Tippett isn't looking for a guys points, he has straight up said that. He wants his guys to play a certain way and be trustworthy. Strome and Tippett would of been great together.
Player Discussion Andreas Athanasiou
- Thread starter Bryanbryoil
- Start date
I give Tippett full marks for the PK improvement and some what better defensive play (thought that is still a tire fire at times), but offensively, I don't think he's really changed that much.
McDavid and Draisaitl were plainly and blatantly basically ignoring all structure all the way through December because they didn't trust any of the other lines to score, so Tippett was basically forced to finally try RNH + Draisaitl together and then got a bit lucky with Yamamoto coming out of nowhere.
But likely this team doesn't try RNH + Draisaitl until they were basically forced to do it.
He is supposed to break his bad habits and relearn how to play on BOTH sides of the puck before we throw him to the wolves against the leagues best.
If Tippett was shitting on his production while he is in the bottom 6 than sure. But he isn't. He is putting him there to give him a chance to change his game, gain confidence before throwing him to the wolves
Strome would be scoring at the putrid rate here if Tippett decided to lock him on the 3rd line forever.
There is a serious problem with Oiler coaching in that they have two nuclear weapons in McDavid and Draisaitl and they've been quite frankly very irresponsible in player usage for both.
Zack Kassian was on the fast track to being traded just like Strome here the only difference is finally got to play with McDavid as a "what the heck, lets try it" gesture and now he has a contract extension because of it.
They never tried RNH + Draisaitl for like 4 freaking years and they never would have until McDavid and Draisaitl basically just stopped listening to any offensive game plan to free lance and the coach finally had no choice because his +/- was getting into a ridiculous territory.
I notice AA is trying well enough on the defensive end, that hasn't been the issue. I see more of a player that is very tense and timid offensively because he doesn't want to make a mistake. We need to work with him to get over that.
Jesus Take the Wheel
Registered User
It is not about scoring. In all honestly I would rather see AA forecheck hard and put in the effort without producing a point for the rest of the season than if he produced a bunch of points while floating around the ice
You do realize that Tippett hasn't been here for 4 freaking years right? He was getting to know the team and players from scratch. Nuge has been a center for almost his entire career.
He ran Draisaitl and McDavid together because he wanted to win games while learning the players. So your point is that Tippett is dumb for not trying it sooner is pretty ridiculous.
And even if Strome was scoring at a putrid rate he would still be an extremely effective 3c like he was before he got traded. The season he got traded he was on the ice for what, 3 goals in 18 games while playing with Khaira and Puljujarvi? Players don't need to score to be effective. Holland and Tippett would of loved Strome, scoring or not so again your point is ridiculous.
The only player that forechecks hard consistently on the Oilers is Yamamoto, lets be f***ing real.
They are not a forecheck team. They are a team that scores a lot off the rush. Kassian doesn't do much on the forecheck, but we've found a way to get a lot more production out of him. Magically (wouldn't you know it) it basically just meant stapling him to McDavid and "miraculously" his scoring rate more than tripled.
Go figure. And Kassian is brain dead defensively most of the time. I've come close to smashing my TV remote on a near weekly basis with the amount of times Kassian has full control of a puck in the defensive zone and then will right on cue whiff on an opportunity to get the puck out.
AA currently has the most unfavorable zone starts for forwards since joining the team. He’s not getting sheltered minutes.
Zach "brain-dead defensively" Kassian has been on bad teams his entire career and is a CAREER -35. AA is a -45 this year alone. If that is brain-dead defensively what does that make AA.
Kassian would be -45 on that Red Wings team too.
AA's +/- has been fine since coming here, he's made 2 errors in 8 games and that's to be expected with new teammates.
That aspect of his game is actually OK. He is trying and engaged defensively.
The offensive side is where he is tight and tense and overthinking things. And the solution to that is likely not going to come from Sheahan + Archibald.
Well duh.
Tippett wants him to learn the team's systems, focus on this game away from the puck cause that's been his biggest knock. Once he is comfortable with the systems then he will put him in the top 6.
The fact that it baffles you...you know what. It makes sense that you don't understand
We'll see. This is going to be a test of Tippett's ability because this is a player (like Strome) that can be very useful, but only if you utilize them correctly. This isn't a player you can just put on any line and get production from. So you need to manage that as a coach.
To be honest this shit really isn't rocket science. Put a player with McDavid or Draisaitl. Leave them there long enough and they will start scoring if they have any talent and can skate at least half way reasonably (sorry Gagner).
Sometimes this team just over complicates things for no reason. The whole point of having players like McDavid and Draisaitl is that they can take lesser, imperfect players and bring their production up. It's not like Crosby and Malkin have been playing with perfect wingers for 15 years.
I'd trust Tippetts opinion over "Granlund should auto be in the lineup over anyone cause goals"
so you’re saying that other teams give their worse players more offensive zone starts?
I'm sure people also gave Todd the same leeway after 16-17, but these guys aren't genius', they can make dumb decisions like anyone else.
The fact is this team has McDavid and Draisaitl and virtually any fairly skilled player if stapled to one of those two is eventually going to start scoring.
Why this team makes it that hard on themselves to me is crazy. Ryan Strome would 100% still be here and putting up probably nice numbers if the coach had ever said to himself "you know, I know he's not going great on the 3rd line, but I'm going to throw him up with McDavid and get his confidence going". Never happened here or not nearly enough. What is the point of operating a team that way.
I'm saying AA isn't having to face other teams top pairing defenders and forwards like McDavid or Draisaitls lines.
Only reason he isn't getting "easy" zone starts is so that Sheahan can win the faceoff, get the puck out and line change to McDavids line.
Jesus Take the Wheel
Registered User
What this team needs is for AA to play with half the effort level Prussel brought every night and he would be playing in the top 6 right now
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
- Mar 3, 2004
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I agree.
Its funny because based on all the early reports from Wings fans and others I was expecting a player with a bad attitude. A project of sorts.
I just dont see that at all. I see a player that has the teams interests at heart but just needs some time to adjust to the system and his new team mates.
He has looked a little better recently. As you said once he gets his confidence back we could have a player here.
And there falls what NHL coaches seem to understand league wide.
Doesn't matter how many goals a line is scoring, if they are allowing more, you're gonna lose.
A 100 goal like that allowed 115 goals is worse overall than a 80 goal line that allows 80 goals.
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I would say playing on the "win the faceoff and get off so McDavid can get on" line is probably not the best place to put a player that needs confidence offensively.
This team has been pretty dumb over the last several years with player usage, that's just a fact.
The "oh noes we're going to allow 500 goals against" stuff is also bunk. AA is a -1 player here after 8 games. The world hasn't collapsed, clearly a lot of his +/- issues were overblown by being on a team with the worst goal differential in modern NHL history.
Kassian, Gagner, Chiasson, Neal are not great defensive players, they all have gotten extended time with McDavid and Draisaitl, AA should get the same. Simple as that.
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Definitely feels like Tippett wants to figure out if the rumors about him are true.
I kind of wonder if that big -45 kind of weighed on AA. He has probably heard all the talk about him and his bad defensive play, probably kills a guys confidence. I have noticed that he isn't making as many risky plays at the moment and he seems to be starting to make the right play over the flashy one.
I think that's Tippets plan. Get him comfortable away from the puck so he feels like less of a liability and then give him the guys to focus on his offense while he feels comfortable with the rest.
Jesus Take the Wheel
Registered User
Kassian brings a lot on the forecheck compared to AA, theres a reason why guys like Maroon and Kass have had success with McDavid (Hint: It isn't because of their speed and shot)
FWIW since the suspension Kass has backed off physically and it shows with that lines success. But he is still currently a better option on that line than what AA brings overall
