Dude that is exactly my point. These boys are having no fun at all. From my viewpoint it is like they are playing too cautiously, trying not to make a mistake, taking steps backward instead of pushing the puck up ice, delaying before they try to pass or skate up ice, delaying with the puck in their defensive end, not making a big hit for fear of a penalty, not forechecking for fear of being caught up ice. Playing in fear that if they do make that bad play, they will suffer consequences for it(less ice time, being sat out, in the doghouse, having the blame put on them, etc). We have decent size-we do not use it and actually play like a small team. We have speed-we do not use it, bringing the puck up deliberately instead of rushing up ice. We play dump and chase-but then take a line change and do not chase with even a single forward heading into the zone. And our defense just seems to take a passing wave at an incoming rushing forward instead of taking the body and forcing him to the outside.
Goaltending is of course crucial, and it has not been good lately. But it becomes far easier when our team can keep the puck in the offensive zone with pressure or when our forwards can forecheck a team into having difficulty bringing the puck into our zone. It becomes even easier when our big defensemen keep the lanes clear for the goalie to see what is coming at him and then move in to clear any rebounds to the sides and corners. All of this is basic and pretty obvious. Yet we are doing very little of it. And of course, everything starts with faceoffs, whether it be defending when short handed or keeping pressure on and creating chances when on the power play and at the end of games when we pull the goalie and have an extra attacker.
I absolutely believe we have recruited the talent and I absolutely believe in these boys. The talent is just being used in a way that takes advantage of what we have.
