GDT: 12/30/15 - 8:00PM EDT - New York Rangers VS Tampa Bay

[TheDaysOf 04]

Yzerman needs to sell off stuff now this year is a loss load up on picks.

Not going to happen with us 3 points out of a playoff spot and 40+ games to go. But a change does need to be made to get us going again.

 

[Stammertime91]

Stamkos does nothing. Literally. I'm tired of people defending him just because he has the most goals and points. He wants the kings ransom, more than likely, and doesn't even deserve a raise. He is utter garbage out there all night. End of. He has has one decent shift and people stroke him.

Johnson and Drouin still aren't 100% which means we still haven't learned that rushing them back risks them getting injured again. Hedman played like ass tonight. Horrific. There isn't one person out there giving it his all bar Kucherov. He's alone. Names and a couple others try but it's flashes. There's no instinct, they take 2 extra seconds to make the most predictable play in history, lose it, and half ass on the backcheck. This is frustrsting and straight up embarassing. Anything less than the cup is a failure. We aren't getting it. The Caps just came back and beat the Sabres. They come back every night, we can't even get shots.


Boyle leaving this team would be a late Christmas gift. Biggest guy plays the smallest game. He's great at faceoffs, oh wow, so are others. Fact is, he's a clumsy player that comes up in 1/7 and gets redeemed for coasting the other 6/7.

 

[dechire]

Stop with this. If he suck, he sucks. He said he's 100% so no excuses for him. Nobody else gets excuses.

This whole team, top to bottom is fundamentally flawed.

And yet you hella defend Stamkos who has sucked all season without any injuries

 

[Glide5]

This team's reminding me so much of 2011 its scary. They look way lazier than that team (That team lacked the talent this team has) but they are always going to be just one play away from winning every game, but they will never get that play due to how lazy they play.

This roster needs some turnover. Not blow the team up, but something's need to change. Send Carle to the minors, he's just too much of a detriment on the ice. We really need to start looking to trade Stamkos and soon. I was holding out that he was important to this team, but he just isn't. Nights like tonight are games a 12 million dollar man can't have, and he's consistently had them.

I think people have said it here already, the team lacks leadership, lacks drive, and look like they have written this year off already. If they want to write it off, then as a fan, I'll be happy to write it off as well.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

And yet you hella defend Stamkos who has sucked all season without any injuries

He sucks too. It is what it is.

What I've said that as much as Stamkos sucks ass he puts the puck in the net more than anyone else we have. And what does that say about the team? A forward playing like dog **** has more goals and points than any other forward.

That's my point. Big issue there.

 

[Glide5]

I actually have the option to go to any home game in some pretty killer seats, and I am opting not to go many more times than not. So whats the problem here with the team? coaching? leadership? injuries?

All of the above. Team is just lazy right now. They give up a goal, then they quit. No one there to give them a quick kick to the ass. Cooper isn't doing a great job as a coach right now, as is none of the coaching staff. The teams just messy, and is only going to look worse this year. I don't see us getting better, unless if Palat comes back and goes on a tear.

 

[ltpato]

I wanna see Tampa Bay get a good roster makeover to be like the Panthers, Stars or Kings.

Big, fast intimidating teams who play a great two-way hockey!

Please ?

 

[Brie]

Maybe they need to figure out why and do something about it because anyone can talk but actions speak louder than words.

 

[Stammertime91]

I wanna see Tampa Bay get a good roster makeover to be like the Panthers, Stars or Kings.

Big, fast intimidating teams who play a great two-way hockey!

Please ?

Same. I've always been a fan of bigger players. Not saying what we have is too small or its a handicap but mixing in a couple gritty players around 6'2"-6'4" would be ideal. That'd mean people need to leave. Filppula, Killorn and Stamkos are 3 forwards I have no attachment to as of right now. I despise their game. It's perimeter hockey. Killorn gets in the dirty areas at times and just FALLS DOWN ON HIS OWN!!! Flip I don't think has done much all year, disappointing. Stamkos needs to figure his game out, get back into hockey in another city, I'm tired of seeing 91 turn the puck over or just fall down.

If we had Berglund/Backes and Burns, situation is solved. Obviously not simple, but players like those 3 os what this team lacks. I'd how bad Backes is at times, he is an upgrade over every center we have except Johnson.

 

[Stammertime91]

Maybe they need to figure out why and do something about it because anyone can talk but actions speak louder than words.

Words of wisdom.

I guess "we need to be better" didn't come out of the 8 ball of excuses tonight.

 

[Steazy Doo]

Oh yes, I wish we were more like the Panthers.

 

[FinnLightning26]

All of the above. Team is just lazy right now. They give up a goal, then they quit. No one there to give them a quick kick to the ass. Cooper isn't doing a great job as a coach right now, as is none of the coaching staff. The teams just messy, and is only going to look worse this year. I don't see us getting better, unless if Palat comes back and goes on a tear.

We would've gotten better already if we were going to do that this season. This is the team we have this season and this team ****ing sucks.

Yeah yeah, we're "only" three points out of a playoff spot but haven't we been about there for the past month? It's not easy to make up ground during the second half of the season. Imagine the Leafs win their two games in hand and they're one point away from us. Toronto Maple Leafs, a rebuilding team, would be one point off from basically the same team that went to the Finals last year. That is just mindboggling and ****ing embarrasing.

We would need to go on a big run to really solidify our chance at the playoffs and I'm talking about 6, 7 or 8 game win streak. Have you seen that potential in this team this year? I sure as hell haven't.

 

[Steazy Doo]

We played better with Blunden and Angelidis, get them back up here and scratch Johnson and Drouin until they are actually better.

 

[FinnLightning26]

Maybe they need to figure out why and do something about it because anyone can talk but actions speak louder than words.

Oh, you really mean that Steven? What a revelation. It took you 38 games to figure that one out?

 

[ltpato]

Same. I've always been a fan of bigger players. Not saying what we have is too small or its a handicap but mixing in a couple gritty players around 6'2"-6'4" would be ideal. That'd mean people need to leave. Filppula, Killorn and Stamkos are 3 forwards I have no attachment to as of right now. I despise their game. It's perimeter hockey. Killorn gets in the dirty areas at times and just FALLS DOWN ON HIS OWN!!! Flip I don't think has done much all year, disappointing. Stamkos needs to figure his game out, get back into hockey in another city, I'm tired of seeing 91 turn the puck over or just fall down.

If we had Berglund/Backes and Burns, situation is solved. Obviously not simple, but players like those 3 os what this team lacks. I'd how bad Backes is at times, he is an upgrade over every center we have except Johnson.

We should try and go after players like Dwight King, Matt Dumba, Wheeler and the likes, basically punishing players!

 

[Brie]

These once are even better.

I want to see those changes out on the ice, not just being told about them.

 

[Brie]

We would've gotten better already if we were going to do that this season. This is the team we have this season and this team ****ing sucks.

Yeah yeah, we're "only" three points out of a playoff spot but haven't we been about there for the past month? It's not easy to make up ground during the second half of the season. Imagine the Leafs win their two games in hand and they're one point away from us. Toronto Maple Leafs, a rebuilding team, would be one point off from basically the same team that went to the Finals last year. That is just mindboggling and ****ing embarrasing.

We would need to go on a big run to really solidify our chance at the playoffs and I'm talking about 6, 7 or 8 game win streak. Have you seen that potential in this team this year? I sure as hell haven't.

I haven't either, it's actually one thing that you notice more than anything is that the all to few times where they have a good game, instead of building on it they fall back and play terrible the next.

 

[dechire]

This one is even better.

Pretty sure we've been saying that since like game 10

 

[Sky04]

Just because Johnson and Drouin are playing like **** doesn't mean they're still injured.... it's called catching up to game speed, how long have they been out?

You expect them to be in mid-season form after missing this many games?

 

[wxkid23]

Pretty sure we've been saying that since like game 10

He's like a recording machine

 

[wxkid23]

I see two players on the ice tonight... Kuch and JAM .... possibly 90 here and there

I see three players I'm really getting pissed off about the last several games... Callahan (too much $ invested for this bs play.. I like the guy but gotta be better), 91, Hedman

I see a bunch of other guys going through the motions

 

[FinnLightning26]

These once are even better.

I want to see those changes out on the ice, not just being told about them.

 

[wxkid23]

Ship him out. I hope he accepts a trade. I'm repeating what I have said before... the best chance to make the playoffs is with him off the team

 

[Sky04]

Stop with this. If he suck, he sucks. He said he's 100% so no excuses for him. Nobody else gets excuses.

This whole team, top to bottom is fundamentally flawed.

Agreed.

It was already clear in October that Johnson didn't do too much off-season training, yeah yeah he had the wrist thing but he was noticeably slower and much sloppier this year. The injury threw him further off track, don't expect Johnson to have a great year at all.

Love Johnson but he's been playing like crap this season.

 

[Kramerica Industries]

Has Macho Man been seen at all recently? Even if he has been, I'm going to refer to this piece I wrote back in May:

Ultimately, and I'm being honest and measured now, I'm just sour on the whole Jon Cooper thing by now. I'll preface by saying that I know he won't be fired under any circumstance; maybe he shouldn't be, and maybe a better coach for this franchise doesn't currently exist out there, and I'm a reasonable enough person to understand that and not be a blowhard in the face of it.

However, this is now three playoff series' in the NHL that has been a head coach in. This is his second time facing the same team and the same coaching staff, against Montreal. What have I seen in his time behind the bench in playoff situations:

2014 vs. Montreal: Therrien and his staff coached circles around him

ok, fine, first go-around, green team, significant injuries. What-effin'-ever

2015 vs. Detroit: Babcock and his staff coached circles around him

umm...I guess Babcock outdoes most coaching staffs in the league? Flimsy but I'll go with it for the purposes of playing along

2015 vs. Montreal: Therrien and his staff are coaching circles around him

What the hell is the excuse this time? Therrien is dragged through mud across this website, and for good reason, and yet, in Cooper's second time going head-to-head with that much maligned coaching staff, he's once again being completely outdone. If this is the case, then, win or lose this series, it gives me little hope about being able to adjust tactically to future Habs teams coached by Therrien (if there are any), and it also gives me little hope in general because he's been outdone by other coaches as well and if he can't adjust to Therrien's tactics, then who's tactics *can* he adjust to?

I've *****-footed on this issue, sure, but if it sounds like I'm saying that Cooper is the problem, then I guess I'm saying Cooper is the problem. I can't apologize for what my eyes are telling me and what my brain considers to be problematic from both a short-term and long-term perspective. Some head coaches don't match up as well as others in a playoff setting where you can tailor an approach for one specific team in mind. It certainly can't be a personnel issue when Tampa Bay can boss the play in five regular season games, and then Montreal bosses the play in the first five postseason games. The personnel is the same. This smacks of a coaching issue to me, and if this is a persistent issue for this franchise, which at this point it's really starting to look like to me, then that really lowers the ceiling we all have for this core considerably, because these issues won't just go away if you snap your fingers and wish it to go away.

One other point of contention - I'm not calling anyone specifically out here, but in general I do see the notion of "our window not being *really* open yet". Well, ****, was our window supposed to be open in 2004? A team that had only made the playoffs the previous year, in a league that still had virtual all-star teams comprising regular season rosters? Or, if that's a bit too close to home, what about the Crosby/Malkin Penguins, a team that only came together in 2006-'07, and made it to the Cup Final in the following two seasons afterwards? Were we expecting the Penguins window to open up when Sid was only 20-21 and Geno a year or so older than that? More importantly, were we supposed to expect that those two would have won their only Cup in now nearly ten seasons in the league when they were both still under 23 years of age? Windows open unexpectedly. They also close unexpectedly. Furthermore - it's not like a reasonable expectation going into any given season is "win the Cup or bust". The best you can reasonably ask for is a strong contention for the Cup. To me, it would appear that the window for this team opened earlier than expected. EMBRACE THAT. It should mean even more hopeful things. To me, taking the gravy approach is just expecting the worst and hoping to be surprised, and, frankly, that smacks me as a losers mentality. It certainly isn't the road that leads to the most reward. There's also every opportunity that the window for this core will slam shut faster than expected, and then what?

Surely, however, if we are going to take such an approach that I just admonished, then I only request one thing - if we aren't in it "to win it", per se', then please, g-d, get Brenden Morrow the hell off my TV screen during these games, because he sure as hell won't be around if or when this Lightning team does ascend to the next step. His whole "thing" is his veteran experience. Well, ****, how the hell is Jonathan Drouin ever going to get his veteran experience if Brenden Morrow is still around, hogging it, while he takes his nightly penalty and flubs a golden scoring chance in a low scoring game?

I'm just about done with Coop. I get the injuries, yes, but this team, well, more specifically, this roster sitting where they are at the end of the 2015 portion of the schedule, and that they haven't played particularly good hockey now over a stretch of over 60 games, frankly...I was never his biggest fan at the NHL level to begin with; my concerns with him began in earnest when the maligned-Therrien out-coached the living hell out of him in April 2014 and only grew worse the next Spring, but I'm just not sure this is working at all at this point.

The issue is - who do you replace him with? I get that. It's easier said than done. But I also don't believe that sticking with the known poison because the alternative might be even more lethal is all that helpful when the known poison is part of what is already killing you, you know?