The BS has to stop so you want to play grade school games? That's a bold strategy....... You said a couple weeks ago the board was too toxic and you want to contribute to it?
Windsor Spitfires 2018-19 Thread (Part 8)
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The BS has to stop so you want to play grade school games? That's a bold strategy....... You said a couple weeks ago the board was too toxic and you want to contribute to it?
Windsor with much needed points n win. 2 points.
For first half of game they played really well. Actually enjoyable to watch.
2nd half of game they sat back n didnt do squat. Boring!
U cant go almost 3 quarters if the 3rd without a shot against the top teams. Spits got lucky on their opponent.
Pp still awful. Boka still on it. He does nothing on pp most nites.
How does trevor make his lines? Just pick names out if a hat? And then change those lines up during the game?
Horrible coaching.
I did like that spits hit more. That was different.
Incze played well again. However the fin not playing much n he us supposedly the future . So r they messing up the goalie situation another year? Awful.
Small crowd again. Only times its bigger the announcer actually says the attendance of crowd.
Will have to play better in sarnia or it will be a split. Not much gained there if that happens.
For first half of game they played really well. Actually enjoyable to watch.
2nd half of game they sat back n didnt do squat. Boring!
U cant go almost 3 quarters if the 3rd without a shot against the top teams. Spits got lucky on their opponent.
Pp still awful. Boka still on it. He does nothing on pp most nites.
How does trevor make his lines? Just pick names out if a hat? And then change those lines up during the game?
Horrible coaching.
I did like that spits hit more. That was different.
Incze played well again. However the fin not playing much n he us supposedly the future . So r they messing up the goalie situation another year? Awful.
Small crowd again. Only times its bigger the announcer actually says the attendance of crowd.
Will have to play better in sarnia or it will be a split. Not much gained there if that happens.
Just throwing out some ideas that I feel would increase the level of talent across each team and by default improve the league as a whole creating a better quality product.
I know contraction won't happen. Even if it were natural, a team failing for instance they would look for someone to take over even if its in another market. To force it, no one is willing to buy out four teams. The cost would be prohibitive and the idea of a shrinking product, regardless of results would be unappealing.
The problem is finding enough players to fill twenty rosters so they can all ice competitive teams regularly.
I doubt the draft would see any major changes either and without contraction it doesn't make much difference. With twenty teams and not enough high end talent to fill twenty rosters the extra picks are needed to take flyers that give hope that fan bases will eventually see these players while still having enough picks to fill rosters even if it is with lower level talent.
As long as they can get more impact imports then misses this is an area I can see changing. They would probably keep it at two rounds still which doesn't really matter. Same with removing the import tag on OAs, a small way to increase higher skill across the board especially for teams who don't do well in attracting imports but are able to pick them up in trades.
Unfortunately as long as the product appears watered down its going to be difficult to attract higher end talent. Its hard to promote the league as the top developmental league if twenty per cent of the players in it shouldn't be there. That doesn't help development of high end players, it hurts it and when players have other options that can do the same or better why would they come.
Again, just my opinion.
I haven't commented on a single game in a few weeks but have since simply started commenting on the overall situation.
In terms of changing up the lines, last night isn't the first time recently, it's been going on since the game in OS a couple of weeks ago when Cuylle started seeing his minutes limited and then got Boka on his line for a couple of games. It is what it is and with the current state of the season, as much as I've been complaining about the constant line changes it doesn't really matter at this point. Look at it this way, everyone needs to be able to play with everyone else at different points for different reasons but there still needs to be a base level of consistency with the lines. Neither has happened on an ongoing basis this season. For the first half everyone was constantly switched up, no chemistry developed and it was frustrating for the fans and the players showed signs of frustration. Finally we had a few weeks of set lines and the results started to improve or at least the play of certain players did when played together. When things get a bit predictable and the results disappear the lines need to be able to be changed up, this is where everyone playing with each other comes into play but that doesn't mean constant shuffling, again, go back to what's been working, when it struggles in a game make some changes then get right back to what your lines have been. Change when needed is good, change simply for the sake of change is desperation.
At this point in the season with the way things are going its also time to see who can adapt and who can't. Let the tryouts for next year begin starting with the coaches and right through the roster.
Can the coaches read the game, what's going on and adapt when needed or are they simply grasping at straws? The entire season has been grasping at straws and desperation so far so I don't see the return to constant shuffling as adapting.
Can the players adapt? Well one win in five games, a .200 win percentage certainly isn't a sign of players adapting. One win in a game where their opponent was just as lifeless as Windsor usually is is not improvement, it is having a bit of good fortune that you didn't play as lifeless and poor as you usually do when your opponent played that way. People want to say Windsor held Sarnia to two shots in the third, great except Windsor themselves only had four shots. looks like a lifeless Sarnia was right there keeping Windsor's shot total down in the third as well. If people want to use shot toals as an indicator of a good game, Windsor outshot Sarnia in the first 7 - 5 and the third 4 - 2. When the game opened up a bit in the second Sarnia outshot Windsor 11 - 10. Shots on goal don't win games and unless those shots are high percentage shots they don't mean much unless they go in which Windsor put more in.
While not commenting on games for most of the last four weeks or so I'll say this about this game in particular, it was nothing special, two teams fighting for playoff position that the higher seeded team played extremely poorly in while the more desperate team played a bit better in and was fortunate to get a win. Neither team was a threat in the third as it appeared neither team really cared to be there.
In terms of changing up the lines, last night isn't the first time recently, it's been going on since the game in OS a couple of weeks ago when Cuylle started seeing his minutes limited and then got Boka on his line for a couple of games. It is what it is and with the current state of the season, as much as I've been complaining about the constant line changes it doesn't really matter at this point. Look at it this way, everyone needs to be able to play with everyone else at different points for different reasons but there still needs to be a base level of consistency with the lines. Neither has happened on an ongoing basis this season. For the first half everyone was constantly switched up, no chemistry developed and it was frustrating for the fans and the players showed signs of frustration. Finally we had a few weeks of set lines and the results started to improve or at least the play of certain players did when played together. When things get a bit predictable and the results disappear the lines need to be able to be changed up, this is where everyone playing with each other comes into play but that doesn't mean constant shuffling, again, go back to what's been working, when it struggles in a game make some changes then get right back to what your lines have been. Change when needed is good, change simply for the sake of change is desperation.
At this point in the season with the way things are going its also time to see who can adapt and who can't. Let the tryouts for next year begin starting with the coaches and right through the roster.
Can the coaches read the game, what's going on and adapt when needed or are they simply grasping at straws? The entire season has been grasping at straws and desperation so far so I don't see the return to constant shuffling as adapting.
Can the players adapt? Well one win in five games, a .200 win percentage certainly isn't a sign of players adapting. One win in a game where their opponent was just as lifeless as Windsor usually is is not improvement, it is having a bit of good fortune that you didn't play as lifeless and poor as you usually do when your opponent played that way. People want to say Windsor held Sarnia to two shots in the third, great except Windsor themselves only had four shots. looks like a lifeless Sarnia was right there keeping Windsor's shot total down in the third as well. If people want to use shot toals as an indicator of a good game, Windsor outshot Sarnia in the first 7 - 5 and the third 4 - 2. When the game opened up a bit in the second Sarnia outshot Windsor 11 - 10. Shots on goal don't win games and unless those shots are high percentage shots they don't mean much unless they go in which Windsor put more in.
While not commenting on games for most of the last four weeks or so I'll say this about this game in particular, it was nothing special, two teams fighting for playoff position that the higher seeded team played extremely poorly in while the more desperate team played a bit better in and was fortunate to get a win. Neither team was a threat in the third as it appeared neither team really cared to be there.
ohloutsider
Registered User
Gamenotes - nice to get the win - kids can reset now. Still like the idea of a better pick but it always feels good when they win.
Inzce is the clear #1 right now but again long term not sure of the benefit of that.
Best players on the ice last night were Bill and Bob the Post brothers. They clearly kept this game close.
Not going to give this a rubber stamp for the coaching and clearly for me this game was won in spite of the coaching. Of note for me is how many fans in my section that are not happy with the coaching right now. Seems they clearly place the blame on the coach and not the players. I personally think it is a bit of both.
Rees - named the 3rd star and came on the ice for the photo op. That gains a lot of respect from me to see these kids come out for the 3 star selections from a visiting team that just lost.
Inzce is the clear #1 right now but again long term not sure of the benefit of that.
Best players on the ice last night were Bill and Bob the Post brothers. They clearly kept this game close.
Not going to give this a rubber stamp for the coaching and clearly for me this game was won in spite of the coaching. Of note for me is how many fans in my section that are not happy with the coaching right now. Seems they clearly place the blame on the coach and not the players. I personally think it is a bit of both.
Rees - named the 3rd star and came on the ice for the photo op. That gains a lot of respect from me to see these kids come out for the 3 star selections from a visiting team that just lost.
Agree boosting high end talent would definitely improve the league. Walk up sales/single game tix are always much better when you have the likes of a Mcdavid in town. I could drive over to see the USNTDP in Plymouth tix $10-12 Their roster has 4 of this years top 10 NHL projected draft picks including Hughes. The top OHL Prospect is at #11 Kaliyev. He's an American . If we had 4 top 10 players combined playing a game in Windsor it would be close to a sellout. Without getting too overwinded I believe the OHL needs to align itself more like the NHL. By that I'm stating open up the league to include way more imports and find a way of getting the high end U.S. talent back. I know there's some who believe that that's hurting Canadian player development. Truth is less than 1% of all Canadian ice hockey players will ever play in the NHL. Fight fire with fire. We already lose more good Canadians to the NCAA and the USHL than we have U.S. born/imports playing in the OHL. Fringe players would be better served playing Junior A or B rather than reduced min in the OHL. If you are good enough, no matter where you play, the scouts will find you. We need all the world's best young players in our league again as in the past. Then you got something.
Otters fan here. I am always rooting for the OHL vs NCAA. Unfortunately, I am afraid it is a war that we will lose. The Otters have several drafted players who will most likely go NCAA. Even though I feel that the OHL is a marquee league, they just cannot compete with the multi-billion money machines like Penn State, Michigan, Boston College, and many others who offer these kids a scholarship worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. You are in a much better position to make the playoffs than we are, but anything can happen. I don't think anyone wants to face London at this point.
An individual game in a spectrum means so little at this point. The dye has pretty much been cast for well over a month now. We have known it's going to be 7th/8th/9th and as a result this is kind of the game you referred to later on last night.
Everything you said above is true as well show some type of plan moving forward. Show that you can adjust during a game. Yes that means figuring out that PP. Of course we have been talking about a lot of these things for a long time now. We are getting to the point where it isn't likely to be solved certainly this year. Some of the things we have seen since he's taken over so that isn't likely to change either. Tough to have tryouts when your GM still won't put out a full lineup.
randomhero4life
Registered User
The last few games I have been really paying attention to the Spit's offensive system, trying to pin point certain simple mistakes that have been contributing to recent lack of goals from certain players. Puck possession is always at the top of the list!! There has been an increase in bad passing, miscommunication between players. While the Spit's do stick with the cycle game in the offensive zone, and at times do move the puck well behind the net and corners, there is a real lack of feeding the puck into the slot!! Exp. We all know that when Foudy takes the puck into the offensive zone his speed is his best weapon! When he goes behind the net (most times) he feeds the puck into the slot.......but nobody is there most times. How has that not been addressed? That is only 1 example. PP has really got me scratching my head!! I mean how at this stage in the season has it not progressed?
OHLTG
Registered User
I said last night - "Have Foudy skate the perimeter, Cuylle on a wing, and Douglas in the slot/crease. Foudy/Dmen control the puck and dish it off when appropriate."
Agreed on puck possession this has been a thing for some time now. It's a mix of players not being confident with the puck on their stick and if you look how needlessly give up possession. It can be a myriad of reasons covering the whole team whether it's confidence or skill. People get on Foudy for his giveaways or hanging onto the puck too long. That's the least of their concerns he has teachable skills. Some of those guys you will never be able to get them to have confidence with the puck. I still think you have 2-3 times a game where the Spits biff an odd man rush either going offside, having poor spacing to pass the puck and it ends up in nothing. PP has been asked a lot and still being asked, likely no answers this year.
The most frustrating thing imo is that you look over the roster they have a lot of glaring holes. They don't have a real good QB on the PP from the D I would even take a F on the point who's confident. You have 5 20 goal guys this year and the PP still doesn't have a direction?
If Letowski does return I can see it being pretty ugly.
TheGremlin
Registered User
I find that the passing is what frustrates me the most. Not hitting players in stride and tough to get off one timers if pass in your feet or out ahead of you. I pretty much agree with everything you said.
TheGremlin
Registered User
I’d like to see Cuylle playing like Kuhnhackl or Lemieux at top of circle waiting for onetimers on the PP.
OHLTG
Registered User
Exactly!! Do the same thing on the second PP unit - Purboo in front, Angle skating the perimeter, and someoen in the slot or FOff circles one-timing it home.
randomhero4life
Registered User
Tribe, Rayzor, OHLTG I would click like on your posts but for some reason I do not have that option. I totally agree with you guys!! Here's the really frustrating part......there are the Basic offensive responsibility's on the PP that have been taught to these players since they were in Atom. The biggest being puck control while in the offensive zone, not trying to do too much on their own besides protecting the puck and creating their own space while moving forward, reading the defense and making smart passes. Due to the amount of passing, players are taught at a very young age that while in the offensive zone to keep their heads up and always be prepared to receive a pass or possible deflection or rebound opportunity. The object for the assigned player in front is create space while possibly creating a screen, deflection opportunity, those are the basics for any forward on the PP . Every coach I have ever met has implemented the basics into "Their" system. The farther they stray away from the basics the worse it gets. Has that not been identified by coaches? At this point in the season how has this not been addressed? Getting players to create chemistry can be hard, getting players to buy into your systems is even harder if it does not show success at some point.
OHLTG
Registered User
The entire PP feels like "here's the system. If it doesn't work the first 10 times, the 11th is sure to work... right? right? Is this mic on?"
randomhero4life
Registered User
That's pretty much it! lol, Just been thinking a lot lately of who is the coach that is going to right this ship?, the coach that is going to lead the Spit's for a potential run in a couple of years from now? Right now when I watch the games I just look at the effort over a span of 60 minutes. Look at certain player's improvements. Sometimes it's just watching for the sake of watching, still cheer them on! But changes need to be made and I don't see any changes until the off-season
OHLTG
Registered User
On another note, Niagara just got hit with a Player Recruitment Violation - 250k fine and 1st round pick losses in 2019 and 2021. Wow!!
ohloutsider
Registered User
Yes coaching is an issue but talent is as well.
98 group - Campbell, Allen - not a high end talented OA group and 1 spot not filled.
99 group - Garagan, Purboo, Boka, Stevenson - again not OHL top tier group and just 4 at this age level . Usually you look for your 98-99 group to be your top guys. I don't see this myself.
00 group - Angle, Playfair, Douglas, Corcoran - Medium group but I see some higher skill with this group that looks like conditioning and solid coaching would help. This will be the group leading the way next year. There is talent here but can they lead the Spits to some playoff success?
01 group - Frasca, D'Amico, Ladd, Henault, Staios - This age group is in their second year and I do see signs of this group being solid in 2 years. The younger the groups are the more rope I extend. I see some good things coming from this group.
02 - Robinson, Cuylle, Foudy, McDonald - High end skill in this group.
fyi - did not add the goalies into this.
The whole purpose of this is to show where this teams talent lies. The Spits are most talented at the younger age groups. Yes you add up the ages and this team is middle of the pack with age and experience but that is not really where the skills are. I would argue that the Spits talent level is totally upside down and starting with the younger group and going backwards you would have your top group down to the last group. 02's better than 01's, 01"s better than 00's and so on. When a teams best players are in the 02, 01 and 00 group you are going to struggle. This team is going to be good but it is 3 years away and if lucky in 2 years.
98 group - Campbell, Allen - not a high end talented OA group and 1 spot not filled.
99 group - Garagan, Purboo, Boka, Stevenson - again not OHL top tier group and just 4 at this age level . Usually you look for your 98-99 group to be your top guys. I don't see this myself.
00 group - Angle, Playfair, Douglas, Corcoran - Medium group but I see some higher skill with this group that looks like conditioning and solid coaching would help. This will be the group leading the way next year. There is talent here but can they lead the Spits to some playoff success?
01 group - Frasca, D'Amico, Ladd, Henault, Staios - This age group is in their second year and I do see signs of this group being solid in 2 years. The younger the groups are the more rope I extend. I see some good things coming from this group.
02 - Robinson, Cuylle, Foudy, McDonald - High end skill in this group.
fyi - did not add the goalies into this.
The whole purpose of this is to show where this teams talent lies. The Spits are most talented at the younger age groups. Yes you add up the ages and this team is middle of the pack with age and experience but that is not really where the skills are. I would argue that the Spits talent level is totally upside down and starting with the younger group and going backwards you would have your top group down to the last group. 02's better than 01's, 01"s better than 00's and so on. When a teams best players are in the 02, 01 and 00 group you are going to struggle. This team is going to be good but it is 3 years away and if lucky in 2 years.
OHLTG
Registered User
If they don't appeal, I'll be shocked.
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