Look. Everyone has some valid points. Fact is, it is very easy to figure out why our starts are so poor and sometimes we get lit up. First, Babcock is not the right coach for this team.
If you want Matthews to get to another level, you have to sit him when he is being lazy. We only have a few players who bring it every night and that is JT, Marner and Rielly. THATS IT! Everyone else are passengers right now. Our so called talented, speedy depth do not back check.
Defence is a team game, not just 2 guys standing on the blue line. It is clear as day that most of the players do not back check.
You have to skate back to your own end as fast as you skate into the offensive end. That clearly is not the case.
Yea we have a ton of firepower, but so do other teams. The good teams that consistently beat us like Boston, TB, etc beat us because they have free reign through the neutral zone. They are able to generate speed through the neutral zone which gives our less mobile defence fits.
By the time our forwards are all back, the other team is setting up plays.
When we pour it on, no one in the league can touch us. The forwards need to learn how to back check like their lives depend on it. Only then, will we have a good enough team to win the cup.
Prediction: first round exit.
Solution: Fire Babcock, bring in JQ. JQ teaches forwards to back check.