Ordinarily I'd agree, but he appears to be a shell of his former self... He seems like a zombie during interviews. I think the crossroads demon has collected his soul. - laughs2907
Can we exorcise said demon prior to next years training camp?
Can we exorcise said demon prior to next years training camp? - Wildschwein
The crossroads demon is a tough one to get rid of, because they always involve a contract between the person and the demon... The whole thing was knowingly entered into. It can be done though... We'd need a lawyer and a priest.
Location: Isn't Cooley 5"11? You know who else is 5"11? Sydney Crosby. - Scabeh Joined: 04.06.2011
Feb 13 @ 2:35 PM ET
The crossroads demon is a tough one to get rid of, because they always involve a contract between the person and the demon... The whole thing was knowingly entered into. It can be done though... We'd need a lawyer and a priest. - laughs2907
The crossroads demon is a tough one to get rid of, because they always involve a contract between the person and the demon... The whole thing was knowingly entered into. It can be done though... We'd need a lawyer and a priest. - laughs2907
What really baffles me is how a team whose D corps consists of Nate Schmidt, Colin Miller, Shea Theodore, Deryk Engelland, Brayden McNabb and a collection of fringe guys can effectively kill penalties, defend the slot and break the puck out quickly and consistently but ours can't. Is there any clearer picture that McLellan and his staff are the biggest problem with the team? Fix the systems surrounding our Dmen and we'll improve:
a.) the penalty kill (improve goalie numbers and win more)
b.) preventing slot penetration (improve goalie numbers and win more)
c.) the breakout (improve offensive numbers and win more)
Watch a Tampa game and see even bottom pairing and fringe guys like Coburn, Girardi, Sustr and Dotchin break the puck out with short, effective support passes. Is someone gonna argue that those 4 are better puckmovers than Klefbom, Larsson, Nurse and Sekera? Suck a (frank)ing dong, not a chance.
Whether you're willing to admit it or not, Larsson used short, forward support passes a whole lot more when in New Jersey. You even saw it when he first arrived here last year. As time went by, those passes faded because they were COACHED out of him. Same with Sekera in LA and Carolina. Same with pre-McLellan Klefbom.
Our players' (in)ability to break the puck out is a byproduct of being COACHED to do so. They're COACHED to default to the "safe" play of resetting, passing to their partner or just getting it out. This is precisely why the coach likes Russell; that already IS his default. It's likely part of why Davidson has found a niche here. It's likely a big part of why Schultz struggled under Todd. It's likely why Burns didn't ascend to Norris heights until post-McLellan. Fixing the team starts with fixing the D systems and THAT starts with firing McLellan and his staff.
Yes, we need another quality finisher or two and more speed to help support the strategies that we need to see implemented, but there's no point acquiring those until we've dealt with the head of the snake.
What's sad is they'd fire Todd to bring in
Petr Klima
Moe Mantha
Jason Bonsignore
Nick Stadjuhar
Michel Riesen
Just anyone that at one point was tied to the Oilers, with front runner status going to one of the boys on the bus. That way, while the team is a trash fire on the ice, the ol gang can at least party it up in the press box with all the coke and quality that 118 Ave walkers can offer
What really baffles me is how a team whose D corps consists of Nate Schmidt, Colin Miller, Shea Theodore, Deryk Engelland, Brayden McNabb and a collection of fringe guys can effectively kill penalties, defend the slot and break the puck out quickly and consistently but ours can't. Is there any clearer picture that McLellan and his staff are the biggest problem with the team? Fix the systems surrounding our Dmen and we'll improve:
a.) the penalty kill (improve goalie numbers and win more)
b.) preventing slot penetration (improve goalie numbers and win more)
c.) the breakout (improve offensive numbers and win more)
Watch a Tampa game and see even bottom pairing and fringe guys like Coburn, Girardi, Sustr and Dotchin break the puck out with short, effective support passes. Is someone gonna argue that those 4 are better puckmovers than Klefbom, Larsson, Nurse and Sekera? Suck a (frank)ing dong, not a chance.
Whether you're willing to admit it or not, Larsson used short, forward support passes a whole lot more when in New Jersey. You even saw it when he first arrived here last year. As time went by, those passes faded because they were COACHED out of him. Same with Sekera in LA and Carolina. Same with pre-McLellan Klefbom.
Our players' (in)ability to break the puck out is a byproduct of being COACHED to do so. They're COACHED to default to the "safe" play of resetting, passing to their partner or just getting it out. This is precisely why the coach likes Russell; that already IS his default. It's likely part of why Davidson has found a niche here. It's likely a big part of why Schultz struggled under Todd. It's likely why Burns didn't ascend to Norris heights until post-McLellan. Fixing the team starts with fixing the D systems and THAT starts with firing McLellan and his staff.
Yes, we need another quality finisher or two and more speed to help support the strategies that we need to see implemented, but there's no point acquiring those until we've dealt with the head of the snake.
What's sad is they'd fire Todd to bring in
Petr Klima
Moe Mantha
Jason Bonsignore
Nick Stadjuhar
Michel Riesen
Just anyone that at one point was tied to the Oilers, with front runner status going to one of the boys on the bus. That way, while the team is a trash fire on the ice, the ol gang can at least party it up in the press box with all the coke and quality that 118 Ave walkers can offer - ChonDerry
What's sad is they'd fire Todd to bring in
Petr Klima
Moe Mantha
Jason Bonsignore
Nick Stadjuhar
Michel Riesen
Just anyone that at one point was tied to the Oilers, with front runner status going to one of the boys on the bus. That way, while the team is a trash fire on the ice, the ol gang can at least party it up in the press box with all the coke and quality that 118 Ave walkers can offer - ChonDerry
Better than Todd. Maybe one of them understands the value of quick breakouts (Coffey).
Location: Isn't Cooley 5"11? You know who else is 5"11? Sydney Crosby. - Scabeh Joined: 04.06.2011
Feb 13 @ 4:26 PM ET
What's sad is they'd fire Todd to bring in
Petr Klima
Moe Mantha
Jason Bonsignore
Nick Stadjuhar
Michel Riesen
Just anyone that at one point was tied to the Oilers, with front runner status going to one of the boys on the bus. That way, while the team is a trash fire on the ice, the ol gang can at least party it up in the press box with all the coke and quality that 118 Ave walkers can offer - ChonDerry
