Is the heat on Housley now?

[Formerly Allan in MD]

As has been mentioned, the goaltending will be critical, unless they can get enough scoring to somewhat lessen the impact of mediocre goaltending.  In the latter case, you're still not going to go very far.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

With this much roster turnover, even if you make the arguement that the roster has improved, which is debateable at this point.  Two of the best players are gone and they were replaced with good players, but none that bring what was lost.

Anyway, with this amount of roster turnover I expect a pretty slow start and reasonable middle part of the season and a good finish.  In playoff contention pretty much to the end, but just missing out.  Phil will be given next season after a bit more roster tinkering and maturation of the young core.

The above is what I expect, but I really do want more.

[...]

1 hour ago, N S said:

With this much roster turnover, even if you make the arguement that the roster has improved, which is debateable at this point.  Two of the best players are gone and they were replaced with good players, but none that bring what was lost.

Anyway, with this amount of roster turnover I expect a pretty slow start and reasonable middle part of the season and a good finish.  In playoff contention pretty much to the end, but just missing out.  Phil will be given next season after a bit more roster tinkering and maturation of the young core.

The above is what I expect, but I really do want more.

I have always thought that quality talent + quality coaching + the right chemistry/atmosphere/environment/culture = a chance at being successful.  The VGK pretty much confirmed that.  At the level we're talking about, you know, the highest level of hockey on the planet, all of this testing-the-waters, wait-and-see, moderated expectations, "it's-all-new-ya-know", is wasted breath. 

Obviously a settling and acclimation period is natural, but it shouldn't take all season.  By December 1st, we will know what we have.  I'm not saying they could be lighting the league on fire, but I am saying we'll know by then whether this team has "it" or not.  HCPH shouldn't have all season to figure it out at this level.  He either owns the team by December 1 or doesn't.  

Conversely, this core either gels by December 1 or is another bust - again, not necessarily winning every game, but at least making the KeyBank Centre fun to be at instead of the usual morgue.

 

 

[pi2000]

Everybody talking about talent and goaltending.... I'm more concerned with wether or not they show up every game.. take periods off... how they react to adversity.    They've proven to be mentally fragile.   Can Phil keep them focused and motivated?    

 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

Everybody talking about talent and goaltending.... I'm more concerned with wether or not they show up every game.. take periods off... how they react to adversity.    They've proven to be mentally fragile.   Can Phil keep them focused and motivated?    

 

Doesn't changing — quite literally —half the roster make this a different "they?"

And correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the most fragile guys Lehner and O'Reilly?

[In The Buff]

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

Everybody talking about talent and goaltending.... I'm more concerned with wether or not they show up every game.. take periods off... how they react to adversity.    They've proven to be mentally fragile.   Can Phil keep them focused and motivated?    

 

Is Sheary gonna quit? Skinner? Sobotka, Berglund? Dahlin, Eichel, Reinhart? I could keep naming names but the point is that we've replaced 40% of the roster. I 100% believe & expect to see a much different team this season. We may be a bubble team, or we may be worse. But the team as a whole will play & look a lot differently than what we've seen last year.

The added speed, the improved even strength scoring with a better power play, better defense & hopefully better goaltending. You can make strong arguments for all of that.

And i have to think that the players who have been here thru the worst of it... they gotta be motivated as hell to not look like last years team.

[Weave]

5 hours ago, dudacek said:

Doesn't changing — quite literally —half the roster make this a different "they?"

And correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the most fragile guys Lehner and O'Reilly?

I disagree with half of who you are accusing of being fragile.  ROR didn't give up on games, periods, or seasons.  I can think of a couple of guys who are still on the team and expected to be on our top line that have demonstrated that particular weakness.  I think Pi has a valid concern, but I also think that a 50% roster turnover may go along way in mitigating that.

[jsb]

I was for Housley getting hired originally but I'm in the show me something this year or go away team. On paper this is the best team we've had in the last 4 seasons. If Disco Dan could basically average (2) 80 point seasons in his tenure and get tar n' feathered, Phil better have this team in the 90 point range or be gone. 

Reasons: Jack, Rasmus and Samson aren't kids anymore, Casey and Dahlin appear to be the real deal, the 3rd line of Blues is the best 3rd line we've had in years just to start with. 

I'll give him the first month to bring the team along but after that I'm not only expecting much better play but results too.

[3putt]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

I disagree with half of who you are accusing of being fragile.  ROR didn't give up on games, periods, or seasons.  I can think of a couple of guys who are still on the team and expected to be on our top line that have demonstrated that particular weakness.  I think Pi has a valid concern, but I also think that a 50% roster turnover may go along way in mitigating that.

Yes he did. Often.  It just doesn't fit the meme most created.  He was just like the others who did the same leading to dfl.

[Randall Flagg]

I wasn't sure where to stick this, but did anyone see that we had the second-most-dump-ins in the league this year, behind only the 3rd-last-place Coyotes? 

And even better, we had the best rate of dump-in-recovery of every single team in the entire NHL! Fat lot of good it did us ?

Of course, since Phil talks about "possession hockey" it's clear that nowadays we're doing this because our players suck, and not because it's a mandate from above. 

I just thought that was pretty surprising/interesting. I'm sure ROR and Kane helped drive that success, so it might not be repeated, though hopefully we have enough guys who can do things with the puck that it doesn't matter.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Randall Flagg

[PerreaultForever]

I don't think Housley has to make the playoffs to save his job. I think it rests most heavily on his relationship with Dahlin. I firmly believe Dahlin is the cornerstone of this team and more important than Eichel or anyone else. Everything will center on this. 

Housley will be expected to bring about 2 things. First, the change in culture has to become a reality. JBot has moved the bodies he felt needed to be moved and now the expectation will be that Housley has to get the rest to buy in and the attitude and culture have to be a new reality or the next change will be Housley and we will likely get a disciplinarian as another attempt (if that fails the heat shifts to JBot). Second, the team will have to show the style he advocated and promised us. The attacking, the speed, the puck possession and the quick transition by the D. JBot obviously wants that style so if Housley still can't deliver it, we'll get somebody else to try. 

Playoffs is a bonus, but if we get a competitive team that plays fast and exciting (and Housley and Dahlin get along) then Housley is safe to start the next season, and then playoffs might be expected.