Paul McCann: Positions in review - Defense

Paul - I agree with most of your article, but (and it pains me to say this), I do not agree with your assessment of Subban. There were times in the playoff series I singled him out as the worst player on the ice. Yes Ekholms' ill-timed penalties were bad and overall he just had a horrible series, but the Stars players were simply leaving Subban in the dust. I don't know if his conditioning was not up to par or perhaps his positioning was bad, but there were many times I would look at Subban and just shake my head.

I love his personality and physicality but I wonder if it's not time for him to try a different team. The results simply don't match the paycheck for me.

In short, it's a combination of coaching style and inconsistent play/effort by the forwards. Lavi's style works great when the forwards are consistently scoring. The defense got caught pinching down too many times and got burned. I believe the d-men felt like the had to carry the play because the forwards simply couldn't. No sustained pressure/cycling in the o-zone. It's not rocket science..

In short, it's a combination of coaching style and inconsistent play/effort by the forwards. Lavi's style works great when the forwards are consistently scoring. The defense got caught pinching down too many times and got burned. I believe the d-men felt like the had to carry the play because the forwards simply couldn't. No sustained pressure/cycling in the o-zone. It's not rocket science..
- Polecat

This is a really good point. I've been as hard on the defensive as anyone this year, but there were times I wondered if the forwards inability to get the puck in the zone and keep it there for any extended period of time, without getting mugged off the puck or turning it over, was making the defense look worse than it actually was. It's gotta be difficult when your back on your heels all the time, when seemingly half your possessions finds the other team immediately skating towards you with the puck a few seconds after entering the o-zone. It doesn't excuse the poor puck management and terrible turnovers that plagued the team all year though. That wasn't just the defense either, it was a team-wide problem. Turnovers are going to happen, but the sheer amount, and how egregious a lot of them were, was unacceptable... Nobody could seem to handle a pass when it really counted...Some of them I wouldn't even call giveaways, they were here-ya-go's, like the other team was the intended recipient. What's this black rubbery thing? I don't want it, you take it. The deterioration of this teams overall hockey IQ and determination was really noticeable this season.

So basically, no one really recovered from injuries and/or surgeries. Gotcha.

Also, I'm wondering if we were watching the same series against Dallas...Subban wasn't good. Though Ekholm was indeed unhinged and Ellis seemed to be the victim in a dwarf throwing contest.

I'm with the previous posters, the D was overcompensating for the forwards ineptitude (wait, we can't score again??). But, the coaching staff should've been able to see this and make adjustments. And the players should've understood this as well, but to this observer, nothing really changed. Deterioration is a good word to use here.

It's a good thing the entire coaching staff is returning...

Ellis seemed to be the victim in a dwarf throwing contest.
- FoxMulder

Yeah, it did sort of look like that.

I know you know this but..."Hometown boy – Patrick Maroon scored the series winner last night in double OT to send the Blues to the Eastern Conference Final. Maroon hails from the St. Louis area." - You meant to say Western Conference Final.

Here's my 2 cents:

The blueline is not tough enough in general. No one in the league has any respect for the Preds' D corp and it shows after the whistle. When Calle Jarnkrok is the sheriff after the play on most nights...you've got a real toughness issue back there. For that matter, our enforcer played in what....2 games??? He was not good enough to be in the regular season lineup, much less the playoffs. Oh, and don't even bring up Wayne Simmonds. That guy never left Philly. There is no way in Shelbyville that David Poile thinks trading a half-eaten ham sandwich for Wayne Simmonds would be a good idea if you asked him today.

I have to disagree Ekholm was the worst player on the ice during the playoffs, Ryan Ellis was invisible and those two should be gone next year.

Keep Subban.. Still dont know why he is getting all this hate, must be because of that white girl.

Paul - I agree with most of your article, but (and it pains me to say this), I do not agree with your assessment of Subban. There were times in the playoff series I singled him out as the worst player on the ice. Yes Ekholms' ill-timed penalties were bad and overall he just had a horrible series, but the Stars players were simply leaving Subban in the dust. I don't know if his conditioning was not up to par or perhaps his positioning was bad, but there were many times I would look at Subban and just shake my head.

I love his personality and physicality but I wonder if it's not time for him to try a different team. The results simply don't match the paycheck for me.
- scifi-man

Polecat I always enjoy your insight, and I have to agree with you on this one. What is your day job?

In short, it's a combination of coaching style and inconsistent play/effort by the forwards. Lavi's style works great when the forwards are consistently scoring. The defense got caught pinching down too many times and got burned. I believe the d-men felt like the had to carry the play because the forwards simply couldn't. No sustained pressure/cycling in the o-zone. It's not rocket science..
- Polecat

The players asked Polie to keep them together, I doubt that is going to happen, Polie needs to take the bull by the horns and dump the dead weights Here is looking at you Ellis, Ekholm, Craig Smith just to name a few....

Coaching staff needs Housley back ASAP..

Lavy needs to buckle down and make some believers in that team. Dont play someone b/c they have a big contract, sit their assess down for a few games.

So basically, no one really recovered from injuries and/or surgeries. Gotcha.

Also, I'm wondering if we were watching the same series against Dallas...Subban wasn't good. Though Ekholm was indeed unhinged and Ellis seemed to be the victim in a dwarf throwing contest.

I'm with the previous posters, the D was overcompensating for the forwards ineptitude (wait, we can't score again??). But, the coaching staff should've been able to see this and make adjustments. And the players should've understood this as well, but to this observer, nothing really changed. Deterioration is a good word to use here.

It's a good thing the entire coaching staff is returning...
- FoxMulder

I have to disagree Ekholm was the worst player on the ice during the playoffs, Ryan Ellis was invisible and those two should be gone next year.

Keep Subban.. Still dont know why he is getting all this hate, must be because of that white girl.
- PREDX1

Delete your account

Delete your account
- FoxMulder

I'm trying to get a response. Why do you want Subban traded? Just cap space??
Someone tell me!

Delete your account
- FoxMulder

And everyone knows white girls are the downfall of all players.. Tiger woods for example

I'm trying to get a response. Why do you want Subban traded? Just cap space??
Someone tell me!
- PREDX1

I'm not calling for Subban to be traded, but it SHOULD get a good return and open up a lot of cap space to get another top forward if it were to happen.

Ekholm wasn't good in the playoffs and we might never know why, but you better be careful taking him away from pairing with P.K. or you might be calling for P.K.'s head next season.

I'm trying to get a response. Why do you want Subban traded? Just cap space??
Someone tell me!
- PREDX1

For one, he has name recognition, more so than any other of our D men. Two, he's inconsistent. He may have spurts of really good play, sandwiched in between a dumpster fire or two. Three, he seems preoccupied with his off ice career. That's fine, but we don't need someone who's not all in. Four, we can live with out him.

The D needs revamped, Josi and Ekholm (he had a bad series, but was solid all year) are the foundation, Fabbro is almost there, we just need a lesser priced, large body D-man that isn't a turnover machine and we'll be fine. Especially if we get more scoring punch in return for Subban, which was part of the problem with the D having to compensate for the lack of scoring.

Notice I didn't say Ellis. Get rid of him too. Ellis may net us another D-man, use Subban to get some scoring punch (F or C). Then get a top 6 in FA.

Ekholm and Josi should be the two d that remain untouchable. The rest (not counting Fabro) are fair game. I still like what PK and Ellis (of old) have to offer if they play to what we thought was their potential.

Hope DP signs Josi quickly this off season.