enthusiast
cybersabre his prophet
- Oct 20, 2009
- 18,671
- 5,993
Tr-tr-triple thread
Burning questions:
Is Enroth emotionally and mentally dead?
Is Ville Leino a contributor in the future?
Is Makarov more like Hasek or Roy?
How many All-Stars will we sign this offseason?
MOD EDIT: Link to last thread http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1350421
Context for where we are, in case you forgot:
Burning questions:
Is Enroth emotionally and mentally dead?
Is Ville Leino a contributor in the future?
Is Makarov more like Hasek or Roy?
How many All-Stars will we sign this offseason?
MOD EDIT: Link to last thread http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1350421
Context for where we are, in case you forgot:
Good
- Finally firing Lindy. It was overdue, but at least they finally took the step. Hopefully just the beginning of changes.
- Hodgson looks to be trending up after some tough luck post-draft. It should come as no surprise that this is happening after his first real healthy off-season in years.
- Ennis adjusting after his slow start. Don't think he ends up being more than a secondary scoring winger, but at least he's seems to be progressing in the right direction.
- Ott has been much of what I was hoping for. I liked him before Ruff was fired, but I think he's been more noticeable since.
- Vanek looked like an elite player to start off the season. It was entertaining, even though you knew it wasn't sustainable. He's great when he moves his feet.
- Ehrhoff has been awesome. He's a creation machine and makes everyone on the ice better.
- Miller has had some stellar performances. Too bad we're going nowhere while he's in his prime.
Bad
- There are still so many players on this roster I want gone, Stafford being the main one. **** off, I haven't liked you since probably 2007.
- The defense is just crap. There's only one or two guys you can realistically hope will not be terrible on any given night. Four #7D is too many for one roster.
- Team defense sucks. Too many guys looking to fly the zone early, too many guys chasing. They wilt at the slightest sign of a forecheck.
- Team speed. The days of being an exciting, fast team seem like eons ago.
- Three seasons in a row now that they've been in the basement for prolonged periods of time. Hopefully this time they realize it's not a fluke.
- Not necessarily team related, but the mostly unwatchable play on ice is made worse by terrible broadcasts. Sorry RJ, time to hang them up. Ray, you're a disgrace. Time to bring the production up the 21st century standards.
Ugly
- Fire Regier already. Change the guard completely.
- For a team that is counting on it's youth, you'd like to see more progress from prospects. Too much stagnation or regression this season. Foligno, outside of his hot start in Rochester, has been a passenger on too many nights. Armia still only plays when he wants to. He's been good as of late, but it's only after prodding from his coach after the team lost their best player. Tropp gone for possibly the whole season. Girgensons rushed, playing out of position, and had his brain scrambled not once but twice. Grigorenko rushed after showing negative signs in Québec, despite his statline. McNabb, while not as bad as some say, hasn't really taken any steps forward. Pysyk has had some growing pains and needs some more time. Adam is a lost cause. Lower-end depth options are doing little to stand out or are regressing (Varone being the best example).
- Myers. Even though his play recently could be considered an improvement over his putrid start, he still looks like trash. If he's not going to be the #1D we're hoping he'll be (and already compensating as such), we're not going anywhere anytime soon. The fact that it's a consistent problem and he hardly shows signs of being that player is brutal.
- A side effect of the poor play of Myers is that the defense is pretty much nondescript and barring a massive trade, it's probably not changing much. They only have three contracted guys going forward, but the guys in FA are mostly crap and th pieces in the pipe probably aren't changing much. Shuffling deck chairs and such. I have a feeling we'll need a blue chipper soon.
- This team isn't even really unlucky, statistically speaking (outside of poor power play shooting). Their PDO is fairly average and Fenwick Close is almost dead last. Yep, they suck.
Depressing
- The talent this team does have looks like it will keep them out of the basement unfortunately, barring injury. I imagine this is what being a Bills fan is like. Dig a hole when you already have virtually no shot at winning anything, partially dig yourself out, end up in an endless cycle of mediocrity.
- They'll probably end up finishing outside of the range that top tier talent is available and take a gamble on a turd of a prospect.
All in all, this looks to be shaping up as mostly a lost season.
They need to make good at the draft and formulate a realistic plan going forward; enough indecision and mediocrity.
Please, change the culture so that this team is at least enjoyable even if they aren't winning.
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