GDT: It's Way too Early to talk Pla...HEY SEVEN OUT OF EIGHT! YEAH!

[Canes]

Cam Ward (Winery Owner) mentoring a recovering alcoholic to replace him.

Ward going full Dr. Phil on him

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Win the next one and this loss will mean nothing.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Darling will figure it out. He’s in his own head. He played fairly well in the beginning of the season and had us feeling good about him. It’s been a tough stretch but honestly aside from the winner he played well tonight. We got outshot and outplayed. He’s gotta make the save on the winner, but all in all it was a decent start for a guy who’s been struggling.

Puck don't lie. Decent start or no, this guy is a sub-.900 goalie, and he looks like it. That's not good enough by a wide margin.

Especially when the other guy is winning.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Checked out the Darling trade thread. I got called a wet blanket because I was concerned he might not be the answer. EL OH EL.

 

[Oogie Boogie]

Win the next one and this loss will mean nothing.

 

[Breakdowns]

Win the next one and this loss will mean nothing.

Wait, you know what team you are talking about?

 

[Identity404]

I hope darling can turn it around, but every save looks like a challenge and he has terrible rebound control, and complete mental lapses. It's hard to be optimistic. Make me eat crow.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Puck don't lie. Decent start or no, this guy is a sub-.900 goalie, and he looks like it. That's not good enough by a wide margin.

Especially when the other guy is winning.

Hence the post you quoted being a prognostication of future events, not a commentary on past ones.

 

[Breakdowns]

It wasn`t very smart to trade for a goalie who had played only backup load before and give him starter contract for many years. We needed to trade for him and give him 1 year contract, around 4-5 million, and then see what happens. Francis was desperate, and so far seems that we got burned. Again.

I think we have now seen enough of Darling to know what he is all about. I am sorry, but he is not starter material, way too nervous, and uncoordinated IMO.

 

[Dishface]

Apparently Chicago was ruining his golf time. It sure as hell seems like he wants it to be golf season ASAP

 

[Hulkacaniac]

Darling's rebound is terrifyingly bad it looked like the blues had their whole game plan around it

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Hence the post you quoted being a prognostication of future events, not a commentary on past ones.

I appreciate your optimistic prognostication. I just don't see what it's based on at present other than hope.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Checked out the Darling trade thread. I got called a wet blanket because I was concerned he might not be the answer. EL OH EL.

who own da chiefs

 

[Wolfpuck]

I missed the game because I watched The Last Jedi.

I would post a quote about hope, but I've also had a few martinis.

Just win the divisional games.

 

[Dishface]

Darling's rebound is terrifyingly bad it looked like the blues had their whole game plan around it

Yupp, totally saw that too. They were just waiting in the slot while they initially shot around the hash marks.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Darling signing has to be one of the worst in Canes history?

RF looks like a major idiot

Semin contract is still probably worse.

Also can't forget the Tomas Kaberle signing...

I don't see Darling playing out this contract here though. I could actually see us paying to ship him back to Chicago at some point. Either that or he will be bought out.

Yeah I was going to post what jdowling did, actually - Kaberle's the worst signing we've had that I can think of offhand by far. The initial Semin signing wasn't bad, but the resigning shot us in the foot. I was also someone who wasn't all-in on Darling (I would have preferred we tried to trade for Fleury but I'm sure JR would have tried to bend us over the barrel on that one) . That said I'm not 100% ready to completely write him off, especially given how much we've sunk into him. Clearly something's going on and it may not be a bad idea to either identify a goalie coach to work specifically with him (if there's something awry with his relationship with Bales) or maybe a sports psychologist to figure out if there's something going on between his ears. Barring that, I think it's another case where we'd have to identify a goalie to trade for - none of this batch of upcoming UFAs strike me as being the cure and none of our prospects seem NHL-ready at the moment.

 

[sheriff bart]

Darling needs a slump buster

 

[Unsustainable]

I blame the title for the jinx

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I won't take the time to do it, but would be nice to see some of Darling's performances in Chicago and contrast that to him now. He always looks "jumpy" to me and slow to react which gets him out of position, giving up rebounds, and/or unable to cover up a puck when it should be.

He clearly lacks confidence right now, but I'm wondering if the "out of shape" pictures I posted during training camp might play a role in this also. Either way, the guy needs to turn it around. We can't have an auto loss every time he plays and we can't run Ward every night. The guy has shown he can be a capable backup in Chicago, right now, I'd settle for that.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

We are suck again

 

[The Jerk Store]

Darling may have been asked by the goalie coach to change something stylistically, which could account for his lack of confidence. The difference could also be having the Blackhawks playing in front of you every night instead of the 'Canes.

 

[CandyCanes]

I won't take the time to do it, but would be nice to see some of Darling's performances in Chicago and contrast that to him now. He always looks "jumpy" to me and slow to react which gets him out of position, giving up rebounds, and/or unable to cover up a puck when it should be.

He clearly lacks confidence right now, but I'm wondering if the "out of shape" pictures I posted during training camp might play a role in this also. Either way, the guy needs to turn it around. We can't have an auto loss every time he plays and we can't run Ward every night. The guy has shown he can be a capable backup in Chicago, right now, I'd settle for that.

So I was going to try and take a look at some of his film for you and had to click on this gem. Maybe this is what Darling needs to get involved in to spark him. He sure can throw down.

 

[Ole Gil]

Darling may have been asked by the goalie coach to change something stylistically, which could account for his lack of confidence. The difference could also be having the Blackhawks playing in front of you every night instead of the 'Canes.

Like "When the puck is gently lobbed at you, close your eyes when you try to catch it?"

 

[The Jerk Store]

Like "When the puck is gently lobbed at you, close your eyes when you try to catch it?"

Yes, that would be a perfect example of coaching advice that would make me feel uncomfortable.

 

[bleedgreen]

Darling didn’t look much different in Chicago. He was always scrambly with a lot of rebounds. They did a better job of clearing them. He was at his best when he stayed big, calm and held his positioning. Once he lost it a little he was in no mans land. He isn’t staying as calm with us is maybe the difference.

I thought it was a good educated guess but even when he was “saving” the Hawks he didn’t really look good doing it to me. He’s too big and awkward, not athletic.

I still think he can settle down and be more consistent. I didn’t think last nights last goal was bad, it just was the game winner during a time where the spotlight is on him. It’s hardly the worst contract ever for us. 4 million isn’t that much money today. We don’t have Ward signed long term and if one of our young guys takes over there may be some saving me there.

They were upgrading the goaltending, and I still think they did. I think Darling is an improvement over Lack, and there was always the possibility we’re going to have a tandem goalie situation because even when we signed him there was no guarantee he was going to be a stud starter. The media pushed it hard but I think this was always on the table as a possibility.