Tmac vs Hitch (what is Hitch doing different than Tmac)

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

More interesting insights!

Absolutely love what he's saying.

Somebody should post a Todd McLellan presser now. Listening to Hitch and Todd, could two things be more diametrically different... wow.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Delete; other Hitch thread

 

[redgrant]

Cant say I really agree. They got scored on within the first minute. They got scored on in the last minute of the second period. They had to work for their goals where as they just gifted SJ goals. If anything I would say they didnt get the bounces last night, but they found a way to win because they didnt give up and got better as the game went on.

Those goals as well. For example that first goal was a 100% pure miscommunication among the players with a new coach and new system request. You even saw at another faceoff McDavid flip sides as I'm sure was requested by hitch.

Despite first day on the job aside from those understandable errors it's been a very long time since they look this good against an actually strong on paper team.

 

[TheNumber4]

Absolutely love what he's saying.

Somebody should post a Todd McLellan presser now. Listening to Hitch and Todd, could two things be more diametrically different... wow.

I looked up TMac's presser from his Hiring. Near zero talk about Xs and Os, a lot of the usual "there will be tough nights... how special McDavid is... Hall and Eberle are great people... Building towards an identity..."

 

[GameChanger]

Absolutely love what he's saying.

Somebody should post a Todd McLellan presser now. Listening to Hitch and Todd, could two things be more diametrically different... wow.

The difference really is remarkable. I'm sure most players respect and like him more than McLellan already now.

 

[I am the Liquor]

I wouldn't mind 97 getting time on 3rd line and 29 4th line.

Just leave him out there.

 

[frag2]

He can even replace benning as a 6th defender.

Hitch at least realizes he needs to stop playing Benning much in the third, something 2 year in TMac couldn't figure out

 

[GameChanger]

I looked up TMac's presser from his Hiring. Near zero talk about Xs and Os, a lot of the usual "there will be tough nights... how special McDavid is... Hall and Eberle are great people... Building towards an identity..."

You know I hated the way McLellan handled Pulju at times, but that's not among the main reasons why I thought McLellan sucked. The way he spoke when interviewed was just like you wrote. It was like he just had to fill the time by saying nothing of importance, except for throwing players under the bus occasionally.

Talks nicely enough but doesn't say anything, never sees fault in himself, doesn't ever understand to feel embarassed, seems to believe he's always right... he'd make a great politician.

 

[Spawn]

He's putting players in a role that suits them instead of arranging his lineup by salary and draft position.

He also actually coaches his players differently. He isn't telling Lucic to go out there and try to play like he's told McDavid how to play.

You really think Lucic stapled to the 3rd line for the bulk of this season was told by Todd to go out there and play like McDavid?

First thing I noticed was Lucic on the fourth line. Todd was so thick headed he didn't even try this once. Wow.

Lucic wasn't moved to the 4th line. Brodziak and Kassian were moved up to the 3rd line.

 

[McDNicks17]

You really think Lucic stapled to the 3rd line for the bulk of this season was told by Todd to go out there and play like McDavid?

He was clearly being told to play a skill game and put up points.

Should have been pretty obvious from last season that that's not going to happen.

 

[Cloned]

More interesting insights!

I’m going to get rebutted by @Spawn but I think it’s pretty obvious that what I was saying about McDavid needing to engage more all over the ice to become an even better player is exactly what Hitch just said here.

I said it before, but if I can see it, then Hitch can see it. Doesn’t mean we’re hating on McDavid, just means we see the potential for complete dominance.

I have a man crush on Hitch already.

 

[Spawn]

I’m going to get rebutted by @Spawn but I think it’s pretty obvious that what I was saying about McDavid needing to engage more all over the ice to become an even better player is exactly what Hitch just said here.

I said it before, but if I can see it, then Hitch can see it. Doesn’t mean we’re hating on McDavid, just means we see the potential for complete dominance.

I have a man crush on Hitch already.

There is a big difference between changing the way a player defends and insinuating that the player takes shifts off and is lazy at times. Hitchcock talks about the former. You harp on the latter. The former is smart coaching. The latter is offensive.

 

[Cloned]

There is a big difference between changing the way a player defends and insinuating that the player takes shifts off and is lazy at times. Hitchcock talks about the former. You harp on the latter. The former is smart coaching. The latter is offensive.

You can spin it however you want, but at least you are finally admitting he isn’t an infallible god.

I never said he takes shifts off btw. I said he sometimes he coasts for half of a particular shift and that he can (and will) be better than that by staying engaged all over the ice.

 

[Spawn]

You can spin it however you want, but at least you are finally admitting he isn’t an infallible god.

I never said he takes shifts off btw. I said he sometimes he coasts for half of a particular shift and that he can (and will) be better than that by staying engaged all over the ice.

I've never suggested he is an infallible god. I've called him the best player in the world. Which he is. I've called him one of the best defensive players on the team. Which he is.

You want to talk about "spin." You're the one who has said he's lazy and gives up as much as he generates

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I’m going to get rebutted by @Spawn but I think it’s pretty obvious that what I was saying about McDavid needing to engage more all over the ice to become an even better player is exactly what Hitch just said here.

I said it before, but if I can see it, then Hitch can see it. Doesn’t mean we’re hating on McDavid, just means we see the potential for complete dominance.

I have a man crush on Hitch already.

Good on you for walking into the lion's den to say it too. That took some balls seeing how this board can blow up on each other.

For the man crush...if Hitch were to pull me in for a man-hug, he would be met with very little resistance. And I hate hugs, unless it's my kids.

 

[Cloned]

I've never suggested he is an infallible god. I've called him the best player in the world. Which he is. I've called him one of the best defensive players on the team. Which he is.

You're the one who has said he's lazy and gives up as much as he generates.

I said he can be even better than he is if he stops coasting. I’m not sure how that’s even in dispute. Hitch basically agrees. His potential is limitless if he stays engaged all over the ice.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Double shifted McDavid with khaira and explained if the team isn't going to get powerplay that power play time that mcdaicd would have could be allocated to McDavid being double shifted in the 3rd period.

First indirectly calls out the refs for lack of pp. Second Connor McDavid on the 3rd and 1st line in the final period. Brilliant.

2 more things than mclellan had done in his tenure as coach.

 

[Cloned]

Good on you for walking into the lion's den to say it too. That took some balls seeing how this board can blow up on each other.

For the man crush...if Hitch were to pull me in for a man-hug, he would be met with very little resistance. And I hate hugs, unless it's my kids.

The fact that he resembles Santa Claus right now in terms of disposition and figure helps.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

There is a big difference between changing the way a player defends and insinuating that the player takes shifts off and is lazy at times. Hitchcock talks about the former. You harp on the latter. The former is smart coaching. The latter is offensive.

I said he can be even better than he is if he stops coasting. I’m not sure how that’s even in dispute. Hitch basically agrees. His potential is limitless if he stays engaged all over the ice.

I've seen him cheating for offense at times but that is a way to utilize his speed offensively as well. IMO that should be cut down a bit unless we are down late in a game. I for one welcome what Ken is talking about in terms of using our speed to make the opposition nervous and bumble plays.

 

[Cloned]

I've seen him cheating for offense at times but that is a way to utilize his speed offensively as well. IMO that should be cut down a bit unless we are down late in a game. I for one welcome what Ken is talking about in terms of using our speed to make the opposition nervous and bumble plays.

Hitch was talking about him utilizing his speed more without the puck in his own zone, which to me basically means stop coasting on defense and stay more engaged all over the ice. Hitch also said players can learn the value of off the puck play. Then he makes sure to compliment McDavid by saying that McDavid is already 2/3 of the way there.

Smart coach. Smartest coach here since Sather.

 

[Spawn]

I said he can be even better than he is if he stops coasting. I’m not sure how that’s even in dispute. Hitch basically agrees. His potential is limitless if he stays engaged all over the ice.

It's offensive to call the best player on the team, the hardest worker on the team lazy. And with it is the undertone that somehow it's the fault of McDavid/Draisaitl that this team is bad. That if only they could be somehow better we wouldn't suck. It ignores that the rest of the roster is complete and total garbage.

It's the same BS that occurred with Taylor Hall. That same mentality is what saw 1/2 this board fully on board with trading him away for a #3 d-man. It's the same mentality that saw 1/2 this forum just absolutely ruthlessly tearing into Draisaitl after like... 2 mediocre games to start the season.

No time for it. Sorry Cloned, you're a great poster. Certainly a better and poster than me. But that shit drives me crazy.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

The fact that he resembles Santa Claus right now in terms of disposition and figure helps.

Hitch as Santa: "Well hello there, little Matt Benning, what would you like for Christmas this year?"

Matt Benning: "I've been a good boy and would like more minutes and maybe some more time on the second pairing."

Hitch as Santa: "We'll see what Santa can do.". *mutters under his breath* "f*** that you've been good"

Christmas morning at Matt Benning's house: *checks his stocking, finds an envelope with "Careful what you wish for" printed on it*

"An airplane ticket to Wichita???"

 

[GameChanger]

"An airplane ticket to Wichita???"

Or a ticket to an Oilers game.

 

[Cloned]

It's offensive to call the best player on the team, the hardest worker on the team lazy. And with it is the undertone that somehow it's the fault of McDavid/Draisaitl that this team is bad. That if only they could be somehow better we wouldn't suck. It ignores that the rest of the roster is complete and total garbage.

It's the same BS that occurred with Taylor Hall. That same mentality is what saw 1/2 this board fully on board with trading him away for a #3 d-man. It's the same mentality that saw 1/2 this forum just absolutely ruthlessly tearing into Draisaitl after like... 2 mediocre games to start the season.

No time for it. Sorry Cloned, you're a great poster. Certainly a better and poster than me. But that **** drives me crazy.

I’m sorry if my posts came off that way but I think you’re reading too much into what I actually posted. Nowhere did I say they were solely responsible for the team's performance. I’ve acknowledged multiple times that they are great players, but I cannot ignore their lackadaisical defensive play at times. It annoys me that some people can sweep all of these issues under the rug of McDavid’s great offensive play or the notion that he’s somehow exempt from these standards.

“Well he produces so much he doesn’t have to be stellar defensively” is a common refrain here.

I prefer to think of it as “well he produces so much already so imagine how good he’d be if committed himself to engaging defensively all the time.”

I’m not being negative; I’m just dreaming of the dominance that could be.

I try never to think of a poster’s “quality” when I post btw; we’re all just fans here. If any of us were more qualified to judge hockey, we’d be getting paid to do it.

 

[Mowzie]

It seemed so obvious, but use McDavid more. You have no depth, and the best player in the world who can play 25+ minutes regularly. I'd be double shifting him the second half of the first period and the second half of the third (if needed).