John Jaeckel: Panthers at Hawks Gameday Preview

First!

Hello

Hello
- BravePackCats27

Hiya, welcome back.

I know that Q likes Kruger and Rasmussen together, but has there been any discussion of having them center their own lines?

Curious to see if Johnny plays tonight. I do agree one line team but I believe more so on the road then at home, which is progress from last year, since Q can dictate matchups.

I'm really excited get to see the great Yandle tonight. Red font all over this

Once again let's not give up any shorties, or short handed quality chances

Hossa with Hartman and Hino/Schmaltz has been pretty fun to watch. I hope they get on the board tonight.

Home cookin' for the 'Hawks and a new coach for the Panthers could make for a hella game tonight. Get the win, boys!

I still don't understand the Gallant firing and then jobbing him pretty hard by doing it on the road.

I think there's a place for both analytics and gut feeling in sports, but if analytics takes over, it can be a slippery slope-- in my opinion.

You think Gallant goes to Vegas? Seems like they just got handed a pretty great option at HC

Curious to see if Johnny plays tonight. I do agree one line team but I believe more so on the road then at home, which is progress from last year, since Q can dictate matchups.

I'm really excited get to see the great Yandle tonight. Red font all over this

Once again let's not give up any shorties, or short handed quality chances
- BetweenTheDots

Not a Yandle fan?

You think Gallant goes to Vegas? Seems like they just got handed a pretty great option at HC
- BURDA13

Good call, although, I've heard there's a lot of teams excited to hear he's available.

I think Florida really messed up here, but we'll have to wait and see.

Good call, although, I've heard there's a lot of teams excited to hear he's available.

I think Florida really messed up here, but we'll have to wait and see.
- Hank3Henshaw

Watching the Panthers every game I could tell you he's nothing special. Stubborn in his ways, played favorites, didn't make adjustments and was out coached in playoffs last year. This is a talented team they assembled if playing correctly. Very inconsistent so far that's why they are a game above .500. Win won(look good) lose one(look bad). This change was needed. I'm interested to see what happens tonight.

Watching the Panthers every game I could tell you he's nothing special. Stubborn in his ways, played favorites, didn't make adjustments and was out coached in playoffs last year. This is a talented team they assembled if playing correctly. Very inconsistent so far that's why they are a game above .500. Win won(look good) lose one(look bad). This change was needed. I'm interested to see what happens tonight.
- BravePackCats27

Good to have insight from a Panthers fan.

What I don't understand is the description you paint of him makes him sound like a Torts type of guy/coach. But, Gallant was up for Coach of the Year last year. He really helped bring this team together, don't you think? He's had to deal with some pretty big injuries this year, too.

Did his personality and coaching style really change that much from last year to this year? Seems odd to me.

Watching the Panthers every game I could tell you he's nothing special. Stubborn in his ways, played favorites, didn't make adjustments and was out coached in playoffs last year. This is a talented team they assembled if playing correctly. Very inconsistent so far that's why they are a game above .500. Win won(look good) lose one(look bad). This change was needed. I'm interested to see what happens tonight.
- BravePackCats27

Coaches are hired to be fired, but switching out 4 defenceman in the offseason and losing Huberdeau and Bjugy won't help any coach short term. Plenty of people who watch the team closely just don't think the Panthers' roster is that good top to bottom. Maybe they are, we"ll see what happens over the next 6 weeks.

Good to have insight from a Panthers fan.

What I don't understand is the description you paint of him makes him sound like a Torts type of guy/coach. But, Gallant was up for Coach of the Year last year. He really helped bring this team together, don't you think? He's had to deal with some pretty big injuries this year, too.

Did his personality and coaching style really change that much from last year to this year? Seems odd to me.
- Hank3Henshaw

Sports is a funny thing. I don't think these awards they hand out mean that much. Many fans and so called experts were saying if not for the 12 game win streak the Panthers probably miss the playoffs last year. In that run the Panthers were pretty lucky in about half those games whether it be a goalie standing on his head or a couple lucky bounces. Gallant really had nothing to do with it. 2 injuries and but every team has injuries to deal with. Torts is a good comparison without the off ice antics. The Panther front office made a lot of changes and the guys they brought in have been producing, it's getting the team to play a FULL 60 minutes and to me that's a motivation issue. This had to be done before it was too late and another season went to waste which Florida can't really afford given the attendance issues.

Coaches are hired to be fired, but switching out 4 defenceman in the offseason and losing Huberdeau and Bjugy won't help any coach short term. Plenty of people who watch the team closely just don't think the Panthers' roster is that good top to bottom. Maybe they are, we"ll see what happens over the next 6 weeks.
- RickJ

A lot of people scoffed when Gudbranson was traded--claiming he wasn't that good. He might not be an All-Star Defenseman, but... losing a big-body, stay-at-home Defenseman that can throw the body is a tough thing to replace--especially in the modern game of smallish, puck-moving D-Men.

Not a Yandle fan?
- BravePackCats27

Not really, his shortcomings are playing without the puck imho, that's kind of a big deal when you're a defenseman

Sports is a funny thing. I don't think these awards they hand out mean that much. Many fans and so called experts were saying if not for the 12 game win streak the Panthers probably miss the playoffs last year. In that run the Panthers were pretty lucky in about half those games whether it be a goalie standing on his head or a couple lucky bounces. Gallant really had nothing to do with it. 2 injuries and but every team has injuries to deal with. Torts is a good comparison without the off ice antics. The Panther front office made a lot of changes and the guys they brought in have been producing, it's getting the team to play a FULL 60 minutes and to me that's a motivation issue. This had to be done before it was too late and another season went to waste which Florida can't really afford given the attendance issues.
- BravePackCats27

Interesting perspective, because I wouldn't consider last year a "waste" of a season for the Panthers. If anything, I think it was a big step for them in a positive direction.

Coaching is a pretty thankless job. If your team is doing good, it's usually attributed to the players, if it's doing bad, it's the coach who has to fall on the sword. Very rarely are the coaches ever attributed to developing schemes/plays to that contribute to the teams success. It's only when the team is doing poorly that all that stuff comes out. Just sort of interesting.

I agree with you that all teams have injuries to deal with. I still think this was more of an overall philosophical change (analytics) they're going for and Gallant was a casualty of that.

My problem with analytics is if they start to take over, they remove the spontaneity and quick thinking that sports require from a coaching perspective. Once analytics become the focus, what's the point of having a coach? The front office is running everything at that point. Look at baseball--a sport consumed by analytics. You don't see many "big personality" managers anymore. Coaching/managing has become somewhat suppressed by numbers now and the manager seems to be more of a "face" for the position because they need someone in there. Many times it's the front offices making up the lineups and telling the manager who should be in. If I'm a manager and I have a situation where I want to bunt, I'm going to go with my gut. I don't want to call up to the clubhouse and have some nerd break down the percentages of how often a bunt works in that situation.

That being said...

I do think there is a place for analytics--obviously. Great tool to gather info on your opponent, your own players and situational stuff. So, there's a place for both the numbers game and the gut feeling. There just has to be a balance.

So, they fire Gallant and insert Rowe. To me, it wasn't so much about Gallant, as it was getting the GM in who is all about the numbers and will play that game the front office wants without putting up any sort of argument or fight. Sort of a "yes man" for the organization.

Should be interesting to see what happens.

A lot of people scoffed when Gudbranson was traded--claiming he wasn't that good. He might not be an All-Star Defenseman, but... losing a big-body, stay-at-home Defenseman that can throw the body is a tough thing to replace--especially in the modern game of smallish, puck-moving D-Men.
- Hank3Henshaw

Check out Tanners latest blog

He says that there is no need for stay at home d men in todays game.

Attendance issues?? In the hockey hotbed of Florida???

Don't tell Gary Bettman that - he is looking to add two more teams there!!!!!

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Check out Tanners latest blog

He says that there is no need for stay at home d men in todays game.
- waitforawhistle

Haha. Seems so absurd to say.

It's funny how years ago, the nimble / puck-moving Defensemen was sort of a diamond in the rough. Now, the bigger stay-at-home Defenseman that can play the physical game is the new hot commodity in a game full of Forward-minded Defensemen.

The key is getting a balance of both types, in my opinion.

Yes and that's what has worked so well for Chicago over the years. The all-star tandem of Seabrook/Keith and the more like "1B" second pairing we had in Hjalmarsson/Oduya. You mix a more defensive minded guy with a faster puck moving type and it's a combination that just straight up works in the NHL. I think complete abandonment or disregard for those physical stay at home types is pure idiocy by Tanner but that's to be expected from him. Just my 2 cents. Stay at home guys still help win hockey games, big time.

Sorry to be random...

But what about Shane Doan as a rental for Toews left wing this year?

I am sure that he wants to win a cup before he retires, and knows it won't be done in Arizona. He could be like Vermette, and come to Chicago for a cup, and then return to Arizona next year.

I am just not sure if he fits with Toews, which is why I am bringing it up. Anyone have any thoughts?

Sorry to be random...

But what about Shane Doan as a rental for Toews left wing this year?

I am sure that he wants to win a cup before he retires, and knows it won't be done in Arizona. He could be like Vermette, and come to Chicago for a cup, and then return to Arizona next year.

I am just not sure if he fits with Toews, which is why I am bringing it up. Anyone have any thoughts?
- ToewsdNKanefusd

I'm pretty sure Toews reached out to him before to try and get him to come to Chicago.

I don't think Doan wants to leave AZ, though.

I know I shared this story before, so sorry for saying it again, but my buddy was working the scoreboard for a youth tournament and I was hanging out with him in the box. One of the teams that was playing was from Arizona and their bench had three coaches on it-- one of them was Doan. The other two coaches screamed their heads off the whole game. Doan never yelled. He opened the door for the line changes and talked to the kids.

After the game, he signed a couple pucks for us and was all class.

He surprisingly smaller than I thought, but he was in ridiculous shape. Haha.