PerreaultForever

There is some truth in the perspective you're taking and I think there are players on this team that lack drive and that kind of self motivating character. I still hold to their being bad influences as well (eg. Skinner). There's also that whole pampered country club thing and without leaders showing them the right way some of these kids do what young rich kids do and they enjoy themselves and put minimum work in. So the point would be this speaks to who and how you draft (since we are relying on draft picks) and that whole reliance on analytics over character. Now some of them are fine. You take a kid like Benson and he clearly has a work ethic and a desire and idk how he was brought up or coached but he's an example of what you do want. You get enough guys like that and maybe the coach motivating them isn't as needed, but as things stand now he most definitely is needed to turn this thing around. The standard simply has to be raised. They have to start hating to lose. I don't think these guys know how to do that on their own.

I think they will as well, because they always get it wrong in this era. Who the coach is factors in huge for me as I've been saying. If it's Gallant or Ruff I think it definitely has to be Tuch as he already knows both of them in a way and he can bridge any gaps with others that might occur as the team adjusts to the new higher standards.

That might be true but I don't think you need an angry captain. Your coach can give you the anger and then leave the room. That's the moment your captain steps up and in a gentler direct way says "he's right guys" and then he leads by example. You see Tuch's reaction to the suggestion of Ruff? I got the sense he'd do anything for him if that came to be. He'd understand. He'd remember what he grew up with and he'd do everything he could to bring it back. The relationship, but also the respect, would already be there. Dahlin would be more likely to think "why's this old guy yelling at me?"

Keep him, don't keep him. not a big issue to me either way. I would however like him to be on the 4th line not the 3rd. He's a marginal NHL player imo. If Adams can upgrade him he should.

Dumping the puck in doesn't work in today's game because of the speed of the D men and their general ability to move it out quickly. However, dumping the puck in combined with a fast and aggressive forecheck can work, and you can reap huge dividends with it. The usual term now is "dump and chase" and it's the chase part that has to be there and you have to be fast, physical, finish your checks and win puck battles relentlessly. With the right coach, we could be that team.

I think this team has most of the talent it needs to become successful but it does need a system overhaul and a change in how they play. Looking at what we have, the best plan imo is to become an aggressive forecheck team. The closest example as a model would in fact be Carolina. Ideally they add toughness and can play more like Florida but we have the size and speed to make this happen with a good coach. Ruff could do it. Gallant could do it. Berube might be able to do it. The craziest plan would be Quenneville is allowed to come back and he is named coach and then we sign Kane and name him captain. There's a crazy dream.

One of the differences I noticed is Tuch took it on himself. He said "I" have to be better and lead by example. That was important to me to hear.

I actually agree. I think Adams has failed miserably so far but nothing I can about it so I have to hope that this time he gets it right. Coaches are always fall guy number one and what we've seen, as I've said in other posts, is the frequent life cycle taking place. First you change players, then you change coaches, then you get changed.

Can't disagree with that. Clifton wasn't enough. Adams has put too much emphasis on developing the draft picks and waiting. I am somewhat hopeful that maybe this plan was always the plan in the back of his mind. The Granato extension was a thank you for your service reward for running a rookie development camp but Adams always had it in his mind that Granato would not be the coach to take it to the next level when he thought the kids were ripe and ready.

The biggest thing here for me is Berube has a much different style 'he'd want major roster changes to fit that style. From player to coach everything about him is hard nosed D first and physical play. This is just so not what we are or have. Hence I see this one as unlikely. Brind'Amour is the dream but he would fit. We can be Carolina under him. Ruff would fit for a variety of reasons and the history (which is good for ticket sales and marketing) Gallant idk. Harder fit but definitely a good coach. Some changes would be needed there.

Oh I see, so your argument is we were not really as good as our record last year and thus we are basically the same. I can accept that logic, but ultimately it's still on the coach to get the maximum out of his roster and to make them better and he didn't do that. Inconsistency and sometimes lack of effort or intensity were hallmarks of this team. It's clear listening to the exit interviews that :accountability" would be a new thing going forward with a new coach and was clearly not part of this year's team.

Also, if I wasn't clear on the coach comments he'd be the perfect conduit between players and coach if it is Gallant or Ruff.

How did we not underachieve? We were worse than the year before when all the "experts" were saying this is was supposed to be the year we challenge and possibly make the playoffs. Do you believe this year's roster was worse than the year before? We added Benson and we got decent goaltending after UPL stepped up. How is the lack of improvement not on the coach?

I challenge anyone to watch the locker room clear out videos/interviews and tell me Tuch shouldn't be the captain. Compare him to Dahlin and decide for yourself. As for Greenway, somebody test that dude for THC content or something. Talk about over mellow detachment. Wow. Also noteworthy are Tuch's comments on Ruff and Gallant.

Oh ya it's normal for Sabres fans to hate Bruins. There's old history and rivalry too. Great old playoff series way way back. Leafs should be hated most though. One, just because of all the Canadian media love they get and when they lose that becomes hilariously entertaining and also just because they are right there over the river and up the highway. It's like Philly hating Pittsburgh. You just have to.

Ya, he's been on LTIR for quite a while now. Nobody is saying why. There is some speculation that he has never gotten over Covid and has issues from that. It's all guesswork though as Flyers won't say.

New coach changes everything and there's no way to predict who will thrive and who might struggle and even who might quit on the new guy. A new veteran NHL coach might be much less forgiving of mistakes and expectations could change for everyone. I think Benson will be fine, but a sophomore slump will not be unexpected.

I'd be fine with this. The type of player that comes back would be key to it though. We already talked about that elswhere but for the sake of @inkman's argument I'm not sure it qualifies because of Mitt's upcoming contract. Trading away a guy you don't have to trade would be a bigger statement. Also, as we discussed before, I don't want to just rearrange pieces, I'd want guys with skill sets we don't already have. Byram didn't do that imo. Trading Dahlin would be a massive move and I think it's pretty unlikely but for me it would have to be for roster players and not picks and prospects like Eichel. Any move they make for me has to be to win now. Only way I'm happy with picks/prospects coming in is if they end up with a surplus body they need to ditch after making a deal for multiple new players (like eg. trading Dahlin for 3-4 roster players). Overall, I just want competitive hard nosed guys brought in. Pros and leaders who want to win every night.

Well he was right on about firings. Let's hope he's on about trades/changes as well.

GM usually gets a year or two more than the coach. I suspect he is on notice though. It has to be playoffs or bust next year.

You are evading the point that Flyers were not expected to be any good. Sabres were. The 3 teams that were expected to challenge for the playoffs were Buffalo, Ottawa and Detroit. They all failed but Detroit almost got there and did improve to jump over Buffalo. Flyers, were expected to be in the Cellebrini sweepstakes with San Jose and Anaheim. So the Flyers finishing ahead of Buffalo screams to Buffalo's failure.

No, they played a physical dominating style in the playoffs. They were solid all over and it was true "playoff hockey".

GMs usually get to go through a coach or two before they get canned. It's the normal cycle of NHL life. It goes like this. GM comes in and says he will make changes. They tear down the roster and/or bring in a coach. That coach fails he is the first to take the blame. If he's fired early GM might get a second coach before it's everybody out the door. If Adams picks a coach now and still misses the playoffs next year I suspect he will be fired as well. and then it repeats until you win.

The question among Philly fans is where is he and what's wrong with him? Nobody seems to know. To all the people who said Kane would suck if we signed him, 47 pts. in 49 games or something like that so I guess his hip is okay. I got the first round match ups I wanted. Hate the Leafs always, Bruins are my B team, can't ask for more than that. Florida should also be a total war. Going to be some good hockey.

Absolute and utter BS. Loyalty is a two way street. If a player does not give a team maximum effort and commitment you owe him nothing. promises to young players? wtf? Why is an organization fallen into such a sh**y state that you have to make multiple promises to people who should be just happy to be in the NHL period. WIN AND EVERYBODY WILL WANT TO BE HERE! (Bolded and caped for the added emphasis because of course I know about bolding and your intention disdain towards me is your problem not mine) Top line players have to earn top line status, or at least that is how an organization SHOULD be run. They should not be anointed and held in that status just because of their name and their perceived status. Skinner was a top line forward. He ended on the 3rd line and really was only there because there was nobody else. Heck, Greenway was a top line forward at one point and he certainly isn't. Tuch plays top line, but he's really only 2nd line value. Regardless, your ice time and status should ALWAYS be EARNED and it's an ongoing process and evaluation. That's how it SHOULD be. I saw EVERY game this year. I will stop when I want to not when you want me to. I hate what this team has become. I miss what they used to be. My suggestion to you is focus your critiques on the team in question and the anxiety and disappointment it produces in you and not on other fans and posters. Do better.