I think the last three games it would be easier to point out the few players who have been engaged for most shifts...
I don't know what you mean by calling out but...
While many were blaming Crawford for the Wild loss I pointed out Oduya cost the Hawks two goals and Seabrook's shot block attempt on the game tying goal was unbelievable it was so weak.
Many mental mistakes and I pointed out today the defenders were a step slow last night.
It is what it is...They lost the two games they should have won to start the month...
Coming away with 1 point last night was an improvement.
Shaw and Bickell out makes a difference no doubt....
Today's article....
Blackhawks got one out but lose in a shootout 3-2 to Anaheim: On The Blackhawks: My Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1eXGbj4
On Twitter@AlCimaglia
- Al
What I mean on calling them out -- is really more on the coaching staff and Q than anything. Al, you definitely point out the on-ice culprits almost all the time.
I would just like to see Q and staff face a bit more heat over the unevenness of their handling of personnel. As I said, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson and Oduya can seem to do no wrong in their eyes.
Now I know you are going to come back and counter this with the argument that maybe they do see it but have such reservations about Leddy and whoever they've paired him with that night -- to take on more minutes against better competition -- that they are willing to live with the gaffes of 2, 4,7 and 27 as opposed to what they might get with 8 and 32/17.
While I can understand this line of reasoning -- the only way Leddy is ever going to improve (now that he has 100+ NHL games under his belt and was part of a CUP winning squad) is for him to get put in more of those situations.
If we're going to keep getting Seabrook sleepwalking 90% of the time -- or Keith fumbling around with the puck at the point or making ill-timed offensive forays that cause odd-man breaks (as we have seen over the last several games), I have to think it would be beneficial for Leddy's long-term development to get some of those minutes and learn from it.
Leddy has been much better along the wall. Why not put him in more tougher situations? What if he is able to pick up his game and make a difference? I think it's quite possible. Instead, we get Q with the "tried and true" which has been for much of this season, error prone. Just look at the overall GA total. Certainly not league leading or anywhere close.
So, this is really what I'm talking about -- more on the staff than on the squad. They've got to play the minutes they're given. I'm calling out the staff on how they are doing this across the team -- it's not just the D but forwards as well, along with special team assignments.