The "Elite Top 4," What Happned? The REAL Problem.

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Last season we had suspect goaltending all season up until the last month of the season when Antti Niemi stepped up and gave a more consistent effort which carried into the playoffs. We still also had problems with secondary scoring with Marian Hossa and Dave Bolland missing a significant portion of the regular season.

So we have the same issues from last season yet we are playing a much more unstable game and are putting up far fewer points in the standings?

I keep hearing fingers being pointed at Turco and the inconsistent play of our secondary scorers in Stalberg, Brouwer, Bolland, ect... But like I pointed out before these are the same problem from last season, so who is to blame?

Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson, and to a lesser extent Brain Campbell. Last season we thrived of the ability of our defense to limit scoring chances as well as have the ability to contribute to our puck possession game. The offense is not the problem, in fact our power play unit has been significantly better this season and we are scoring enough to win games. Duncan Keith is still the slickest skating defensemen in the league be he has become a consistent turnover machine and is not contributing as much as last season in the offensive zone. Brent Seabrook is bipolar this year, one game he is solid the next game he looks like he would have issues defending players in the USHL. Nikals Hjalmarsson worked all off season on his offensive game and has 2 points this season and his amazing position play from last season is gone, he still blocks shots but he has been a liability. Hammer also has no confidence with the puck, I never see him take an open look up the ice or make a slick outlet pass, it is always dump and chase with him. Brian Campbell has been fine, injuries have just held him back this year.

So please look to put the blame on this team on the correct shoulders, our so called "elite top 4" coming into this season have been our demise. If we want a chance at the playoffs it is on those 4 to carry the team once again.

 

[IvyPickin87]

I have to admit our d last year was amazing and this year it has been much worse. I agree with your post completly. But i will say this last year our Offense was better and had control of the puck more... so i can see that having some effect on our poor play, the defense has to step it up for sure. There is no way Brent Slowpel had this much impact on the d right?

 

[AddisonStation]

I have to admit our d last year was amazing and this year it has been much worse. I agree with your post completly. But i will say this last year our Offense was better and had control of the puck more... so i can see that having some effect on our poor play, the defense has to step it up for sure. There is no way Brent Slowpel had this much impact on the d right?

Lol as slow as sopel is, he makes the correct play most of the time.

If the problem is DK and Seabs i am pretty confident they will turn it around.

I gotta say guys like Buff and Ladd are bigger loses than I thought.

 

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I have to admit our d last year was amazing and this year it has been much worse. I agree with your post completly. But i will say this last year our Offense was better and had control of the puck more... so i can see that having some effect on our poor play, the defense has to step it up for sure. There is no way Brent Slowpel had this much impact on the d right?

Brent Sopel was awful last season up until the end of the regular season and the playoffs where he stepped up and was a penalty killing machine. Boynton and Cullimore are bad but they have been average enough to be able to handle the limited minuets they see and they are not the problem. The reason our puck possession game dissolved is our defense is not as efficient in moving the puck, our cycle game and scoring chances have been as good as last season. They are turning it over in the neutral zone much more often.

 

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I gotta say guys like Buff and Ladd are bigger loses than I thought.

Dustin Byfuglien did nothing for us in the regular season and we still were a point away from the first seed in the west last year. We do miss Andrew Ladd as he really solidified that third line and he and Dave Bolland shut down the opposing teams best line night in and night out. But no reason to dwell on the past, this is the salary cap era and it is what it is.

 

[AddisonStation]

Dustin Byfuglien did nothing for us in the regular season and we still were a point away from the first seed in the west last year. We do miss Andrew Ladd as he really solidified that third line and he and Dave Bolland shut down the opposing teams best line night in and night out. But no reason to dwell on the past, this is the salary cap era and it is what it is.

I wouldn't say Byfuglien did nothing. He wasn't brilliant in the regular season but still scored 17 goals and let the team in hits. He took guys out of plays.. which is something that this years team is having trouble doing.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

Byfuglien has been brilliant this regular season.

As for the Hawks- their defense has been poor this year. That's pretty obvious... they've been making bad decisions all over the ice. Good news is that they're still good players.