OT: Craig Morgan’s AZ Coyotes Insider Discussion.

[Grimes]

I remember in an intermission interview on FSA he told Walsh that he got lucky scoring a goals with a snapshot. He explained that his snapshot has never been much good, but since he no longer has a wrist shot, it was really his only option. Walsh being the fantastic reporter that he is, never bothered to ask a follow-up question. He was too busy waiting to say the next trite banality he had cooked up in his big dumb head. I have been dying to know what the heck OEL meant by that throw-away comment.

I remember this. It was alarming. But if OEL can at least move the puck up the ice with the same success as he had from 2012-2017 then he can at least help continue to make plays. He struggled with his zone entries this year, often deferring to his partner. I never knew if it was a confidence issue, a RT issue or what. Hopefully it was lingering issues with his knee as Morgan cited.

I dont play hockey, but I'd imagine that it would take more support from your legs to make a good wrist shot rather than a slap/snap shot where your arms do more work. Can anyone confirm if you use more of your core/waist for one shot over the other?

 

[AZviaNJ]

I remember in an intermission interview on FSA he told Walsh that he got lucky scoring a goals with a snapshot. He explained that his snapshot has never been much good, but since he no longer has a wrist shot, it was really his only option. Walsh being the fantastic reporter that he is, never bothered to ask a follow-up question. He was too busy waiting to say the next trite banality he had cooked up in his big dumb head. I have been dying to know what the heck OEL meant by that throw-away comment.

I'd trade OEL for a mid-1st in a heartbeat, simply to get out of his contract. Every year there's an excuse of an injury slowing him for a good portion of the year. Slide Chychrun into that role, get creative with the $8M+ of cap flexibility and I think the Coyotes would be a better team.

 

[AZviaNJ]

I remember in an intermission interview on FSA he told Walsh that he got lucky scoring a goals with a snapshot. He explained that his snapshot has never been much good, but since he no longer has a wrist shot, it was really his only option. Walsh being the fantastic reporter that he is, never bothered to ask a follow-up question. He was too busy waiting to say the next trite banality he had cooked up in his big dumb head. I have been dying to know what the heck OEL meant by that throw-away comment.

I've yet to see a Walsh interview that wasn't about Walsh.

 

[rt]

I'd trade OEL for a mid-1st in a heartbeat, simply to get out of his contract. Every year there's an excuse of an injury slowing him for a good portion of the year. Slide Chychrun into that role, get creative with the $8M+ of cap flexibility and I think the Coyotes would be a better team.

I was thinking about OEL to COL for Newhook. Could definitely see Chayka looking at JT Compher, though. Assuming the Avs make it out of the 1st round, maybe OEL for Compher and their 1st rounder (mid to late 20s)?

 

[MIGs Dog]

I'd trade OEL for a mid-1st in a heartbeat, simply to get out of his contract. Every year there's an excuse of an injury slowing him for a good portion of the year. Slide Chychrun into that role, get creative with the $8M+ of cap flexibility and I think the Coyotes would be a better team.

I think you are suffering from recency bias. OEL has dropped off lately, but over the past 5 years is one of the top-scoring dmen in the league. Too soon to give up on him at age 28.

Since 2015/16 season

 

[Grimes]

I think you are suffering from recency bias. OEL has dropped off lately, but over the past 5 years is one of the top-scoring dmen in the league. Too soon to give up on him at age 28.

Since 2015/16 season
View attachment 354124

I have to agree. It's not uncommon for great players to have a string of mediocre seasons while in the prime. The pros of trading now are you potentially sell high or before a huge collapse. The cons are that collapse doesn't happen and you sold low on a true 1D. I'm pretty patient with athletes and the ebbs and flows of their career. QBs are a great example, even elite ones like Rodgers and Brady can string together some very meh seasons by their standards, but in the end they are an engine that keeps a team running and ultimately have more elite seasons than mediocre.

I am scared shitless that we are seeing a trend where defensemen who play top minutes and enter the league early decline rapidly and earlier than they did in years past. All of EK, PK and OEL have struggled for two seasons. All came into the league early, played big minutes and took/gave plenty of hits. This may be a trend or all players listed are in slumps.

 

[rt]

I think you are suffering from recency bias. OEL has dropped off lately, but over the past 5 years is one of the top-scoring dmen in the league. Too soon to give up on him at age 28.

Since 2015/16 season
View attachment 354124

Oh I remember what OEL once was. He used to be a top 10 defenseman on planet earth. He has looked like an absolute shell for three seasons now. And it's not just his shot or his lateral mobility. He used to play an electric, all-compass game, with lots of passion and demonstrable emotion. Guy was sneaky dirty. Always stuck his nose in everything. He was always goofy and outgoing in interviews also. Seemed to enjoy himself on the bench, always mixing it up.

That's all gone. He's turned gray. He's a shadow. Even in interviews he just seems hollow. Barely there. I don't know what's going on with him, but if it doesn't change in this Nashville series, I'm looking to get rid of him anyway I can that doesn't involve retention or taking back any bad contracts. I'm not expecting an EK return. More like a PK return. Dump and run.

That said, it could just be all the losing and lack of competitive hockey that did this to him. It's very possible that he comes back energized and re-focussed after all this time off. Maybe the thrill of the playoffs will wake him up and knock him back into himself. Maybe he'll be the old OEL once again. I sure hope so. I used to love this player.

 

[Mosby]

There is trading OEL and then there is giving him away. The whole exercise is fruitless anyway given his NMC.

 

[XX]

I think you are suffering from recency bias. OEL has dropped off lately, but over the past 5 years is one of the top-scoring dmen in the league.

Defense was, once upon a time, about more than scoring. OEL's game has regressed a ton in this regard. 28 is also a D's prime, so he is what he is.

You generally shouldn't see a backward slide after giving a guy the C and a big deal.

 

[rt]

There is trading OEL and then there is giving him away. The whole exercise is fruitless anyway given his NMC.

If he hates Tocchet and a team with an extremely bright future in an extremely cool town, that's maybe a motivated OEL away from being a perennial contender like Colorado, I'm sure he'd consider it.

 

[AZviaNJ]

That's all gone. He's turned gray. He's a shadow. Even in interviews he just seems hollow. Barely there. I don't know what's going on with him

It could be the C, he doesn't have the make-up of a captain, but taking it a way from him could be a bigger problem. Guys like Clark Gillies and Joe Thornton seemed relieved to give it up.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

I remember this. It was alarming. But if OEL can at least move the puck up the ice with the same success as he had from 2012-2017 then he can at least help continue to make plays. He struggled with his zone entries this year, often deferring to his partner. I never knew if it was a confidence issue, a RT issue or what. Hopefully it was lingering issues with his knee as Morgan cited.

I dont play hockey, but I'd imagine that it would take more support from your legs to make a good wrist shot rather than a slap/snap shot where your arms do more work. Can anyone confirm if you use more of your core/waist for one shot over the other?

Shots are a weight transfer, as such the core, legs, arms are all involved with all shots, the only exception is the snap shot. The snap shot can easily be taken off one leg effectively w/o the need for weight transfer. OEL's comment about his lack of a wrist shot would make sense in regard to a knee issue.

 

[MIGs Dog]

Let's see what OEL looks like with a healthy body. That said, I'm not opposed to trading anyone if the return is good.

 

[Foggy1097]

Oh I remember what OEL once was. He used to be a top 10 defenseman on planet earth. He has looked like an absolute shell for three seasons now. And it's not just his shot or his lateral mobility. He used to play an electric, all-compass game, with lots of passion and demonstrable emotion. Guy was sneaky dirty. Always stuck his nose in everything. He was always goofy and outgoing in interviews also. Seemed to enjoy himself on the bench, always mixing it up.

That's all gone. He's turned gray. He's a shadow. Even in interviews he just seems hollow. Barely there. I don't know what's going on with him, but if it doesn't change in this Nashville series, I'm looking to get rid of him anyway I can that doesn't involve retention or taking back any bad contracts. I'm not expecting an EK return. More like a PK return. Dump and run.

That said, it could just be all the losing and lack of competitive hockey that did this to him. It's very possible that he comes back energized and re-focussed after all this time off. Maybe the thrill of the playoffs will wake him up and knock him back into himself. Maybe he'll be the old OEL once again. I sure hope so. I used to love this player.

I think this can all be traced back to his mom passing away. He hasn’t been the same since. The decline started the year she was in really rough shape and then eventually passed. He’s never had the same passion and bite to his game since then. I sure hope it returns. Watching him get walked consistently by bums last year was disheartening to say the least...

 

[Jakey53]

Let's see what OEL looks like with a healthy body. That said, I'm not opposed to trading anyone if the return is good.

Realistically, we missed the playoffs. There should be not one player untouchable on this team. Should be not one coach returning next year. The problem, Chayka likes RT, so he is staying. If RT stays and we miss the playoffs next year, both better be gone.

 

[Tom Polakis]

Shots are a weight transfer, as such the core, legs, arms are all involved with all shots, the only exception is the snap shot. The snap shot can easily be taken off one leg effectively w/o the need for weight transfer. OEL's comment about his lack of a wrist shot would make sense in regard to a knee issue.

That sounds about right. I'm hardly the model for shooting form, but as a right shot, I land hard on my left knee when I take a slap shot. With my wrister, the weight is on my right knee, though not as hard as a slap shot. There are guys in my league with snap shots that are completely from the waist up.

 

[Mosby]

Only a matter of time before we get some more clarity on Tocchet as his contract is up following next season. I’d wager he gets an extension if we beat Nashville.

 

[rt]

Only a matter of time before we get some more clarity on Tocchet as his contract is up following next season. I’d wager he gets an extension if we beat Nashville.

It would be good to lose then. Haha.

 

[Jakey53]

It would be good to lose then. Haha.

Lose against Nashville, lose RT, win the lottery, or WIN against Nashville, sign RT to an extension. Winning is so important to a team, especially a young team making the playoffs, but in this case, I would not really care if we lose. I just don't see this team playing to it's it talent level under RT.

 

[cobra427]

I have been enjoying Craig's articles, pretty informative.

 

[KG]

I subscribed to this - and while I agree Craig's articles have been good - he is missing the ball on this Chayka news. Friedman is miles ahead of him with breaking all the pertinent information.

 

[_Del_]

He knows where his bread is buttered. He's a publicist. That's why I don't think it's worth a subscription.

 

[Dala]

That sounds about right. I'm hardly the model for shooting form, but as a right shot, I land hard on my left knee when I take a slap shot. With my wrister, the weight is on my right knee, though not as hard as a slap shot. There are guys in my league with snap shots that are completely from the waist up.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but kind of interesting that OEL is/was shooting the "quick-release wrist shot" IIRC (?) - weight on leg closest to puck, I learned it a bit differently growing up - compare with F. Forsberg here with weight on opposite leg from puck:



Not sure which knee OEL has a problem with though?

Here he's doing both styles within 10s (last one is more of a snap watching more closely):


This is probably the problem right, as your example above (even though this is more snap as well, you get the idea though):

 

[rt]

Craig says Keller worked extremely hard. Keller feeling confident, stronger, faster. Had a great mini camp. Excited to get going.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Craig says Keller worked extremely hard. Keller feeling confident, stronger, faster. Had a great mini camp. Excited to get going.

I'll believe it when I see it.