Skookum Jim wrote on Sun, 05 December 2021 21:45

My main point with the suggestion for a rotation down in Bako is that its seems that the D call ups are playing better positional hockey than most of the D on the roster (Barrie especially), seem to be better positionally prepared, I credit Manson for that. Whatever they get taught down there isn't being practiced up here. Some need a refresher course on how to play D. Ryan is a mess, another -2 to subtract from his season GA. But if Benson, Perlini, Turris were any better, I'm sure they would be out there, but they can't play center (other than Turris- badly), and none can PK. Maybe Ryan still has concussion symptoms, he doesn't seem all there. Still too many weak and meek players on the roster that McD + LD's efforts can't totally overcome.. every game. As soon as Shore is back at least that gets Ryan off the ice.. small positive. Too bad Holloway was injured, he'd have a clear path to see what he can do on the top 6 as a winger, or as the #3 C, plus PK.

I'm totally onboard with flipping Manson up to Edmonton and sending Playfair to Bakersfield or anywhere else. I'd be happy to see Tippett replaced too (although I'd like to have the team do an actual search for a coach as opposed to just bringing up the farm team guy if they were to pull the trigger on that).

I agree that the farm hands have looked decent, which is one more reason it's ridiculous that Tippett tried to play Russell/Barrie for Pronger/Niedermayer minutes for the prior couple games.

For that same reason, I think you're fooling yourself if you think that Holloway would have a bunch of rope if he came up. Either he's both contributing offence and playing mistake-free hockey, or he's alternating between 4 minutes a night and a view from the pressbox. Kid only just turned 20 in September, and if there's one thing we know about Tippett it is that generally he doesn't trust kids and won't play them unless his hand is forced.

Ryan's played every game he's been healthy for and Shore is literally one of the worst players in the league. Even with the problems with Ryan's game - whatever they are - I'm not sure that Shore is any kind of upgrade. McLeod should have permanently cemented the 3rd line center slot now though - He's just clearly better than the other options and he's starting to show a little more confidence.

Honestly, I don't know what it is with Ryan this year. He can't seem to step on the ice without the other team scoring on him, and the team doesn't seem to threaten the opposition net at all. He's lucky not to have been -3 with that one where Sceviour tied up the stick saving him.

But the weird thing is that it seems like he's a different player than he has been before. He was a +14 over 345 NHL games coming in to the season, and a -13 in 20 this year. He's averages well over a shot per game historically - this season he's at 0.75. Last year he scored 13 points in 43 games, about a point every three games - this year he has a single point in 20 appearances. Some of that maybe is luck - he's shooting well below his normal shooting percentage and the opposition has a tremendous shooting percentage when he's on the ice, but I think there's more to it than that.


Source - https://twitter.com/NHL_Sid/status/1467675067244900354

Ryan's in his mid-30s, so it's possible he's just fallen off the cliff but our depth is sinking in to an abyss despite an apparent airlift of skill upgrades this summer. To me, at some point I'm blaming that on Tippett rather than Derek Ryan and the others.

On an unrelated note:

Quote:

Allan Walsh @walsha Oilers defenseman William Lagesson had his best game in the NHL Friday night. What happens? Dave Tippett never told him he’s out tonight, didn’t tell him to skate with the scratches, he finds out just before the game. It’s the kind of disrespect from a coach that destroys teams.

Not sure I agree with Walsh (his agent) that that was his best NHL game on Friday, and someone had to come out with Nurse going in. But man, it's Coaching 101 to know that you have to communicate that stuff to your players. Big fail from Tippett, and clearly Lagesson wasn't happy if his agent is saying that (although it's not that helpful to his client - Lagesson will definitely be the first sent down now). [

"Thinking that a bad team's best players are the reason the team is bad is the "Tambellini re-signing Lennart Petrell" of sports opinions." @Woodguy55
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