Going all out for the next two weeks and a half. We shouldn't give up now. We should go for it and if we don't make it, then talk about the moves. So what should the lines be next game ?
I think it's time to shake things up and this could do it. Put Greiss in. Get back to the D pairings that put us 1st in the West and 5th in GAA a couple of months ago. Try to get three scoring lines going like we did last year and without which we might not have finished as high as we did.
Some thoughts on delineating responsibilities and possibly not throwing the baby out with the bath water (a cost/benefit look):
1. I guarantee that TM and the ACs are making adjustments. The forecheck has varied between 1-2-2 and 2-1-2 this season. He has modified dzone breakouts during the season, but tends to stick with one method until it fails miserably. Very minimal cross-ice on breakout and through the neutral zone. Varies how close the support is between near the wall and up to middle of the ice. Very creative zone entry plays but still preaches chip and chase to an excessive degree. He has had some but minimal changes to in-zone offense, working the corners or the back of the net. Almost no half-boards. Went to optional practices in the face of the schedule (may have been a mistake).
2. Coaches should motivate but they aren't the only ones. The players themselves and the GM. De-motivation is a big issue and what gets a lot of coaches in trouble. Firebrands almost universally become de-motivators although you might get a brief bump. Teammates can be de-motivators as well. Vets who rely on privilege of seniority rather than performance for their spot are a de-motivating factor.
3. On the goalie thing. The Sharks have relied on the goalie coach in the past to make the call. I wouldn't lay it all at TM's feet; look to the org and the interplay.
4. On JT changing his game. The article was there a while ago. JT went to TM after the Chicago debacle and asked what he needed to do. We have seen a much more defensive minded JT since then. Articles have noted this year that TM has been going to JT and telling him to move his feet. Dealing with star players is an art form for coaches. It isn't the old days where the coaches had the power. Coaches live and die with the superstar's approval. To get JT to listen to him, implies a level of respect from JT for TM which is part and parcel of being an effective coach in this regard.
5. A coach/teacher has to decide the best way to get a message across to the class. Is part of keeping Nemo in goal, a message from the players to TM that they expect the comfort level of playing with the familiar guy? Is there that big a difference with Greiss or is it just a false perception? Is it a battle that TM wants to fight? Is part of getting his message across a part of intransigence? An insistence to reinforce certain universally desirable practices in play? Granted that it is a veteran team, but player resistance is a good reason for sticking with a single message, be it goalie selection or chipping the puck when there is any chance of turnover or limiting creativity to below the goal line.
6. We all know about DW's emulation. We have gone over issues of drafting and trading ad nauseum. Naki brought up culture. Has anyone talked about DW and the culture. The Sharks have gone from a very limited movement team to a high turnover team in the last 6 years or so. Many teams have. The bar has shifted. Detroit is one of the few remaining teams that sticks with low turnover and there was an interesting quote from Devellano (assistant to Holland) on the issue after the Anaheim debacle. Turnover is a part of that culture. Is the lack of third line scoring a part of team culture/strategy or a lack of depth on the team? Is there a push from certain core players to acquire certain other players or player types? Is this playing into decisions? Is there a structured vision of play coming from the top? How much of that vision is coming from the players and if it is, is it what they like or is it what works? Is lack of accountability by players a reflection of lack of accountability by the suits beyond TM (meaning Wayne Thomas, Roy Sommer, DW, JFJ, etc.)?
Lots of questions where the answers are not cut and dry. Lots of it is debatable.
How dare you! Nuance is for sissy's. Someone must be blamed!
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History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme.
We can't do three scoring lines because there aren't enough talented forwards for it. Last year was 7 top 6 forwards and a small tweener in Wellwood and at times, you'd see double shifting from Thornton etc. in place of Mitchell. All three scoring lines does this year is stick a dud on 3 lines with two good forwards.
"Muut maalivahti olisi pelastanut sitä. LOL. Hän on edelleen penkillä piirustus kuvia. Rakastan sinua koala!"
hahaha
For some reason I always picture that old skit, from SNL or something, where the guy is in the board room going "What did mom say? Don't put salt in your eyes... don't put salt in your eyes... salt in your eyes... put salt in your eyes? AHHHHH"
Going all out for the next two weeks and a half. We shouldn't give up now. We should go for it and if we don't make it, then talk about the moves. So what should the lines be next game ?
I think it's time to shake things up and this could do it. Put Greiss in. Get back to the D pairings that put us 1st in the West and 5th in GAA a couple of months ago. Try to get three scoring lines going like we did last year and without which we might not have finished as high as we did.
Thornton has his right-handed goal scorer and a speedy guy on his left.
Clowe and Couture are together.
Scoring depth with Marleau on the third line.
Winnik - Moore - Desjardins good defensively.
He seems more like the self loathing type. Have you ever got the impression that he hates talking about himself. I don't think there is a narcissistic bone in his body.
I can't wait for SoupyFIN to come in here, read the google translated Finnish and sigh.
Sacto probably nailed what Niemi says though.
In November I had seats right behind the net and my finnish friend swore Niemi was saying something along the lines of "you got this. you're the best ******* goalie ever. you're a ******* beast. first star of the game baby" to himself in Finnish. Then again the Tank is loud as **** so he could have heard something completely different than what Neimi was saying.
I can't wait for SoupyFIN to come in here, read the google translated Finnish and sigh.
Sacto probably nailed what Niemi says though.
In November I had seats right behind the net and my finnish friend swore Niemi was saying something along the lines of "you got this. you're the best ******* goalie ever. you're a ******* beast. first star of the game baby" to himself in Finnish. Then again the Tank is loud as **** so he could have heard something completely different than what Neimi was saying.
Bryzgalov probably says stuff like that in Russian to himself all the time.
Thornton has his right-handed goal scorer and a speedy guy on his left.
Clowe and Couture are together.
Scoring depth with Marleau on the third line.
Winnik - Moore - Desjardins good defensively.
I would like to see galiardi get some time in the top 6 to see what he can do. Probably not enough time for that though. Barring that, I think the Winnik/pavs/marleau line was awesome. Clowe needs to move out of the top 6. Let him hit some people. I used to not want havlat with thornton because there would be no shooting but now havlat is a goal scoring machine. Plus allows 2nd line.
Couture Thornton Havlat
Winnik Marleau Pavelski
Clowe Moore Mitchell/Wingles
some combo of wingles/handzus/galiardi/deji/winchester and hopefully no vandermeer since he will replace murray
