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THE ISLES DEFENSE: Witt Speaks Out |
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The backpage of Newsday was scintillating. It said...
Isles Controversy: Witt Blames Gordon For Defensive Woes
Upon reading Greg Logan's piece, Brendan Witt commented to Logan about his -5 night versus the Caps. He cited that the forechecking system creates a lot of area for the Isles D to cover.
Ok, we can ask the question if Gordo's system really works on D. But that is hard to really judge when the Isles D wasn't exactly boffo last year either. The Isles defense was mostly bailed out by DiPietro's half year all star run last season plus Dubie, and you get a sharper picture that the defensive woes on LI are not all just a creation from this season. The issues have been far deeper. They lack a true #1 dman. Mark Streit who has been big on minutes, huge on offense and pretty solid on D is more a #2. Campoli has also had trouble adjusting this season after a good run last season until his injury. Gervais started well, and then faded again. In fact, besides Freddy Meyer and Andy Sutton (the only Isles dman with a a positive plus/minus), the rest of the D has looked porous and struggling.
Witt has looked out-of-sorts with Gordon's system, mainly because it is built for speedier defensive players. This vision is not only Gordon's idea, but Snow and scouts have drafted and grabbed quite a few speedsters on D long before Gordo ever put his forechecking system on LI. So to blame Gordo is not quite the right final target. For the rebuild clearly requires speedy defensive players, which the Isles have been accumulating in their system. This is Garth Snow's and the organization's vision. Gordo just put it into practice, whereas his system in Providence reflected the same philosophy.
There remains a large question which I alluded to just yesterday: is Witt the right fit still for these NY Islanders? Furthermore, does he really even want to stay when he left the Caps in their rebuild. A player like Witt can fetch a high price come the trade deadline. For the right team, Witt can be a difference-maker.
Gordon's system is forcing the Isles to play or break. Those that break will either force the coach to make adjustments to fit what he has, but the fact is, that they are deliberately pushing the system to see what they have and to see if it can be done with this current group. That current group has shown about half to seem to be able to work with it, and the other half struggling to keep up. There needs to be some reality here to either make moves and find those who fit that schema OR adjust that system and be flexible. So far, Gordon has been refusing to bend.
"Personally, I think it's more of a risky type of game. There's a lot of odd-man rushes. But that's the way he wants us to play, and until he decides he wants to change that, we're going to play that way."
- Witt in Logan's Newsday article
The allusion here is that he stands as one that wants Gordo to change or adjust. The problem is this is not a team heading in any playoff direction. This is a rebuild with a longtime vet and slower dman who is find that their direction and vision has passed him by. Either Witt finds a way to work that system and put to good use his frustration. OR, he plays elsewhere, with the Isles accumulating a high draft pick in a draft that really is their priority.
You can guess which way this goes. To me, if Witt is not fitting the system and vision, he goes. Love the guy, but the draft pick is far more important in the scheme of things.
HOWEVER: Despite this "controversy" I don't think Witt is asking for an out, but merely plying his opinion and frustration. But questions should be asked, and one vet is not buying that overspeed system wholesale. Is it the overspeed, the player, or just not the right fit for this very good player with a younger template being pushed in?
- BD
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