Flyers fans the view from down here is pretty grim, but I urge you all to hang in there. While it would be easier to just throw in the towel and follow another team, we just aren't built that way so why fight mother nature? It's a rough patch right now and I understand that it looks like it just isn't going to improve, but it will. Where exactly is up you ask?
Well up is very complicated. The coaching change didn't snap the team out of it so it's beyond time to move onto a new tactic.
Might I suggest the bench/trade method? It's really very simple. Bench the players who aren't playing. If this doesn't get them ramped up and ready to play, shop them on the market.
Don't forget that there is always the option to assign them to Glens Falls. (Okay some can't...but...) The idea of getting sent to Glens Falls should be enough to snap them out of a playing slump. (No offense to Glens Falls. I've been there and while I'd love the snowboarding and other outdoor activities, I can guarantee that these spoiled rotten kids playing on the Flyers would prefer the excitement of Philadelphia and this is after all supposed to be about giving them a reason to show up every night.)
How far do you go? Well, while I understand that most of you want to salvage this season, I would prefer to secure our future. Here it comes, folks....
So, I say strip us down to the youth if you have to. Of course I understand some people aren't going anywhere (ie Pronger, Hartnell and Briere), but there are a lot of guys who could. (Not to mention that I'm sure anyone would be willing to waive their NTCs right about now because some players are actually dying of embarrasement...)
Am I willing to go further than most everyone else? Yes. I'm willing to take the season at a complete and utter loss. It's time to strip the team down and start over. Well, not entirely.
Call it more of a retooling. We have too much money tied up in players that just aren't going to do what we need them to. No offense to Mike Richards, he's never going to be Alexander Ovechkin. That goes for Jeff Carter and a few others too. And Scott Hartnell isn't going to be Mike Knuble. (I'm not saying Mike Knuble was a hockey god, he was just VERY good at his position in front of the net and Hartnell isn't going to be a perfect replacement.)
It's time we give the younger guys the time to really develop. Let's put our focus on Claude Giroux, JVR, Bartulis and Parent. And don't forget that we have Maroon, Matsumoto, Laliberte, Kalinski, Nodl, Marshall and Bourdon aching to get their shot.
Put the time and effort into the younger guys. Now of course, we can't leave them out to dry. But isn't that why we have the veterans like Betts, Lappy, Kimmo and Pronger? And if we dump some of our center city crew we could free up some money to restock with actual prime quality talent.
I realize that the majority of Flyers fans are probably going to think that I'm crazy, but I don't care. You want a turn around? The current situation calls for desperate measures. It's time for management to step up.
While management is at it they might want to stop trying to find the "perfect" players and find the right ones....because they are really two different things...
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Washington Capitals’ Transformational Journey
I first came to the Washington DC area in August 2007 and I experienced the hockey shock of a lifetime. For the first time in my adult life I was not living in a hockey city. Now there are pluses and minuses to any situation. While I was able to see any game I wanted, practically alone, I found it near impossible to find anyone to bring along and discuss hockey. This didn’t stop me because I’ll watch hockey any chance I get.
So I went to games (and a lot of them) with the sparse few Capitals fans that had stuck with the team during the rough patches. They were a very young team that year and were struggling to find their footing but by the end of that season you could see that the pieces were starting to fall into place. They made it to the playoffs and the city was starting to catch Capitals fever. A bitter game 7 exit to the Philadelphia Flyers would energize the Capitals and give the fans a Conference nemesis.
The next season the team was more confident and their fans were growing in number. The arena was steadily filled to see the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green. Capitals fans got to witness some special games including when Mike Green beat the NHL record for goals in consecutive games by a defenseman. A young rookie named Semyon Varlamov stole the hearts of Caps fans in the playoffs. And let’s face it every night Ovechkin takes the ice, hockey fans are in for an extraordinary treat. A great hockey atmosphere was starting to build but the team still struggled when Ovechkin was absent.
Some new acquisitions in the off-season and a lot of hard conditioning by the entire team and this season Capitals fans get to see a more mature and refined offensive powerhouse. While the fan favorites are still fan favorites, the team has an undeniable chemistry that doesn’t require Alexander Ovechkin to drive it. In fact, even the Hershey Bear call-ups are providing points. (This, of course, is a testament to the system that their management has established.)
Capitals fans get to see a team that won’t quit, passion and desire on a nightly basis, and a fluid offensive machine. The Washington Capitals have taken an amazing transformational journey during the short time that I’ve lived here and sometimes I forget it. Washington, you and the rest of the NHL community are getting to watch something amazing happen. Savor every moment that you can because it looks like it’s getting better every game. This year, I can pretty much guarantee that your team has their sights on a very deep cup run. And with the way they are playing I’d be surprised with anything short of a spectacular show.
(This post appears of www.crashthecrease.com)
So I went to games (and a lot of them) with the sparse few Capitals fans that had stuck with the team during the rough patches. They were a very young team that year and were struggling to find their footing but by the end of that season you could see that the pieces were starting to fall into place. They made it to the playoffs and the city was starting to catch Capitals fever. A bitter game 7 exit to the Philadelphia Flyers would energize the Capitals and give the fans a Conference nemesis.
The next season the team was more confident and their fans were growing in number. The arena was steadily filled to see the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green. Capitals fans got to witness some special games including when Mike Green beat the NHL record for goals in consecutive games by a defenseman. A young rookie named Semyon Varlamov stole the hearts of Caps fans in the playoffs. And let’s face it every night Ovechkin takes the ice, hockey fans are in for an extraordinary treat. A great hockey atmosphere was starting to build but the team still struggled when Ovechkin was absent.
Some new acquisitions in the off-season and a lot of hard conditioning by the entire team and this season Capitals fans get to see a more mature and refined offensive powerhouse. While the fan favorites are still fan favorites, the team has an undeniable chemistry that doesn’t require Alexander Ovechkin to drive it. In fact, even the Hershey Bear call-ups are providing points. (This, of course, is a testament to the system that their management has established.)
Capitals fans get to see a team that won’t quit, passion and desire on a nightly basis, and a fluid offensive machine. The Washington Capitals have taken an amazing transformational journey during the short time that I’ve lived here and sometimes I forget it. Washington, you and the rest of the NHL community are getting to watch something amazing happen. Savor every moment that you can because it looks like it’s getting better every game. This year, I can pretty much guarantee that your team has their sights on a very deep cup run. And with the way they are playing I’d be surprised with anything short of a spectacular show.
(This post appears of www.crashthecrease.com)
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Bruce Boudreau – Professionalism?
I’ll start off by saying that I know I’ll take a lot of heat for this post from Capitals fans, but I felt that it had to be said. I think that I’m fare in my writing so I hope that is kept in mind.
During this week, Mike Green took a rather hard hit into the boards courtesy of the Avalanche’s David Koci. John Erskine took on Koci during the game and Coach Boudreau took him on in a post game interview.
I don’t have a problem with a Coach defending his players. In fact, I applaud it, but Boudreau goes awry in my opinion:
“Please, the guy’s got one goal in six years. He couldn’t play in the American league.”
Wow. I think my jaw hit the floor when I heard that line. Of course I understand that he was upset that Green was injured. And he was probably very frustrated that he had three defensemen left at the end of the game, but that really wasn’t professional. There is a difference between stating that you think a hit was dirty and actually berating a professional athlete.
Of course, Boudreau followed it up with: “I hope they throw the book at him.”
Every team in the league has to stand by and let the NHL police the game. In my opinion, Boudreau should state that he felt it was a dirty hit and graciously say that the NHL will review and rule on the matter. If he disagreed with their ruling then he could make a statement disagreeing with the ruling.
I understand that Boudreau is passionate, as are many players on the Capitals, I just think that he needs to choose he words wisely in interviews.
During this week, Mike Green took a rather hard hit into the boards courtesy of the Avalanche’s David Koci. John Erskine took on Koci during the game and Coach Boudreau took him on in a post game interview.
I don’t have a problem with a Coach defending his players. In fact, I applaud it, but Boudreau goes awry in my opinion:
“Please, the guy’s got one goal in six years. He couldn’t play in the American league.”
Wow. I think my jaw hit the floor when I heard that line. Of course I understand that he was upset that Green was injured. And he was probably very frustrated that he had three defensemen left at the end of the game, but that really wasn’t professional. There is a difference between stating that you think a hit was dirty and actually berating a professional athlete.
Of course, Boudreau followed it up with: “I hope they throw the book at him.”
Every team in the league has to stand by and let the NHL police the game. In my opinion, Boudreau should state that he felt it was a dirty hit and graciously say that the NHL will review and rule on the matter. If he disagreed with their ruling then he could make a statement disagreeing with the ruling.
I understand that Boudreau is passionate, as are many players on the Capitals, I just think that he needs to choose he words wisely in interviews.
Caps vs Avs 12 15 2009
The Caps turned out another good showing Tuesday night winning 6-1 against the Colorado Avalanche. While the win was a perfect way to start their western conference trip, the Caps definitely had a lot of defensive challenges along the way to that win.
The Caps defense had a rough night which started with Shaone Morrisonn sustaining an injury on a hit from David Koci. Morrisonn spent most of the evening on the bench.
Mike Green was the second defenseman to leave the game after being boarded by Koci in the second.
John Erskine incurred 17 penalty minutes for fighting Koci for the hit on Green.
With Morrisonn and Green injured, and Erskine’s penalty the Caps defense was severely depleted as only Schultz, Poti and Alzner were available for play.
Coach Boudreau was left in a difficult position, leaving him to turn to some of his forwards for assistance. Brooks Laich and Brendan Morrison were readied by Boudreau to switch to defense. In a rather unique situation the Caps only had two blueliners skating at one point in the third period.
Even with their dwindling defense, the team had a game that was eventful and they even had a couple of firsts.
Tomas Fleischmann had a two goal night and was assisted both times by Kyle Wilson who was making his NHL debut. Wilson was also ironically making his debut on his birthday and tallied his first NHL point during his first shift. After the game Wilson said that it’s his job as a call-up to make it very hard for him to be sent back down. I think he made a good case for himself during the game. Then again the Capitals have had a good effort from all their Hershey Bear call-ups this season and that is a testament to the system that they have in place. This foreshadowing should be a welcome sight to Washington Caps fans who haven’t had the smoothest ride until recently.
Only three games back from finger surgery, Mike Knuble made his presence known by netting a goal in first period. David Steckel and Matt Bradley joined Tomas Fleischmann in scoring during the second and Nicklas Backstrom scored a power play goal in the third.
This was the first time that Jose Theodore faced his former team since signing with the Capitals. Theodore acknowledged the defensive support from his teammates after the game saying that he knew they wanted to help him win the game.
The Caps played together and only allowed Colorado to score one goal against them in the first game of this road trip. They persevered through incredible adversity and have set a good tone for the remainder of the week.
Look for the Washington Capitals to take on the Vancouver Canucks at 10 PM EST on Friday.
(This should have posted on 12/16/2009 on www.crashthecrease.com however there was some technical difficulty on the posting. I apologize.)
The Caps defense had a rough night which started with Shaone Morrisonn sustaining an injury on a hit from David Koci. Morrisonn spent most of the evening on the bench.
Mike Green was the second defenseman to leave the game after being boarded by Koci in the second.
John Erskine incurred 17 penalty minutes for fighting Koci for the hit on Green.
With Morrisonn and Green injured, and Erskine’s penalty the Caps defense was severely depleted as only Schultz, Poti and Alzner were available for play.
Coach Boudreau was left in a difficult position, leaving him to turn to some of his forwards for assistance. Brooks Laich and Brendan Morrison were readied by Boudreau to switch to defense. In a rather unique situation the Caps only had two blueliners skating at one point in the third period.
Even with their dwindling defense, the team had a game that was eventful and they even had a couple of firsts.
Tomas Fleischmann had a two goal night and was assisted both times by Kyle Wilson who was making his NHL debut. Wilson was also ironically making his debut on his birthday and tallied his first NHL point during his first shift. After the game Wilson said that it’s his job as a call-up to make it very hard for him to be sent back down. I think he made a good case for himself during the game. Then again the Capitals have had a good effort from all their Hershey Bear call-ups this season and that is a testament to the system that they have in place. This foreshadowing should be a welcome sight to Washington Caps fans who haven’t had the smoothest ride until recently.
Only three games back from finger surgery, Mike Knuble made his presence known by netting a goal in first period. David Steckel and Matt Bradley joined Tomas Fleischmann in scoring during the second and Nicklas Backstrom scored a power play goal in the third.
This was the first time that Jose Theodore faced his former team since signing with the Capitals. Theodore acknowledged the defensive support from his teammates after the game saying that he knew they wanted to help him win the game.
The Caps played together and only allowed Colorado to score one goal against them in the first game of this road trip. They persevered through incredible adversity and have set a good tone for the remainder of the week.
Look for the Washington Capitals to take on the Vancouver Canucks at 10 PM EST on Friday.
(This should have posted on 12/16/2009 on www.crashthecrease.com however there was some technical difficulty on the posting. I apologize.)
Green: In the Buffer Zone
There is absolutely no denying it. This is an Olympic year. The world knows it and the loyal NHL hockey fans see it weekly in the pace of this year’s affected season schedule. A compressed schedule that has fans catching hockey in greater frequency due to the much talked about NHL Olympic break.
For Canada it’s a special year because the Olympics come home to Vancouver. The hockey world is a buzz with the projections and forecasts for the home team. In fact it’s a little hard to miss the talk. Darn near impossible actually.
Canada is ripe with talent to fill the roster. In fact, as most of you know, they have too much talent to choose from and this is causing a stir. Who makes the team? Who gets cut? Picking Team Canada will probably be the hardest hockey related decision Steve Yzerman will ever have to make.
With the likes of Martin Brodeur, Jay Bouwmeester, Sidney Crosby, and Chris Pronger , the field to choose from is amazing. In fact some analysts consider them locks for Team Canada but what about the players left in the “buffer zone”? Players like Washington’s Mike Green.
It’s undeniable: Mike Green wants to make the Olympic Roster for 2010. You can’t live in the Washington DC metro region and not know this. Green, who is known among his teammates for his must win passion, has been bombarded with questions from the media regarding his Olympic hopes. His personal website is aflutter with mentions of it. His teammates and his coach have also taken up his cause addressing the media regarding his buffer position. All this lobbying isn’t going to seal the deal though. Yzerman made it clear that play throughout the season would dictate who makes the final cut. So how has Green been performing?
Mike Green is an offensive defenseman. His growth as an NHL player erupted once Bruce Boudreau took the head coach position in Washington. Boudreau coached Green in Hershey and knew that Green could be an offensive threat. The trust that Boudreau had in Green’s offensive capabilities allowed Green to rapidly develop with his young team. And advance he has in a system that focuses on offensive production.
The 2008-2009 season was a remarkable one for Green. In 68 games he had amassed 31 goals and 42 assists. In February 2009 Mike Green scored a goal in his eighth consecutive game breaking the reigning NHL record. He appeared to be a rising star among NHL defenseman and he was drawing attention in the hockey world. His stellar season would not carry into the playoffs.
With injuries and high expectations, Mike Green struggled in the playoffs. Game 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins would find Green benched by Boudreau. Something that up until that point I thought I would never see. Boudreau never once doubted Green’s drive or abilities, and chose to defend the young defenseman to the media. This is something that he always does. Boudreau chose to blame high expectations; Green on the other hand would later admit that lingering ailments and a lack of conditioning caused him to be so unprepared for the playoffs.
As noted by everyone in the Washington Capitals organization, Green takes losses the hardest of anyone. Being his own toughest critic, he took the time during the off-season to right his course. He returned to training camp properly conditioned and ready to start the year. The beginning of this season was slightly bumpy for him as he found his way back to form. Currently Mike Green has a league high 32 points and 93 shots on goal for all NHL defensemen. He has 6 goals and 23 assists in 34 games played. His drive and dedication have his coach and teammates pleading his case to the media but will it do any good?
From the beginning of all the Olympic talk, I never thought Mike Green would make the team. This isn’t to say that I think he’s a poor defenseman; it’s more of a ‘reality of the situation’ type of decision for me. While Mike Green may very well continue to break records and be nominated a second time for the Norris Trophy, Steve Yzerman needs Team Canada to win.
Yzerman, I am sure, feels the pressure of choosing Team Canada. Some players are definite locks for the team, while the remaining slots are difficult decisions. Everyone in Canada expects them to win Gold in Vancouver, bringing added pressure. It would be my belief that Yzerman needs to build a team guaranteed to win and I would think that Mike Green does not fit into that plan.
Guaranteeing a win is not an easy feat, but it would be made a lot more difficult if you throw in some questionable variables. Canada needs an offensive burst from their forwards and shut-down, in your face defensemen on the blue line. To play it safe everyone needs to be defensively minded and members of the team cannot be defensive liabilities. Mike Green is still a young defenseman and he goes through periods of ups and downs in his play. The end of last season and the beginning of this season were not his greatest moments. So it all boils down to one question.
Can Mike Green play a “safer” more consistent type of defense? One that shows little risk and severely decreases the room for error? Boudreau says yes, but has the hockey world seen it? No. And that I’m afraid is what will seal Mike Green’s fate for the 2010 Olympics. If the Olympics were in any other country this year, I fully believe that Green would have a better shot at cracking the roster. Not a guaranteed chance, just a better one.
Team Canada for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver will most likely be about defensive forwards and safe shut-down defensemen. It’s going to be about the correct players to ensure a gold medal. Mike Green, while on the rise, has not proven himself as much as say Scott Niedermayer or Chris Pronger. Vancouver will see a Canadian team that sports safe choices because Yzerman knows what is at stake. Mike Green is young and will see other Olympics. While I understand that this one is extremely important to him, I don’t believe that he will make the team. Of course, Washington Capitals fans, I could be entirely wrong.
(This post appears on www.crashthecrease.com)
For Canada it’s a special year because the Olympics come home to Vancouver. The hockey world is a buzz with the projections and forecasts for the home team. In fact it’s a little hard to miss the talk. Darn near impossible actually.
Canada is ripe with talent to fill the roster. In fact, as most of you know, they have too much talent to choose from and this is causing a stir. Who makes the team? Who gets cut? Picking Team Canada will probably be the hardest hockey related decision Steve Yzerman will ever have to make.
With the likes of Martin Brodeur, Jay Bouwmeester, Sidney Crosby, and Chris Pronger , the field to choose from is amazing. In fact some analysts consider them locks for Team Canada but what about the players left in the “buffer zone”? Players like Washington’s Mike Green.
It’s undeniable: Mike Green wants to make the Olympic Roster for 2010. You can’t live in the Washington DC metro region and not know this. Green, who is known among his teammates for his must win passion, has been bombarded with questions from the media regarding his Olympic hopes. His personal website is aflutter with mentions of it. His teammates and his coach have also taken up his cause addressing the media regarding his buffer position. All this lobbying isn’t going to seal the deal though. Yzerman made it clear that play throughout the season would dictate who makes the final cut. So how has Green been performing?
Mike Green is an offensive defenseman. His growth as an NHL player erupted once Bruce Boudreau took the head coach position in Washington. Boudreau coached Green in Hershey and knew that Green could be an offensive threat. The trust that Boudreau had in Green’s offensive capabilities allowed Green to rapidly develop with his young team. And advance he has in a system that focuses on offensive production.
The 2008-2009 season was a remarkable one for Green. In 68 games he had amassed 31 goals and 42 assists. In February 2009 Mike Green scored a goal in his eighth consecutive game breaking the reigning NHL record. He appeared to be a rising star among NHL defenseman and he was drawing attention in the hockey world. His stellar season would not carry into the playoffs.
With injuries and high expectations, Mike Green struggled in the playoffs. Game 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins would find Green benched by Boudreau. Something that up until that point I thought I would never see. Boudreau never once doubted Green’s drive or abilities, and chose to defend the young defenseman to the media. This is something that he always does. Boudreau chose to blame high expectations; Green on the other hand would later admit that lingering ailments and a lack of conditioning caused him to be so unprepared for the playoffs.
As noted by everyone in the Washington Capitals organization, Green takes losses the hardest of anyone. Being his own toughest critic, he took the time during the off-season to right his course. He returned to training camp properly conditioned and ready to start the year. The beginning of this season was slightly bumpy for him as he found his way back to form. Currently Mike Green has a league high 32 points and 93 shots on goal for all NHL defensemen. He has 6 goals and 23 assists in 34 games played. His drive and dedication have his coach and teammates pleading his case to the media but will it do any good?
From the beginning of all the Olympic talk, I never thought Mike Green would make the team. This isn’t to say that I think he’s a poor defenseman; it’s more of a ‘reality of the situation’ type of decision for me. While Mike Green may very well continue to break records and be nominated a second time for the Norris Trophy, Steve Yzerman needs Team Canada to win.
Yzerman, I am sure, feels the pressure of choosing Team Canada. Some players are definite locks for the team, while the remaining slots are difficult decisions. Everyone in Canada expects them to win Gold in Vancouver, bringing added pressure. It would be my belief that Yzerman needs to build a team guaranteed to win and I would think that Mike Green does not fit into that plan.
Guaranteeing a win is not an easy feat, but it would be made a lot more difficult if you throw in some questionable variables. Canada needs an offensive burst from their forwards and shut-down, in your face defensemen on the blue line. To play it safe everyone needs to be defensively minded and members of the team cannot be defensive liabilities. Mike Green is still a young defenseman and he goes through periods of ups and downs in his play. The end of last season and the beginning of this season were not his greatest moments. So it all boils down to one question.
Can Mike Green play a “safer” more consistent type of defense? One that shows little risk and severely decreases the room for error? Boudreau says yes, but has the hockey world seen it? No. And that I’m afraid is what will seal Mike Green’s fate for the 2010 Olympics. If the Olympics were in any other country this year, I fully believe that Green would have a better shot at cracking the roster. Not a guaranteed chance, just a better one.
Team Canada for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver will most likely be about defensive forwards and safe shut-down defensemen. It’s going to be about the correct players to ensure a gold medal. Mike Green, while on the rise, has not proven himself as much as say Scott Niedermayer or Chris Pronger. Vancouver will see a Canadian team that sports safe choices because Yzerman knows what is at stake. Mike Green is young and will see other Olympics. While I understand that this one is extremely important to him, I don’t believe that he will make the team. Of course, Washington Capitals fans, I could be entirely wrong.
(This post appears on www.crashthecrease.com)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
“Favored sons”, Complacency and the Future
The Boston win was refreshing but then came the total collapse in Pittsburgh. Finally Richards seems to comprehend the severity of the situation but is it too late? Most importantly, what exactly is going wrong? I want to take the opportunity today to look at a few things regarding the club.
First and foremost is what I'll call the “favored sons” condition. Players who are favored my management (and fans) because of what they have brought to the team in the past. This past gives them a free pass, so to speak, protecting them from the thoughts of trade. While eventually this would wear off with time, due to a lack of production or inconsistency, the reason I bring it up is for the short term impact. When the so-called “untouchables” are thought to be just that (untouchable), complacency sits in and that is awfully dangerous. Eventually players lose that drive to compete and win if they become complacent for too long. Once that is gone it's rather hard to get back without stimulation by a major motivator. Fear of being traded is probably going to be the best motivator. That’s a vital component currently lacking…
So should people get this favored sons treatment? In a limited capacity, I believe so, however I think the wrong people are on the list. I would prefer to see players such as Giroux, JVR, Parent and Bartulis on this list for the Flyers. For the Phantoms it should be Marshall, Maroon, Bourdon, Ross (I know having a bad year) and a select few others. They are the future of the team and they need to be afforded the opportunity to progress and advance. Should they be completely untouchable? No, no one should, but the next generations are the ones who should be given the closest status to untouchable. The here and now isn't looking so good so it's time to take a good hard look at the future.
The next problems are the NTCs and the NMCs. Welcome to the hell that is contract negotiation. While I do understand that these clauses enticed some players to come to the team, it takes its toll.
With the clauses players can allow complacency to settle in. This again is quite dangerous. Without the ability to externally cause motivation the role of self-motivation becomes critical. Where is the motivation for these players? Probably the only bit still left externally is to embarrass the players with special punishments during practices, or to ridicule them in the media. The NHL clubs should not have to resort to kindergarten type punishment to instill motivation. If the drive isn’t there I’m resorting right back to a previous post. If they don’t perform, bench them. If they don’t respond, trade them. If you can’t trade them, waive them.
Fitting into both of the previous topics is a lack of competition. Without a serious ability to advance, the motivation that you see from the Phantoms is entirely internal. If you throw them some external motivation perhaps they would surprise us all.
Let's face it because I think everyone no matter what they said didn't actually believe that John Stevens was the entire problem. The thing that he was probably the guiltiest of was being too nice and too close to the team. That works in select instances with say Claude Giroux in the playoffs last year when he was wearing the weight of the loss (in his mind) entirely on his shoulders. But does it work with those like Richards & Carter who are more advanced? Well, it took Stevens getting fired and a whole lot of media heat for Richards to start addressing the public regarding the problems. John Stevens enabled the team to remain coddled and for that he became the scapegoat. I feel sorry for the man but he did in a sense create the situation.
There are two goalies whom I feel bad for as well. Let's face it Philadelphia is a hard town to goaltend for. We are loud, mean and expect all our goalies to be Bernie Parent. What has the team done to help them our goalies out this year? I mean overall not just select little incidents. Razor played injured when he shouldn't have and the team knew this. Where was the additional support? Poor Boosh has been the best player some nights and he's taking the loses. It's a shame.
But who do I feel the worst about? Giroux, JVR, Parent, Bartulis, Maroon, Marshall, Bourdon and the rest of the younger generation. The Phantoms because they had a rough adjustment and are suffering a bit for it. Also because they lack real opportunity to advance and showcase their talent right now. They are not fully capable of shopping their goods to the big club nor is anyone really giving them the ability to jump forward. It's a general lack of opportunity.
Which brings us to the young group on the Flyers. They are probably suffering the greatest of anyone. Not only are they being dragged along on this downward spiral, their development is suffering. You really think Claude Giroux is getting the linemates he needs to develop and advance? I'm not saying his linemates are bad, what I'm saying is that he doesn't have the correct ones for his specific talent. The kid has amazing passing skills but if his linemates aren’t capable of receiving his passes and burying them in the net, all that talent is going to waste.
JVR hits a slump and gets moved backwards in the lineup. Everyone needs to remember it's his fist year. He wasn’t even supposed to be with the big club according to most people. The fact that he has accomplished what he has is a testament to his hard-work. I, for one, expected him to bring a lazy attitude to training camp. Gladly I stand corrected. But he has hit a wall and it’s hard to be sure if it’s a normal first year “slump” or if this team has been affecting him.
We are at a pivotal time here in Flyers-land. The club is rocky and it’s fairly new territory for us. I don’t like what I’m seeing and I certainly don’t have the perfect solution.
We need to move forward and it’s critical to decide how to best do that without hurting the future of our club. The here and now isn’t so bright right now so it’s time to look forward. I’d rather take a temporary setback than a long-term one.
My advice is to hold onto the young guys coming up through the system and give them every opportunity to thrive. Sure as a fan base we’ll be irate and disgruntled, but I don’t want to see this team turn into a “welfare team”. I’d rather not witness that first hand.
It’s time to cut our loses and make the changes. If that means trading some big guns then we bite the bullet and do it. The future should be our focus and allowing this group of young players to spiral out of control with the rest of the team is only going to hold them back.
It’s time for management to figure out the exact problem and remove it from the system. It’s to the point that I don’t care if it’s Mike Richards, the problem needs to go. And if the team doesn’t respond tonight, the decision needs to be made now.
First and foremost is what I'll call the “favored sons” condition. Players who are favored my management (and fans) because of what they have brought to the team in the past. This past gives them a free pass, so to speak, protecting them from the thoughts of trade. While eventually this would wear off with time, due to a lack of production or inconsistency, the reason I bring it up is for the short term impact. When the so-called “untouchables” are thought to be just that (untouchable), complacency sits in and that is awfully dangerous. Eventually players lose that drive to compete and win if they become complacent for too long. Once that is gone it's rather hard to get back without stimulation by a major motivator. Fear of being traded is probably going to be the best motivator. That’s a vital component currently lacking…
So should people get this favored sons treatment? In a limited capacity, I believe so, however I think the wrong people are on the list. I would prefer to see players such as Giroux, JVR, Parent and Bartulis on this list for the Flyers. For the Phantoms it should be Marshall, Maroon, Bourdon, Ross (I know having a bad year) and a select few others. They are the future of the team and they need to be afforded the opportunity to progress and advance. Should they be completely untouchable? No, no one should, but the next generations are the ones who should be given the closest status to untouchable. The here and now isn't looking so good so it's time to take a good hard look at the future.
The next problems are the NTCs and the NMCs. Welcome to the hell that is contract negotiation. While I do understand that these clauses enticed some players to come to the team, it takes its toll.
With the clauses players can allow complacency to settle in. This again is quite dangerous. Without the ability to externally cause motivation the role of self-motivation becomes critical. Where is the motivation for these players? Probably the only bit still left externally is to embarrass the players with special punishments during practices, or to ridicule them in the media. The NHL clubs should not have to resort to kindergarten type punishment to instill motivation. If the drive isn’t there I’m resorting right back to a previous post. If they don’t perform, bench them. If they don’t respond, trade them. If you can’t trade them, waive them.
Fitting into both of the previous topics is a lack of competition. Without a serious ability to advance, the motivation that you see from the Phantoms is entirely internal. If you throw them some external motivation perhaps they would surprise us all.
Let's face it because I think everyone no matter what they said didn't actually believe that John Stevens was the entire problem. The thing that he was probably the guiltiest of was being too nice and too close to the team. That works in select instances with say Claude Giroux in the playoffs last year when he was wearing the weight of the loss (in his mind) entirely on his shoulders. But does it work with those like Richards & Carter who are more advanced? Well, it took Stevens getting fired and a whole lot of media heat for Richards to start addressing the public regarding the problems. John Stevens enabled the team to remain coddled and for that he became the scapegoat. I feel sorry for the man but he did in a sense create the situation.
There are two goalies whom I feel bad for as well. Let's face it Philadelphia is a hard town to goaltend for. We are loud, mean and expect all our goalies to be Bernie Parent. What has the team done to help them our goalies out this year? I mean overall not just select little incidents. Razor played injured when he shouldn't have and the team knew this. Where was the additional support? Poor Boosh has been the best player some nights and he's taking the loses. It's a shame.
But who do I feel the worst about? Giroux, JVR, Parent, Bartulis, Maroon, Marshall, Bourdon and the rest of the younger generation. The Phantoms because they had a rough adjustment and are suffering a bit for it. Also because they lack real opportunity to advance and showcase their talent right now. They are not fully capable of shopping their goods to the big club nor is anyone really giving them the ability to jump forward. It's a general lack of opportunity.
Which brings us to the young group on the Flyers. They are probably suffering the greatest of anyone. Not only are they being dragged along on this downward spiral, their development is suffering. You really think Claude Giroux is getting the linemates he needs to develop and advance? I'm not saying his linemates are bad, what I'm saying is that he doesn't have the correct ones for his specific talent. The kid has amazing passing skills but if his linemates aren’t capable of receiving his passes and burying them in the net, all that talent is going to waste.
JVR hits a slump and gets moved backwards in the lineup. Everyone needs to remember it's his fist year. He wasn’t even supposed to be with the big club according to most people. The fact that he has accomplished what he has is a testament to his hard-work. I, for one, expected him to bring a lazy attitude to training camp. Gladly I stand corrected. But he has hit a wall and it’s hard to be sure if it’s a normal first year “slump” or if this team has been affecting him.
We are at a pivotal time here in Flyers-land. The club is rocky and it’s fairly new territory for us. I don’t like what I’m seeing and I certainly don’t have the perfect solution.
We need to move forward and it’s critical to decide how to best do that without hurting the future of our club. The here and now isn’t so bright right now so it’s time to look forward. I’d rather take a temporary setback than a long-term one.
My advice is to hold onto the young guys coming up through the system and give them every opportunity to thrive. Sure as a fan base we’ll be irate and disgruntled, but I don’t want to see this team turn into a “welfare team”. I’d rather not witness that first hand.
It’s time to cut our loses and make the changes. If that means trading some big guns then we bite the bullet and do it. The future should be our focus and allowing this group of young players to spiral out of control with the rest of the team is only going to hold them back.
It’s time for management to figure out the exact problem and remove it from the system. It’s to the point that I don’t care if it’s Mike Richards, the problem needs to go. And if the team doesn’t respond tonight, the decision needs to be made now.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The View From the Bottom.
28th in the league. Leaves you wondering just what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is going on, right?
We acquire Chris Pronger and make a bunch of changes in the off season. We acquire one of the most passionate players in the game with Lappy. We fill some voids with some guys who played strong for us last season. For crying out loud we were striking fear in our opponents before the season started and were being favored to do extremely well. 28th in the league?!?! Speechless, right?
Okay, Flyers fans, let's snap out of it. What is going wrong? Okay probably everything under the sun. I'm just as upset as the rest of you. (Trust me on that one.) The major problem now is still the one we faced over a week ago: how do you snap the team out of it?
I'm sure there are a lot of suggestions floating around in Flyersland. For me the main thing is to break the cycle and that is multi-layered.
Somewhere there is a rotten egg. We're all hearing the rumors so let's not ignore it. My concern is that we have the likes of Pronger and Lappy in the dressing room and the team is still being derailed by one player? Is this possible? Being that I'm not in the locker room it leaves me wondering. Can one player really rock the entire boat?
Even if we offload this so called problem player, the team is pretty shaken and beat up right now. It's going to take some major motivation to get them over this bump. The next question is a pivotal one: can the current leadership team get this ship turned around?
I actually fear that our "problem child" is within the leadership team. Now I have no way of knowing this for sure, but it is definitely a fear that is weighing heavily on my mind. If it is someone on the leadership team, why were they allowed to continue? Either way, shouldn't the remainder of the leadership team have addressed this issue? Perhaps some change is needed.
Richards, I'm sorry, I know everyone thinks you're a golden boy, but man up! Either ask for Pronger to step in and clean house or do it yourself. And while your at it, you might want to focus on the team until you are safely heading in the correct direction.
I understand that he is young and that he is learning. This is not entirely his fault. He is soft-spoken and seems to prefer to lead by example, but this team needs someone to throw something at them so they snap out of it! That could very well be Pronger IF someone lets him.
Peter Laviolette is still implementing his system and I understand this, but if the current lines don't start producing this team's fragile ego is going to completely burst. They need to start scoring NOW not a few weeks down the line. If they start scoring their confidence will build quicker and their confidence could use all the help that it can get.
I don't know if he's doing it, but Laviolette really needs to ensure that the future of our club is not getting destroyed. I mean that Giroux, JVR, Parent and Bartulis need special attention. Don't misunderstand me, I don't want them babied and I don't want them put on a pedestal. They need more personal attention right now and I think they should be given it.
So Flyers fans, I could go on for hours, but I won't.
This team has a lot of work ahead of them if they are up to the challenge. Right now this hockey club is a tired, frustrated and emotionally wrecked one. If they are to move forward and snap out of this downward spiral, things need to start getting shook up immediately. How do you do that? By any means necessary.
If the only way to get these guys moving forward (and upward) is to take drastic measures, then Laviolette and Homer need to make it happen. Someone not producing or showing their best effort? Bench them. Can't get them to snap out of it? Trade them. Can't trade them? Waive them.
Harsh? Sure but as a friend reminded me last night: desperate times call for desperate measures. This is the O&B and we as fans, we don't accept anything less than a best effort.
We acquire Chris Pronger and make a bunch of changes in the off season. We acquire one of the most passionate players in the game with Lappy. We fill some voids with some guys who played strong for us last season. For crying out loud we were striking fear in our opponents before the season started and were being favored to do extremely well. 28th in the league?!?! Speechless, right?
Okay, Flyers fans, let's snap out of it. What is going wrong? Okay probably everything under the sun. I'm just as upset as the rest of you. (Trust me on that one.) The major problem now is still the one we faced over a week ago: how do you snap the team out of it?
I'm sure there are a lot of suggestions floating around in Flyersland. For me the main thing is to break the cycle and that is multi-layered.
Somewhere there is a rotten egg. We're all hearing the rumors so let's not ignore it. My concern is that we have the likes of Pronger and Lappy in the dressing room and the team is still being derailed by one player? Is this possible? Being that I'm not in the locker room it leaves me wondering. Can one player really rock the entire boat?
Even if we offload this so called problem player, the team is pretty shaken and beat up right now. It's going to take some major motivation to get them over this bump. The next question is a pivotal one: can the current leadership team get this ship turned around?
I actually fear that our "problem child" is within the leadership team. Now I have no way of knowing this for sure, but it is definitely a fear that is weighing heavily on my mind. If it is someone on the leadership team, why were they allowed to continue? Either way, shouldn't the remainder of the leadership team have addressed this issue? Perhaps some change is needed.
Richards, I'm sorry, I know everyone thinks you're a golden boy, but man up! Either ask for Pronger to step in and clean house or do it yourself. And while your at it, you might want to focus on the team until you are safely heading in the correct direction.
I understand that he is young and that he is learning. This is not entirely his fault. He is soft-spoken and seems to prefer to lead by example, but this team needs someone to throw something at them so they snap out of it! That could very well be Pronger IF someone lets him.
Peter Laviolette is still implementing his system and I understand this, but if the current lines don't start producing this team's fragile ego is going to completely burst. They need to start scoring NOW not a few weeks down the line. If they start scoring their confidence will build quicker and their confidence could use all the help that it can get.
I don't know if he's doing it, but Laviolette really needs to ensure that the future of our club is not getting destroyed. I mean that Giroux, JVR, Parent and Bartulis need special attention. Don't misunderstand me, I don't want them babied and I don't want them put on a pedestal. They need more personal attention right now and I think they should be given it.
So Flyers fans, I could go on for hours, but I won't.
This team has a lot of work ahead of them if they are up to the challenge. Right now this hockey club is a tired, frustrated and emotionally wrecked one. If they are to move forward and snap out of this downward spiral, things need to start getting shook up immediately. How do you do that? By any means necessary.
If the only way to get these guys moving forward (and upward) is to take drastic measures, then Laviolette and Homer need to make it happen. Someone not producing or showing their best effort? Bench them. Can't get them to snap out of it? Trade them. Can't trade them? Waive them.
Harsh? Sure but as a friend reminded me last night: desperate times call for desperate measures. This is the O&B and we as fans, we don't accept anything less than a best effort.
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