How would you coach the opposing team?

[Grypho 195]

Homer fans all around the league love to beat the playoff war tom-tom, as they play up their own team's strengths, recent brilliances, wins, or past laurels, etc., while generally minimizing or dismissing the strengths of opposing teams and playing up their weaknesses. It's understandable, but there is no shortage of this on the message boards. For all team sports. The other team's weaknesses are what we all focus on, in hopes that our own team can exploit them for a win. These weaknesses are no secret to the coaches and players of opposing teams. Whether they can exploit them or not is another question entirely.

From a Shark's fan perspective, however, I would like to freely talk about what I consider MY OWN team's weaknesses - NOT THEIR STRENGTHS - and the strategies that could be employed by other teams that could exploit them.

Furthermore, I won't follow up any mention of a Sharks weakness with some kind of "....but if they do such-and-so, all bets are off and they'll really cream those guys." The focus here is on weaknesses ONLY. Not strengths.

I was wondering if some Wings fans might be willing to do the same with regard to the Wings in this thread. If a Wings fan wants to chime in with what s/he perceives are the Sharks' weaknesses, that's fine. But what I'd rather see, and what I'm really looking for, are what Wings fans think are the WINGS' weaknesses. Play devil's advocate here with me, and be a strategist for the opposing team. Don't tell me how to beat the other team, tell me what it takes to beat your team. I'll do likewise.

Taking the lead, the following are my concerns about the Sharks, and my strategy for beating them:

Often slow to start. There is an old saying that you can't win a hockey game in the first period, but you can definitely lose one in that same time. The Sharks like to ramp up their game over 60 minutes, as they "feel" their opponents out in the first few minutes of the game. The are a textbook example, generally speaking, of how an early jump, or goal scored against a team vastly improves the opposing team's odds (to something like 80%) of taking momentum away and ultimately winning the game. Any team playing the Sharks MUST bolt out the starting gate, fully on fire, all guns blazing with a very fast, very smart offense, crashing the net as many times as possible. They don't even have to be good scoring chances. They just have to make the Sharks players' butts pucker, and take the wind out of their offensive sails, which may not even be fully deployed.

Most importantly to an early jump on the Sharks is rapid, relentless, FAST individual scrambling for each and every puck possession as if lives depended on it. It is very rare game that the Sharks will do this at their ultimate capacity in the first period, and the quickest way to know that the Sharks are not ramped up or amped up is seen in how many pucks are within a few feet of them on another player's tape that they won't lunge for.

When the Sharks are worried or frazzled defensively, they will be much more likely to make blind passes and bad passes, easily giving back puck control, even in their own zone. It is like they are so relieved to finally get possession of the puck, or to have cleared it into the neutral zone, that they think (momentarily) that the battle is over, and tend to take their foot off the gas. They aren't thinking about shifting from defense to a smart offense, especially if they are tired and in need of a line change. I can't count the number of times I've sarcastically yelled, "Great, now you have the puck. Now go ahead and pass the damned thing right to the opposing team's player in the neutral zone. After all, it is their turn, you know. Fair is fair." Only to have EXACTLY that happen.

Lack of offense/defense balance, and poor penalty kill. The Sharks have focused so much on their offensive power, depth and PP execution that their penalty kill is absolutely abysmal. This puts additional and unnecessary pressure on the goalie. I think the thought was that if we had a good enough net minder, we could allocate more defensive resources to offensive scoring chances. The Hawks didn't do that with Niemi, who was untested, and the team rallied around him. They helped him by scoring and generally keeping the puck away from him in the first place, which helped to make him look good. While the Sharks have improved their ability to scramble defensively in their own zone (when they want to), their PK is something they have struggled with all year, and it showed in the last series. Weak PK is not a problem for an extremely disciplined team that takes no penalties, but that's not the Sharks. They can be emotionally rattled, and will draw stupid penalties. And it does cost them, more often than not.

NiemiI love Niemi, and I am glad we got him, but I don't see him as a panacea for winning a Cup, and I don't see him as a Patrick Roy. Not yet. I think for a goalie to be truly great, they must behave internally almost like machines, with a near pathological inability to feel guilt. Niemi's confidence and ability soars when he's given a scoring buffer by the offense, and even higher when players rally defensively around him in our zone. But I think Niemi's conscience is his own worst enemy. If Niemi lets in a soft goal, or is responsible for a goal by making a bad pass, failing to smother when he had the chance, or other bad decision which results in a goal against, he becomes so self-conscious about it that he is unable to put it immediately past him, and his game can quickly go right into the toilet as a result (as seen many times). A pretty, well executed goal won't rattle Niemi the way a soft goal, or lucky bounce can. For Niemi, any goal he'd "like to have back" might dull his responsiveness, and turn him to putty.

If I was McClellan, and I saw Niemi rattled in ANY WAY by a very soft goal, I would consider pulling him right away. If, however, I saw Niemi make a dumb mistake that resulted in a goal for which he was directly responsible, there would be no "consider" to it. He would be pulled immediately. And I would tell him exactly the reason why in advance. The fact this has not happened, and will not happen (McClellan won't pull a net minder until he has f***ed up three goals), is another weakness that can be exploited.

The Sharks like to lean too far forward offensively. To get good offensive opportunities against the Sharks, defense must be impeccable. It cannot be left up to the net minder alone. If the Sharks are too greedy for a goal, they will lose their defensive balance, as seen with defense that moves forward or away from the points. Good, solid, defensive cycling, and awareness of the defensive positions at all time, can easily catch the Sharks off guard, which will create enough offensive scoring opportunities to make a difference.

More as I think of it. Thoughts? Any other Sharks fans care to chime in and add to that, and would any Wings fans care/dare to coach the Sharks against the Wings?

Could be fun, you know!

[dropkickshanahans 463]

Our PK sucks.

[eva unit zero 271]

Maintain puck control. If you maintain puck possession in the zone against the Wings, that is when they seem to take a large number of their minor penalties. Basically, get the Wings backed into their own zone, and you'll end up with a goal or a power play in a lot of instances.

Get into Howard's head. Jimmy has been playing well, but ultimately if the Sharks can crack his mental wall and get inside, the way the Hawks did with Luongo, then that will play a big part in a San Jose victory.

Neutralize the Wings' top scorers. Datsyuk is Detroit's Conn Smythe candidate right now, and San Jose has to find a way to stop him and guys like Z, Franzen, Flip, and Hudler. Their best chance is to ice a line of Marleau/Pavelski/Mitchell against ZDH. Ice Wellwood/Thornton/Setoguchi against Cleary/Abdelkader/Bertuzzi, and Clowe/Couture/Heatley against Franzen/Filppula/Hudler. The matchups remain the same if you swap Z and Franzen.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

The main concerns I have would be, for starters, the PK. However, Zetterberg will be available for round two, and Babcock hasn't yet exercised his Lidstrom option on the PK either.

Goaltending was great in the first round and I have no complaints. However, Jimmy did have a so-so season and wasn't very good against the Sharks last year. Also, the Yotes kinda suck. So, a potential problem, but from his playoff body of work so far (small), not yet.

One big thing I noticed in the first round was the Wings' habit of giving up odd man rushes all the time. They must have had ten go against them in the last two games with Phoenix, but fortunately saw the Yotes just fail to control a puck, shoot wide, or have Jimmy make a great save. The Sharks' scorers are much better and will convert on those chances more.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I would coach them to punch the soft euros in the mouth and start scrums after whistles.

I would also coach my goalie to wear very, very large pads.

Edited April 28, 2011 by GMRwings1983

[Buppy 1,720]

Speed: It's no secret the Wings aren't a young team, and our defensemen are not particularly fast. Speed in transition can cause a lot of problems for our defense, and result in good scoring chances and/or power play opportunities.

Aggressiveness on the forecheck and PK: We have a number of defensemen who are prone to turnovers when pressured. Even Lidstrom can be forced in to mistakes. Our D is the cornerstone of our PP, so when on the PK you need to pressure the points. Of course, aggressiveness needs to be tempered with responsibility. We will kill you in transition if you leave too many openings.

Offense from behind the net: Our defense is not very physical. We don't clear the crease well, which can lead to focusing too much on players down low, creating opportunities for players moving in from the points. Our defensive rotations can get out of sync from this too.

Quick transitions: We rely a lot on defensemen for offense. We pinch often which can lead to odd-man rushes if you can win battles and move the puck out quickly.

Collapse on defense: We are more than willing to play a perimeter game if it's offered. Clog the middle, block shots, clear the crease. Grab the loose pucks and counter-attack in transition.

We're not that soft: Despite what most people around here think, playing 'tough' isn't going to rattle us. Play physical of course, but trying to bully us is just as or more likely to backfire on you, especially if you're already behind.

And if I was a ****** I'd tell you to dive at every opportunity.

[Grypho 195]

Oops, forgot one more thing.

If you want to best the Sharks, invest in some diving lessons, for f***'s sake. Yet another way to exploit that weak Sharks PK. And B grade Osgood style acting won't cut it, either. And don't let your bad divers even make the attempt. If it's not at least Setoguchi-class, academy-worthy diving, you're going to get called on it. Worse yet, it will make it all the more boy-who-cried-wolf harder on anyone else who makes the attempt.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

[egroen 384]

Take blind runs at Datsyuk.

Don't bother to clear the crease, Detroit is inept there.

Rotating goalies twice every period confounds the Wings.

Play your enforcers. All of them.

Don't waste your time chasing rebounds.

Shots from the red line are key.

Slow and steady vs. Detroit.

Taunt Bertuzzi.

Focus top defensive pairings on Helm.

Find a way to get C. Lemieux back.

Murray needs to be on the ice every second with Datsyuk.

Thornton needs his fast food.

Remember, Detroit is old - that means they suck.

Exploit Lidstrom.

Play keep away in the neutral zone.

Work on endurance: Run the bleachers before and after every game.

Steroids.

Neimi just won a Cup: Count on him to steal most games.

Stare down Babcock.

Study hours of tape, and finally figure out just what Holmstrom is saying.

Tony Little motivational tapes coupled with sleep deprivation.

Publicly insult and mock Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman and the Ilitches.

Relax, you beat them in 5 last year.

And finally: Touch the Octopus!

.

Edited April 28, 2011 by egroen

[Gordie Howe hat trick 110]

Take blind runs at Datsyuk.

Don't bother to clear the crease, Detroit is inept there.

Rotating goalies twice every period confounds the Wings.

Play your enforcers. All of them.

Don't waste your time chasing rebounds.

Shots from the red line are key.

Slow and steady vs. Detroit.

Taunt Bertuzzi.

Focus top defensive pairings on Helm.

Find a way to get C. Lemieux back.

Murray needs to be on the ice every second with Datsyuk.

Thornton needs his fast food.

Remember, Detroit is old - that means they suck.

Exploit Lidstrom.

Play keep away in the neutral zone.

Work on endurance: Run the bleachers before and after every game.

Neimi just won a Cup: Count on him to steal most games.

Tony Little motivational tapes coupled with sleep deprivation.

Publically insult and mock Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman and the Ilitches.

Relax, you beat them in 5 last year.

And finally: Touch the Octopus!

Winner!

[dirtydangles 1,328]

pray

[Feldmarschall 9]

Babs already touched on the most important thing he's looking at as a coach, and that's forechecking. Both teams have players that can be exposed on the back end - with the Wings, it's the old argument that Rafalski is too small and weak, Stuart, Salei, and Ericsson can be forced into making bad breakout attempts, and so on. For the Sharks, Boyle is the best breakout passer they have but he's no bigger than Rafalski and could look just as vulnerable if a guy like Helm is coming at him on the forecheck. The rest of the Sharks' back end lineup isn't exactly the picture of mobile breakouts, and that'll be a key the Wings are looking to exploit.

The teams' forward lineups are a wash. Both have a great combo of depth, size and skill. So If I'm coaching, the key is who can make the other team's defense make stupid mistakes.

[Grypho 195]

The teams' forward lineups are a wash. Both have a great combo of depth, size and skill. So If I'm coaching, the key is who can make the other team's defense make stupid mistakes.

I think that pretty much it said it all in a nutshell, and a big part of what will determine the outcome of the series. Force (or wait for) mistakes and capitalize on them. For the Sharks, it's a contagious spiral effect, and the biggest "OH s***" factor. The dumber the mistakes, the quicker the wheels fall off.

[BlakKy 58]

When Rafalski is on the ice...

send the puck to his corner, crush him when he makes a play or simply take the puck from him when he lets up knowing a big SJ forward is right behind him with neutral zone speed.

[Guest mjtm77]

Just dive all over the place. seemed to work last year.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I would also teach my goalie to bump Holmstrom each time he's near the crease.

[nate94gt 134]

forecheck.

then forecheck the forecheck.

and dont forget to forecheck.

[Grypho 195]

Post was deleted by OP (creating new thread instead)

Edited April 30, 2011 by Grypho

[Guest Crymson]

I would order them to stop diving. It's a travesty to the sport, and I lost all respect for McLellan last year because of his obvious tolerance--or perhaps even encouragement--of such behavior.