McCrimmon

[Dawgs 0]

What happened to standing up at the blueline? Our defense is constantly backpedalling, allowing the puck carrier easy access to the zone all the way to the top of the circles. It led to more than a couple quality chances at Ozzie. Keep em in front and to the outside, thats the philosophy. While the basic tenet is true, it isnt something etched in stone. You cant be afraid to step up once in awhile. If your constantly giving up your blueline its gonna lead to games that your goaltender would rather forget.

This team has a wealth of talent on the blueline along with some extremely responsible two way forwards. I want to see aggression at the blueline. Step up on the puck carrier when you have a forward coming hard on the backcheck. He will cover for you. Alot of our struggles keeping the puck out of the net can be traced to this. We didnt play like this last season. Its gotta be McCrimmon.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

The Wings don't trap. They play hockey. Get all the opposition in our end. Work the boards and tight D in our end. Break away with all of them in our end. The Wings do that well when they are on their game. And they are on their game right now. I hate the trap. BTW, I read on the Blue Jackoffs site that their fans want to see the BJ's start trapping. They see it as the only way to beat the Wings. We have broken the trap before and will do it again if need be.

Edited April 17, 2009 by HOCKEY MATTERS

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

kronwall's been great offensively this year...but his trademark is fading. didn't everyone love last year when guys hit the blueline, kronner nailed the f*****? stuart does it from time to time, but i wanna see some bone crushers from 55!

[Guest Shoreline]

Did the Wings not just dominate the Jackets last night, doing a great job on the PK, forechecking, clearing the zone and more forechecking (causing turnovers and keeping it in the Jax end late in the game), or am I imagining things? Who cares if Kronwall or Stu ain't punishing every guy he comes near. A win is a win.

[Blueliner 69]

BTW, I read on the Blue Jackoffs site that their fans want to see the BJ's start trapping. They see it as the only way to beat the Wings. We have broken the trap before and will do it again if need be.

That is the best way to beat the Wings. That's how Edmonton won the series a couple years ago. It just depends on the Wings ability to break it.

[Guest Shoreline]

That is the best way to beat the Wings. That's how Edmonton won the series a couple years ago. It just depends on the Wings ability to break it.

That was certainly not the main reason they beat the Wings. The trap is only useful when a team is winning. To get there, they need the intensity and follow through. The Wings were coasting that playoff year, thinking teams would just lie down for them, and paid for it. They were down early and often, and once down like that, the trap makes it that much tougher.

Edited April 17, 2009 by Shoreline

[Guest MrSandMan]

kronwall's been great offensively this year...but his trademark is fading. didn't everyone love last year when guys hit the blueline, kronner nailed the f*****? stuart does it from time to time, but i wanna see some bone crushers from 55!

Wings won 4-1 last night, why would you want to risk injuring a key player when we're winning? My vote goes to keeping him for the long-stretch; for games that he needs to crush the opposition.

[j.hoop 64]

are you serious? i saw plenty of stand-ups last night, its not gonna happen every time they enter the zone. the physicality in both zones more than made up for it. it was the first game anyways... kronwall and stuart will step it up.

and if the BJs think they can start and finish a game playing trap..all it takes is a mistake with all their guys forward for one of our fast guys to burn them.

[hokike 1]

Many here know how trap in NHL looks like. Now ask from yourself Do Blue Jackets have personnel for trapping 60 min?

No.