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rooneypoo wrote:I think everyone needs to take a deep breath.
We're eight -- eight! -- games into the season, with another 74 games still to come. Yes, we look like Donkey out there right now, but it's called growing pains. Clearly, our defensive and offensive schemes haven't been fully implemented as of yet, and I wouldn't be surprised if they only start to click in the next 8-10 games. It's going to take time for everyone to adjust. Frankly, sucking at the start isn't totally a bad thing. It means you face adversity early and, if you learn to overcome it, you're a stronger team for having gone through it.
The Commodore/Stillman trade last year showed us how effective it is to bring in help on a team that, overall, hasn't yet sorted itself out. I definitely think we could use a Dman -- the Richardson experiment absolutely has to end -- but now is decidedly not the time to make that move, when we're weak and vulnerable (and liable to be taken advantage of and/or make reactionary moves), and when that new player would step into a disastrous situation. Reactionary moves almost never pay off, and they give the whole team the impression that the organization is in a panic and has no faith in its current players, and that doesn't help anything.
We've got a lot of good, young players here and it's ridiculous to say that eight games have given us enough information to determine whether this or that guy needs to be shipped out. Relax especially on Picard: I agree I shouldn't be playing top 4 minutes as he's too sloppy in his own end, and I hate that pairing with Kuba 5 on 5, but he's got all kinds of offensive potential, and with Kuba, he's the only other guy we have who can do something with the puck in the other team's end. We need to insulate him by pairing him with a strong defensive partner (a guy like Smith) 5 on 5 and throw as much PP at him as he can handle.
Anyway, it may be time to take a lesson from Ron Wilson's play book: if your top players aren't playing their hearts out, bench them. I'm serious. Call up Bass or Zubov or whomever and sit any guy Hartsburg feels isn't giving his all. I don't care if that means Heatley or Spezza sitting for a game or two. We're already spinning our wheels, so another loss or two isn't going to sink us much lower.
I think that was the first bad game Spezza had, honestly. His turnover in the first game OT was a bad move on an otherwise great night, and since then he's been making good plays, dumping and chasing -- and winning the chase. Last night he dipsy-doodled before crossing the blue-line and had a blind pass (didn't result in anything, but we lost the zone). So I'll give him a Mulligan.
Fisher can sit out for a few games until he gets back into game shape. Because he isn't in it right now. How many times have you seen him go for a hit and end up on his a**?
Heatley, in my opinion, has taken on some of the bad habits Spezza had shed. He can join Fish, or alternate with him. Don't really care, but for a guy who's wearing the A I think he should be doing more.
I'd like to see some youthful enthusiasm. Bring up Zubov, Smith, Bass (of course). Bring back Lee, please. Trade Schubert. I used to love that guy but he's pouting while getting paid close to a million/year just because he cannot play full-time D? Did he not watch game tape from the pre-season? I have no problem with him playing D if it's deserved, but come on.
we had finally developed a goalie, and then we blow it.