Around The NHL Discussion 2019/20 - Part II

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Reagans Blues

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Winnipeg has quietly had a good start to the season. I feel like everyone thought they were going to take a huge step back this year but here they are above Dallas and Colorado. No one really seems to be talking about them.
 

Blueston

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Winnipeg has quietly had a good start to the season. I feel like everyone thought they were going to take a huge step back this year but here they are above Dallas and Colorado. No one really seems to be talking about them.
I’m for sure quite surprised they are where they are. After losing so much on D I thought they would be awful.
 
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ezcreepin

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Winnipeg has quietly had a good start to the season. I feel like everyone thought they were going to take a huge step back this year but here they are above Dallas and Colorado. No one really seems to be talking about them.
I've noticed that Laine is passing more because of the shoulder injury and is getting rewarded for it. I expect him to start lighting the lamp heavily in the 2nd half, probably around January, once his shoulder is fully healed or whatever players have trouble with from those injuries.
 

BlueDream

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They signed Hynes to a multi year extension on Jan 3, 2019 - I don't think NJ is going to show him the door this year.
I have no idea what New Jersey and Detroit were thinking giving Hynes and Blashill extensions. Both teams are going backwards.
 

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I have no idea what New Jersey and Detroit were thinking giving Hynes and Blashill extensions. Both teams are going backwards.
I will stand up for Detroit on this. They knew they would be bad last year and this. They liked how Blashill was developing young players so they brought him back. No idea if he is guy who can win there but that isn't really their mission yet.

Devils, I think got fooled by fluke year where they overachieved and thought they were good team. They're not. Don't know whether he is bad coach or they lack talent but I would fire him to find out.
 

Stupendous Yappi

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There was a preseason behind-the-scenes thing last year with the Devils, showed them lose their last preseason game vs a Swedish team or something, and the front office meetings around their last player cuts. There was a locker room segment with Hynes coming in. It got me pumped up watching it at the time. He is very good at using his voice dynamically to command attention and get players fired up. But on reflection, I remember he was pretty vague about whatever it was he wanted the team to actually do on the ice.

Now, maybe this was the way they edited things to protect teams’ strategy. But I came away thinking this guy was not a great hockey mind, and that he was more of a motivator than a coach. I think those guys run out of ears after a while.

I’m not sure what kind of coach Berube is in that regard. He doesn’t seem to like to listen to himself talk, like some do, which is good. He gives clear concise instructions. And if he’s not a great strategist, he has at least surrounded himself with guys who are. But right now Berube has this team winning on work and belief. It almost doesn’t matter who you put out for any given shift.
 
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Berube deserves a yon of credit, but I don’t think a lot of people realize just how good the goaltending has been this year. I thought our team defense for the first dozen or so games was pretty porous, and yet we’re still cruising along. It’s amazing what a timely save can do for a team.
 

Stupendous Yappi

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Berube deserves a lot of credit, but I don’t think a lot of people realize just how good the goaltending has been this year. I thought our team defense for the first dozen or so games was pretty porous, and yet we’re still cruising along. It’s amazing what a timely save can do for a team.
I agree, but I would argue that a coach can also affect his goalie’s mental space. Maybe it’s more often the goalie coach than the head coach, but we’ve seen it. Think of Brodeur’s impact on Allen. I think Berube has probably reinforced Binnington’s self belief.
 

Blueston

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There was a preseason behind-the-scenes thing last year with the Devils, showed them lose their last preseason game vs a Swedish team or something, and the front office meetings around their last player cuts. There was a locker room segment with Hynes coming in. It got me pumped up watching it at the time. He is very good at using his voice dynamically to command attention and get players fired up. But on reflection, I remember he was pretty vague about whatever it was he wanted the team to actually do on the ice.

Now, maybe this was the way they edited things to protect teams’ strategy. But I came away thinking this guy was not a great hockey mind, and that he was more of a motivator than a coach. I think those guys run out of ears after a while.

I’m not sure what kind of coach Berube is in that regard. He doesn’t seem to like to listen to himself talk, like some do, which is good. He gives clear concise instructions. And if he’s not a great strategist, he has at least surrounded himself with guys who are. But right now Berube has this team winning on work and belief. It almost doesn’t matter who you put out for any given shift.
In addition to being true leader of men, Berube is so good at making things simple. And I do think he uses his assistants quite well. When we hired Van Ryn as assistant I thought he was rising star and a future head coach. And he may still be. But Ott I absolutely think will be a head coach in the next couple years and likely a very good one.
 
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BlueDream

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I will stand up for Detroit on this. They knew they would be bad last year and this. They liked how Blashill was developing young players so they brought him back. No idea if he is guy who can win there but that isn't really their mission yet.

Devils, I think got fooled by fluke year where they overachieved and thought they were good team. They're not. Don't know whether he is bad coach or they lack talent but I would fire him to find out.
Don’t agree re: Detroit. Nobody expects them to make the playoffs but even as a rebuilding team, you should be showing SOME growth. They’ve been getting worse every single year under him. I mean look at their record right now. That’s not acceptable for anyone. It’s one thing to be bad. It’s a completely different thing to be on pace for 46 points. That’s just horrid and that’s not a good environment for young players to be in.

Look at a team like Ottawa, they are at least showing a pulse. DJ Smith is doing well with them. But I can’t even begin to guess WTF Blashill is doing in that Detroit locker room.
 

Blueston

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Don’t agree re: Detroit. Nobody expects them to make the playoffs but even as a rebuilding team, you should be showing SOME growth. They’ve been getting worse every single year under him. I mean look at their record right now. That’s not acceptable for anyone. It’s one thing to be bad. It’s a completely different thing to be on pace for 46 points. That’s just horrid and that’s not a good environment for young players to be in.

Look at a team like Ottawa, they are at least showing a pulse. DJ Smith is doing well with them. But I can’t even begin to guess WTF Blashill is doing in that Detroit locker room.
I am not defending job Blashill is doing this year so much as explaining why bringing him back made sense. This year they have been considerably worse than previous. It can both be true that there was case to bring him back and he should be fired bc it didn't turn out as expected.
 
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