I am sitting tight for a PTO invite from the Leafs. Dubas knows I will play for minimum wage and I know he needs cheapies like me. All I want as a perk is some old posters of Dave Keon and Bobby Baun for my family room. Dubas never heard of those guys but he agreed anyway.
- RickJ

I already bought your Leaf jersey with RICKJ over the number 1/2

I understand that it’s early.
I understand that few of the regulars have played.
I understand both games have been on the road.
I understand most of the skaters in the 2 games are future Ice Hogs.

But, not counting the overtime goal by WSH, or the empty netter by DET, the Blackhawk GAA is 3.50.

The JC supporters (apologists) have reassured us that JC just needs training camp to implement his defensive ‘system’.

When, exactly, will that be occurring? It’s 17 days until the 1st regular season game.
- scottak

Even the Board of Doom, which admittedly ain't what it was, thinks you're (or in the words of some, your) out over your skis.

Even the Board of Doom, which admittedly ain't what it was, thinks you're (or in the words of some, your) out over your skis.
- mohel

Watch it Pallie, somewhere Thin Skinned Johnny and Eli are making notes for future bans.

Even the Board of Doom, which admittedly ain't what it was, thinks you're (or in the words of some, your) out over your skis.
- mohel

I'm shocked that JC still has a job. Off with his head!

Watch it Pallie, somewhere Thin Skinned Johnny and Eli are making notes for future bans.
- paulr

Even the Board of Doom, which admittedly ain't what it was, thinks you're (or in the words of some, your) out over your skis.
- mohel

16 days until the season starts. Fine, let’s revisit 10 games into the regular season.

16 days until the season starts. Fine, let’s revisit 10 games into the regular season.
- scottak

Christmas time, 20 to 30 games in, will be the time to make a good assessment.

Watch it Pallie, somewhere Thin Skinned Johnny and Eli are making notes for future bans.
- paulr

Bookmarks

OK ... let's figure this out. Last Thursday the players had their physicals. Friday and Saturday were full practice days. Sunday was a scrimmage and the fan convention. Monday and today were morning skates and games on the road ... so ... getting my calculator out ... yep - it's been 2 days of practice and Colliton doesn't have his new system installed and clicking yet. I say run him out of town.
- EbonyRaptor

So, NFL teams give their draftees a playbook shortly after the draft, so they can study up over the spring and be prepared for training camp.

JC has done nothing over the summer to council the players on the parameters of his ‘system’?

So, NFL teams give their draftees a playbook shortly after the draft, so they can study up over the spring and be prepared for training camp.

JC has done nothing over the summer to council the players on the parameters of his ‘system’?
- scottak

Link please.

So, NFL teams give their draftees a playbook shortly after the draft, so they can study up over the spring and be prepared for training camp.

JC has done nothing over the summer to council the players on the parameters of his ‘system’?
- scottak

Your point is spot on. Some of the posters are giving him some time before they pass judgement , that's their opinion I don't fault them.

Just from looking at how this team has played over the past couple of years and taking into account the changes.

My concern now is that colliton has had enough time from the end of last season to the start of training camp to build his coaching staff, give his input on personnel, create a system that compliments his players and their skills, if JC knew he had a short window to implement his system with training camp and so far we haven't seen real results.

Maybe JC is not ready yet to be a nhl head coach . I'm sure people will give me Crap for my opinion..

Let's break things down every team starts equal , the question is will he have this team ready and focused on day 1.

Last year the difference from being a wild card team and missing the playoffs was the teams inability inn the first couple of months to win.

By next week we as fans should see improvement and have a better outlook on who makes the team.

For now I'm more concerned about the defense and their inability to move the puck quickly out of their end and support a sustained attack.
5 shots in the first period last night was not a good start

Your point is spot on. Some of the posters are giving him some time before they pass judgement , that's their opinion I don't fault them.

Just from looking at how this team has played over the past couple of years and taking into account the changes.

My concern now is that colliton has had enough time from the end of last season to the start of training camp to build his coaching staff, give his input on personnel, create a system that compliments his players and their skills, if JC knew he had a short window to implement his system with training camp and so far we haven't seen real results.

Maybe JC is not ready yet to be a nhl head coach . I'm sure people will give me Crap for my opinion..

Let's break things down every team starts equal , the question is will he have this team ready and focused on day 1.

Last year the difference from being a wild card team and missing the playoffs was the teams inability inn the first couple of months to win.

By next week we as fans should see improvement and have a better outlook on who makes the team.

For now I'm more concerned about the defense and their inability to move the puck quickly out of their end and support a sustained attack.
5 shots in the first period last night was not a good start
- Taylorst1

Do you think judging someone/something without allowing them time to evealuate them properly is a good thing?

So, NFL teams give their draftees a playbook shortly after the draft, so they can study up over the spring and be prepared for training camp.

JC has done nothing over the summer to council the players on the parameters of his ‘system’?
- scottak

Football is a much more structured game.

You give players who have been involved with the game for many years (high school, college, pro) a playbook with assigned responsibilities, and they can very quickly pick it up. They have much fewer decisions to make on plays.

Hockey - very unstructured, decisions need to be made instantaneously (without thinking) during every situation.

And - we don't know what conversations were had with individual players over the summer.

Watch it Pallie, somewhere Thin Skinned Johnny and Eli are making notes for future bans.
- paulr

I do wonder whatever happened to Eli....

Do you think judging someone/something without allowing them time to evealuate them properly is a good thing?
- paulr

Jc has coached some of these kids , but we have also seen a mixed balance of veterans players .

Murphy , dalstrom and koekkoek all played last year and are considered starters not sure how their play last night was anything but subpar?

I know it's preseason and it doesn't matter , because those games don't count . I think after missing the playoffs 2 years in a row it would be great to see this team build confidence nail down their systems and go into the season on a winning note.

I think for most of the posters here we have all agreed upon certain players we thought played well and other players who are subpar ?

They have had some time to practice and it's either the system that is not working , the personnel in that system or the players shouldn't be on this roster now.

Your point is spot on. Some of the posters are giving him some time before they pass judgement , that's their opinion I don't fault them.

Just from looking at how this team has played over the past couple of years and taking into account the changes.

My concern now is that colliton has had enough time from the end of last season to the start of training camp to build his coaching staff, give his input on personnel, create a system that compliments his players and their skills, if JC knew he had a short window to implement his system with training camp and so far we haven't seen real results.

Maybe JC is not ready yet to be a nhl head coach . I'm sure people will give me Crap for my opinion..

Let's break things down every team starts equal , the question is will he have this team ready and focused on day 1.

Last year the difference from being a wild card team and missing the playoffs was the teams inability inn the first couple of months to win.

By next week we as fans should see improvement and have a better outlook on who makes the team.

For now I'm more concerned about the defense and their inability to move the puck quickly out of their end and support a sustained attack.
5 shots in the first period last night was not a good start
- Taylorst1

Oh sweet mother of god, in the 2 PRE-season games they had exactly one regular season defenseman in the line-up, Murphy last night and Gustafsson the night before. The rest of the d-men are probably packing for the bus ride to Rockford.

Holm looked pretty good tonight. He played the Gustafsson role on the PP and was very good at retrieving and keeping the puck in - not to mention his goal and assist. I didn't get a good feel for how he did in the d-zone but definitely a guy worth keeping an eye on.
- EbonyRaptor

He also played good on the PK, and seems to make a good first pass.

I do wonder whatever happened to Eli....
- StLBravesFan

I'm sure he's patrolling his block, looking for and reporting on, any municipal infraction his neighbours have violated.

Your point is spot on. Some of the posters are giving him some time before they pass judgement , that's their opinion I don't fault them.

Just from looking at how this team has played over the past couple of years and taking into account the changes.

My concern now is that colliton has had enough time from the end of last season to the start of training camp to build his coaching staff, give his input on personnel, create a system that compliments his players and their skills, if JC knew he had a short window to implement his system with training camp and so far we haven't seen real results.

Maybe JC is not ready yet to be a nhl head coach . I'm sure people will give me Crap for my opinion..

Let's break things down every team starts equal , the question is will he have this team ready and focused on day 1.

Last year the difference from being a wild card team and missing the playoffs was the teams inability inn the first couple of months to win.

By next week we as fans should see improvement and have a better outlook on who makes the team.

For now I'm more concerned about the defense and their inability to move the puck quickly out of their end and support a sustained attack.
5 shots in the first period last night was not a good start
- Taylorst1

What proof do you have that JC has not done what you state. Also, you are going to judge results in pre-season when you have played an NHL goalie one half of one game, and you haven't seen Toews, Kane, Saad, and Keith yet? Looks to me like these games are being used as evaluation time, to see who can (and should fit where), as opposed to coming into training camp and saying these are my set lines and defensive pairings, and we are just using training camp to get in shape. Be that as it may, I so far see the defensive structure being better than it was last year, no matter what the final score has been. I do not think you will see D. Sikura plaing 3 on 3 in OT during the year, Only Murphy will see regular time of the D who played last game, Gus the first game.

Jc has coached some of these kids , but we have also seen a mixed balance of veterans players .

Murphy , dalstrom and koekkoek all played last year and are considered starters not sure how their play last night was anything but subpar?

I know it's preseason and it doesn't matter , because those games don't count . I think after missing the playoffs 2 years in a row it would be great to see this team build confidence nail down their systems and go into the season on a winning note.

I think for most of the posters here we have all agreed upon certain players we thought played well and other players who are subpar ?

They have had some time to practice and it's either the system that is not working , the personnel in that system or the players shouldn't be on this roster now.
- Taylorst1

Do you think judging someone/something without allowing them time to evealuate them properly is a good thing?
- paulr

How much time did Craig Berube have with St Louis when he took over mid year to implement a new system? After Colliton was hired?

I haven't seen any progress in their defensive play either. I think that's a fair assessment. And after over half a year, plus an entire offseason, that is a LOT of time in today's NHL.

Now, the test will be how they do with their full lineup playing, not the preseason patchwork of AHL guys and NHL wannabe's.

How much time did Craig Berube have with St Louis when he took over mid year to implement a new system? After Colliton was hired?

I haven't seen any progress in their defensive play either. I think that's a fair assessment. And after over half a year, plus an entire offseason, that is a LOT of time in today's NHL.

Now, the test will be how they do with their full lineup playing, not the preseason patchwork of AHL guys and NHL wannabe's.
- hereismike1

Craig Berube was an assistant coach with the Blues so he had a training camp and half a season., He did not change one thing system wise that the Blues did, except them bringing up Billington and tweaking the lines a bit.

So, NFL teams give their draftees a playbook shortly after the draft, so they can study up over the spring and be prepared for training camp.

JC has done nothing over the summer to council the players on the parameters of his ‘system’?
- scottak

You know this how?

Oh sweet mother of god, in the 2 PRE-season games they had exactly one regular season defenseman in the line-up, Murphy last night and Gustafsson the night before. The rest of the d-men are probably packing for the bus ride to Rockford.
- Rota's Rooter

Last night they played murphy , dalstrom and koekkoek that's 3 players from last year. I'll give you dalstrom and koekkoek as bubble players , but murphy ? Not impressed with his play .

Sure it's been 2 preseason games only but at what point do we start to see a defense that plays a different style from last year?
Their playing the same level of talent, and being constantly pinned in their own end just like last year ?

They have 4 games left to decide who stays and build lines and create chemistry.

You know this how?
- walleyeb1

Please don't interrupt the beginning of a new narrative!