pi2000

I believe it was along the lines of "the sun will rise tomorrow...", taking a positive approach rather than sulking about it like they probably are accustomed to.

They haven't lost since they stopped cancelling practices.... just sayin'.

They need to keep playing like this even against bad teams if he wants to stick around. Today it looked like they were ready to play from the drop off the puck, which is unusual, albeit a sight for sore eyes. That has to become the norm. Time will tell.

Good win against a good team. All the lines contributed and had scoring chances. Still don't like how they setup in the d-zone, with the box +1, but it's working for now.

The dry air in the desert southwest should help clear up his skin.

Spoiler: They miss the playoffs.

Hutton was great. However, he's going to need counseling if they continue to play like this in front of him. This is year 2 in Housleys system, and they look completly lost in their own end still. There should be some progress now, but there is none, in fact they look worse.

Yeah, if it wasn't for Hutton, this is a 5-2 or 6-2 game. They still look the same they have for the past 3-5 years.

Who needs practice?

Hit a nerve, did he?

Good marketing.

I never liked the hire, didn't like the way the team responded to him from day 1 last season... https://www.sabrespace.com/community/topic/25237-phil-housley-your-feelings-after-preseason/?tab=comments#comment-981222 ...that said, he's only in his second year and he's JBOTs first hire so I don't see JBOT firing Phil at any point this season.

In the grand scheme of things, one skipped practice shouldn't result in that poor showing. To me it symbolizes everything that's wrong with this franchise. Everybody is just too nice to each other.. too apologetic. No accountability. But hey, they all seem to really like each other and probably had fun goofing off on Tuesday. So that's nice. They've collectively lost sight of what the entire point of the game is.. winning. It's not about making friends or making sure everybody is communicating, or being in shape or eating right or saying the right things. None of that matters if your not willing to run through a wall for your coach... Going above and beyond what's expected of you. It doesnt seem like anybody in this organization is willing to over extend themselves to make a difference, they're just happy to collecting Pegula bucks and living a nice comfy cozy life.

To my naked eye it looks like they're not playing with any urgency. IMO, it's not for lack of talent... They just don't know what it takes it win... which is what a good coach would be teaching them.

Maybe they would play better if they cancelled more practices. God forbid Housley overworks these poor tortured souls.

So you expect Ellers teammates to turn on him in the media? Lol, what do you expect them to say? It would be a violation of the code to criticize the actions of their own teammate.

But isn't it an indictment of the coach if they're all underperforming?

What year is it?

I'm not saying I have any answers. My point then and now is that it's not wise for the last place team to cancel a practice 2 days before the opener. The proof is in the pudding. So you're happy with their game tonight? Nothing they need to work on... say... in PRACTICE!?

Then get a coach in there who can make some lemonade with these lemons. Whatever Housley is asking them to do isn't working, either because they don't respect him, or they simply can't play the way he is asking them to.

Do I even need to say anything here?

Why is the code there in the first place? I'll try to explain.... It's there because... You're a professional. It's a job. No matter what team you're on, you're all there working for the same company, The NHL. Opponents are co-workers. At the end of the day, it's a brotherhood, you're all trying to make living doing this. It's a privilege. You're working in-front of tens of thousands of people in person, and thousands more in the media, watching on TV, etc... who critique every little thing you do. As a professional, you don't go out of your way to embarrass your co-worker if he's having a bad day on the job. You're already under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform. You don't need a co-worker to bring attention to your misery by taunting you in-front of your boss/peers/thousands of fans/media/etc.. Fighting is there to police your co-workers behavior without risking injury.

Have they released their roster yet? can't find it anywhere

I doubt any Caps fans look at Eller as a hero in this situation... I'm sure most (if not all) of his teammates agree that he crossed the line... some probably had a talk with him after the game... and most probably agree that what Marchand did was an acceptable response. Let's play hypothetical here... let's say there's no fighting allowed and Marchand doesn't go after Eller. Next game, to exact some level of retribution, some Boston player delivers a blindside hit on Eller into the boards and sends him to the hospital. Eller is inured and can't work for weeks or months. Is that better? Because like it or not, somebody on that Bruin bench is going to make sure there's some amount of revenge taken.... in this case it was Marchand and it was a harmless fight. Eller doesn't miss any games, he can work... just a few bruises. Much better outcome IMO.

No. That's precisely why fighting is allowed in the NHL. It lets the players respond to thing like this without resorting to intentionally injuring another player to the point where he can't work.