Oops on the Bjorkstrand And since I'm revising, Cam has been solid top 6 of late. But neither of these 2 is an ideal top liner-and Roslovic certainly isn't. The CBJ are not a strong top 6 forward team was my point and I'll stand by that.
When do you think players peak? Hint: It's early in their careers. When did Doughty and Erik Karlsson peak? Pointwise at 27 for EK. Doughty at 28 (though he's having a good year that way this year). Players tend to peak in their 20s in hockey. Forwards tend to peak in their mid 20s. Naturally there are plenty of exceptions, but I don't see Jones being one.
I remember saying savor the moment when we traded for Duchene in 2019, that moment we’ve had the best roster in franchise history.
Sadly the years of mediocrity are ahead again unless we strike some insane luck and get a generational player in the draft - Bedard / Mitchkov maybe ?
This is the most serious part of offense. A center joins wingers, one plays in defence, cover a central zone. Which line was the best? With Stenlund. And in the last game? With Stenlund too. What did Foligno with Laine-Bjorkstrand? He didn't join them. How Bjork played with Foligno-Jenner?The Jackets don't have a shortage of overall talent at D, G, or W. Laine, Atkinson, Bjorkstrand? That's fantastic goal scoring ability from the wing. They have a big hole at center, that's it.
Right now when you watch them play they are far worse than their talent level. Their play has eroded, nearly by the game. They can't consistently execute any part of the transition game. The players are all going in different directions on the attack. They've either not been given clear instructions, or they just aren't following.
So yeah, I'd like to wake up and read that the coaching staff has been changed.
There's plenty that I don't like about the way Torts uses players, and some of the x's and o's too. For example, since the start of last season we have a lot of players in cautious passive positions on the ice. The other team gets to move into the Jackets zone with ease and I hate it. The zero or one man forecheck is useless. Last game I noticed a big difference in the way the two teams handled high flips into the neutral zone. When the Jackets did it, the Preds D-men stayed close to the Jackets high forwards, so when the puck came down at center ice, the Preds D were there to turn things the other way. When the Preds flipped it, and the puck came down at center ice to the Preds high forwards, both Jackets D were already backing across their own blueline! What is this garbage?
Remember three games ago when Torts started preaching that they should return to the zone in groups of 5? Now they're peeling off from the forecheck in loose puck situations even, with no pressure on the opponent's breakout. They've gone from losing 6-5 in OT to losing 2-1 in regulation.
Re New Title: Political Correctness or Wishful Thinking?
Saves time for starting a new thread or renaming it when Torts is inevitably gone and we immediately start talking about firing the new guy, whoever that may be.Re New Title: Political Correctness or Wishful Thinking?
I doubt it will happen before the season endsIf it were to happen today I would think there would already be some rumblings about it online but nothing yet from what I'm seeing. If not today, I don't think it will happen tomorrow either since tomorrow is a game day.
Also, I certainly hope that Torts' eventual replacement is better than the train wreck that was Scott Arniel.
I'm getting the feeling that Jarmo is trying to swing a trade to shake up the room instead of firing Torts. Just a hunch.
To shake up the room even more than it already is? That seems like the problem, not the solution.
Can't put too much blame (or any, really) on the coaching with the center situation being what it currently is. With regards to the current group of centermen, we have a saying in Finnish that is very fitting here: "Paskasta ei saa timanttia."
I guarantee Jarmo won't stand by one way or the other, though.
Good luck trying to find a deal of any sort of value right now.I'm getting the feeling that Jarmo is trying to swing a trade to shake up the room instead of firing Torts. Just a hunch.