What was the biggest issue this season? Lack of talent, luck, or gana?

[TickleMeYandle]

The season started out well, but isn't having a very happy ending. What do you think was the MAIN reason for the lackluster performance this year? I think it's a combination of the three.

Skill: We've got some good players, but we don't have that superstar scorer who can be relied on to get the job done. Sure, we had a few great goals that came at opportune times - but we don't have THAT GUY who can totally turn a game around like some of the other teams do.

Luck: Sometimes you just get the lucky bounces, sometimes the other team does. It seems like while we did get some SOG at some games - a LOT of SOG at some games - somehow, the other team just got lucky and more often then not those lucky bounces went against us than for us.

Ganas: I've seen that since Smith was injured, that drive to win just hasn't been there. How many "must-win" games have we seen just frittered away as if it really didn't matter? Last night they seemed to play with at least a little bit of desire to win, but the luck just didn't go their way.

I'd say it's 50% skill/20% luck/30% ganas at this point.

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[Vinny Boombatz]

I'd argue that the early season success was mostly luck, because we weren't playing well, but still winning.

The lack of compete on this team is disturbing. The team obviously lacks a big time scorer, a guy that can be relied upon to keep the offense afloat.

The team this year just didn't have any chemistry...albeit besides the normal Hanzal/Vrbata and Vermette/Boedker everything else was junk.

 

[rt]

Lack of effort.

 

[BUX7PHX]

70% general inconsistency/lack of chemistry

10% lack of effort

20% injuries and decimation of play

I'm probably the biggest Smith homer out there, but he was definitely not seeing the puck well early in the season. Even when he had good games, there were other ways that we managed to lose games, and it couldn't all be blamed on one single player.

You guys know where I stand on Yandle and his inconsistencies. Stone, Ribeiro, even the normally consistent Z and OEL had TOs that were head-scratchers. The first game that Erat played in, he looked like he picked up everyone's game, b/c he played a full 200 ft. on the ice. Slowly but surely, he even fell into playing 90% of the ice, then 80%. It's almost like a disease of apathy just kind of spread out and hit players at different times.

I also think that the Klesla hit in the preseason just destroyed his career, which is sad. I still remember watching him skate out to introduce the team for the first game of the year, and I was like, "Are you kidding me? He should be sitting in the press box right now, cause the flashing lights, sounds, and everything were probably crippling his brain right then..." He was never the same since, and if he were healthy, that could have gone a long way in trade talks, as we could have demanded more than Erat (although I like Erat a lot).

Doan's injury also hurt quite a bit, as a 20 day leadership void really hurt us (even though he was at practices, the symptoms created a situation where you can't use the remaining energy you have to be a leader, when you have available leaders to assist).

 

[Jakey53]

Lack of talent. The same thing that has hurt this team the last three years.

 

[IPreferPi]

40% general inconsistency/no chemistry
30% lack of drive/heart
20% lack of talent
10% injuries and luck

 

[Bonsai Tree]

The biggest problem for this team was a lack of team defense. Scoring is wonderful but low budget teams can only excel by playing a lock down grinding defensive game. We haven't played that kind of game for the past 2 seasons. Yandle has been a turnover machine and the forwards not much better in allowing defensive and neutral zone turn overs.

Yandle belongs on a team that wants to win 6-3. He has no place on a team that needs to win 2-1. Yandle's nick name should be "Pastry Chef" with all those turn overs.

 

[indczn]

The inability to wear the other teams out, even when playing well. The many blown leads reflect this. The forward group needs to be completely overhauled and the soft depth players to guys that are willing to grind.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

The us vs the world mentality is not their anymore seeing that more and more teams have taken the Coyotes seriously.

 

[zz]

Lack of hard work. Just terrible work ethic overall. Too many passengers, very few games were played hard all the way through. This has become quite obvious over the past few games, with a very real chance at making the playoffs. There was no second gear.

I do wonder if there's something else going on. Locker room problem? Burnout from ownership drama over the past few years, leading to a lethargic season? Ownership issues? I don't know. But whatever identity Tippett and Maloney built over the past few years is completely gone. Poof.

 

[KG]

Lack of effort is the biggest issue. No attention to detail, no second gear, except our comebacks early in the season.

Second major issue was lack of defensive consistency, from goaltender out.

Third and final is too little skill, or at least production, from the forward corps leaving too much offense to our defensemen.

 

[PhoPhan]

In my opinion, it was [unverifiable narrative based on deeply held prejudices].

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

We've got some great offensive dmen Yandle/OEL and could be Gormley and Stone who isn't too shabby.

What we need is more skill up front that uses the guys. From a skill perspective up front all we have is: Boedker, Vrbata and Ribeiro, no one else basically creates offense. And Ribeiro hasn't done anything in over 2 months, well neither has Vrby

Adding Domi & Lessio should help and going out and finding a 4th line that can PK should also help!

The 4th line guys better be the "in your face" guys, as we don't have any of those. We've got all nice guys, except for Hanzal and he's hurt 1/3 of the time.

 

[KG]

In my opinion, it was [unverifiable narrative based on deeply held prejudices].

I would laugh at this, but we're literally all armchair GM's on an hockey internet forum...

 

[rt]

In my opinion, it was [unverifiable narrative based on deeply held prejudices].

Good point. Shut down the website. Turn off the lights and get the hell out everyone. The internet is locked.

 

[cobra427]

I think that since tip came on board, the first 3 years, he was able to do more with less. I also think that DM caught lightning in a bottle with the bryz, Whitney and smith signings, and perhaps the Vermette trade too. Also, first round against Chicago, Hossa goes down, crow lets in 2 soft OT goals, Nashville dumb suspensions, all of a sudden we are in the WCF. Since then, smith cools off, we sign Lombardi, Sullivan, now ribs, the signings are not working out. The team is now under achieving a little not over achieving a lot. Is what it is, more talent would help now...

 

[PhoPhan]

Good point. Shut down the website. Turn off the lights and get the hell out everyone. The internet is locked.

Is it really so much to ask to focus on the things we can actually see and know, rather than hollow shibboleths and cliches? This thread reads like Tyson Nash's inner monologue.

 

[zz]

This thread reads like Tyson Nash's inner monologue.

Well, the biggest issues we had this season are: we stopped playing Coyote hockey, our goalies probably want some of those goals back, and we had too many passengers.

You got a problem with that???



PS: also, not many players were willing to pay the price. Dave Tippett can't be too happy about those performances.

 

[Vip]

I'd say lack of talent but that isn't a valid excuse because we have gone further with less talent (when Tippet first took over).

So what does that leave, lack of chemistry? Inconsistent goaltending? Lack of heart? Who knows.

 

[XX]

Is it really so much to ask to focus on the things we can actually see and know, rather than hollow shibboleths and cliches? This thread reads like Tyson Nash's inner monologue.

Something is really off this year, Pho. Admit it. It's troubling. Don't mind us chicken littles in here if it bothers you. This year the team acted in a way that we haven't seen under Tippett, and that portends bad things for next year.

For a team that isn't really healthy, it's worth being concerned about.

 

[hbk]

With stress relieved with ownership situation resolved the players lost the focus required to play in a Dave Tippett system and tried to move towards a skill game that they didn't have the top-end talent or depth to play.

 

[huhwhtfkr]

The us vs the world mentality is not their anymore seeing that more and more teams have taken the Coyotes seriously.

yup this is my answer, no cohesiveness

 

[RemoAZ]

With stress relieved with ownership situation resolved the players lost the focus required to play in a Dave Tippett system and tried to move towards a skill game that they didn't have the top-end talent or depth to play.

I'd say that's about as accurate as you can get. We tried to take the next step from an over-achieving, mediocre, lunch pale-type roster to legitimate contenders. It didn't work and we took a step back. We need the guys on the ice to be better. That goes without saying but the coaches and front office need to be better too. Nobody in the organization gets a pass this season. There needs to be changes to the roster and then accountability from the front office through the coaching staff. Whoever Maloney and Tippett want to put on the ice next season better bring a lot more talent. No more excuses.

 

[PhoPhan]

Something is really off this year, Pho. Admit it. It's troubling. Don't mind us chicken littles in here if it bothers you. This year the team acted in a way that we haven't seen under Tippett, and that portends bad things for next year.

For a team that isn't really healthy, it's worth being concerned about.

I fully agree the team had a down year, and given the expectations many of us had, it was the most disappointing season in a while.

My contention is that things like "they didn't have enough heart this year" are worthless statements from anybody outside of the organization.

 

[zerekstar]

I don't know how you check it but they must be one of the league leaders in missed shots so talent does matter cause hopefully their shot accuracy would go up with talent. And for good teams, some goals do come easy.

No fourth line to speak of for long periods. They never made other teams work hard for what they got.

Horribly soft goal tending throughout the middle of the season. A lot of goals went in that shouldn't have.

Definitely a lack of effort on most nights. And no grit. They never tried to wear the other teams down at all. A total recipe for disaster.