Naw dude, the system totally opened up the slot for the opposition by design.
http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/581836
The swarm is an AHL tactic similar to the full court press. When it was OBVIOUSLY floundering, what was mind-numbingly obvious was that we KEPT WITH IT despite getting completely lit up.
The other problem with the wingers pinching low, was it removed an outlet option if we actually did retrieve the puck.
First, the author makes it clear that in his belief the system is only a problem if it isn't executed properly, not that the system is inherently flawed. It isn't the slot which is sacrificed, but rather the points. This is consistent with what I said. The players had breakdowns and the swarm looks very bad when you breakdown.
Second, if Eakin's system, when compared to Nelson's, was leading to a larger amount of high quality scoring chances, explain the following:
Under Eakin's: SF/G: 28.83, SA/G: 29.17, GF/G: 2.17
GA/G: 3.4
Under Nelson: SF/G: 27.26, SA/G: 29.65, GF/G: 2.43
GA/G: 3.17
Under both the goalie's sv% is almost identical (they have improved about about 1% under Nelson).
So, fairly marginal gains in shooting % and sv% have lead to some improved results. But I don't think any of these differences support the claims about the swarm you have made. The system may be better, but I think more than that, the players are executing better right now. Maybe that is because the new system is easier. Maybe it is because the expectations have been lowered again. Maybe it is because they just didn't like working for Eakins. But I don't think it is because they were being trained to abandon the slot.
That said, Nelson hasn't really had a healthy Hall to work with, and that is a pretty big thing, and maybe a bigger difference would be seen if he did.
Even so, I still think that more than new systems, or better defence, or a guy who doesn't like playing with his hair, what the team needs is a guy who can give league average goaltending, regardless of the team's flaws. Take this team, give it league average 'tending, and we are easily a bubble team this year.