Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
This is Torts standard all the way. "If you need a scapegoat so damn badly, come after me, not my people." Only this time it's an assistant coach rather than a player.
Same as it ever was ..... CBJ Power Play
- Thread starter puckthat
- Start date
KJ Dangler
Registered User
Nah , when you look at his career , almost every team of his have a bad powerplay . He’s right , it’s not on Larsen , it’s on Torts . A good coach knows his limitations , would bring in a good offensive mind , and let them do their thing . That’s not Torts , and I’m glad he had the balls to let everyone know what the problem is .
There's been a teamwide confidence issue on the powerplay for three years. You can see it when they try and execute the same plays they used to be able to do.
The one coaching thing I definitely see is that guys are not in ideal shooting position (the one-timer side). You're going to take longer to get a shot off if you're on the "strong side". And Torts has control over that, he is in charge of all personnel matters. Maybe Lars has a lot of input and has been giving bad advice, but either way I don't think this shooting-position-issue persists without Torts taking a big chunk of blame.
I'd be happy if I heard that Lars was replaced by a specialist PP coach. But that would be an FO decision to circumvent Torts too. Torts can't can Lars because he knows it's on him too. It would be a big step for the FO to take it away from Torts. I hope they do it but I see why they'd be reluctant.
Nyquist is doing a good job in my opinion. Everything a bumper can do.
Jones though, no terrible. He doesn't want the puck, he's nervous and he's not dangerous. Werenski was the main QB for much of last year and had somewhat better results than Jones, and that flipped for the playoffs when Jones was suddenly good again.
The one coaching thing I definitely see is that guys are not in ideal shooting position (the one-timer side). You're going to take longer to get a shot off if you're on the "strong side". And Torts has control over that, he is in charge of all personnel matters. Maybe Lars has a lot of input and has been giving bad advice, but either way I don't think this shooting-position-issue persists without Torts taking a big chunk of blame.
I'd be happy if I heard that Lars was replaced by a specialist PP coach. But that would be an FO decision to circumvent Torts too. Torts can't can Lars because he knows it's on him too. It would be a big step for the FO to take it away from Torts. I hope they do it but I see why they'd be reluctant.
Nyquist is doing a good job in my opinion. Everything a bumper can do.
Jones though, no terrible. He doesn't want the puck, he's nervous and he's not dangerous. Werenski was the main QB for much of last year and had somewhat better results than Jones, and that flipped for the playoffs when Jones was suddenly good again.
Also lost in the discussion - the PP shot rates are way up so far this year, with an unsustainably low shooting percentage. Usually that presages some goals. The problem in the last couple years hasn't been shooting percentage, it's that the Jackets have been dead f***ing last in shots.
MoeBartoli
Checkers-to-Jackets
- Jan 12, 2011
- 14,079
- 10,299
I agreed with your assertion that the 5 on 5 shooting percentage would increase and still believe that it will. I am not as convinced the PP shooting percentage will increase because with limited exceptions the shots haven't been high danger shots. Full disclosure, that’s me going by eyeball and not stats.
The Jones Zone
Registered User
If Torts doesn't like fans bashing the PP and Larson, they need to do 2 things:
1) increase scoring on the PP
2) stop making sloppy passes and giving up SH goals
I like Torts, I think he's done a tremendous job, but he also needs to grow some skin here
rather than calling BS, if Larson can't take the heat, make the PP better or move on
1) increase scoring on the PP
2) stop making sloppy passes and giving up SH goals
I like Torts, I think he's done a tremendous job, but he also needs to grow some skin here
rather than calling BS, if Larson can't take the heat, make the PP better or move on
I don't fully trust my eye test after a dozen games because who is really remembering all that many powerplays. They looked like garbage on Saturday but had some great looking PP's against Carolina (that they didn't score on), had an immediate PP goal as soon as they put Werenski on the right half wall against Toronto, but sucked in that game before that, and had a couple posts from PLD on the PP a week ago but I don't remember against whom. That's about all I got.
So I check the numbers. In the previous two years the Jackets are 31st out of 31 in expected goals, scoring chances, and high-danger shot attempts. So far this year they are 14th in expected goals, 26th in scoring chances, and 13th in high-danger attempts. I can't really explain all of that, I don't have a firm grasp on how scoring chances or high-danger attempts are recorded. One possible explanation is that if there is a loose puck in the crease and guys get several whacks at it, you can rack up a lot of high-danger attempts on one scoring chance. Just my guess. It's also possible, and I do believe it, that they have been doing some things right this year on the PP (the exasperating shooting-position-issue aside) and aren't getting the luck to reward it.
If Torts wants to take responsibility, I'm fine firing him along with Larsen.
I like your post only because I think they actually are both responsible for the mess, and it's nice to see folks acknowledge that. They could also just fire them from the PP part of their jobs. Supposedly Nashville just did that with their coaches, I don't know how practical it is.
LoveCBJ
Registered User
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
This can't possibly (right?) go any worse than before.
First unit reminds me a bit of the '16-'17 good PP, when it was Foligno….Atkinson-Gagner-Wennberg...Werenski when they were humming at 25+% for a few months. Of course, Wennberg was at least a somewhat-realistic threat to shoot then. He'll need to be now if he wants to operate along the half-wall as the primary distributor, otherwise the opposing PK will just sag into the passing lanes.
Would like to think Josh Anderson could get a look, but not sure who would come out in his place at the moment - maybe Jenner? But, at least they're switching up the personnel to try to get things going.
MoeBartoli
Checkers-to-Jackets
- Jan 12, 2011
- 14,079
- 10,299
Bjork should be on the left side for the PP
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
He's also got a bit of a decent backhand, much like Sonny, so that's what I assume the motivation is there.
This is the second big personnel switch in one week. Aimlessly flailing around hasn't been in short supply.
He's also got a bit of a decent backhand, much like Sonny, so that's what I assume the motivation is there.
I don't know what they're thinking or why they seem to disfavor one-timer positioning but I'm sure backhands are not part of the gameplan.
In my opinion they had the right idea with Werenski on the right half wall. It worked right away vs Toronto. They had one great powerplay (the best of the year in my opinion) vs Carolina but there were only two penalties that game. Against Philadelphia they had several powerplays but either 1) failed to set up at all, 2) fell prey to an unusually bad passing day, or 3) tried to "generate movement" which usually just meant reverting Jones and Werenski to their strong sides, where they were slow to pass or shoot. So in effect Werenski wasn't on the right half wall even though that's where he was penciled in.
I find this painful. The one hope of aimlessly and constantly changing up units, as they have done in the last couple years, is that they'll stumble across something that works. They did and they just kept on stumbling.
There's some things to like here on the top unit. Everyone is in good shooting position. This is the umbrella from 2016-17. It gives Wennberg two very good RH shot options cross ice, Bemstrom and Atkinson. Dubois is a beast in front. Werenski has been better than Jones on the PP. Wennberg's shooting is the weakness, let's hope he rips the puck enough to keep the PK honest. Wennberg and Dubois could also switch spots.
The second unit has me a little miffed. Bjorkstrand and Milano are not in ideal shooting position. Jenner has less than half the per minute productivity of Anderson on the powerplay over the last couple of years, lower than Foligno. Maybe they're trying to protect Anderson from taking whacks in front while he heals up.
I find this painful. The one hope of aimlessly and constantly changing up units, as they have done in the last couple years, is that they'll stumble across something that works. They did and they just kept on stumbling.
There's some things to like here on the top unit. Everyone is in good shooting position. This is the umbrella from 2016-17. It gives Wennberg two very good RH shot options cross ice, Bemstrom and Atkinson. Dubois is a beast in front. Werenski has been better than Jones on the PP. Wennberg's shooting is the weakness, let's hope he rips the puck enough to keep the PK honest. Wennberg and Dubois could also switch spots.
The second unit has me a little miffed. Bjorkstrand and Milano are not in ideal shooting position. Jenner has less than half the per minute productivity of Anderson on the powerplay over the last couple of years, lower than Foligno. Maybe they're trying to protect Anderson from taking whacks in front while he heals up.
MoeBartoli
Checkers-to-Jackets
- Jan 12, 2011
- 14,079
- 10,299
In the words of Monty Python “And now for something completely different”..... The Jackets have gotten so little from the point position on the power play, I honestly think Nuti has the skills that should be tested. He has a good shot and handles the puck well. He also skates well so he can both carry the puck and he can retreat and provide D when the PP blows up.
You realize you do need players who can fit pucks in tight spaces. And there's no one on the team who can do that as effectively and consistently as Wennberg. It's a lot easier to get someone to throw pucks on net than it is to magically gift someone the ability to make pinpoint passes.
Werenski and Jones have all the tools to do damage on the PP, they're just maybe not the best QB's. So if you really want to try something different:
--------- xxxx
Jones - xxxx - Werenski
-------- Nuti
I like Nutti there, I'd also mention Murray as a good choice as he's done well on the PP. But Nutti has been playing pretty aggressive in the offensive zone lately and he's looked good doing it.
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
InfiniteElement
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2019
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