A sure sign of trouble in hockey is the player endorsement of a coach when things are bad. players back Blashill
The next step is the management backing and then, usually a changing of the guard. The issue is usually one of underperformance. As many people recall St. Louis and their dramatic turn around, changes were made because expectations weren’t being met. The difference is obvious, Detroit is expected to struggle right now. It is difficult to discern how much is “too much….
In yesterday’s pregame blog, the numbers of goals for and against were laid out. In short, one of the top scoring teams in the league was facing a team that lets in the most goals in the league. On paper, it was a nightmare. The performance didn’t stray from the numbers. Special teams didn’t perform well. Goaltending didn’t perform well. Nashville gained far too many easy entries and converted.Detroit couldn’t flip the script.
Nearly every game, when a team’s numbers are so low, requires a Herculean effort to flip the script. In terms of physics, “on object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an equal or greater force…. The uphill climb is stopping the skid, stabilizing, and reversing. I will digress even further in to mixed metaphors.
In literature, consider Don Quixote. A tragic tale of a man who desires to be a hero, and sees life in a grand state. The harlot becomes the princess, a windmill becomes a dragon. In his mind, Don was accomplishing many great things. In reality, well, not so much. This clear divergence from hockey is just a reminder that, as ugly as reality can be, it is far better to understand the truth of your struggle.
The concern becomes one of tolerances and growth. At what point is the tale of the tape helpful, and at what point is a continued stream of losses harmful? Will the team come together, or are things at risk of falling apart? I admire the guts with which Larkin faces down the criticism. He honestly tries to own every piece of it. Larkin wants to be better in a way that makes the whole team better.
It will be interesting to see what the next day brings, if anything. Management has been quiet. Detroit will face New York tomorrow. They are a team that, while in transition, has several weapons and are getting good goal tending. Detroit will, once again, have to flip the script in order to come out on top.
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