This isn’t coaching. Coaches don’t tell their players to fall apart when things get rough, neither do they actually pull a speech straight from miracle to inspire them.
Ward got beat on a nice shot to start the comeback. We immediately started losing all Mo, and starting losing puck battles at the blue line. When it mattered most Faulk blindly threw a backhand clear 10 ft over the glass and we gave up a pp goal, and from that point it seemed inevitable.
Does Peters take the fall for this? He may but I’m not convinced he should. To me it comes down to, would anyone do better? Different isn’t better it’s just different. Maybe Peters IS overwhelmed in finding a way to not let this team choke down the stretch, but he’s hardly the first guy around here with that problem. He is still considered an excellent coach in the hockey world. He’ll coach elsewhere and have success. Would he do better with better talent? Can anyone else do better with this talent? His voice isn’t being shunned, almost every guy on the team is fighting for a job. We lack the gumption to fight through adversity, that’s a player trait not a coach’s. Peters has been screaming for reinforcements since we were heading into last off season.
Aho, Williams and McGinn with maybe Lindy at center are the ones who fight the hardest imo to change the flow of the game. Maybe jstaal because he is relentless in playing the same game no matter what the situation. Everyone else has not stepped up.
Slavin, Pesce and TVR stay the calmest under pressure. I think Fleury will get there. Hanifin is tough because I think the attitude and skill are there, I don’t know that he can put it all together.
That’s what I would build around. TT is great to me as a complimentary player but he’s too peripheral to take a game by the throat, though he can compliment someone who does. Skinner is too streaky to count on and loses way too many pucks. For the first time in his career I feel like he is a detriment to this teams success currently. He literally needs to score to be worth a spot. I finally have truly come on line with Peters keeping him a third liner. You can’t trust him with the puck at all at times, let alone against the other teams best. Last years Skinner scored enough to make up for his shortcomings.
Ultimately, I think until this team brings in proven players, and leaders nothing will change. Williams came in, and despite some obvious flaws in his game, brings that try hard determination he's famous for. He hasn't been broken by this organization's losing culture, and I'm sure he's been influential to every player on that team. He's just one guy though. The difference between what JW is, and the rest of the team is night and day. He's a winner. Comes from teams that win, with players just like him.
I don't necessarily lay all the blame at Peters feet but again, he was an unproven NHL head coach. Just like Muller, and just like Muller (who's still assistant coach btw) is failing to get results. Darling. Unproven starter. Failed.
What's left? A bunch of young players that don't know how to dig in, and win at the NHL level. 2 of our "leaders" have never seen a post season, and Jordan seems like his give a shit meter is probably faulty at this point. He went from perennial winner, Stanley Cup champion, to whatever this team is. Honestly, he's playing fine IMO, so I don't have that many complaints. You ice a winning team and Jordan will probably go beast mode more often than not, but he's not really a leader in the traditional sense like Justin. I have no doubt that could change in him, but he's not gonna be the change.
So in short I think our issues are multifaceted We need to bring in a proven General Manager, coach, and players. No more taking risks. No more dumpster diving, and no more promoting from within. None of that is getting results.
I hope Dundon is the catalyst to break this losing cycle. I really f***ing do.
