously that the time for excuses is over. The only reason I've defended the guy even now is that I wiped the slate clean with him. We're 1-1. We played a TERRIBLE game and a mediocre game. I'm not gonna pass judgment that quickly.

And believe me I will call for Cooper's head long before Yzerman acutally fires him if we keep playing like we did last night.

 

[MattM92]

I'm gonna have to disagree with the general consensus on Kunitz... and I say this as someone who hated the signing, and despised him as a player. If we play him on the fourth line, he's an upgrade in terms of basic skill and hockey IQ, he will eventually chip in with fourth-line-acceptable offensive production, and he's still one of the better pests in the game. We've been a soft team for a while, and he ads something in that regard. It's not even about fighting or hitting either, it's about his mentality. Kunitz is an aggressor, he loves to stir things up and actively does so, whereas most everyone else on the team will hesitantly mix it up only in response to provocation. Brown and Paquette could actually learn a lot from him, even if I'd rather see Syracuse guys like Peca or Erne get their ice time.

I actually agree. He's had a pretty small role so far, but I could see him chipping in a bit of offense. And his main role here is to provide some toughness and leadership in that bottom 6. He brings an element we were missing down there.

 

[Shoresy Snipes]

So, any real predictions on next game? (other than the sky is falling)

Hopefully, when they know they're playing a better team, they show up more prepared. Although that Panthers first line is impressive and I think they'll put up big numbers this season.

Think we'll try 11-7 next?

Maybe add in KK next game, and of course, eat the $ loss and waive Brown and Sustr now. Not worth the time trying to trade the bag of pucks for them.

Only the first week, still gotta let the nerves settle a bit, gotta face some adversity to gel the team together. Still lots of fun hockey to watch ahead.

 

[Sky04]

So, any real predictions on next game? (other than the sky is falling)

Hopefully, when they know they're playing a better team, they show up more prepared. Although that Panthers first line is impressive and I think they'll put up big numbers this season.

Think we'll try 11-7 next?

Maybe add in KK next game, and of course, eat the $ loss and waive Brown and Sustr now. Not worth the time trying to trade the bag of pucks for them.

Only the first week, still gotta let the nerves settle a bit, gotta face some adversity to gel the team together. Still lots of fun hockey to watch ahead.

These are real predictions - they'll play like trash and scrape out a win based on talent or get dominated in our zone and Vasi either plays like a god or gives up 3-4 goals. Even a win doesn't feel like a win at this point because you know it's just masking underlying problems. If we see 20+ games of structured hockey win or lose then I'd be happy to change my opinion. Seems reasonable to me but of course people just call that "hating".

 

[Todd1a]

Saw someone mention Cooper went out partying with players and there were pictures of it.

When was this? I need to see this lol.

I tend not to believe this I wish we did

 

[Todd1a]

So, any real predictions on next game? (other than the sky is falling)

Hopefully, when they know they're playing a better team, they show up more prepared. Although that Panthers first line is impressive and I think they'll put up big numbers this season.

Think we'll try 11-7 next?

Maybe add in KK next game, and of course, eat the $ loss and waive Brown and Sustr now. Not worth the time trying to trade the bag of pucks for them.

Only the first week, still gotta let the nerves settle a bit, gotta face some adversity to gel the team together. Still lots of fun hockey to watch ahead.

Yep we play all defense and no offense and lose 1-0

 

[Shoresy Snipes]

Yep we play all defense and no offense and lose 1-0

Yeah, but Ovi has to get his 3rd hatter in a row. So, I guess that means 3-0.

 

[Hoek]

Kunitz has been wholey ineffective thus far, invisible first game and blew an easy coverage on the 3rd or 4th goal ( we can probably expect more of this considering he's not exactly a two-way player). I'm still scratching my head over this signing - guy scored 29 points with Malkin as a primary linemate and PP time, how is he going to produce this year? and what does he bring when he doesnt? Peca would be a signigicant upgrade.

Maybe he can bring that "veteran leadership" to make the rest of the team play better.

 

[DFC]

Bishop WAS our breakout and we stuck with it because it worked. How many times did we say "They just cannot play in front of Vasy" if there's fault to be had it's that this was not corrected over the years. It'll take time now but like I said it's possible we're just a slow starting team. A coach who is lousy as lousy as we make Cooper out to be does not take his team out of the Eastern Conference cellar twice in consecutive seasons -much less with an AHL caliber offense and our new #2 defenseman being Jake freaking Dotchin

The fact that Bishop was such a big part of our breakout is not a strong reason for confidence in Cooper.

Bad teams can have good breakouts. Us never really having a strong one outside of TKO is pretty freaking absurd.

Just as absurd as three years spent using a PP zone entry that failed and failed and failed.

You're right about one thing. He "changes nothing." Which is not a good sign.

 

[DFC]

Of course he doesn't make the system. But he can work on the defense's stretch passes can't he?

The breakout is 5-man coordination. We thought we had that in our first year or two under Coop, but we really don't. They have to regroup in order to set up. And then we just march into layers of defenders.

But if your best defense of Cooper is "sometimes we go on winning streaks," then I just question your ability to apply logic. We've all been wrong about things, but you're not even giving evidence for anything about Cooper's system that works. The fact that we even NEED to go on the occasional winning streak is a much bigger negative than the streak itself is a positive.

If he can't motivate guys, find somebody who'll crack the whip.

 

[Bolt 45]

The breakout thing is the most damning, because it's so obvious. I mean, it isn't working, and nothing is being done about it. Watch tape of another team and steal another coach's playbook if you have to Coop, but do something.

 

[Bolt 45]

As far as Bishop, he could single-handedly spring the breakout with his passes, but his puckhandling behind the net also negated any sort of aggressive forecheck, which spared us from the humiliation of getting hemmed into our own zone for minutes on end. I'm sort of shocked at just how night-and-day the difference has been, and I'd have never predicted us struggling with it to the degree that we have.

 

[DFC]

As far as Bishop, he could single-handedly spring the breakout with his passes, but his puckhandling behind the net also negated any sort of aggressive forecheck, which spared us from the humiliation of getting hemmed into our own zone for minutes on end. I'm sort of shocked at just how night-and-day the difference has been, and I'd have never predicted us struggling with it to the degree that we have.

I thought we'd struggle, because we struggled in front of every non-Bishop goalie, but I'd hoped we would start to sort it out.

As much as Vasy has saved us, he's still a young goalie, and comes with a lot of the same flaws as other young goalies. He's not a General back there the way Bishop was. It felt like Bishop was controlling the D from the crease most of the time. It appears we really, really needed that. I think that's a big red flag for the system.

Our saving grace appears to still be the PP, even if it might not be as downright lethal as last year.

 

[Bolt 45]

I thought we'd struggle, because we struggled in front of every non-Bishop goalie, but I'd hoped we would start to sort it out.

As much as Vasy has saved us, he's still a young goalie, and comes with a lot of the same flaws as other young goalies. He's not a General back there the way Bishop was. It felt like Bishop was controlling the D from the crease most of the time. It appears we really, really needed that. I think that's a big red flag for the system.

Our saving grace appears to still be the PP, even if it might not be as downright lethal as last year.

Those damn intangibles. The General Bishop thing is, unfortunately, probably still a few years away for Vasy, and even then it's probably a personality trait to a certain extent. We'll see, I guess. The silver lining from last night is that, before the damn broke, Vasy had only let in two goals on over forty shots. If he's facing forty shots (midway through the third, at that) on a nightly basis, there will undoubtedly be some organizational changes. I mean, I can't imagine that being the new norm league-wide.

The PP's a definite strength, and I'd imagine Sergachev will work his way into the rotation more regularly as the season wears on. Seeing as how we're healthy we should be fine as far as scoring goes, and, if nothing else, 5-4 losses have more entertainment value than 2-0 losses.

 

[Todd1a]

The breakout is 5-man coordination. We thought we had that in our first year or two under Coop, but we really don't. They have to regroup in order to set up. And then we just march into layers of defenders.

But if your best defense of Cooper is "sometimes we go on winning streaks," then I just question your ability to apply logic. We've all been wrong about things, but you're not even giving evidence for anything about Cooper's system that works. The fact that we even NEED to go on the occasional winning streak is a much bigger negative than the streak itself is a positive.

If he can't motivate guys, find somebody who'll crack the whip.

Darryl sutter would crack the whip

 

[Werewolf]

Lotta people hitting the panic mode early. Looks like the Lightning HF Boards are in mid-season form already.

 

[DFC]

Darryl sutter would crack the whip

I'm not sure how Sutter would do without an army of 230 lbs monsters to work with. He's the king of big, slow hockey.

 

[Sky04]

Lotta people hitting the panic mode early. Looks like the Lightning HF Boards are in mid-season form already.

Weren't you saying this all the way until we missed the playoffs?

Don't worry we'll gettem next season!