Is our system outdated?

[ReddestRum]

There's been a lot of talk about how our players are performing, especially our young players. Something I think that doesn't get much attention is the system we play. For nearly a decade (maybe more?), we have kept going for the dump and chase system. Even when we get new coaches it seems that's all we stick to. It's not designed around the young, speedy, newer NHL. It might not be a problem if we could consistently regain the puck on dump ins, but it's like we play this waiting game to get lucky enough to capitalize on the dump. The same with our PP. It's the same perimeter play to try and feed a right-hand shot on the circle when no one on this team is named Ovechkin.

We rebuilt our team with younger talent, but they will never, ever shine with the archaic system we play. It needs to change and I don't understand how it never changes when our coaching staff changes.

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[brakeyawself]

I hated the Gallant signing. Absolutely hated it. I am not 100% sure that our tactics are outdated, but what I do know is Gallant has been fired from his first 3 jobs before the end of his 3rd season. That is a terrible track record for a supposedly top end coach. And in 2 of those situations, those teams were playoff bound with winning records and he still couldn't make it through his 3rd season.

Have to ask, why does something like that happen to a coach 3 times in a row, in his only 3 jobs as head coach? There must be something he is or isn't doing, some deeper issue surrounding Gallant, that caused this pattern. And I have a bad feeling it's not going to be different this time around. The Rangers will certainly give him 2 full seasons. At least I think they will. But that 3rd season, I am not sure if Gallant makes it all the way to the end of it. And tactics might very well be a part of the reason this keeps happening to him.

They signed Gallant and Drury, who both brought a "win now" mindset to a team that is still developing. Which might be one of the best ways to absolutely ruin a teams development. They came in here, lighting off fireworks, chiseling away at the roster to prepare them for the playoffs when i don't think there is any chance this team gets beyond round 1 if they even do make the playoffs. And while I wasn't a huge fan of Quinn or Gorton and Davidson, but what Gorton and Davidson at least seemed to understand was that this team was still developing.

Also, the Tom Wilson mind virus has a complete hold on this team. I get wanting to bring in more "grit" but not at the expense of talent. There is absolutely no reason we needed all of Goodrow, Blais, Reaves and Hunt, especially when we all ready had Rooney, Barron was nearing ready and Gauthier is still around. At most, 2 of those 4 acquisitions would have been enough. And now we are a "gritty" team that clearly lacks talent, or at least production up front. Part of that certainly has to do with Laf and Kakko not producing. But that's why it was good we had Buch, who I know, was destined to be sent off, and Kravtsov, as insurance. Buch, there was no hope of him staying. But the Kravtsov debacle just tells me Drury and Gallant don't really know what they are doing right now. And if they think this team can win without offensive production beyond Zibby and Panarin, they are nuts. And I do not expect Kreider to keep up this scoring pace. He will regress to his mean at some point. As he's proven time and time again. Ideally, Kreider is a 3rd line guy for a "winning" team. A 3rd line guy making $6.5 million per. Which indeed was Gorton and Davidson's fault.

But really, the only areas where I can criticize Gorton and Davidson are a) the contracts they handed out to Kreider and bringing in Trouba for that huge pay, and drafting centers. For whatever reason, they were terrible at drafting centers. Wonderful at drafting Dmen, and even a few good wingers. But when it came to drafting centers, they just seemed lost. I don't really understand the complaints about them drafting SO poorly. Again, I think aside from centers, they actually drafted very very well. Cuylle, Robertson, Barron, Zac Jones were all post 1st round picks and obviously they drafted Kakko, Laf, Kravtsov, Chytil (who is probably a winger ultimately) and then Lundkvist, Lindgren, Miller, Schneider and obviously not drafting, but acquiring Fox. That's really not so bad. Now Developing players, that is a different story. That seems to continue to be an issue.