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I’m not going to pound the table for Wilford. I don’t think he is responsible, though, for the team’s overall defensive structure.

Dahlin and Power both advocated to keep him on when Granato was let go, apparently they really like him... I think it's busch league that GMKA lets his players dictate the coaching staff after years of failure but here we are.

Sadly, this is not limited to goalies.

The PPI total output, while certainly important overall, is not the only number that matters. What matters most is the inflation seen in various sectors. A large increase in wholesale produce prices is concerning because it is a harbinger for businesses who resell to other consumers. If grocery stores and restaurants have to pay 39% more for their products, what kind of increase does that represent for consumers? Looks like that rate cut by the fed may be in question as a result: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-hotter-than-expected-wholesale-prices-make-the-feds-september-rate-cut-decision-harder-155711746.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIGTbFaW7YhsAlLpoctw0cGI_Dq-2B613Nc3llUzBb9hdWBINh14dNc0su2q6kyGlY53eNZIi94XbRX1Nzg0Qb4DQ9ZndNLuEOAVx0LFuZSQ85JiRn9XqBZTZIftDViPMF7GnadhuJy9xCdFvp3BhdpnL2FkM38jzXWOJ6EQm4XB

Contrary to what Granato believed D is not easy and it does take time for young guys to learn to play the right way. Our offense first focus sets them back in terms of complete development and the D breaks down frequently. It's coaching, but also team philosophy.

Ya, every year we talk about net front. We've always had some puck movers, but also always a lack of net front clearers. Even Dahlin, our best D, gets turned around and ends up doing little more than screening our own goalie. We need to be stronger in front. Kesselring helps but the other guys like Power have to be stronger too.

They're one of the biggest problems with the Adams era. They perform near the bottom rung but they're amongst the most expensive in the league. They're a terrible unit and they suck up more resources than like 30 other teams across they league.

Almost like Wilford sucks And even a dolt should be able to figure it out, but here we are

I don't recall being a Pete here. At times, a peter, yes.

A season with no cozens and peterka or Mittelstadt. Maybe the goalies will have a chance?

I agree with your point about the importance of overall team defense that go beyond the goalies and blueliners. Coaches need to coach and hold all players accountable for how they play. If they allow players to play too individually at the expense of the team, then they are not adequately doing their jobs.

Is this a case where percentages mislead? I'm not pretending I understand the whole situation, but the article calls out it's the largest increase since 2022. If the PPI total output is the number that matters, then right now it's 317.350. In 2022, it was as high as 590. So, while it might be a big increase, it's still lower than what it was in 2022 which was under a different administration and appears to have been even worse overall during the second half of 2022 and first quarter of 2023. Nov. 2024 - 377 Nov. 2022 - 590 Dec. 2018 - 337 Feb 2011 - 302 This isn't to refute that pricing went up, but by comparison to other points in time the measurement isn't necessarily the worst it's been. This is like when percentage of viewers was discussed for the strength of the Buffalo market. By percentage is was high, but by actual numbers, it was not.

Interesting. They appear to be a direct ship company that will print anything on a shirt. Shipping is $4.99 but it's coming from overseas I think (7-12 day transit time). Might be worth pulling the trigger... debating.

This is a good point. It’s been a long time since I thought about Bylsma’s system. My very amateur evaluation is that Bylsma struggles to communicate that playing defensively responsible hockey does not mean playing passively. I think this is something we struggled with last year. Teams that play good defensively, defend with vigour, strength, aggression. It’s not a task for the meek. A less than sound structure, implemented by a coach who does not possess the best modern communication skills, on a youthful, inexperienced, and not yet physically developed team, is a bad combination.

They have, but the consistency in the recent past is Wilford. This podcast seems to indict that the system is broken or not being followed which is as good as being broken. To Weave's point. Bylsma had a complex system. On paper it might have been great but in execution it was a failure. We've talked consistently about the forwards being part of the problem with defensive zone coverage. All 5 skaters play a part in defending and keeping the puck out of high danger areas. The goalie cannot do anything about where the shot comes from, they can only attempt to stop it. But, if the goalie cannot anticipate where the shot will come from or is faced with continued low percentage save situations they will look bad. It makes sense that it would snowball. Hockey, more than any other sport in my opinion, cannot be won by having a single deficient skater in a position. It's not to say that everyone on the ice has to be an incredible hockey player, but if you have one skater that doesn't mix well with the other 4 they will be left trying to cover those deficiencies. Of course having bad defensive system does not mean the goalies are not also responsible, just that it's hard to know how good they can be when they have to compensate for the bad defensive system.

In

They have changed too. We’ve been through several iterations of Asst Coaches since Bylsma dared to install a defensively responsible system and was roundly criticized for it.

Hmmm the goalies have changed, the players have changed yet the defensive coverage continues to be bad. Its almost like the people that oversee the systems all still being employed might be the bigger problem

R.I.P. Art. 98 is an impressive life.

Wholesale vegetable prices rose 38.9% in July. Well done, President Moron. https://www.axios.com/2025/08/14/inflation-vegetables-ppi

Yet another example. Erase and re-write history. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-reviewing-smithsonian-exhibits-make-sure-align-trumps-visi-rcna224588

As Perrault and Promo eluded to, the forwards need to be just as adept at defense as the defenseman. Based on the eye test, the forwards have done a much worse job than the defenseman at playing actual defense. It’s about being a team player and putting forth effort where little reward is offered. Playing sound D as a forward isn’t going to get you $7 million a season. Scoring 30 goals will though. Guess which path most of our forwards for the last decade have chosen. It’s why players like Zucker and Greenway stick out. They understand the job at both ends of the ice. Glad they were resigned. Glad the team is coveting more defensive minded forwards.

RIP Art.

Pete or PASabresFan or Stoner?

I wasn't able to read the link. But from the comments that have been made the underlying issue/question is whether our blueline unit is better with the additions made this offseason. Will the additions of Kesserling and Simmons upgrade the unit? If Kesserling becomes I suitable partner for Power, I think it will be an upgrade to that Power pairing. Will keeping Byram instead of trading him add to the unit? I would say yes. And will Samuelsson get healthy, regain his confidence and stabilize his game? As a third pairing player I think that would be a better situation for him. Will a Byrum/Dahling coupling turn out to be an upper echelon #1 pairing? With Dahlin it should be. On paper, the hope is that we will have three pairings where the players are slotted where they should be and not above what they are capable of.