I don't think Calgary has enough in the tank to make it.
That's you ... these teams have proven to be eternal optimist. I think that's what people forget on HF all the time. I agree they should trade him, just like I agree Dallas shouldn't be wasting assets that could be flipped and sold if this thing falls apart ... sure seems possible.
.. and if you're right, and I think you will be. CGY won't be out of the playoffs in time to save Dallas' season. They need help now. In one month, like CGY, they could be out.
Someone needs to pull Razor aside and let him know the fans are onto his BS fatigue excuse. Every team travels. The Blackhawks aren't talking about being tired. They're too busy winning.
.. and if you're right, and I think you will be. CGY won't be out of the playoffs in time to save Dallas' season. They need help now. In one month, like CGY, they could be out.
Oh I get everything you're saying. We need a defenseman to take command of our back 6. Dillon is easily a #2 with a guy like J-Bo here. It's just to the point where you can't ignore this **** anymore.
This team need a primetime defenseman, and in a hurry. I'd trade Nemeth to get one here now.
Nemeth+Smith/Fraser+Morrow+Larsen has to be good for something nice.
Oh I get everything you're saying. We need a defenseman to take command of our back 6. Dillon is easily a #2 with a guy like J-Bo here. It's just to the point where you can't ignore this **** anymore.
This team need a primetime defenseman, and in a hurry. I'd trade Nemeth to get one here now.
Nemeth+Smith/Fraser+Morrow+Larsen has to be good for something nice.
I honestly understand where you're coming from, and I've felt like Bouwmeester is a guy Joe would heavily pursue .... hell, he'd fit in quite well with all his playoff experience ... I just don't see how they get him from CGY in time to safe this season.
They've got to do something to shake up the team .... of course ... the last time they shook up the team we saw Goligoski come to Dallas for James Neal.
Still think this team can grab the 8th spot though. Coaching is seriously holding the team back.
Agree .... well that they can make the Top 8. I don't think coaching has been good, but I'm not going to call out one part of this team. On a nightly basis different segments of this team **** the bed. I agree coaching is a huge part of that ... but the coaching has changed ... three times ... and every single damn time it's the same results.
Razor making excuses ... 14 games in 28 days ... Edmonton was waiting for them here ... blah blah blah.
Knew that was gonna come.
The media that follows this team (R&R included, even though they're paid by the Stars) is just so intent on everything is fine, we're headed in the right direction non sense.
Youth is better, no doubt, but I have no more confidence that we're headed in the right direction than I did when Nieuwy first took over.
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Youth is better, no doubt, but I have no more confidence that we're headed in the right direction than I did when Nieuwy first took over.
I have a ton more confidence. The Stars have more young talent on the team and on the way than I can remember in a long time. The downside to playing so many 1st and 2nd year players is that you are going to have to suffer through a lot of growing pains.
Agree .... well that they can make the Top 8. I don't think coaching has been good, but I'm not going to call out one part of this team. On a nightly basis different segments of this team **** the bed. I agree coaching is a huge part of that ... but the coaching has changed ... three times ... and every single damn time it's the same results.
There's a losing culture that has slowly crept into the locker room since 2004 lockout. Having the defense decimated by losing players like Hatcher (pre lockout) and Zubov didn't help. When you have all-star talent throughout the line up, you can get away with laziness and a lack of focus because you have the talent to get back into the game. When Robidas and Daley anchor your blueline you have to be locked on and focused for the full 60 minutes. What this team needs is for Gully to grow a pair or to hire a Tortorella type of coach. A Tortorella type of coach is only really effective for 2-3 seasons, but that's enough time to instill some accountability and discipline while improving the roster. This organization will continue to foster a losing culture until the coaching staff and GM stop making excuses and demand more from the team.
Again, this season hasn't been about growing pains. I expect those. But Reilly, Fraser, Eakin, Dillon....hell even Roussel have been impressive.
The problem with this team isn't the rookies or young guys at all.
The young guys have bad plenty of poor moments as well. Dillon has been really good, but needs to cut down on the penalties, and he's missed his share of defensive assignments that lead to goals. Same can be said for the rest if the young guys. Obviously they aren't the biggest problem, but they are definitely part of it.
Even though this team has played a lot of youth a lot more than was probably expected, I don't think "growing pains" will work as an acceptable excuse when Nieuwy has to try to justify his job to Gaglardi. Gaglardi didn't open up the checkbook for Jagr and Whitney just to see a season drift by as an extended training camp for the kids.
Even with the standard rookie mistakes ... overall the kids have been the consistent players.
That's why I don't buy growing pains. You could easily argue the most consistent forward overall has been Eakin and the best D overall has been Dillon.
Even though this team has played a lot of youth a lot more than was probably expected, I don't think "growing pains" will work as an acceptable excuse when Nieuwy has to try to justify his job to Gaglardi. Gaglardi didn't open up the checkbook for Jagr and Whitney just to see a season drift by as an extended training camp for the kids.
Eakin, Smith, Dillon, Roussel, Larsen have all been good to pretty good. Oleksiak really needs to be back in the AHL.
Jordie Benn shouldn't fall in that category as he's not really NHL caliber. So 5 of the 7 kids have been more than acceptable despite the penalties and missed assignments on occasion.
Eriksson, Jagr, Morrow, Nystrom, Fiddler, Goligoski, Roy, and now Benn have been flat out terrible for long stretches of this season. To say nothing of Bachman/Nihlstorp.
The defense as a whole is atrocious and the system that defines what responsibility the forwards have on the back check and break out either is not sinking in with players or is not a good matchup with our players.
How long did St. Louis languish after Pronger left and before Hitchcock came and took their talent and brought out the best of it? That's us except we're further back along the track because as much as we want the kids to be ready there's still probably a season or two beyond this where guys like Oleksiak, Nemeth, Fraser, etc are still just going to be getting their NHL careers started.
That's the problem. Until Oleksiak and Nemeth establish themselves as full time, quality NHLers*, this defense is going to be bad. There's no other d-man on this team that has a meaningful high end, which means the team will continue to flounder with its bad mix of guys who are all average at best.
* - Until implies some sense of certainty. I'm probably being too optimistic about both guys.
... I just don't see how they get him from CGY in time to safe this season. 
