Quoting: slapshot723
I agree with a lot of this except for the rookie thing at the bottom. Plenty of teams have an injection of youth in their bottom-6 and it does sometimes work out, as long as it's sprinkled with veterans. Problem is we don't develop anyone past the third round anymore, so we don't have guys to call up aside from guys with high expectations like Wahlstrom and Bellows.
Maybe so, but it's extremely rare you see a team carry 4 rookies in to the playoffs, a large majority of them end up trading for veterans at the deadline. I'm not saying don't play the kids all I'm saying is take it slow look at Dobsons transition he's looking better every game but he still makes very noticeable rookie mistakes at times. Although lately I can't fully blame the rookies the vets are playing like they don't even want to be there.
Quoting: Isles777
Wahlstrom and bellows were solid defensively and one of the only forwards that were generating offense/driving play.
That was komarov’s 10th 3rd period penalty in 131 games. Maybe he just learn to be more disciplined. Schultz was his guy and he was soft on the back check, so he did cost us the game. Trotz putting komarov on the 2nd line last night was insulting to the rest of the isles and fans - it’s pretty much saying you don’t care about winning.
Nelson has been awful but bailey has been just as bad. Failing to get the puck out of the zone, soft on the forecheck, slow decision making. I don’t care if clutter scores goals, he hasn’t been effective on the forecheck and his play in the defensive zone is weak. That’s my problem with him - and Martin looks cooked , my god what an awful contract.
There’s a reason why Trotz has only made it past the 2nd rd twice in his career. He’s a solid coach but his reliance on old grinders holds his teams back.
I never said the kids were playing badly I said you're giving them way too much credit. They've been far from perfect Bellows hasn't scored and Wahlstrom got a fluke although it was just his first game so he gets a pass. Sorokin scares me when he's in net He just doesn't look ready for the North American game to me. The only one that's impressed me is Dobson he looks more comfortable every game he plays, aside from the second game against the Rangers.
Trotz started Komorov on the second line but I knew he wouldn't finish the game there, Bellows did. Even Pageau got a few shifts on the left side
Yes Nelson needs to step it up, but you can't fault Bailey he's the playmaker on that line always has been and he's made some pretty passes that Nelson or Beau couldn't put in the back of the net. If you're expecting Bailey to score a lot of goals you'll be waiting a real long time. And as I said before as far as the 4th line goes Clutters been the only one doing his job. Martin and Cizikas need to nut up and get back to the way they used to play. The best 4th line in hockey has become one of the biggest jokes in hockey at the moment.
Quoting: Isles777
The flyers had 3 rookies in the lineup last season (aube kubel, myers, and farabee) + a 21 year old carter hart in his first year as a starter. The flyers had a solid veteran group (couturier, giroux, hayes) and they were a great team.
Did they win the cup? They also have a lot more talent throughout their line up. We've got.....uh....Barzal. Don't get me wrong there's a lot of guys I like on this team but they were horrible before Trotz's system came in to play. And Barzal is our one true star player.