I've no doubt that the staff will be replaced. Meruelo has seen enough.
Tocchets interviews are infuriating. He's got no f***in' clue and keeps rambling on about accountability.
I’d trade OEL for the best single draft pick and/or prospect or combo I could get at this point.
Honestly, if there was a button I could press and just delete the contracts of Kessel+ Stepan+ Grabner+ OEL+ Goligoski+ Demers+ Oesterle - I would do it. If I could get rid of all seven of them, without so much as a draft pick or minor leaguer back, I’d do it in a second.
Which tells me that Chayka needs to be fired.
I’d do that deal. Helps me to not have to worry about getting a roster D back for OEL in another trade. Stepan for Yandle and OEL for RyJo would suit me fine.Are we any closer to that Stepan for Yandle trade? Or do we need to massage it more.
I think our roster mix is a bit off. We need size and toughness. You can only have so many figure skaters on a team. Coaching is terrible, has been for the last year.I think the roster is worse than the coaching (and the coaching isn't good)...
Do you think our core, the guys signed long term to decent sized contracts, are good enough to beat the other team's cores? I just don't see it. When you get paid decent dollars and long term deals you should be the one driving the bus not hoping to benefit from others.I think our roster mix is a bit off. We need size and toughness. You can only have so many figure skaters on a team. Coaching is terrible, has been for the last year.
Our core is not elite. We have not had fist overall picks like many teams have had, and it doesn't help when your GM thinks your core is so great he trades away first rounders. Driving the bus type forward are getting 10 mill. plus a year, or around there. Of course there are exceptions but we don't have that one player who can put the team on their back as say let's go. TO has three forwards driving their bus and look at them. Mix of players and chemistry has a lot to do with it also. It's hard to win in the NHL as there is so much parity it's crazy so good coaching becomes even more important and that is something I think the Coyotes are lacking.Do you think our core, the guys signed long term to decent sized contracts, are good enough to beat the other team's cores? I just don't see it. When you get paid decent dollars and long term deals you should be the one driving the bus not hoping to benefit from others.
It's not about Toronto , stick to the Coyotes. This core isn't good. Chayka went early and so far that has not proven fruitful. Had he waited woukd anyone suggest roughly $6 million for Schmaltz and $7 million for Keller? There is little value in either of those and combining them with OEL only looks worse.Our core is not elite. We have not had fist overall picks like many teams have had, and it doesn't help when your GM thinks your core is so great he trades away first rounders. Driving the bus type forward are getting 10 mill. plus a year, or around there. Of course there are exceptions but we don't have that one player who can put the team on their back as say let's go. TO has three forwards driving their bus and look at them. Mix of players and chemistry has a lot to do with it also. It's hard to win in the NHL as there is so much parity it's crazy so good coaching becomes even more important and that is something I think the Coyotes are lacking.
I'm trying to explain that asking a 7 mill. dollar player to drive the bus, as you say, is hard when other teams are paying their top players 10 or 11 mill. These players get paid more for a reason. TO has three 11 mill. dollar players and they have only a few points more than the Yotes. You come on here and criticize the Yotes core players, yet when someone criticizes your favorite team you get your panties in a knot.It's not about Toronto , stick to the Coyotes. This core isn't good. Chayka went early and so far that has not proven fruitful. Had he waited woukd anyone suggest roughly $6 million for Schmaltz and $7 million for Keller? There is little value in either of those and combining them with OEL only looks worse.
A few more points?? Matthew's has more goals than the highest point Coyote. I remember the mud slinging here when Nylander got $7 million, he would be the best player on the Coyotes, heck he might be the best Leaf this year. I'm trying not to discuss the Leafs here, not worry about my panties. Pointing at any other team changes absolutely nothing. The Coyotes have a very average core but they are now signed long term.I'm trying to explain that asking a 7 mill. dollar player to drive the bus, as you say, is hard when other teams are paying their top players 10 or 11 mill. These players get paid more for a reason. TO has three 11 mill. dollar players and they have only a few points more than the Yotes. You come on here and criticize the Yotes core players, yet when someone criticizes your favorite team you get your panties in a knot.
Once the team is eliminated from playoff contention, they need to clear out the coaching staff. They need to immediately start applying pressure to Kessel. Let him know he's not in the plans, the next coach will be someone unafraid of scratching him and ruining his ironman streak, and they'll be willing to start calling him out publicly. Attempt to quietly shuffle him to some other warm climate with plenty of golf and Indian gaming. Florida seems like a good fit. They want to be rid of Yandle by the sounds of their fan base. A 1 for 1 swap makes some sense.Wanting to sell players who's values are at an all time low and wanting a coaching change at the same time seems like a giant mistake.. If you want a new coach its to adjust the system so your players will have a better chance to succeed.
First change your coach and if he's any good i'd very be surprised if none of these players turn it around. If players still don't turn it around but the team is then they're a problem and need to be moved. You want to be the team buying low on star players in a bad situation, not selling low on your players while they are in a bad situation (ex. Fiala early this season when he was being benched and scratched, i wanted him bad).
Also, I don't like that Tocchet is the coach still and i'd love to give one of the big name coaches a job here but i think people need to be prepared for a lesser known coach if it happens at all. There's no guarantees that this teams money problems have been solved completely, especially if this season goes south. I assume Meruelo was really wanting money from the playoffs. So i wouldn't be surprised if they'd hire one of the better coaches from the AHL.
These are more subjective obviously, just my opinions and positions i stand by.. so feel free to skip if you're even still reading and don't care.
I still think OEL should have been traded 4 years ago. When he had 2 years left on his last contract at 5.5 mill, he had insane value coming off back-to-back 20+ goal seasons (this was the same time Trouba became available for the first time and was a RFA looking to sign around 5.5mill long term and Winnipeg was desperate for a LHD... Trouba+ Connor at the time was at the very least CLOSE in value and a proposal i suggested). I like OEL, but like i said 4 years ago.. anyone that watches him consistently would know he's not a PP QB and if i'm paying a D 8+ mill he better know how to run an offense. I feel like you should count on him to get 40+ assists at that price, but id settle with 35 because he's only played for Tippett and Tocchet... which he still has never done (i believe he's been on pace for it once).
The captaincy shouldn't have been given to anyone for another year at least when OEL got it due to the team still being in the middle of a rebuild and having to follow up one of the best captains in NHL history, having someone with a C on their jersey is one of the least important things to worry about. I personally wanted to wait 1-2 more years and give it to Chychrun who is a phenomenal leader and would have been a great long term follow up to Doan (if injuries prevented this find an alternative).
No one would be wrong to criticize our core right now, they can't win important regular season games, how can we expect them to win in the playoffs?I'm trying to explain that asking a 7 mill. dollar player to drive the bus, as you say, is hard when other teams are paying their top players 10 or 11 mill. These players get paid more for a reason. TO has three 11 mill. dollar players and they have only a few points more than the Yotes. You come on here and criticize the Yotes core players, yet when someone criticizes your favorite team you get your panties in a knot.
Defensive zone breakouts are one of the most frustrating parts of the team. They used to be decent at it, maybe a season or two ago, and now having some much better offensive zone entry gainers, this shouldn't be an issue, but alas, it is. As I can only watch the games on TV, I have no clue what the forwards are doing to alleviate pressure on the D being forechecked, but evidently that part of the system is not working.His pressers are so infuriating after the game I have stopped watching. Like his defensive zone breakout, it's the same thing over and over again. Time to rid ourselves of this asshat!
Once the team is eliminated from playoff contention, they need to clear out the coaching staff. They need to immediately start applying pressure to Kessel. Let him know he's not in the plans, the next coach will be someone unafraid of scratching him and ruining his ironman streak, and they'll be willing to start calling him out publicly. Attempt to quietly shuffle him to some other warm climate with plenty of golf and Indian gaming. Florida seems like a good fit. They want to be rid of Yandle by the sounds of their fan base. A 1 for 1 swap makes some sense.
Can you imagine Phil in South Florida? All hell would break loose.
What's wrong with him anyway? He wanted to come to Arizona so it seems weird it hasn't worked out. Have the wheels just come off?
Phil has spent most of his career with Tyler Bozak and Nick Bonino as his centers. I think Tocchet being a Kessel whisperer was overblown and in general our offensive scheme sucks. He is also older and likely too comfortable in AZ.Phil needs to play with players who not only have high skill level and hockey IQ, but also have incredible work ethic and do most of the work in the corners for him. We don’t have a single one of those players. Well maybe one, and he’s 5’10” 165 lbs so....