GDT: 11/16/15 - 7:30PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ Florida

[EXTRAS]

Does Taormina have any chance of sticking in the NHL?

 

[DFC]

Completely agree with you (for once), play around our offense, not try to cover our defensive woes so hard that we nullify the offense. This team doesn't have the defensive talent to play best of both worlds.

Cooper has got his wish, the offense is sucked dry right now but at least our GAA is low.

Yeah, this is something that's becoming more and more clear. We really are sacrificing offense for defense. But we've got defense to spare at the moment.

I'm not saying we go all run and gun, or back to the days of MSL and Stamkos blowing the zone for a rush up the ice, because we weren't piling up wins in those days either. But we have to let some of our offensive weapons off the leash just a little bit. The only ones (one) who are dangerous are the ones (....Kucherov) who can stickhandle through traffic.

How many times have we seen comments that our team is "boring" this year? What that's really pointing to is how rare the moments of "end-to-end" hockey are. We saw those last year, and we have an advantage in them. For whatever reason, it's been completely cut out of our gameplan.

 

[c_robio]

Stamkos and Johnson are both dangerous off the rush so i'm not sure why their lines aren't built this way. Have the Filppula and Boyle lines do the chip and chase cycling

x-Stamkos-x
x-Johnson-x

Guys that can make plays are Palat,Kucherov,Drouin,Killorn

Namestnikov not so much but I'd argue that he'd fit next to Johnson and Kucherov as a goal scorer, if you wanna free up Palat to play with Stamkos. Then you'd have KFC back together who I thought were quite good last night. They are actually able to hem teams in their end

I don't like Namestnikov much with Stamkos because I want him shooting as a winger, not passing. Same as Stamkos. Especially when Callahan is the RW. Who is gonna pass if those 3 are together ?

It wasn't bad with Kucherov as the RW but he'll be back with Johnson

 

[DFC]

Stamkos and Johnson are both dangerous off the rush so i'm not sure why their lines aren't built this way. Have the Filppula and Boyle lines do the chip and chase cycling

x-Stamkos-x
x-Johnson-x

Guys that can make plays are Palat,Kucherov,Drouin,Killorn

Namestnikov not so much but I'd argue that he'd fit next to Johnson and Kucherov as a goal scorer, if you wanna free up Palat to play with Stamkos. Then you'd have KFC back together who I thought were quite good last night. They are actually able to hem teams in their end

I don't like Namestnikov much with Stamkos because I want him shooting as a winger, not passing. Same as Stamkos. Especially when Callahan is the RW. Who is gonna pass if those 3 are together ?

It wasn't bad with Kucherov as the RW but he'll be back with Johnson

Namestnikov has tunnel vision so he's not a great winger for Stamkos. Neither is Callahan.

I would go with Stamkos-Kucherov as 1A and Palat-Johnson as 1B, with Drouin on either/or.

But nothing's going to matter if we don't get guys up the ice a little quicker. Even TKO developed a lot of rushes before setting up the cycle. If you have a few odd-man rushes with 86-91, you can count on some of them finding the back of the net.

You don't lose four 1-0 games, with a roster full of 20+ goal men, if there's not a problem with the system.

 

[c_robio]

Namestnikov has tunnel vision so he's not a great winger for Stamkos. Neither is Callahan.

Agree, He should be playing with guys that have the vision to find him

But nothing's going to matter if we don't get guys up the ice a little quicker. Even TKO developed a lot of rushes before setting up the cycle. If you have a few odd-man rushes with 86-91, you can count on some of them finding the back of the net.

Yes, they were always creating off the rush and then cycling after. It's a lot easier to recover a missed shot attempt than a dump and chase.

As a lefty, Kucherov was leaving some drop passes for Stamkos, and Drouin was doing this last year I remember as well when he played RW

 

[Hoek]

We're stuck playing in playoffs mode when we need to switch back to regular season mode. Kind of reminds me of the Kings last year where they just kept grinding around and losing.

 

[Brie]

I might have been the only one but I thought last night was one of Fil's better games and the KFC line wasn't bad at all (even if Killorn had one of his less good game he still wasn't horrible) so I wouldn't mind once we get everyone back if we could go with a lineup like:

Drouin - Stamkos - Kucherov
Palat - Johnson - ? (maybe Vladdy could be tried here)
Killorn - Filppula - Callahan
Brown - Boyle - Condra

I feel that way we could get four lines where everyone is put in good posistions to succeed, like we could put out the 3rd and 4th line against the other teams top line when we have the last change and we could get some offense from the bottom-6 if other teams put out their top lines + 'd' against ours, of course this would require Cooper to give these lines a full chance (and that we stay healthy). Who knows, maybe I'm just starting to feel frustrated.

 

[c_robio]

I might have been the only one but I thought last night was one of Fil's better games and the KFC line wasn't bad at all (even if Killorn had one of his less good game he still wasn't horrible) so I wouldn't mind once we get everyone back if we could go with a lineup like:

Drouin - Stamkos - Kucherov
Palat - Johnson - ? (maybe Vladdy could be tried here)
Killorn - Filppula - Callahan
Brown - Boyle - Condra

I feel that way we could get four lines where everyone is put in good posistions to succeed, like we could put out the 3rd and 4th line against the other teams top line when we have the last change and we could get some offense from the bottom-6 if other teams put out their top lines + 'd' against ours, of course this would require Cooper to give these lines a full chance (and that we stay healthy). Who knows, maybe I'm just starting to feel frustrated.

Another good option, though i don't recall Namestnikov playing any RW. He'd have a better shooting angle though so it's another line i'd like to see tried

 

[DFC]

I might have been the only one but I thought last night was one of Fil's better games and the KFC line wasn't bad at all (even if Killorn had one of his less good game he still wasn't horrible) so I wouldn't mind once we get everyone back if we could go with a lineup like:

Drouin - Stamkos - Kucherov
Palat - Johnson - ? (maybe Vladdy could be tried here)
Killorn - Filppula - Callahan
Brown - Boyle - Condra

I feel that way we could get four lines where everyone is put in good posistions to succeed, like we could put out the 3rd and 4th line against the other teams top line when we have the last change and we could get some offense from the bottom-6 if other teams put out their top lines + 'd' against ours, of course this would require Cooper to give these lines a full chance (and that we stay healthy). Who knows, maybe I'm just starting to feel frustrated.

I know there's concern about size for that top line, but I think it would be pretty lethal if given time to develop chemistry.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

At its point it's not the line combos, it's the gameplan/system.

Simple as that.

Bish/Vasi, Hedman, Stralman, Coburn and Garrison are good enough to win us 4-3 games.

This one goal a game **** sucks. And the worst possible thing would be for the Bolts to lose interest from the rejuvenated fan base.

You better believe that ownership is worried about this team falling off a cliff and as a result f'ing up all these new season ticket sales and general fan interest.

 

[DFC]

At its point it's not the line combos, it's the gameplan/system.

Simple as that.

Bish/Vasi, Hedman, Stralman, Coburn and Garrison are good enough to win us 4-3 games.

This one goal a game **** sucks. And the worst possible thing would be for the Bolts to lose interest from the rejuvenated fan base.

You better believe that ownership is worried about this team falling off a cliff and as a result f'ing up all these new season ticket sales and general fan interest.

I agree. I don't think the answer is to go full run-and-gun mode, but we're not playing to our own strengths right now. Even when we create turnovers, and we do that a lot, we're not turning them into odd-man rushes. Pretty much ever. That's a huge red flag, IMO.

 

[The Macho King]

I agree. I don't think the answer is to go full run-and-gun mode, but we're not playing to our own strengths right now. Even when we create turnovers, and we do that a lot, we're not turning them into odd-man rushes. Pretty much ever. That's a huge red flag, IMO.

Because the person that gets the turnover always turns back into the zone to set up an organized "rush".

 

[DFC]

Because the person that gets the turnover always turns back into the zone to set up an organized "rush".

Exactly. I think (and even though I have obviously strong opinions, I don't claim to be any kind of expert on this) what we're seeing right now is two things. First, yeah, we're regrouping as soon as we create the turnover rather than jumping on the moment of weakness. But the second is we CAN'T jump on it because everyone's so much in a position to defend that we never have anybody up ice.

Remember how last year, even when we weren't getting a lot of breakaways etc, you would see the occasional play where, say, Kucherov had snuck behind the defense and we "just missed" on a lead pass to him. Or the pass was intercepted at the red line. How often do we see plays like that right now?

What I think is happening is we're playing so, so, so safe in the D zone that by the time somebody makes the decision to fly up ice, the other team is ready and waiting. We're waiting until we're sure we have 100% control of the puck rather than anticipating the play.

I mean, I get that teams have made some adjustments to deal with our speed. But the fact that we NEVER catch a team off guard anymore is a little bit troubling. Because it used to happen a few times per game.

And hey, if we could still score goals while playing this pristine defense, then, yeah, by all means that's the way we should go about it. But the jury's pretty much in on that.

 

[Todd1a]

At its point it's not the line combos, it's the gameplan/system.

Simple as that.

Bish/Vasi, Hedman, Stralman, Coburn and Garrison are good enough to win us 4-3 games.

This one goal a game **** sucks. And the worst possible thing would be for the Bolts to lose interest from the rejuvenated fan base.

You better believe that ownership is worried about this team falling off a cliff and as a result f'ing up all these new season ticket sales and general fan interest.

The future is pretty well set fans can see that yzerman just needs to tweak things this offseason.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Shooting percentages are crazy low so far this season. The question is where to draw the line. Right now I'm still willing to think it's gonna even out eventually.

Kucherov is shooting at 8.9% (last season: 15.2%)
Palat was shooting at 6.9% (11.5%)
Filppula is shooting at 6.3% (13.2%)
Johnson is shooting at 6.3% (14.3%)
Killorn is shooting at 6.3% (11.5%)
Hedman is shooting at 2.6% (8.7%)

Stamkos is pretty much on par with his recent averages at 17.0% (LY: 16.0%). Callahan too (11.4%, LY: 12.6%).

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Shooting percentages are crazy low so far this season. The question is where to draw the line. Right now I'm still willing to think it's gonna even out eventually.

Kucherov is shooting at 8.9% (last season: 15.2%)
Palat was shooting at 6.9% (11.5%)
Filppula is shooting at 6.3% (13.2%)
Johnson is shooting at 6.3% (14.3%)
Killorn is shooting at 6.3% (11.5%)
Hedman is shooting at 2.6% (8.7%)

Stamkos is pretty much on par with his recent averages at 17.0% (LY: 16.0%). Callahan too (11.4%, LY: 12.6%).

That's because none of the shots are high quality.

 

[Sky04]

That's because none of the shots are high quality.

Except for Johnson who was ringing everything off the post, everyone has been taking perimeter shots, and trying to create rebounds but nobody to clean up in front of the net.

 

[Coopers Gum]

Exactly. I think (and even though I have obviously strong opinions, I don't claim to be any kind of expert on this) what we're seeing right now is two things. First, yeah, we're regrouping as soon as we create the turnover rather than jumping on the moment of weakness. But the second is we CAN'T jump on it because everyone's so much in a position to defend that we never have anybody up ice.

Remember how last year, even when we weren't getting a lot of breakaways etc, you would see the occasional play where, say, Kucherov had snuck behind the defense and we "just missed" on a lead pass to him. Or the pass was intercepted at the red line. How often do we see plays like that right now?

What I think is happening is we're playing so, so, so safe in the D zone that by the time somebody makes the decision to fly up ice, the other team is ready and waiting. We're waiting until we're sure we have 100% control of the puck rather than anticipating the play.

I mean, I get that teams have made some adjustments to deal with our speed. But the fact that we NEVER catch a team off guard anymore is a little bit troubling. Because it used to happen a few times per game.

And hey, if we could still score goals while playing this pristine defense, then, yeah, by all means that's the way we should go about it. But the jury's pretty much in on that.

You nailed it. Right here, folks.

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

Exactly. I think (and even though I have obviously strong opinions, I don't claim to be any kind of expert on this) what we're seeing right now is two things. First, yeah, we're regrouping as soon as we create the turnover rather than jumping on the moment of weakness. But the second is we CAN'T jump on it because everyone's so much in a position to defend that we never have anybody up ice.

Remember how last year, even when we weren't getting a lot of breakaways etc, you would see the occasional play where, say, Kucherov had snuck behind the defense and we "just missed" on a lead pass to him. Or the pass was intercepted at the red line. How often do we see plays like that right now?

What I think is happening is we're playing so, so, so safe in the D zone that by the time somebody makes the decision to fly up ice, the other team is ready and waiting. We're waiting until we're sure we have 100% control of the puck rather than anticipating the play.

I mean, I get that teams have made some adjustments to deal with our speed. But the fact that we NEVER catch a team off guard anymore is a little bit troubling. Because it used to happen a few times per game.

And hey, if we could still score goals while playing this pristine defense, then, yeah, by all means that's the way we should go about it. But the jury's pretty much in on that.

so you are saying that because we are playing too Safe that is what Is causing our Death?

 

[wxkid23]

That's because none of the shots are high quality.

This

 

[Todd1a]

When are the players going to have a players only meeting? I think this team needs to go back to a run and gun offense. Right now are we too concerned about defense ?

 

[Todd1a]

Does Taormina have any chance of sticking in the NHL?

No nope

 

[Todd1a]

I thinks this ducks pp coach needs to be canned today

 

[wxkid23]

When are the players going to have a players only meeting? I think this team needs to go back to a run and gun offense. Right now are we too concerned about defense ?

You really trust this captain to have any sort of meeting that will help things? Sorry. I'm just really down and irritated with 91

 

[wxkid23]

I thinks this ducks pp coach needs to be canned today

He needed to never show up