Can someone tell me what our defensive scheme is?

[Blanick]

I feel like this warrants it's own thread at this point. Three games in and I have no idea what we are trying to do in the defensive zone???

For far too many extended periods the defensive play has been a train wreck. Are we playing man to man, or we playing zone? Are we collapsing to the middle or are we aggressively attacking the puck? There is times where I feel like all 5 guys on the ice are playing a different defensive scheme. It is a complete mess.

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[Dbrownss]

 

[mk80]

Perfect response!

 

[stl76]

I feel like this warrants it's own thread at this point. Three games in and I have no idea what we are trying to do in the defensive zone???

For far too many extended periods the defensive play has been a train wreck. Are we playing man to man, or we playing zone? Are we collapsing to the middle or are we aggressively attacking the puck? There is times where I feel like all 5 guys on the ice are playing a different defensive scheme. It is a complete mess.

As far as I can tell we are trying to play man coverage and it's a complete mess. There was one point tonight when the flames had extended zone time and Parayko ended up out at the point because he followed his man while the slot was left relatively unprotected.

Not trying to talk badly about Parayko here, I think he was doing what he was "supposed" to under the system...but the end result was the puck getting back into the slot area for a dangerous scoring chance while our best dman on the ice at the time was out at the freaking blue line!

I worry this scheme is going to be easily figured out and exploited by other teams. Hell, it seemed like it already was late in the game against Calgary. Not to mention Chicago. Skilled teams that can maintain possession in the ozone against us are using the man coverage BS to create confusion, mismatches, and isolated 2 on 1's.

 

[simon IC]

What are Van Ryn's duties/responsibilities as Assistant Coach?

 

[EastonBlues22]

 

[EastonBlues22]

I feel like this warrants it's own thread at this point. Three games in and I have no idea what we are trying to do in the defensive zone???

For far too many extended periods the defensive play has been a train wreck. Are we playing man to man, or we playing zone? Are we collapsing to the middle or are we aggressively attacking the puck? There is times where I feel like all 5 guys on the ice are playing a different defensive scheme. It is a complete mess.

I think I touched on this in the GDT, but honestly I'm not sure exactly what they're trying to do.

Every now and then it has looked like a modified overload, but more often it looks like some sort of hybrid man-to-man with the three lowest in the zone playing man and the two highest playing zone. Sometimes the two men high look like they're playing man as well, but I can't tell if that's intentional or if they're just playing zone poorly.

With the latter, we're getting all sorts of breakdowns. Guys playing man down low don't know when to release. Guys are getting picked off or trapped behind the play and there's no rotation in coverage. The guys playing zone are getting confused anytime there's more than two men high (and the guys low look confused as to what to do then as well). We're having trouble getting organized defensively (handing off responsibilities) once the transition phase is over and everyone has regrouped back in the zone.

Etc.

It's just super inconsistent in how it's being executed, whatever it is. IMO, there's altogether just too much thinking about who should be taking who when and where. So it looks like trash.

This team has a lot of new faces, and a lot of young faces. I think it would be for the best if they just simplified things defensively, then threw in a few wrinkles once everyone was clearly on the same page. This is a talented group. Make it easy for them to play the game and let them get the job done from there.

 

[mw2noobbuster]

As Easton said, it's some sort of man/zone hybrid. Whatever it is, it sucks and we need to change it.

 

[TruBlu]

The defense has been horrible. It breaks down very quickly against any type of movement. Go back and look at the Chicago game. Chicago, regardless of talent, does a very good job of getting movement out of its guys in the O zone. Our guys were getting lost on their assignments left and right.

 

[BlueDream]

What are Van Ryn's duties/responsibilities as Assistant Coach?

Probably listen to Mike Yeo, unfortunately.

 

[Twisted Blue]

As far as I can tell we are trying to play man coverage and it's a complete mess. There was one point tonight when the flames had extended zone time and Parayko ended up out at the point because he followed his man while the slot was left relatively unprotected.

Not trying to talk badly about Parayko here, I think he was doing what he was "supposed" to under the system...but the end result was the puck getting back into the slot area for a dangerous scoring chance while our best dman on the ice at the time was out at the freaking blue line!

I worry this scheme is going to be easily figured out and exploited by other teams. Hell, it seemed like it already was late in the game against Calgary. Not to mention Chicago. Skilled teams that can maintain possession in the ozone against us are using the man coverage BS to create confusion, mismatches, and isolated 2 on 1's.

If we can't figure out what they are doing and the Blues can't figure out what they are doing, then how can other teams figure it out? If they do, maybe they will tell Yeo so he has a clue?

 

[Chief Steele]

I agree it is poop, I don't understand why they would change from something that worked well last year to something that is trash so far this year..

 

[The Note]

I agree it is poop, I don't understand why they would change from something that worked well last year to something that is trash so far this year..

Well, it was good to start last year. Then somewhere along the way they switched to the current...thing we’re seeing now. Calling it a scheme or system would be giving the coaching staff too much credit. Even last night, it seemed like everyone had an assignment to start, then they reverted back and the Flames were doing whatever they wanted. At one point, I believe Pietrangelo and Edmundson were the two leading the rush into Calgary’s zone because they were the two out at the point for some reason. It’s a total, total disaster.

 

[Chief Steele]

Well, it was good to start last year. Then somewhere along the way they switched to the current...thing we’re seeing now. Calling it a scheme or system would be giving the coaching staff too much credit. Even last night, it seemed like everyone had an assignment to start, then they reverted back and the Flames were doing whatever they wanted. At one point, I believe Pietrangelo and Edmundson were the two leading the rush into Calgary’s zone because they were the two out at the point for some reason. It’s a total, total disaster.

Agreed, someone has said its a zone hybrid system. What ever it is stop.. for the love of all our Dmen looking lost... IMO a simple zone is what they need, I think it may be they have all this talent up front and they want to turn into a O first type team, that is not how the team is built, go back to what worked and allow the talent to progress it will come naturally if they did. stop making huge changes that did not need to be made.

 

[Dbrownss]

I agree it is poop, I don't understand why they would change from something that worked well last year to something that is trash so far this year..

I think last year the breakout was good but the actual dzone system was still too passive and lead to extended zone time. They need to figure something that doesn't have them chasing guys around but also allows them to pressure the puck. Something that could force the puck to an area where they trap it and get it out.

 

[TruBlu]

They need to employ the same game plan they employed last night, and develop the mindset that they are down by two goals, then they'll play their hardest; based on THE BLUES.

 

[Blanick]

Yeah whatever this is supposed to be it looks like a complete mess on the ice. Even though I personally prefer a more aggressive defense style, I wouldn't be against Yeo reverting back to a collapsing zone to protect the middle he has used in the past. Whatever it is we are doing now is leaving way too much real estate in the middle causing a large percentage of our goals against.

 

[Celtic Note]

I dont understand the appeal of man-on-man.

You need highly mobile and conditioned team. We aren’t exactly that.

You need lots of strong defensive players. We have some significant holes there.

Man-on-man doesn’t have the cusion for mistakes. Zone is much more forgiving.

Zone is easier for goaltenders to read.

Man-on-man requires knowing your teammates well and a high degree of coordination. We have a team full of largely new faces.

 

[Blanick]

I dont understand the appeal of man-on-man.

You need highly mobile and conditioned team. We aren’t exactly that.

You need lots of strong defensive players. We have some significant holes there.

Man-on-man doesn’t have the cusion for mistakes. Zone is much more forgiving.

Zone is easier for goaltenders to read.

Man-on-man requires knowing your teammates well and a high degree of coordination. We have a team full of largely new faces.

Man on man can be highly effective if, as you pointed out, you have the personnel for it. The thing about man on man is it can be very suffocating to the attacking team with constant pressure. Meanwhile zone is much more passive but far easier to execute.

 

[Celtic Note]

Man on man can be highly effective if, as you pointed out, you have the personnel for it. The thing about man on man is it can be very suffocating to the attacking team with constant pressure. Meanwhile zone is much more passive but far easier to execute.

I do get the appeal, just not for the Blues nor a majority of teams. It can be highly effective, it’s just rare.

 

[Dbrownss]

I see several teams use man on man and they suffocate the Blues in the OZ. Chicago used it and I wouldnt say they are stacked. Blues just need to know when to release their guy and who to pick up

 

[Ranksu]

I don't like how our dmens has played maybe too aggressive at o-zone, taking change for rush and if 2nd dmen arent that good and who is taking that one dmen spot at down low. Too many breakaways when losing puck at o-zone and everybody are too deep and nobody doesn't cover.

 

[Bendak]

It’s never a good sign when people who know hockey much better than myself have no clue what the hell we are doing lol

 

[67Blues]

DA: Alright Coach, we have always had an excellent defensive structure, but we lacked the offensive firepower needed to really pound our opponents. So, I went out and got you some offense to match our stifling defense. Keep the defense the same and open up the offense this year.

Yeo: Hold my beer.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I don't like how our dmens has played maybe too aggressive at o-zone, taking change for rush and if 2nd dmen arent that good and who is taking that one dmen spot at down low. Too many breakaways when losing puck at o-zone and everybody are too deep and nobody doesn't cover.

The irony is that this is what people have been asking for for ages, activating the defense more. Is this really what that looks like?

I don’t have a problem with that in the transition. But when they are backing into their own zone, players seem confused about who is doing what.