ScratchCatFever
Registered User
- Oct 14, 2018
- 1,718
- 2,947
No! We're improving at badness. We managed to lose it in regulation, to get NO point.Ah **** me. This is going to be the 3rd game where we allow a tie when we have a lead in the 3rd and then lose in OT isn't it.
I think you are onto something but I am not sure I agree exactly that it's the problem with the supporting cast. To me, that's a pretty good supporting cast. It would be tough to find 3rd liners, 2nd pairing guys etc that are better than them.Take this with a huge grain of Bleak Hot Take salt.
I don't think it's a lockerroom thing. Maybe it's all coaching.
But I also suspect it's a team trying to find an identity. When Schwartz, Tarasenko, and Pietrangelo are tearing it up, the rest of the team seems to relax (in a good way) and do their jobs. But when those top guys are injured or not playing well and the team needs someone else to step up, it's not even a matter of lacking contribution, it seems like the team has no confidence/direction. Even now, O'Reilly and Schenn are playing well, but without Schwartz, Tarasenko, and Pietrangelo leading the way, everybody else seems foggy. They don't seem to relax in the same way with those two leading the way as when Schwartz and Tarasenko are doing it.
They need to figure out how to get those three productivity and emotional leaders going, absolutely; but they also need to figure out how to bare down at other times. It's obviously very tough for the kids to decide they're going to go out there and make plays that rally the team, so the slice of middle vets that kinda just go with the flow are the ones that need a kick in the ass. Bouwmeester, Edmundson, Steen, Bozak, Maroon, Perron, Bortuzzo, Parayko. Some good play at times from some of those guys, but I'm becoming increasingly convinced that glue group isn't the right one to foster the kids and carry the torch when the top guns are cold. I don't know how you change it and what are the correct guys to keep or bring in, but I just have a suspicion that even if the coach changed to a miracle worker tomorrow, that group will need a change, too.
I wouldn't mind giving DP a look with ROR and Tarasenko. It would give the line a RHS and when his game is on he is dogged on the puck and can get under the opposition skin.
I think you are onto something but I am not sure I agree exactly that it's the problem with the supporting cast. To me, that's a pretty good supporting cast. It would be tough to find 3rd liners, 2nd pairing guys etc that are better than them.
My question is are our best players good enough? Can a team win a Cup with Vladimir Tarasenko as their best forward? Hopefully, but I don't know. I think we need to see a lot more consistency out of him. He can be so good and dangerous some games. Other games he looks like he's barely trying. You certainly need an elite forward to lead the team and he needs to be that guy more so than not. I don't want to see his career go the route of an Alex Semin.
But it's interesting because while Tarasenko is our best forward (because of his scoring ability), he is pretty consistently outplayed by Schwartz, Schenn, and ROR since they all play a complete game. So is somebody still your best player when they aren't performing the best night-in and night-out? It's an interesting question. And also a scary one. Because as much as I love those guys, your team isn't going anywhere if Jaden Schwartz is your best player. He's awesome, but he's not elite.
So that's where I think the main problem still is (aside from coaching of course, and goaltending lol). So when we have a guy who is supposed to be THE guy (Tarasenko), who isn't performing like he's the guy, I don't blame the rest of the team for being like "what the ****?"
(Disclaimer: I really liked Tarasenko's game tonight. If he played like that all the time though I wouldn't be making this post.)
I think you are onto something but I am not sure I agree exactly that it's the problem with the supporting cast. To me, that's a pretty good supporting cast. It would be tough to find 3rd liners, 2nd pairing guys etc that are better than them.
My question is are our best players good enough? Can a team win a Cup with Vladimir Tarasenko as their best forward? Hopefully, but I don't know. I think we need to see a lot more consistency out of him. He can be so good and dangerous some games. Other games he looks like he's barely trying. You certainly need an elite forward to lead the team and he needs to be that guy more so than not. I don't want to see his career go the route of an Alex Semin.
But it's interesting because while Tarasenko is our best forward (because of his scoring ability), he is pretty consistently outplayed by Schwartz, Schenn, and ROR since they all play a complete game. So is somebody still your best player when they aren't performing the best night-in and night-out? It's an interesting question. And also a scary one. Because as much as I love those guys, your team isn't going anywhere if Jaden Schwartz is your best player. He's awesome, but he's not elite.
So that's where I think the main problem still is (aside from coaching of course, and goaltending lol). So when we have a guy who is supposed to be THE guy (Tarasenko), who isn't performing like he's the guy, I don't blame the rest of the team for being like "what the ****?"
(Disclaimer: I really liked Tarasenko's game tonight. If he played like that all the time though I wouldn't be making this post.)
Pos | Team [ ] | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nashville Predators | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 8 |
2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 21 | +1 | 8 |
3 | Colorado Avalanche | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 12 | +7 | 7 |
4 | Dallas Stars | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 11 | +6 | 6 |
5 | Winnipeg Jets | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 6 |
6 | Minnesota Wild | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 14 | −4 | 4 |
7 | St. Louis Blues | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 20 | −5 | 4 |
Well that’s not true. You poll most fans on which forward they could keep if they could only keep one and Tarasenko would get the most votes without a doubt. Goals go a long way.I dont think that most competent fans actually refer to Tarasenko as our best player. Best scorer, sure. But definitely not our best player. For several years, Schwartz has been better, and now (even though just 5 games in) I would say that ROR is also. Tonight was an excellent game for 91 despite not scoring. I hope he puts as much effort into further games, as he did tonight.
I dont know if its possible but this team would be EVEN softer without Maroon. The Maroon signing was one of the best signings of the offseason. A player with 20 goal upside for 1.75mil is a steal. It's not his fault he's being mis-used by the coaching staff.I've been of adamant opposition to the Maroon signing since it was a rumor, and still am. I want him as far down the lineup.
Would anyone trade Petro for a signed Nylander? It would kill 2 birds with 1 stone, create cap space and force a new hopefully competent captain. Besides we have Chris Butler in waiting who has more goals than Petro, lol.