Re: Boston University 2019-2020
Interesting observation. I hadn't really thought of it in that light. The impression I get when I watch BU is lack of communication. They all seem to be skating by themselves in a vacuum. I watch BC and they seem to know exactly where each other is and the flow is smooth and coordinated. BU seems to try to force the puck into the corner and then "hope" that the possession will result in something. The other thing that bugs me is the standing around on the power play. Moving the puck quickly is important, but it isn't enough. I don't care how fast it zips around the perimeter, if the players don't MOVE then the defense can just stand there in the box and never be out of position. Opportunities arise from making the defense move and hopefully get slightly out of position, which you can then exploit in a specific area.
Was it last weekend where they passed the puck from the right point to the right wing and back about six times in a row with those "touch passes"? What was that? Let's see how fast we can pass to each other? Let's see if we can make the viewers dizzy? Just what did that accomplish? The defense just stood there as if to say, "Whenever you're ready we can play now." And by the time they actually ATTACK the net the PP is almost over.
So it all comes down to the same point, really. How much coaching is actually being done, or is it just roll the puck out there and have them just free wheel? Individual talent has to be molded to fit into a team concept. The whole should be GREATER than the sum of its parts. It doesn't really seem that way with this team. Perhaps that's why you hear comments like "They're not playing up to their talent level" and "They have tons of talent but they're not producing..."
Interesting observation. I hadn't really thought of it in that light. The impression I get when I watch BU is lack of communication. They all seem to be skating by themselves in a vacuum. I watch BC and they seem to know exactly where each other is and the flow is smooth and coordinated. BU seems to try to force the puck into the corner and then "hope" that the possession will result in something. The other thing that bugs me is the standing around on the power play. Moving the puck quickly is important, but it isn't enough. I don't care how fast it zips around the perimeter, if the players don't MOVE then the defense can just stand there in the box and never be out of position. Opportunities arise from making the defense move and hopefully get slightly out of position, which you can then exploit in a specific area.
Was it last weekend where they passed the puck from the right point to the right wing and back about six times in a row with those "touch passes"? What was that? Let's see how fast we can pass to each other? Let's see if we can make the viewers dizzy? Just what did that accomplish? The defense just stood there as if to say, "Whenever you're ready we can play now." And by the time they actually ATTACK the net the PP is almost over.
So it all comes down to the same point, really. How much coaching is actually being done, or is it just roll the puck out there and have them just free wheel? Individual talent has to be molded to fit into a team concept. The whole should be GREATER than the sum of its parts. It doesn't really seem that way with this team. Perhaps that's why you hear comments like "They're not playing up to their talent level" and "They have tons of talent but they're not producing..."
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