Catch all Season thread

[Tater]

JC your defence philosophy sucks; please make some changes scheme wise to fit what we got. This Defence is an embarrassment

It sucks, and so do a lot of the players trying to learn it. How could he stick with the same scheme for so long?!?!? I hate seeing a great season by Kane, Cat and Toews wasted like this.

 

[LordKOTL]

It sucks, and so do a lot of the players trying to learn it. How could he stick with the same scheme for so long?!?!? I hate seeing a great season by Kane, Cat and Toews wasted like this.

Same way Q stuck with it last year and didn't change a thing. Square peg, meet round hole.

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

 

[MassHavoc]

I hear what you're saying but if you think back....he wasn't the same goalie before this last concussion. I really like the guy...but they know so little about long term effects from these concussions that it would probably be in his best interest to just walk away from the game and enjoy his life. Who knows what another smack on his noggin would do?

WTF you talking about? You mean at the beginning of this year with this shit defense in front of him? Because certainly you don't mean last year before he went down. Last year before the concussion he had some of his finest hockeying...

 

[Diehardfan]

WTF you talking about? You mean at the beginning of this year with this shit defense in front of him? Because certainly you don't mean last year before he went down. Last year before the concussion he had some of his finest hockeying...

We're talking concussions here, so it's quite obviously not last year before the concussion. Regardless of the crap D in front of him, if you think he's been anywhere near the goalie he was before these concussions....then you are living in Fantasyland. And I'm not at all holding that against him as this kind of injury can be really devastating....I'm more worried about his life after hockey. After you have one, the chances of having more increase by a factor of 3. What could lie ahead? CTE...earlier than normal dementia plus repeated concussions can even be fatal. He gave us fans a lot....he should not have to pay the price for it when his playing days are over.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

WTF you talking about? You mean at the beginning of this year with this shit defense in front of him? Because certainly you don't mean last year before he went down. Last year before the concussion he had some of his finest hockeying...

As opposed to saying his "finest pucking"

 

[LordKOTL]

WTF you talking about? You mean at the beginning of this year with this shit defense in front of him? Because certainly you don't mean last year before he went down. Last year before the concussion he had some of his finest hockeying...

Up until he got ran by Malkin last season, he was having the finest goaltending-year by any 'hawk netminder since Tony O's 1972 campaign. Let that sink in especially considering the only defense that has been worst in almost 30 years has been this year's.

We're talking concussions here, so it's quite obviously not last year before the concussion. Regardless of the crap D in front of him, if you think he's been anywhere near the goalie he was before these concussions....then you are living in Fantasyland. And I'm not at all holding that against him as this kind of injury can be really devastating....I'm more worried about his life after hockey. After you have one, the chances of having more increase by a factor of 3. What could lie ahead? CTE...earlier than normal dementia plus repeated concussions can even be fatal. He gave us fans a lot....he should not have to pay the price for it when his playing days are over.

The part you've missed on this is goaltenders being very mercurial year-in/year out. We, simply put, can't know yet if Crawford's downturn this year is due wholly due to concussions, rust, a down year, or the fact that the team D in-and-of-itself sucks donkey balls and should have been bag skated multiple times since 2016--or all of the above.

To wit: King Henrik went from .920 to .910 from one year to the next...no concussion.
Carey Price went from .923 to .900.
Holtby went from .925 to .907.
Rinne has gone from a .923 to .908.

None of those guys had concussion issues. And hell, most of them didn't have to deal with an ECHL defense in front of them that doesn't protect their goaltender.

It's too early to tell with Crawford--even this season before he got laid out once again his numbers were down which could have been, well, anything. His 2018 campaign was cut short and was still an outlier on the positive side--it was head-and-shoulder better than 2013, 2015, and 2016 so was likely untenable long term even if Malkin didn't run him. Plus, if last night was any indication even when they're trying the defense not only sucks when they're actually trying (unlike the LA game where Crawford got lit up), but they swallow, spit up, gargle, and then swallow again. It's not the best environment for a top-tier goaltender, much less one coming off a concussion, or one in the twilight of his career, or a green rookie.

Medically? that's a whole different issue. But based on 2 games I don't think anyone can say that his play has been due to rust, concussion, or the fact that beer leagues could play better defense.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Fair.

 

[Diehardfan]

Jesus, you people just don't get it. I don't give a **** how he plays...even if this team had a chance, I wouldn't care. This guy was a key figure in 3 Stanley Cups, maybe 4 if an LA team didn't have a horseshoe stuck up it's ass. It's something I'll never forget....almost Jordanesque. I don't like watching him suffer playing for a bad team and taking both a physical and mental beating. His concussions have been bad ones, really bad. Most athletes get them and come back in a few weeks, sometimes less. He missed roughly half a season, then came back got hit again and missed another couple of months. That's not a good sign. I think he needs to rethink things....this team is not going to get better anytime soon which makes the probability of him getting run again high. I think for him and his family, retirement should be an option to be looking at.

 

[Raskolnikov]

No, we get it and we might question his decision, but it isn’t mine or Lords or yours to make. Love Crow, want thr best long term for Crow.

But retirement is his decision for his own financial, personal, and life reasons. He gets to make it and he decided to come back. At that point us in the peanut gallery get to play our part and comment.

I’m with you actually but he made a different decision and I fully support him in that.

He has something left to play for or he would be gone.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Take a look at schedule.

Next 7 games have 5 wins written all over them for a playoff team. Show me 15 or 16 points in next 7 and we will talk.

They have some control left with 3 of 4 teams they chase. But bad losses are over. Crow is ready or has to play himself ready immediately. This stretch is out last hope.

 

[RacerX]

Take a look at schedule.

Next 7 games have 5 wins written all over them for a playoff team. Show me 15 or 16 points in next 7 and we will talk.

They have some control left with 3 of 4 teams they chase. But bad losses are over. Crow is ready or has to play himself ready immediately. This stretch is out last hope.

Our hope is the draft and FA, not much upside to rallying into the final playoff spot and getting swept.

 

[anotheridiot]

Our hope is the draft and FA, not much upside to rallying into the final playoff spot and getting swept.

but not unless they move some of the dead weight.

Even the kids from college who are free agents are passing on the hawks since they promise them the 5 games or whatever to finish the year and most of them dont play again until two years later.

It most probably needs to be Bowman leaving and the new GM being the one to make the hard choices, and that would include letting them watch the game from the organ loft until they waive their NMC.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Well said. If nothing else rename bowman and let someone else be the butcher

 

[Bigfoot]

It sucks, and so do a lot of the players trying to learn it. How could he stick with the same scheme for so long?!?!? I hate seeing a great season by Kane, Cat and Toews wasted like this.

That's what is frustrating; it's obvious they cant run this scheme, but the staff isnt adapting. Meanwhile Kaner is playing out of his mind, Cat and Strome are driving that 2nd line. Toews found a little mojo again, Saad is playing decent again, and Gus is having an under the radar offensive season for a D-man. Unfortunately it has been wasted on a team that doesnt play Defence, and had a 3-17 stretch.

 

[anotheridiot]

What did it take, like 15 games for the offense to implement the new system? Meanwhile Philly 21-15 under Q, with a 3-9 start after Q took over, has run their record after the "philosophy change" to 18-6.

Meanwhile the hawks are still adjusting to Brookbanks style of defensive coaching after a questionable carreer with guys he is trying to direct currently. They did better when the put a dinosaur with a kid so someone could chase pucks on each pair. Nobody, I mean nobody had taken the Hammer approach to blocking shots, they just dont put their bodies in the way anymore. Its either the stick or mistake if it hits them. I really am not sure if its the defensive coaches or Waite not wanting the team being screens to his goaltenders.

 

[Bigfoot]

Scott Gordon is the HC of the Flyers not Q; however Gordon did come from the Flyers AHL team.

 

[Ares]

That's what is frustrating; it's obvious they cant run this scheme, but the staff isnt adapting. Meanwhile Kaner is playing out of his mind, Cat and Strome are driving that 2nd line. Toews found a little mojo again, Saad is playing decent again, and Gus is having an under the radar offensive season for a D-man. Unfortunately it has been wasted on a team that doesnt play Defence, and had a 3-17 stretch.

I particularly enjoy Seabrookzival's beached whale routine.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Q should take over that Canucks team, though he may be waiting to see if Toronto needs help getting to finish line.

I don’t think Leafs can win with current goaltending/defense.

Coach Q and Crow(via Trade) together could put them over?

 

[MassHavoc]

We're talking concussions here, so it's quite obviously not last year before the concussion. Regardless of the crap D in front of him, if you think he's been anywhere near the goalie he was before these concussions....then you are living in Fantasyland. And I'm not at all holding that against him as this kind of injury can be really devastating....I'm more worried about his life after hockey. After you have one, the chances of having more increase by a factor of 3. What could lie ahead? CTE...earlier than normal dementia plus repeated concussions can even be fatal. He gave us fans a lot....he should not have to pay the price for it when his playing days are over.

Before his concussion, he had 22 games and a WHOOPING 714 SA. That's a 32 shots against average a game. That puts him right up there with the league leaders right now on average, and he still had a .903 save percentage. Which isn't that far behind those guys who are sitting at .911-.914. Plus, not only a shit defense, but they fired the coach 7 games in, and he played the next 15 games under a head coach who had 0 NHL head coaching experience. To which they immediately nosedived winning 3 of the next 16. Sure, I would say the concussions don't help. But to say "he wasn't the same goalie before this last concussion" is just invalid. He didn't plat at all last year after the concussion, and was having a great season. So that means you're basing it on his play at the beginning of the year, which isn't really fair or true because it's a completely shit team an we've seen what it's done to not only him this year but the other goalies. Even Delia who came in and was hot got figured out and divebombed... Take away the first three games he played and his stats are pretty pedestrian... but he's also getting peppered for 33 shots a game.

 

[Bigfoot]

I particularly enjoy Seabrookzival's beached whale routine.

It has rubbed off on Forsling; I've seen him do that lately.