stevkrause

Because Babcock and MacClean are not the variables... once again, when something breaks - look to what has changed. period. I agree Lebda and Meech were probably never going to be anything more that #6/7 d-men... but whereas Lebda was a #5/6, now he doesn't even look like an NHL'er, let alone a #6/7, Ericsson has not been handled properly, Rafalski has NOT declined in ability - look at the Olympics, it was all mental gaffes here and that as well, can come back to coaching, Nick is still Nick f'in Lidstrom (but Nick and Raffi shouldn't have been paired together anyway all season... another coaching area) As for MacClean taking heat over the offense, there was almost a 50% turn over on the forwards from 08... the defense core returning was almost EXACTLY the same as the 08 cup team... poor comparison.... when something breaks - look to what has changed

Holding McCrimmon responsible for ALL of a players steps back in development IS unwarranted (and you're using ONE example in Ericsson, how about Lebda's MASSIVE steps back and Meech's steps back) but holding him partially responsible is NOT unwarranted... you then combine that with overall team defense declines (shots against, positioning, pairings, strategies, etc) and I'm sorry, those are not ALL coincidence...

Right there - that IS a coaching issue... there's no other way around it... you're nitpicking at the development point and I DO think that is a HUGE part of it, but it's all of these things combined that make me refuse to believe that he is doing his job well, if it were just one of these, fine, he gets a pass, but he's dropping the ball in them all...

http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=65297 I like this idea too, actually just started a thread about it the other day. I would like to see them shift MacClean back to D and either bring back Barry Smith or bring on Gerard Gallant for the offense...

And ONCE AGAIN, it would be different if this was a small sample group to take from - Daigle's fault was his work ethic... and that didn't change from place to place... Quincy HAS become a top 4 d-man and so has Wallin, so.... the point is, they just didn't have room here with the other guys WE had in the system, so where are you going with this? that has nothing to do with their development here, if they weren't given a chance to play, it's players that ARE given a chance to play and step back that are the concern... I never said I know more than the brass, but I know the game very well and have coached as well and can read player's body language when they're not confident in their system, and THAT is when the number of shots against go up... if he is still here at year's start, we will see from there, but once again... it is still not a certainty that he will not be replaced in the off season... You seem to chalk a lot of those steps back in defense as coincidence and as LOGIC suggests, when something breaks, look for what has changed... well, you tell me what else has changed from 08?

How would that not attract other teams?!?!? This would be a waiver pick up, not a trade, they would lose nothing to pick up a guy with a TON of potential... ANY team with lack of depth and openings on their bottom 6 would likely claim him...

Wow... that is indeed a blow... big opportunity for Pearce to step it up in GR and McCollum is going to be called upon big time now and really given a chance to show what he can do...

Our scoring was as good as could be expected with all the injuries and the MASS exodus of lost scorers from the year before, plus, they have remained relatively consistent with MacClean at the helm, wheras, they have went down the 2 years McCrimmon was handling the D... your logic is flawed and you know it... Also, we don't know if he will remain employed, they could still make a change...

Agreed... he's still young and developing too... I love this signing and just hope he is still in the pipeline through this season and doesn't become an odd man out by the logjam in the bottom part of our lineup, to be here when the roster opens up a little with Drapers impending retirement at the end of 2011...

With all the teams yet to participate, this is ridiculous that Pit gets a second one... with the way things are shaping up in the playoff's this year, they should have done like a Montreal v. _insert opponent here_ game... Maybe Montreal v. Washington... either way... I will not watch this year if Pit is involved again.

Once again - when players don't develop at the pace they're supposed to, or take steps back, it's usually the coaches faults... and THIS is where the real problem lies... Quick to point finger would be 10 games in, not 2+ season of OVERALL team defense decline... someone is not watching enough tape/adjusting properly and once again... that is a COACHING area. Gallant did pretty good with a horrendous Columbus team and I'm not advocating having him replace Babs... I think he would be a great addition to our coaching staff...

Fair enough, regardless, he's got a great hockey mind and I think his demeanor/philosophies would work great with Babs... I would really like to see MacClean moved back to D and either Smith or Gerard Gallant brought back as offense coach in that case...

When he was fired almost 5 years ago, he had barely any of the players that are on the roster now and he spent all those years under Bowman more or less, I'm not sure how much he's making over there in the KHL, as they basically throw money around like it's Monopoly money... I imagine he would love to return to the states and would leave a head coaching job in the KHL for an assistant job back here... With that said, if MacClean bolts to Columbus, I'd love to see him come back as an assistant as the defense coach and then bring on on Gerard Gallant as an assistant as the offense coach... just a thought...

Exactly, he's not an NHL'er by any stretch of the imagination anymore, but if they want him and he wants to play, why not...

If you remove the trapezoid, you don't need no-touch icing...

I know he's put in his time, but I really like MacClean and I'm being selfish, but I'm glad he's been eliminated, I want him to stay here... with him here, I would still rather they bring on Gallant for offense and move MacClean back to D... he was exceptional there in 08... Also, Smith generally handled the D when he was here, did he not? I thought Lewis handled the offense... on any note, with MacClean back, it kind of makes this a moot point anyway...

really? no opinions?

He doesn't understand the word... in any language...

wow... still no one... alright, I'll bite

I think MODIFY the instigator is what you want... a guy should not be able to jump a guy without retribution and it does have it's place, however, the automatic suspension in the final minute, instigator rule at league call, etc, is a joke... if anything it needs to be called and enforced more(a guy shouldn't HAVE to fight for throwing a clean hit - a guy wants retribution, fine, you get an instigator and cost your team a PP) the only problem is, it needs to be enforced with an additional 2 minute minor, not a game and a suspension... to the OP though, I couldn't agree more. All and all the biggest thing this league needs is one thing - CONSISTENCY

The point is, it would still be a step up from the current system... at bare minimum, if they're going to do a hard cap, they need to DRASTICALLY lower max contracts, one player should not be able to take up 15+% of your cap in a hard cap world... EXACTLY. The NBA's luxury tax system is basically a free for all though and doesn't funnel back into other teams improving their ON-COURT product, thus creating this... the system I proposed does the opposite... But the money is not coming out of the owners pockets who do want it to, so essentially it gives them a better on-ice product, at the same cost same cost + better on ice product = better attendance and merchandise sales/more profit at same cost look at it from the broad scope...

You've watched him in an inferior and FAR less physical league... hardly the same and no, I don't hope that... I BELIEVE THAT, I predicted that and I stand by it like I said ad-nauseam in the other thread - feel free to bookmark this and quote me and I'll gladly admit I was wrong if it ever happens and like I said THEN too, I doubt that will ever happen We get it though, you want to make babies with Leino...

You need to re-read my original post... not a single one of your points was in context to my original post...

Look at it this way though, based off the current 56.8 million ceiling, the most a team could go over the cap would be 5.68 million - Based off of what teams USED to pay in the bigger markets, I think it's fair to assume that at least half the league (15 teams) from Canada and the northern states (maybe more) would go at least a few million over(lets say 3 million over for arguments sake) as their markets and owners can support it... now lets assume that 5 other teams get that money (that is 45 million total) so now, those 5 teams get an additional 9 million dollars to fill in their cap, plus an additional 2.3 of their own money, as part of the revenue sharing rule as well... under this scenario, you essentially get 15 teams with a cap around 60, and the other 15 all between 52-56.8... whereas, now, a teams payroll can range anywhere from 40 to 56.8... you tell me where the parity seems more likely and in which scenario teams are more likely to be able to put a more even team on the ice? The one where one team could essentially have almost 17 million more in payroll, or the one where, at most, the other team could have approximately 8 million more in payroll.... I know this is all a hypothetical, but it's also very realistic based off of team spending/markets... the only difference, is where the money is coming from... also, as teams become more competitive, they generate more of their own revenue, as more fans come out to see them and ALSO, they get a better marketing situation, by being able to lock down a star and keep him there for years(as he will very rarely be able to make more elsewhere than he will at home) thus giving the franchise a face...

He was good in flashes here too, he's streaky at best and like everything else, water will find it's level and he'll return to his mediocre at best play...