Lightning vs Bruins 2/21

[KyleFreadrich43]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

I'm not sure about Ellis but I'll take your word for it; regardless it's a joint effort all right. Coach Boucher led the team in his first season to within one shot of a Cup Final. Is he a bad coach? And one of the netminders Sean Burke, who struggled here, leaves and immediately becomes...a goaltending coach.

You can't make this stuff up

The team had some different key players, and the system was new to the teams playing against them....now that the polish has worn off, now is the true test of a coach.

[BurnTHalO]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

I'm not sure about Ellis but I'll take your word for it; regardless it's a joint effort all right. Coach Boucher led the team in his first season to within one shot of a Cup Final. Is he a bad coach? And one of the netminders Sean Burke, who struggled here, leaves and immediately becomes...a goaltending coach.

You can't make this stuff up

I don't know if he is a good coach or not. But one season does not make you a great coach. I mean, he has the best goal scorer in the sport, one of the best setup men, and a top 20 scorer on his second line, yet can't make it work.

Originally Posted by RSchmitz

The question is not, is Boucher a good or bad coach. The question is, is he a better coach than Cooper? Granted, the thin slice on how this organization handles itself is founded in loyalty, but it still is reason enough to question whether a move should be made.

I don't agree. I'm to the point I am not ready to label him a good coach. If this season tanks (which is very possible), that means he made the playoffs one out of three seasons, with at minimum one of the 5 best players in the sport. That should be a given. My point about at what point is it on the coach is that he obviously wants 0 physicality on the blue line (only reason you bench Aulie over Lee), and our goalies take tons of shots and hacks with no reprocussions. We also are slipping back into the ways of try and swat their sticks away and allow second/third/fourth chances. Could it be that our goalies get so concerned with where the rebound/crashing net guy may be coming from that they lose a little concentration?

[RSchmitz]

Originally Posted by BurnTHalO

I don't agree. I'm to the point I am not ready to label him a good coach. If this season tanks (which is very possible), that means he made the playoffs one out of three seasons, with at minimum one of the 5 best players in the sport. That should be a given. My point about at what point is it on the coach is that he obviously wants 0 physicality on the blue line (only reason you bench Aulie over Lee), and our goalies take tons of shots and hacks with no reprocussions. We also are slipping back into the ways of try and swat their sticks away and allow second/third/fourth chances. Could it be that our goalies get so concerned with where the rebound/crashing net guy may be coming from that they lose a little concentration?

He made it to the ECF his first season, we finished strong last year, and we lead the division this season. Even if you don't agree with the play style, the results haven't been awful. But I do agree with your points and hopefully the team makes this a moot argument in the coming weeks.

[BurnTHalO]

Originally Posted by RSchmitz

He made it to the ECF his first season, we finished strong last year, and we lead the division this season. Even if you don't agree with the play style, the results haven't been awful. But I do agree with your points and hopefully the team makes this a moot argument in the coming weeks.

What? We finished like 7-9 over our final 16 games. A far cry from strong. And we don't lead the division, we are second, which puts us at 9 in the conference. And as I said, if you go to the playoffs 1 out of 3 seasons, that is good? I would argue we have been awful. We are behind Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Carolina, and New Jersey. I think you could argue with relative ease we are the most talented on paper of that bunch. And I think it would be a pretty easy arguement.

[Pat664422]

Originally Posted by BurnTHalO

What? We finished like 7-9 over our final 16 games. A far cry from strong. And we don't lead the division, we are second, which puts us at 9 in the conference. And as I said, if you go to the playoffs 1 out of 3 seasons, that is good? I would argue we have been awful. We are behind Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Carolina, and New Jersey. I think you could argue with relative ease we are the most talented on paper of that bunch. And I think it would be a pretty easy arguement.

What coach would have made the playoffs with the Roloson of two years ago? So far this year, Lindback's stats aren't much better. Not trying to throw Lindback under the bus, just pointing out the statistics to this point. Goaltending counts for a lot in this sport. Remember the awful panthers team that made it to the Cup Finals with beezer?

I will say I can't defend Boucher crediting the team with working hard when they weren't. Thankfully they've been back to working hard the last three games. If that becomes a continuing problem, then we've either some players or the coach has to go.

[RSchmitz]

Originally Posted by BurnTHalO

What? We finished like 7-9 over our final 16 games. A far cry from strong. And we don't lead the division, we are second, which puts us at 9 in the conference. And as I said, if you go to the playoffs 1 out of 3 seasons, that is good? I would argue we have been awful. We are behind Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Carolina, and New Jersey. I think you could argue with relative ease we are the most talented on paper of that bunch. And I think it would be a pretty easy arguement.

We've played much better under Boucher's watch than we did under Toc. So I'm going to disagree and leave it at that.

[Top Shelf]

And remember, if Stamkos had remembered where the net was down the stretch--or maybe he or someone else, in the third period in BOS w/ under 8 min. left--there is no reason to duck when suggesting we might very well have won our 2nd Cup...leaving the occupy Vancouver fleabagger types to burn their cit--oh wait, that happened anyway

Boucher at this point is an enigma...no one can guarantee consistent results, but a Masters in Sports Psychology ought to be able after this much time to at least produce consistent effort among a startlingly talented squad of players. And when he doesn't, he still credits them with it...wtf

[Flycoon]

Originally Posted by njbolt12

Can we hire a goalie coach? Like, a good one? Seems like every year we don't get anywhere close to the potential of the guys in net. The graveyard environment is baffling, even if we don't employ a system like the Rangers and their "6 goalies on the ice". It would be great to get some Bulin Wall moments now and then, but I'd settle for solid, average goaltending on a regular basis. Lindback and Garon SHOULD be able to deliver that.

The pessimist in me thinks when Vasi arrives, he's going to do a Johan Holmqvist impersonation.

I can't disagree with any of what you posted.

Frantz Jean doesn't appear to have the ability to buff a diamond, much less polish the turds we have. Again.

[Flycoon]

Originally Posted by RSchmitz

We've played much better under Boucher's watch than we did under Toc. So I'm going to disagree and leave it at that.

That's a pretty low bar. Toc = Ludzik.

[Hoek]

I guess my issue with Boucher is his loyalty to his assistants, in the face of overwhelming data that says otherwise. I don't know if that's Yzerman's call too, but I feel like we've been limping along without Fleming's input, and Frantz Jean is just sabotaging us. Look at how Roloson suddenly did much better once he went back to his own preparation techniques. I remember Chief said something about Jean working on a goalie's stickhandling when he's still struggling to stop pucks. I mean what the hell?