Good post Marc!

- MJL

I have faith in Hexy, but man those pieces they are missing are really not easy to fill.

Number one D?

You need to have a top 3 pick and pray it works out, or get very lucky later on in the draft.

Right handed top 4 D?
Seems rarer then hens teeth, especially in Philly.

Skilled LW should be doable.

But fixing the D is really really tough.

The only reason he hasn't been replaced is his past contributions....but even that must be wearing thin with the coaching staff.....
- landros 2

You'd think, but when he's been healthy, he's played. Same for Grossmann. I get that some guys get longer ropes than others. I understand that if a guy has been a solid player for a team for a number of years, he's going to get more slack than a cheap free agent addition off the street.

At the same time, when a guy-or to be more fair a group of guys-has struggled for almost 40 games, then it's hard to understand why the coaching staff of a team that currently is sitting in the bottom ten of the league standings, refuses to try tough love and sit them for a game or two.

Nobody is saying that Colaiacovo, Del Zotto or whomever else are better players than Coburn. but they might be able to be more effective hockey players right now. Maybe sitting Coburn for a game or two gets him back on track.

The team is free falling, and some people have too many sacred cows for a team that is playing so poorly. There's 3, maybe 4 guys on this team whose performance has been good enough where they should be immune from being sat out for a game or two.

I think the only reason he hasn't been replaced is because the coaching staffs knows he's a pretty good player who has just been in a deep funk. Replacing him does not serve a purpose at this point.
- MJL

The same could be said for L Schenn, Vinny and your boy Macdonald......all good players at some point but in deep funks.....coaches always have their guys...obviously Read and Umberger are Berube "guys" ....because they have both deserved to sit as much as the others.

I have faith in Hexy, but man those pieces they are missing are really not easy to fill.

Number one D?

You need to have a top 3 pick and pray it works out, or get very lucky later on in the draft.

Right handed top 4 D?
Seems rarer then hens teeth, especially in Philly.

Skilled LW should be doable.

But fixing the D is really really tough.
- Marc D

No question about that. It's really the single biggest issue facing this team. The Forwards and defense mix is definitely not in sync.

Giroux with some shine on Coach's Corner. Showed a pack of clips of Giroux and his stick and his goal from HNIC in Toronto.

The same could be said for L Schenn, Vinny and your boy Macdonald......all good players at some point but in deep funks.....coaches always have their guys...obviously Read and Umberger are Berube "guys" ....because they have both deserved to sit as much as the others.
- landros 2

Really when you look at this team, other then Giroux, Mason, and Voracek, every player has had periods of time where you could make a case for them to sit a game. The issue is what would it solve?

And the characterization of MacDonald as "my boy" is nonsensical.

refresh my memory...

was duclair available when they took Goulburn?
- Marc D

Yep. So was Oliver Bjorkstrand. Sven Andrighetto. Cole Cassels. Jimmy Lodge. Jordan Subban. Tobias Linberg.

You'd think, but when he's been healthy, he's played. Same for Grossmann. I get that some guys get longer ropes than others. I understand that if a guy has been a solid player for a team for a number of years, he's going to get more slack than a cheap free agent addition off the street.

At the same time, when a guy-or to be more fair a group of guys-has struggled for almost 40 games, then it's hard to understand why the coaching staff of a team that currently is sitting in the bottom ten of the league standings, refuses to try tough love and sit them for a game or two.

Nobody is saying that Colaiacovo, Del Zotto or whomever else are better players than Coburn. but they might be able to be more effective hockey players right now. Maybe sitting Coburn for a game or two gets him back on track.

The team is free falling, and some people have too many sacred cows for a team that is playing so poorly. There's 3, maybe 4 guys on this team whose performance has been good enough where they should be immune from being sat out for a game or two.
- Jsaquella

Agreed....it has helped prop up Vinny.....and honestly that guy has accomplished more the any other guy on the team with his career.

You'd think, but when he's been healthy, he's played. Same for Grossmann. I get that some guys get longer ropes than others. I understand that if a guy has been a solid player for a team for a number of years, he's going to get more slack than a cheap free agent addition off the street.

At the same time, when a guy-or to be more fair a group of guys-has struggled for almost 40 games, then it's hard to understand why the coaching staff of a team that currently is sitting in the bottom ten of the league standings, refuses to try tough love and sit them for a game or two.

Nobody is saying that Colaiacovo, Del Zotto or whomever else are better players than Coburn. but they might be able to be more effective hockey players right now. Maybe sitting Coburn for a game or two gets him back on track.

The team is free falling, and some people have too many sacred cows for a team that is playing so poorly. There's 3, maybe 4 guys on this team whose performance has been good enough where they should be immune from being sat out for a game or two.
- Jsaquella

There are no sacred cows. When looking at make a decision to scratch or sit a player, you have to look at what the end to it is, how can it benefit the team or the player. I don't believe benching Coburn serves any purpose, nor would it help the player either. I can only assume to this point, Berube shares that thought.

Really when you look at this team, other then Giroux, Mason, and Voracek, every player has had periods of time where you could make a case for them to sit a game. The issue is what would it solve?

And the characterization of MacDonald as "my boy" is nonsensical.
- MJL

At least I didn't call Vinny or L Schenn your "boys" lol......maybe "chief apologist" is more on the mark.

Yep. So was Oliver Bjorkstrand. Sven Andrighetto. Cole Cassels. Jimmy Lodge. Jordan Subban. Tobias Linberg.
- Jsaquella

ugh that pick right now seems really bad

easy to say in retrospect except a lot of you guys were complaining about at the time, even Bill panned that pick

I have faith in Hexy, but man those pieces they are missing are really not easy to fill.

Number one D?

You need to have a top 3 pick and pray it works out, or get very lucky later on in the draft.

Right handed top 4 D?
Seems rarer then hens teeth, especially in Philly.

Skilled LW should be doable.

But fixing the D is really really tough.
- Marc D

That's the trouble.

I have an overall optimistic view of the future, but I don't think the current team is good.

They have some very good building blocks on hand, but for this year, there's little reason to hope for a playoff berth.

The first step need to be adding picks. That should be the primary goal right now. At the same time, they need to start shedding the numerous 4-5 defensemen on the roster who are getting paid a premium. They need to shed guys like Lecavalier and Umberger somehow.

It's not bad enough that their biggest holes are difficult ones to fill, they are hamstrung by some really bad contracts, to boot.

Agreed....it has helped prop up Vinny.....and honestly that guy has accomplished more the any other guy on the team with his career.
- landros 2

Chief is also spoon feeding them a ton of favorable zone starts and match ups. That's great for Vinny, but it's also forcing Couturier into his defense first box again, because the OZ starts the 4th line is getting aren't coming from Giroux or Laughton.

Yep. So was Oliver Bjorkstrand. Sven Andrighetto. Cole Cassels. Jimmy Lodge. Jordan Subban. Tobias Linberg.
- Jsaquella

Cassels is ripping it up this season. Janmark-Nylen is looking like another steal by the Wings. Buchnevich is putting up really good numbers as a teen in the KHL. Button was gushing about Slepyshev's skill.

Instead of those guys, we got the Ghoul.

Cassels is ripping it up this season. Janmark-Nylen is looking like another steal by the Wings. Buchnevich is putting up really good numbers as a teen in the KHL. Button was gushing about Slepyshev's skill.

Instead, we got the Ghoul.
- Tomahawk

The funny thing is Goulbourne is playing well as an overager. He has some tools. But he goes from being a 3rd rounder under Holmgren to the team not even being willing to extend him a NHL deal a year later

At least I didn't call Vinny or L Schenn your "boys" lol......maybe "chief apologist" is more on the mark.
- landros 2

That comment would sit in the same category. I thought MacDonald had a couple of bad sequences last night, most notably on the OT goal. I though he made a bad decision in leaving his feet, and then got caught scrambling around to try and recover. In the last few weeks, MacDonald has been playing pretty strong Hockey. Moving the puck smartly, quickly and accurate, solid in coverage, and becoming more aggressive in moving up on the play offensively and getting scoring chances.

That's the trouble.

I have an overall optimistic view of the future, but I don't think the current team is good.

They have some very good building blocks on hand, but for this year, there's little reason to hope for a playoff berth.

The first step need to be adding picks. That should be the primary goal right now. At the same time, they need to start shedding the numerous 4-5 defensemen on the roster who are getting paid a premium. They need to shed guys like Lecavalier and Umberger somehow.

It's not bad enough that their biggest holes are difficult ones to fill, they are hamstrung by some really bad contracts, to boot.
- Jsaquella

Hexy has to bide his time....hopefully Vinny can get it going a bit to make him some what attractive, although I'm not holding my breath....overall the team has some really good pieces, but a lot at the same position....some will have to be sacrificed in order to fill obvious holes.

That's the trouble.

I have an overall optimistic view of the future, but I don't think the current team is good.

They have some very good building blocks on hand, but for this year, there's little reason to hope for a playoff berth.

The first step need to be adding picks. That should be the primary goal right now. At the same time, they need to start shedding the numerous 4-5 defensemen on the roster who are getting paid a premium. They need to shed guys like Lecavalier and Umberger somehow.

It's not bad enough that their biggest holes are difficult ones to fill, they are hamstrung by some really bad contracts, to boot.
- Jsaquella

It looks like it may be 4 years to rebuild the D through prospects, and maybe 4-5 years to shed the bad contracts. I hope I'm still alive and kicking to see it!

Chief is also spoon feeding them a ton of favorable zone starts and match ups. That's great for Vinny, but it's also forcing Couturier into his defense first box again, because the OZ starts the 4th line is getting aren't coming from Giroux or Laughton.
- Jsaquella

In the last recent stretch of games, the two line who have been generating the most on the forecheck, and getting pucks to the net, have been the Giroux line and the Bellemare line. Berube has been right to deploy them in that manner.

The funny thing is Goulbourne is playing well as an overager. He has some tools. But he goes from being a 3rd rounder under Holmgren to the team not even being willing to extend him a NHL deal a year later
- Jsaquella

Guy's gonna be 21 this month. Still can't crack the top-5 in scoring on his own team.

That comment would sit in the same category. I thought MacDonald had a couple of bad sequences last night, most notably on the OT goal. I though he made a bad decision in leaving his feet, and then got caught scrambling around to try and recover. In the last few weeks, MacDonald has been playing pretty strong Hockey.Moving the puck smartly, quickly and accurate, solid in coverage, and becoming more aggressive in moving up on the play offensively and getting scoring chances.
- MJL

Not sure I share your assessment of Macdonalds play of late....he has been very inconsistent all year...from October till last night....I'm actually a little surprised how poorly it's gone for him this year. I thought they over paid on $ and term on his overall play last year....this year he has not played to last years level.

Hexy has to bide his time....hopefully Vinny can get it going a bit to make him some what attractive, although I'm not holding my breath....overall the team has some really good pieces, but a lot at the same position....some will have to be sacrificed in order to fill obvious holes.
- landros 2

I hold out hope for a Vinny deal. They're going to basically have to give him away and eat some money to make it work, but he's still capable of scoring goals, and there are teams that need a guy who can finish.

Umberger...sadly what he bring to the table you can find in free agency for about $3.6mm less than he's getting paid. If they do decide to start dealing defensemen, I think that they can piece them out at this TDL and next season and get picks for them. The one guy I feel is completely untradeable is MacDonald. Too much cash and too many years for what he brings.

Might mean two years of no playoffs, but long term health is more important than sacrificing picks or kids to be first round cannon fodder

It looks like it may be 4 years to rebuild the D through prospects, and maybe 4-5 years to shed the bad contracts. I hope I'm still alive and kicking to see it!
- Marc D

The majority of the bad deals will be gone in 3 years. Some of the kids will or should be ready to move in by then, or be in their second seasons. Hopefully the cap space freed in trading vets can be used smartly.

I hated the pick originally, like it more now, still would have preferred a different pick.
- Jsaquella

I was the same way. I actually liked Morin better after they got Sanheim and after Ghost developed a bit. I don't think Morin will be the puck mover that some we're hoping, but they now have other guys in the pipeline that can fill that role.

Not sure I share your assessment of Macdonalds play of late....he has been very inconsistent all year...from October till last night....I'm actually a little surprised how poorly it's gone for him this year. I thought they over paid on $ and term on his overall play last year....this year he has not played to last years level.
- landros 2

I think he had some inconsistent play before the 5 day break, which led to him sitting out a game as a scratch. That's why I prefaced my comment with a timeline. Since he's been back, he's been really solid in my opinion. I thought he had a sub par game last night though, due to a few mistakes.