Clouston is losing my support. The team has been scrambled.
Pick some lines and stick with them! Three guys on each line that have some chemistry or potential chemistry and leave them alone!
Don't break up Fisher-Alfredsson when they are producing better than ever! Don't scratch Donovan without reason when the 4th line is one of the best in the league! Pick a spot for Kovalev with some skilled guys (ie. michalek and spezza) and get him going! Finally, adjust the system, if it needs to be done, if everyone is taking penalties ALL the time.
Until these lines are put together, the team will underperform (ok, i know this is not the only solution, but it's a good one).
This needs to be done asap!
1 Kovalev NEEDS to get going. This will do it. He has shown chemistry with Spezza. Spezza and Michalek ALONE will keep this line going (worst comes to worst), but this has to be the best spot for Kovalev right now.
2 Alfie and Fisher NEED to be together for Fisher's sake. Alfie will help Cheechoo and he plays a similar style to Fisher (although much slower) and Fisher plays well with similar players. If Cheechoo is not on the top two and scoring, he is a waste of a spot.
3 This line has shown chemistry and been effective. None of these guys are top 6 right now, but very good 3rd liners. Could swap out Foligno/Regin for Shannon.
4 Does anything really need to be said here? NEVER break these guys up! 4th line playing like 2nd line!
Of course this is my opinion but it is also common sense. Play the guys who are playing well and play them with players they play well with. AND, stick with it! The games are getting boring and frustrating to watch. It's being reflected in the declining stats of the team and individual players.
Last edited by The Best WorstPoster: 11-11-2009 at 12:01 PM.
But we're few. ALOT have bough that Regin, Shannon and Foligno are imminent top 6. I just don't think these guy would be in other teams line-up, except Foligno maybe.
Also he should fine a player when they take a stupid penalty. You don't want a player saving a goal by taking a penalty and getting fined so just the stupid ones.
You have my support. The only thing is what to do with Winchester.
I do think Clouston has done a good job since taking over, but you're right, all the line shuffling is killing chemistry. The only pair that's really been together all season is Spezza and Michalek (when Spezza is healthy), and for good reason.
Also, I think they need to bring in someone to focus exclusively on improving the PP. We have a LOT of talent, and just a few extra PP goals here and there could make us an even better team, and maybe make us a legitimate contender, especially if we could play more disciplined and avoid the stupid penalties. A good bounce here and there would be welcome too.
Also, I think they need to bring in someone to focus exclusively on improving the PP. We have a LOT of talent, and just a few extra PP goals here and there could make us an even better team, and maybe make us a legitimate contender, especially if we could play more disciplined and avoid the stupid penalties. A good bounce here and there would be welcome too.
Call Dave Andreychuk or Phil Housley and see if they need some extra cash, those two were PP killers in their era.
Honestly, I'd like to see Cheechoo sat in favour of Shean Donovan...the latter at least has breakout speed and some scoring ability.
I like your lines and I agree with your post but I don't think lines matching is the problem.
We should be fine if we don't play 10-15 mins per game shorthanded then spend every shift after the PK trying to get our groove back. We are wasting too much time killing penalties, recovering from the kill and trying to get some momentum back.
I also think Kuba has stunk since he came back. He has killed more time on our own PP than the opposition. I'd rather have Picard or even Campoli playing PP1 with Alfi.
How do you adjust the system to reduce penalties? You can't. Skate their ***es if they are taking too many penalties, they'll remember that when they are ready to hook or trip a guy.
How do you adjust the system to reduce penalties? You can't. Skate their ***es if they are taking too many penalties, they'll remember that when they are ready to hook or trip a guy.
I was thinking positioning. If players a step behind frequently, they end up taking penalties to catch up, like the ones last night (hooking, holding, etc.). Just an idea. If it's not the system itself then it still falls on the coach to figure out a way to reduce the penalties. It's not just one or two games we're talking about or one or two players.
But my main point is to stick with the lines (and players) that are effective.
Those lines look more balanced to me. Any line with Alfie will be a threat to score every night. Kovalev doesn't appear to be playing with that much confidence right now and perhaps Spezza and Michalek can help him out. It's worth a try anyway.
The main problems I see are setting up the PP, only 5 top six forwards, and the defense isn't so great when there is an injury to the top guys. I've seen the Sens make some really nice plays on the PP this year once they get setup, but they seem to really struggle to get the puck into the others teams zone. Many times they will make a dumb pass right to the other teams player when there is no pressure on them to make a pass. Other times they lose battles along the boards. Once they get setup they have the talent to move the puck around quickly. They just need to work on gaining the blueline and finding the open man quickly.
In the press box watching the plays develop. Maybe this will help him determine where he needs to be during the game. Sitting a player for a few games isn't always a bad thing.
I would be willing to maybe give Cheech a few shifts on the top 2 lines, but if he doesn't produce, get him off there. He is slow as hell on his skates, and can't get anything going. He's a hard worker though and I admire his ethic. I think with the right linemates he can start to produce. It's not like he's getting that much ice time as it is anyways.
In the press box watching the plays develop. Maybe this will help him determine where he needs to be during the game. Sitting a player for a few games isn't always a bad thing.
I thought he was improving, getting more good chances and shots at the net until a couple games back when he was moved down a couple lines. He's hit posts, just missed the net, and made some good plays. I thought he was playing better when he was with michalek and spezza compared to what he does on the third/fourth line. He needs to be with talented players. He's nothing special as a grinder. He at least has shown potential and in my opinion is still more likely to score than say Foligno, Neil or anyone else you can put into that 6th forward spot.
I think Murray should fire him. It's the right thing to do. His results so far are not good enough. Looking at this roster, we should be a 1st or 2nd place team at this juncture. Simply unacceptable.
This is the best course of action.
I think this team should really consider bringing in one of it's fans to coach. Then we'd finally bench Spezza, play Alfredsson 60 minutes, send Fisher on the ice without his jersey on and bring back Lance Pitlick.
I think Murray should fire him. It's the right thing to do. His results so far are not good enough. Looking at this roster, we should be a 1st or 2nd place team at this juncture. Simply unacceptable.
This is the best course of action.
I think this team should really consider bringing in one of it's fans to coach. Then we'd finally bench Spezza, play Alfredsson 60 minutes, send Fisher on the ice without his jersey on and bring back Lance Pitlick.
I definitely approve of these last two. Anyway, I think you're right, my personal expectations and prediction on this board was a 2nd place finish in the NE and a playoff spot of 6th-8th seed, and Im still fairly confident in my prediction. Don't get me wrong Ive been plenty pissed at some losses, but never in these losses did I ever even think to point the finger at Clouston, I think hes done a fine job overall.
The word accountability truly means something now, at least I think it does with Cory.
I didn't like how Clouston had Alfredsson on the Spezza line. It just goes back to the days when we had 1 scoring line and 3 try hard lines (except now Kovalev is on one, and who knows when he'll show up). I liked it better when Alfredsson, Fisher, and Kovalev were on the same line. Find someone that WORKS with Spezza and Michalek and we have 2 very strong scoring lines.
