Observations XXIII

[101st_fan]

I really don't care how hard it is to win the cup, that's not the issue.

It's like smith said, things haven't been working for several years. Lavy just doesn't hav the skill to make adjustments. The PP sucks...that isn't a function of the playoffs. The team has squeaked by, because of talent. Whatever system we're playing , I give up.

i think the players are tired of whatever is going on, lavy and all, lost the room at least a year ago. I think the players see it and know it and just can't speak out. The sth see it , and all the optimism when we do win can't put lipstick on the pig.

I wish we had hired coach Q.

I'm tired of all the worn coaching bull****.

Personally, unless we win the cup this season (very unlikely) ....I want the coaches fired.

Smith didn't say "things haven't been working for several years" ... he said things "haven't changed in the past couple years" ... significant difference. Things worked fine on the PP last season to the tune of converting at 21.2% .... 21.6% in the playoffs. The failure to change once it was obvious that things weren't working this season is the issue.

And its not like Q wasn't rejoining Tallon in Florida if given half a chance.

 

[drwpreds]

I really don't care how hard it is to win the cup, that's not the issue.

It's like smith said, things haven't been working for several years. Lavy just doesn't hav the skill to make adjustments. The PP sucks...that isn't a function of the playoffs. The team has squeaked by, because of talent. Whatever system we're playing , I give up.

i think the players are tired of whatever is going on, lavy and all, lost the room at least a year ago. I think the players see it and know it and just can't speak out. The sth see it , and all the optimism when we do win can't put lipstick on the pig.

I wish we had hired coach Q.

I'm tired of all the worn coaching bull****.

Personally, unless we win the cup this season (very unlikely) ....I want the coaches fired.

When you say things have not been working "for years"- are you just referring to the power play??

Are you saying you wish we had hired Q 5 years ago?

Again- here is Lavi's resume here:

Year 1- Have best record in league for most of year. 104 points. Lose in 6 to Cup winner
Year 2- Lose in 7 games in round 2
Year 3= Go to Stanley Cup finals- two wins from winning the Cup
Year 4- President's Trophy- 117 points- lose in round 2 in 7 games to a 113 point team
Year 5-= 100 points, 2nd straight division title

I mean- I know it has been an inconsistent, frustrating, even disappointing year despite a division title.

It is just my opinion and maybe I am nuts but man we are one spoiled fanbase if that is just squeaking by.

 

[predfan24]

I don't disagree with what you're saying drw, but I think Poile will be less patient than he has been in the past due to his age. I don't think he's going to accept underachievement, perceived or not, at this point in his life. There have been reports of how badly he wants a SC before he calls it quits.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

Lavi isn't getting fired. That's insane to even discuss.

 

[101st_fan]

Lavi isn't getting fired. That's insane to even discuss.

The only way I see Lavy getting fired is if the team says to get rid of McCarthy and Lavy chooses that hill to die upon.

Three of his five seasons have resulted in 100 points or more (only the Caps have reached 100 points in all of the last five regular seasons, Pitt has done it four times). Throw in a SCF, Presidents Trophy, and two consecutive division titles and it's highly unlikely he gets canned using on-ice events as the basis.

 

[Armourboy]

Frankly when it comes down to Lavi, it will depend on what the players tell Poile about the situation.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I really don't care how hard it is to win the cup, that's not the issue.

It's like smith said, things haven't been working for several years. Lavy just doesn't hav the skill to make adjustments. The PP sucks...that isn't a function of the playoffs. The team has squeaked by, because of talent. Whatever system we're playing , I give up.

i think the players are tired of whatever is going on, lavy and all, lost the room at least a year ago. I think the players see it and know it and just can't speak out. The sth see it , and all the optimism when we do win can't put lipstick on the pig.

I wish we had hired coach Q.

I'm tired of all the worn coaching bull****.

Personally, unless we win the cup this season (very unlikely) ....I want the coaches fired.

I think this is a valid stance for fans to take, anyway. Things aren't working. Coaching is going to be an obvious target if the team doesn't get it together in the playoffs.

Whether Lavy ultimate pays the price this off-season or not - I have no idea. I think it's going to be an understandable point of discussion, however. I don't know if I'm for or against. Give me the rest of this series to see. There's a lot that would go into such a decision, and we don't have all the info. I could see it going either way.

But if you forced me to pick my approach assuming an early playoff exit: Lavy stays, the assistants are fired, and new assistants (perhaps including Housley) come in, and they are guys with enough street cred, experience, and ability that they could be considered at least as interim head coaches next season if the Preds don't start strong - becuase to me in this scenario if Lavy does stay he's on very thin ice next season.

Teams are supposed to progress. On paper it looks like the roster has gotten better. On the ice the team got worse this year. Coaching success isn't just about listing what the team accomplished under the coach in previous years. It has to still be going somewhere. No coach lasts forever, it's part of management's job to pick the right time to make a change. It's going to happen sooner or later with Lavy, guaranteed. He's not going to coach for us until he decides to retire, after all. Will it be this off-season? Part-way through next season? Or some time further off? He WILL be let go at some point.. I think it's a totally valid question for us to ask at this point, the way things have gone, and I wouldn't fault any fan calling for a change.

 

[David Singleton]

I'm curious if the ex-assistant coach responsible for the Panther's excellent PP this season will get a look from Nashville.

 

[PredsV82]

I worry that Rinne is going to feel like he has to win this one by himself and he will be pressing and scrambling.

Would help a whole lot to score a couple of goals early, not just one...

 

[braindead]

Playoffs are a funny thing. Intellectually you know almost no Series will be a sweep and yet emotionally a loss feels like the end of the world.

You see the Blue Jackets win game one against what is believed to be by far the best team in the league AFTER going down 3-0 in the game, so you figure Tampa will erase the fluke in game 2 and instead get blown out.

LVG, who get demolished in Game 1, return the favor in Game 2.

Then you have some great teams down 0-2 in Tampa, Pens and Jets, with two of them having had home ice. And yet the Caps won the Cup just last year after going down 0-2 at home.

What’s a person to think as a Preds fan? My conclusion is that thinking will drive you crazy so don’t think and enjoy the ride.

 

[FossilFndr]

.... My conclusion is that thinking will drive you crazy so don’t think and enjoy the ride.

Consistent thinking from a member with braindead username.

 

[Pred303]

there are big games and then there are really big games. this is a really big game tonight for the team, for the fans, and for my patience.

 

[bdub24]

Yeah...run that bum Lavi outta town. He's on only won us the Presidents Trophy, the Western conference championship, two central division titles and taken the team to its only SCF. What a dead weight to have as a coach. Get f***ing real guys.

 

[hockey diva]

The assistants need to go at the very least.

 

[Pred303]

[ know everyone is frustrated, but even talking of firing lavy is ridiculous even if we get swept. Assistants yes, lavy no way.

 

[101st_fan]

The assistants need to go at the very least.

There is a strong case for an assistant coaching change based on the PP% ... the lack of change was even noted by Smith in public.

Winning the division might provide the front office with an excuse to keep the status quo.

Given that Lavy isn't an X and O guy and that he leaves that to his associate coaches, especially McCarthy, I am in favor of a change behind the bench. I won't be surprised if it doesn't happen though.

 

[101st_fan]

How this team performed is very situationally dependent. The PP sucked as we all saw. 5on5 is another story ... last year the team tied for the most 5on5 goals with 168. This year the team scored 164. A four goal difference 5on5 ... between the best, and completely healthy season in team history and an injury and suspension filled season where some in the fanbase concluded this team sucked and that we need to fire the entire coaching staff.

 

[Pred303]

make no mistake. this is a dogfight. an ugly street fight of a game.

 

[PredsV82]

make no mistake. this is a dogfight. an ugly street fight of a game.

Hopefully we havent brought a weiner dog to their Doberman tonight...

 

[101st_fan]

This remains a very tight series. Two goals, each won by just one goal ... one in OT. Buckle up.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

Much better game tonight. Controlled the offensive play for the most part.

 

[Predsanddead24]

The Watson-Bonino-Sissons line had a much better game tonight which was really huge. They took a beating in their possession stats again, but that's to be expected when they were getting a ton of defensive zone starts and being matched up against Dallas's top line. It created really favorable matchups for the rest of the team too, which now we just need our top 6 to start contributing offensively.

 

[Pred303]

you knew it was going to take a dirty, greasy goal to win. you just hoped it would be us and not them. it's going to be seriously hard for us to score more than 2 goals on bishop. we are gonna have to win several 2-1 type games to get out of this round. which means we need some puck luck, and very few giveaways and great goaltending. we carried the play as far as shots, but true chances weren't many. about the only way you beat a goalie like bishop is by making him move side to side. and their defense makes it mighty tough to do that since they all collapse. odd man rushes would be nice, but their defensemen don't pinch aggressively down the boards, and they seem to really key on having that third man high at all times. this is gonna be a war.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

I thought about making a post with my thoughts on this game but maybe I should ask the group speak if it's okay to say........

The second line had another good game tonight?
Jofa was good but gonna need a goal or two from them?
Fabbro also had another good game? I personally say it was great for the rok but I'll let you all decide.
Maybe PK was good and Ekholm sucked? Maybe? Is that okay?
Hamhuis bounced back though?
No one on this team right now but Watson makes that play to win and control the puck behind the net before the first goal?
Ellis had another rough outing?
I'm perfectly fine with Smith going off and taking that penalty in the third, it's too bad that bitch turtled?

No matter how frustrating the regular season was this is why you should be happy they made the playoffs. What a fun game, no?

Or we could be golfing if that better.

 

[Scoresberg]

Grimaldi last night with only 9:47 of ice-time, over three minutes less than the next forward (Jarnkrok @ 13:12):

81,8% of Corsi. 18 Corsi for, 4 Corsi against
1 goal
+2
3 shots