Mental change is the key

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D13G0
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Mental change is the key

Post by D13G0 »

The team this year has the same core and same players from last year with just a few little additions like Isbister, Shannon and Miller who aren't "supertstars" but added to make this team a little faster and more offensive than last year.

Though, Alaine hasn't changed his type of play that he wants this team to play. So why is this team having such troubles winning and scoring?

Trading will not do anything, unless we bring Zetterberg, Briere, Crosby into the team which will NOT happen. If this team did so good last year, they can do as good or even better this year. It's all mental. Obviously the confidence in this team is at an all time low right now. But what gets me is that the 3rd, 4th line players who are the checking lines are the best players on this team.

Burrows leads the team with plus/minus with a +4. Why? Because he never gives up, he gets hit trying to get the puck, he never stops skating which results not taking penalties that have cursed us this year. When the team beat the Oilers, of course their confidence goes up which result in a better game and more determination to keep the streak going. What happened? They kicked the living **** out of the Oilers in the last back to back home series game.

Trading is NOT the answer. Getting rid of Alaine is NOT the answer. Getting rid of Nonis is NOT the answer. Confidence and knowing you can beat everyone IS the answer.

That's my 2 cents. Better yet...that's my $1...now I'm poor.
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Jovorock
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Post by Jovorock »

AV said the other day on SN that the problem wasn't defensve, I say BS. Willy gave up the puck behind the net last night, a Red Wing past the puck to Holmstrom and it was a easy goal. Why was no forward covering anyone in front of the net?

Last Friday Bieska sticked check a King in front of the net, the King had 3 shots on Lou and scored while Bieska stick checked.

Creativity on the offensive side is a problem, but I think the defense is not up to last years standards.
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George
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Post by George »

I think offence is a bigger problem, but agree the D isn't up to standards either. Bieksa and Mitchell aren't as playing as tough as they did last year when they were so successful against top lines. Bieksa's showed flashes, especially in his last game vs Carolina, but in general the defence isn't battling enough in the opposing zone and aren't breaking out clearnly enough from their own.

As the for the offence, Cuthbert mentioned on TSN last night the Canucks are dead last in average shots, which I wasn't aware of. They had just 15 against Detroit, 20 in Carolina, and of course went half an hour without a single shot in Columbus. Granted they didn't have lots last season either, but now those shots aren't even equalling scoring chances.

I thought Mason Raymond played a great game last night - gave the puck away a couple of games, but showed more speed and creativity than anyone else on the team. In a way it's a positive, but I kept thinking it's a bit worrying that a rookie is one of the few guys trying to spark something offensively.
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Grizzly
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Post by Grizzly »

Jovorock wrote:AV said the other day on SN that the problem wasn't defensve, I say BS. Willy gave up the puck behind the net last night, a Red Wing past the puck to Holmstrom and it was a easy goal. Why was no forward covering anyone in front of the net?

Last Friday Bieska sticked check a King in front of the net, the King had 3 shots on Lou and scored while Bieska stick checked.

Creativity on the offensive side is a problem, but I think the defense is not up to last years standards.
I think with guys like Mitchell and Bieska its a mental thing right now ... we all know they can play in your face tough defence ... yes and no... its a problem but solveable.

Offence ... last year I pounded the Canucks on a few posts stating that their offence was abysmal and that they needed some better secondary scoring ... a couple of months later I ate my words as guys just started picking it up ... Not sure what to say right now other than Offence is a problem right now and somehow and someway they need to generate more scoring chances. As there is no Crosby or Ovechkin on our team the chances are going to have to come from just plain and simple hard work ... until they get that concept down or trade for Crosby (lol) they will continue to flounder.

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Post by Bartman »

IMHO there are few minor areas of concern such as faceoffs, ability to clear the zone and decisions with the puck in the offensive zone.

The bigger issue is the identity of the team. Last year they were a deffensive wall! From Luongo on out the team prided itself in keeping the puck out of the net. They killed penalties like deamons, got stellar goaltending and threw a blanket over the oppositions best players.

In the offseason all we heard was the need to score more goals. The media, sites like this and from the team management as well. That seemed to get into the mentality of the coaches and the players.

The players are talking more about generating goals and shots and not about preventing them. Our forwards are squeezing the stick in the offensive zone. Our D are making poor decisions on pinching in and our goalie is being hung out to dry on most nights.

The team has to get back to what they were all about last year. Keep the other team to 1 or 2 goals, work hard every night and take pride in that! The goals will either come or they won't. A trade for scoring help will either come or it won't. Trying harder to score isn't going to make a bit of difference.
R.I.P. Luc.
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