The All-Purpose "It Grinds My Gears" Roster Decisions Thread -- Part II

[arsmaster*]

this is categorically not true though

You expect anything else?

 

[vanuck]

I think there's more good than bad with Willie, but I am concerned that the way he embraces being stubborn is a poor trait for a coach. He needs to be able to incorporate new ways of analyzing hockey and making adjustments at this level. His bench management and line matching has been a problem. Will he adjust? I have no idea. Most rookies I'd say yes, but I'm not sure with the Stubborn Willie behind the bench.

I'm interested to see how he coaches the post-season.

I'm just hopeful he isn't going to wait until the offseason before actually making changes and adapting.

 

[Spectrefire]

I think there's more good than bad with Willie, but I am concerned that the way he embraces being stubborn is a poor trait for a coach. He needs to be able to incorporate new ways of analyzing hockey and making adjustments at this level. His bench management and line matching has been a problem. Will he adjust? I have no idea. Most rookies I'd say yes, but I'm not sure with the Stubborn Willie behind the bench.

I'm interested to see how he coaches the post-season.

I'd honestly be more concerned with hi stubbornness if he was blind to it, but he isn't. He's full aware of it and admits that's a flaw with his coaching style. At the very least he knows that it's not necessarily a good trait and I think that's a good sign that he'll improve on it as he tenure continues.

 

[Verviticus]

That is certainly true of not all but many of his critics.

Question: Do you find more redeeming value in a coach's player management or in the entertainment value and success that he attains?

i dont think you can choose one over the other because one is process and one is result. that said, i said last year that id be more upset if the team was boring than if it was bad and i stick by that. im glad ive actually enjoyed games this year. i didnt do any of that last year

Another one: Since there's a good chance that the team will reach 100 pts, had we a coach like Green, who according to you is supposedly better, do you think we'd be in the running for the President's Trophy? Or close to it? Is the team under or overachieving?

Just curious, I'm trying to understand you.

i didn't say green was a better coach. i said he might have better personnel choices (but looking at how he's handling the PTOs i cant be sure) and he probably plays the same system.

i figured barring major injury that this team was a playoff lock. turns out with some major injuries, it was a playoff probably. i think my expectations were met

i complain about everything i think he does wrong basically every time that i see him do them wrong. i cant think of any specific fence sitters that **** all over him when they can and ignore when he wins

 

[Nomobo]

i dont think you can choose one over the other because one is process and one is result. that said, i said last year that id be more upset if the team was boring than if it was bad and i stick by that. im glad ive actually enjoyed games this year. i didnt do any of that last year



i didn't say green was a better coach. i said he might have better personnel choices (but looking at how he's handling the PTOs i cant be sure) and he probably plays the same system.

i figured barring major injury that this team was a playoff lock. turns out with some major injuries, it was a playoff probably. i think my expectations were met

i complain about everything i think he does wrong basically every time that i see him do them wrong. i cant think of any specific fence sitters that **** all over him when they can and ignore when he wins

Maybe you just enjoy complaining?

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I think there's more good than bad with Willie, but I am concerned that the way he embraces being stubborn is a poor trait for a coach. He needs to be able to incorporate new ways of analyzing hockey and making adjustments at this level. His bench management and line matching has been a problem. Will he adjust? I have no idea. Most rookies I'd say yes, but I'm not sure with the Stubborn Willie behind the bench.

I'm interested to see how he coaches the post-season.

I never saw him as embracing it, so much as admitting his stubbornness has gotten the better of him. He's a rookie coach, who will make mistakes, if only out of habit. What works in the AHL won't necessarily work in the NHL. We can't expect he will come him and be flawless. Look at Cooper in Tampa or Roy in Colorado. Willie has coached this team to nearly 100 points when at least half the hockey world had us clawing for a playoff spot at absolute best. He's done a good job.

 

[Proto]

I never saw him as embracing it, so much as admitting his stubbornness has gotten the better of him. He's a rookie coach, who will make mistakes, if only out of habit. What works in the AHL won't necessarily work in the NHL. We can't expect he will come him and be flawless. Look at Cooper in Tampa or Roy in Colorado. Willie has coached this team to nearly 100 points when at least half the hockey world had us clawing for a playoff spot at absolute best. He's done a good job.

Maybe you're right, but he often smiles and says "I'm a stubborn guy" and then continues to do whatever he said he was being stubborn about. I haven't seen him adjust his player usage that much during the season, except when Horvat forced the issue.

Mind you, I'm not suggesting Willie is incapable of making adjustments. It's just something I'm curious to see develop.

 

[racerjoe]

I never saw him as embracing it, so much as admitting his stubbornness has gotten the better of him. He's a rookie coach, who will make mistakes, if only out of habit. What works in the AHL won't necessarily work in the NHL. We can't expect he will come him and be flawless. Look at Cooper in Tampa or Roy in Colorado. Willie has coached this team to nearly 100 points when at least half the hockey world had us clawing for a playoff spot at absolute best. He's done a good job.

I agree overall he has done a good job.

It is maddening to see his obvious mistakes though, and to think where could we be if he didn't make them. This team was never as bad as most people thought. I have said it a million times, we go as the twins go specifically Hank. Last year the twins got off to a hot start, then got hurt. It killed out team. Yes other players faltered, and coaching turned out to be an issue, but an injury filled year should not have been looked at as the norm.

 

[Booshami]

Willie just pretty much confirmed Lack is starting the playoffs. He said it would be hard for Miller to start a playoff game when he's been off for so long. Paraphrased it a bit.

He said it in the post-game interview

 

[wonton15]

Vey shouldn't see any games in the playoffs, but knowing Willie, he'll find a way in...

 

[David71]

i wonder how willie approaches his first playoff game adjustments when the going gets tough. does he still play doresett 14mins? or gives his top players more mins?

 

[VanillaCoke]

i wonder how willie approaches his first playoff game adjustments when the going gets tough. does he still play doresett 14mins? or gives his top players more mins?

I expect dorsett to be top 5 in ice time

 

[Barney Gumble]

i wonder how willie approaches his first playoff game adjustments when the going gets tough. does he still play doresett 14mins? or gives his top players more mins?

I worry more if Sbisa got increased minutes actually.

 

[MS]

i wonder how willie approaches his first playoff game adjustments when the going gets tough. does he still play doresett 14mins? or gives his top players more mins?

Same.

This is where you ride your horses, and this is why you've rolled 4 lines all year.

I hope to see Edler-Tanev playing 25-28 minutes and Vey down to 5. But somehow I'm not holding my breath.

 

[TheWanderer]

Yea, you know... this roster has been winning its games without using it's top line to it's fullest extent. I wonder what happens if guys like Sedins and Bonino-Vrbata are playing 20+

Our bottom 6 players all have the potential to catch fire in any given game, and willie should play them accordingly. The only boat anchor down there is Vey, who catches fire.

 

[shortshorts]

Honestly the worst that can happen this is playoffs is if we get swept with Vey scoring meaningless points throughout the series.

4x4 contract for playoff producer!

... At least that was my nightmare.

 

[WhoseLainesItAnyway]

Please Willie...

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Baertschi - Horvat - Vrbata
Higgins - Bonino - Burrows
Dorsett - Vey - Hansen

 

[Jyrki21]

i wonder how willie approaches his first playoff game adjustments when the going gets tough. does he still play doresett 14mins? or gives his top players more mins?

Dorsett usually is his answer to when the going gets tough, unfortunately. Desjardins puts him on as the bloody extra attacker when the goalie is pulled.

 

[NuxFan09]

Please Willie...

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Baertschi - Horvat - Vrbata
Higgins - Bonino - Burrows
Dorsett - Vey - Hansen

Although I like those lines myself, I wouldn't blame Coach Desjardins one bit for NOT going with completely different lines in the playoffs. The team has established chemistry down the stretch so best not to tinker with that.

But again, I do like those lines.

 

[me2]

Please Willie...

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Baertschi - Horvat - Vrbata
Higgins - Bonino - Burrows
Dorsett - Vey - Hansen

Dorsett struggles on the left wing. Bad-sided Dorsett + Vey = awesome line management.

 

[vanuck]

Dorsett usually is his answer to when the going gets tough, unfortunately. Desjardins puts him on as the bloody extra attacker when the goalie is pulled.

Defending the lead, tying the game. He's WD's go-to guy, that's why he gets paid!

 

[m9]

Please Willie...

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Baertschi - Horvat - Vrbata
Higgins - Bonino - Burrows
Dorsett - Vey - Hansen

These lines have an injured guy, a guy in Utica, and Vey over Matthias and Richardson. Quite bad.

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Higgins Bonino Vrbata
Mathias Richardson Dorsett
Kenins Horvat Hansen

I like that bottom 6.

 

[WhoseLainesItAnyway]

Dorsett struggles on the left wing. Bad-sided Dorsett + Vey = awesome line management.

Dorsett did fine at LW when he was playing with Horvat and Hansen. He's there to bring energy, switching sides shouldn't be a significant detriment in that regard.

These lines have an injured guy, a guy in Utica, and Vey over Matthias and Richardson. Quite bad.

Matthias is a hybrid between Raymond and Booth. He's worse than all of our other wingers (yes, even Dorsett) and can't be trusted at center. Won't miss him when he's off the team next year.

I would've put Richardson ahead of Vey but wasn't sure about his injury status at the time of my post. If Richardson and Kassian are good to go:

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Baertschi - Horvat - Vrbata
Higgins - Bonino - Burrows
Dorsett - Richardson - Hansen

 

[luongo321]

Dorsett did fine at LW when he was playing with Horvat and Hansen. He's there to bring energy, switching sides shouldn't be a significant detriment in that regard.



Matthias is a hybrid between Raymond and Booth. He's worse than all of our other wingers (yes, even Dorsett) and can't be trusted at center. Won't miss him when he's off the team next year.

I would've put Richardson ahead of Vey but wasn't sure about his injury status at the time of my post. If Richardson and Kassian are good to go:

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Baertschi - Horvat - Vrbata
Higgins - Bonino - Burrows
Dorsett - Richardson - Hansen

That username.