Darryl Sutter new head coach

[cross16]

9 hours ago, tmac70 said:

See ans I disagree with you on this. Sutter is right , Val and Dube are good players and many of have indicated entilement went on here for far to long. The problem with this is everyone wznts the truth but no one can handle the truth. Valimaki has been Satoshi Nakamoto all year, Dube is hit and miss. Sutter call JG out and poof he answered the bell. This is a coach that demands more frankly i think he is spot on with the assesment. Which goes right up the top of the organization, its been run like a country club for to long

 

What funny about this is this is the EXACT same conversation we had when Sutter was the GM. Country club, favoritism towards players like Iginla, Phaneuf etc. Phaneuf in particular was untouchable in Sutter's mind. So if you are complaining about a country club atmosphere well that starts with Sutter. 

 

See and I had no problem with how he handled JG because he challenged him but he also gave him an opportunity to prove him wrong. What I hate about how he is handling Dube and Valimaki is he is challenging them and then giving them no opportunity to prove him wrong. This is the Sutter MO he treats rookies/young players like crap but vets gets a long leash. It can work in certain cases but again it's also why the Flames were terrible at development the entire time he was the GM and why his track record of developing rookies is not strong. 

 

Maybe this works but it's a pretty dangerous game the Flames are playing IMO. No one is suggesting just hand the kids the keys, but there are better ways to develop than what Sutter is doing. 

 

[LouCifer]

I liked Toffoli's article in the Player's Tribune. He has a segment there about Sutter. Talks about how he handles different situations. Seems like when you're winning, but the details are slipping, he's all over you like a dog on a bone, chewing you out. When you're losing, he focuses on the positives that are going to get you out of the slump. Though, of course, you have to have the right player mindset to respond properly to that. Everyone is different and responds differently to certain approaches. Sutter expects players not to cheat the game, and insodoing, the team's success. Players that have less of a team mindset may not respond well to Sutter's approach, and I'm ok with shipping those players out because at the end of the day, if the whole team isn't pulling the same way, you're not going to reach a championship. 

 

That said, when you look at a player like Bennett and the success he's having playing under a coach that doesn't bench him or sit him out for each mistake he makes (not that Sutter did, but this relates to Valimaki and Dube), the player appears to thrive. In a terrible and lost season, I would've liked to see Sutter afford the younger players more opportunity to make mistakes and get back out there to correct them. That's growth.  

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, cross16 said:

See and I had no problem with how he handled JG because he challenged him but he also gave him an opportunity to prove him wrong. What I hate about how he is handling Dube and Valimaki is he is challenging them and then giving them no opportunity to prove him wrong. This is the Sutter MO he treats rookies/young players like crap but vets gets a long leash. It can work in certain cases but again it's also why the Flames were terrible at development the entire time he was the GM and why his track record of developing rookies is not strong. 

 

1 hour ago, lou44291 said:

I liked Toffoli's article in the Player's Tribune. He has a segment there about Sutter. Talks about how he handles different situations. Seems like when you're winning, but the details are slipping, he's all over you like a dog on a bone, chewing you out. When you're losing, he focuses on the positives that are going to get you out of the slump. Though, of course, you have to have the right player mindset to respond properly to that. Everyone is different and responds differently to certain approaches. Sutter expects players not to cheat the game, and insodoing, the team's success. Players that have less of a team mindset may not respond well to Sutter's approach, and I'm ok with shipping those players out because at the end of the day, if the whole team isn't pulling the same way, you're not going to reach a championship. 

 

 

There's nothing wrong with holding players to a standard.  But I think you have to be careful airing out your laundry in the media.  Sutter was asked about Gaudreau's milestone game and he talked about it needing to be better than the previous one.  Innocent comment that splashed all over the wire.  No issue with what he said, but why say that to the media.  

 

Regarding Toffoli's comments, I don't think any player would have a problem with that style.  But I don't think we saw a lot of that.  We saw a lot of negatives about certain players after a loss.  At least the public side of it was that way.  If he was talking with Valimaki or Dube after a game and focused on positives after a loss, I don't think they would be that thin skinned to be annoyed.  If the approach is you made this dumb play and need to stop doing it, but you will sit as a result, then that will never work.  You take away any form of creativity and make them fit in a box.  At the same time, you are ignoring the same mistakes from your "core" players that can do no wrong.    

[cross16]

To clarify I actually like Darryl Sutter quite a bit and think he is a very good coach as well as a master motivator. However, I don't think any coach/player/executive is above criticism no matter what their track record is. I don't like the way Sutter handles rookies and I said that when he was the GM, would have said it weeks ago and say it again now. His overall approach is good, for the most part, but that's an area I don't think he has it right in and it's the primary reason that although I respect him as a coach, I think he was the wrong hire. 

 

But Sutter is just a part of what is a larger problem and that is that this organization is not well set up to function at a high level. So while it makes me mad to see 2 really good young players treated like this, I am significantly more frustrated by the overall management of this organization who hired Sutter in the first place when IMO it made no sense to hire him because they should be looking to rebuild and not acting like they are close. 

 

I think Sutter is going to get this team back into the playoffs next year and I could even see them having home ice advantage. I think this club is heading to be the next Minnesota Wild a pretty middle of the road organization that claws to get in only to likely lose in the first round. I'm no longer interested in that. 

[LouCifer]

Reading between the lines in Sutter’s end of season presser - who am I kidding, Sutter is as direct as they come - he basically winced at Hanifin and Andersson being relied on as a 2nd pairing with them being so young. He then goes on to say the third pairing is even younger, with a look on his face. Man he likes his vets. The only thing I see opposing this though is he had doughty in LA who was a young #1 D... so it can’t be that he dislikes young players, I guess he just expects the world out of them. 

[rocketdoctor]

28 minutes ago, lou44291 said:

Reading between the lines in Sutter’s end of season presser - who am I kidding, Sutter is as direct as they come - he basically winced at Hanifin and Andersson being relied on as a 2nd pairing with them being so young. He then goes on to say the third pairing is even younger, with a look on his face. Man he likes his vets. The only thing I see opposing this though is he had doughty in LA who was a young #1 D... so it can’t be that he dislikes young players, I guess he just expects the world out of them. 

 

Would not be suprised to see Stone back.

 

Age is relative as far as I am concerned.  Andersson should have learnt a lot this year and Hanafin looked much improved this year.

[sak22]

12 minutes ago, lou44291 said:

Reading between the lines in Sutter’s end of season presser - who am I kidding, Sutter is as direct as they come - he basically winced at Hanifin and Andersson being relied on as a 2nd pairing with them being so young. He then goes on to say the third pairing is even younger, with a look on his face. Man he likes his vets. The only thing I see opposing this though is he had doughty in LA who was a young #1 D... so it can’t be that he dislikes young players, I guess he just expects the world out of them. 

Also had Voynov who was the same age, Toffoli and Pearson were only 21, Toffoli had to answer the criticism as well.  Phaneuf as a 20 year old rookie played a lot and was basically coddled, Regehr and Leopold were basically the same age as Hanifin and Andersson when they were the top pairing.  San Jose was very young when he got there with Friesen, Marleau, Sturm, Stuart, Hannan, and they all seemed to develop fine under Sutter.  

[tmac70]

On May 20, 2021 at 8:58 AM, cross16 said:

 

What funny about this is this is the EXACT same conversation we had when Sutter was the GM. Country club, favoritism towards players like Iginla, Phaneuf etc. Phaneuf in particular was untouchable in Sutter's mind. So if you are complaining about a country club atmosphere well that starts with Sutter. 

 

See and I had no problem with how he handled JG because he challenged him but he also gave him an opportunity to prove him wrong. What I hate about how he is handling Dube and Valimaki is he is challenging them and then giving them no opportunity to prove him wrong. This is the Sutter MO he treats rookies/young players like crap but vets gets a long leash. It can work in certain cases but again it's also why the Flames were terrible at development the entire time he was the GM and why his track record of developing rookies is not strong. 

 

Maybe this works but it's a pretty dangerous game the Flames are playing IMO. No one is suggesting just hand the kids the keys, but there are better ways to develop than what Sutter is doing. 

 

Yet nothing has changed. Sutter granted favours vets so has every other coach. We have to face facts the piss poor development was and still is very previlant to this day. Facts are Trevling has been given full autonomy of the club and  Trevling has us in just as bad a spot or worse than Sutter , so he isnt much better as a GM. Sutter is a good coach terrible GM we can all agree on that. Our prospect pool and development have been dog crap for years, pre sutter, during sutter and post sutter era. Looking back at this and pointing blame of the current situation on Sutter is outlandish. This organization has defenitly shown its the definition of dysfuntional

[travel_dude]

Just wondering if we still have the same mindset about this team.

Was it a coaching problem all along or have we landed on a team structure that works.

Perhaps a bit of both?

Out:

Gio

Ryan

Nordstrom

Levo

Nesterov

Bennett

Big Save Dave

 

In:

Coleman

Zadorov

Gudbranson

Kylington*

Pitlick

Richardson

Lewis

Vladar

 

The players subtracted should have made us a lot worse.  Some had little impact (depth only).  How is it that more or less the same top 9 and 3 of the same D has gelled a lot better so far?  Sutter from day 1 of the season?  More competition for the top 6D?

[conundrumed]

Coaching problem. Without question. Sutter's the best thing that's ever happened to BT. He's taught him what you have to do to compete. It isn't "name" players, it's the type of player.

Last year, absolutely everything was, "no identity".

Now, they're gaining one. Sutter came in saying they're the slowest team in the league, dumb, etc (I paraphrase).

This is now a, "my way or the highway" team.

It's ALL coaching imho.

Jack Adams coach, here we go. He knows how to get the players to buy in. Buy in or don't play.

Just look at the results. They're buying in.

Sutter has "unfinished business". It's amazing to watch and wonder how he can do this, but he can.

He's badass.

[The_People1]

3 hours ago, conundrumed said:

Coaching problem. Without question. Sutter's the best thing that's ever happened to BT. He's taught him what you have to do to compete. It isn't "name" players, it's the type of player.

Last year, absolutely everything was, "no identity".

Now, they're gaining one. Sutter came in saying they're the slowest team in the league, dumb, etc (I paraphrase).

This is now a, "my way or the highway" team.

It's ALL coaching imho.

Jack Adams coach, here we go. He knows how to get the players to buy in. Buy in or don't play.

Just look at the results. They're buying in.

Sutter has "unfinished business". It's amazing to watch and wonder how he can do this, but he can.

He's badass.

 

By far the gutsiest move by Sutter so far this season is playing Monahan on the 4th line.  Maybe it's circumstansial due to injury recovery but at the same time, it sure looks like Monahan belongs there.  No other coach would get the buy-in to something like this.  Only with him, his reputation, and respect that the team would go along with it.

 

And I agree about the "type of player".  More than any other coach, Sutter gives his players roles.  Because every team needs a type of player for certain situations in order to win.  Can't have four scoring lines.  If you can play your way to that type, then you play.  It's simple.

[travel_dude]

3 hours ago, conundrumed said:

Coaching problem. Without question. Sutter's the best thing that's ever happened to BT. He's taught him what you have to do to compete. It isn't "name" players, it's the type of player.

Last year, absolutely everything was, "no identity".

Now, they're gaining one. Sutter came in saying they're the slowest team in the league, dumb, etc (I paraphrase).

This is now a, "my way or the highway" team.

It's ALL coaching imho.

Jack Adams coach, here we go. He knows how to get the players to buy in. Buy in or don't play.

Just look at the results. They're buying in.

Sutter has "unfinished business". It's amazing to watch and wonder how he can do this, but he can.

He's badass.

 

Identity also points to players.

I think it was less the players themselves than the the way they played as a group.

Yes, Sutter has instilled his view and people are buying in.

Yes, the new players are identity type players.

Sutter has Johnny playing the way they both want to play.

Kylington is doing the things Sutter wants.

Zadorov's game was what kept him out, not so much the not buying in.

 

I want him to build back Valimaki.

Monahan is now a 2 way C and I think he can still be a top 6 C here.

Dube is getting the assignment so Sutter has depth.

He hinted that you can get plum matchups at home.

But you don't have just one set of lines.

You have duos.

Have heard that before, but we see duos from 4 lines.

[conundrumed]

Certainly one of the most insightful Sutter interview. I keep saying it, he's dumb like a fox.

This is the most insightful on coaching that I've seen him.

https://www.nhl.com/flames/video/sutter-081121/t-277437092/c-9459132

 

[robrob74]

12 hours ago, travel_dude said:

Just wondering if we still have the same mindset about this team.

Was it a coaching problem all along or have we landed on a team structure that works.

Perhaps a bit of both?

Out:

Gio

Ryan

Nordstrom

Levo

Nesterov

Bennett

Big Save Dave

 

In:

Coleman

Zadorov

Gudbranson

Kylington*

Pitlick

Richardson

Lewis

Vladar

 

The players subtracted should have made us a lot worse.  Some had little impact (depth only).  How is it that more or less the same top 9 and 3 of the same D has gelled a lot better so far?  Sutter from day 1 of the season?  More competition for the top 6D?

I think the biggest changes were the players in the bottom six. They’re players that can play their roles, while some can pinch in here and there. But for me, we were missing that piss and vinegar and the size to go with it. I’ve argued this over the years a lot, but was always met with metrics and size for the sake of size argument… while I agree, size for the sake of size is not helpful, and it goes to show previous UFA targets weren’t always the right player and the wrong size.
 

Lucic wasn’t enough on his own, and Ritchie isn’t quite the right player either, but I feel that there is something to be said about the kind of pounding bigger players can give if done right.

 

It’s really about being tough to play against, offensively and defensively. We weren’t tough to play against in years past. 
 

let’s see how the rest of the year looks. I hope they can keep up the type of try they’ve displayed. It’s refreshing and long awaited. 

[rocketdoctor]

13 hours ago, travel_dude said:

Just wondering if we still have the same mindset about this team.

Was it a coaching problem all along or have we landed on a team structure that works.

Perhaps a bit of both?

Out:

Gio

Ryan

Nordstrom

Levo

Nesterov

Bennett

Big Save Dave

 

In:

Coleman

Zadorov

Gudbranson

Kylington*

Pitlick

Richardson

Lewis

Vladar

 

The players subtracted should have made us a lot worse.  Some had little impact (depth only).  How is it that more or less the same top 9 and 3 of the same D has gelled a lot better so far?  Sutter from day 1 of the season?  More competition for the top 6D?

 

I disagree with this.

 

Overall I think BT/DS did a great job this summer in the players they got in.

 

Vladar v BSD - much the same but Vladar looks more composed than BSD.

Coleman / Pitlick much better thean Leivo / Nordstrom / Ryan / Bennett

Gio should have been a loss but Kylington stepping up has allowed Andersson to thrive on the top line.

Guddy has been a nice suprise and a ton better than we ever saw in Nesterov.  Allowing us to keep Stone back and hungray for when he needs to step in for injuries.

Zadorov - not so sure about at the moment want to see more from him.

Bennet/Ryan are the only 2 I liked enough to keep. But Lewis has been solid on the 4th line without taking dumb penalties and Richardson early days so can't really comment.

 

Coaching wise has also helped having his systems in early and sneding them away with specific summer conditioning plans.

DS has also been brave putting Mony on the 4th yet still giving him PP time.

The team looks like it is enjoying playing again.  Smiles all around.

[travel_dude]

7 hours ago, rocketdoctor said:

 

I disagree with this.

 

Overall I think BT/DS did a great job this summer in the players they got in.

 

Vladar v BSD - much the same but Vladar looks more composed than BSD.

Coleman / Pitlick much better thean Leivo / Nordstrom / Ryan / Bennett

Gio should have been a loss but Kylington stepping up has allowed Andersson to thrive on the top line.

Guddy has been a nice suprise and a ton better than we ever saw in Nesterov.  Allowing us to keep Stone back and hungray for when he needs to step in for injuries.

Zadorov - not so sure about at the moment want to see more from him.

Bennet/Ryan are the only 2 I liked enough to keep. But Lewis has been solid on the 4th line without taking dumb penalties and Richardson early days so can't really comment.

 

Coaching wise has also helped having his systems in early and sneding them away with specific summer conditioning plans.

DS has also been brave putting Mony on the 4th yet still giving him PP time.

The team looks like it is enjoying playing again.  Smiles all around.

 

Like I was saying, the losses should have made us a worse team.  Yeah, I think we can agree that the depth guys and Coleman have been a welcome change to fringe guys like Leivo and Simon and Nordstrom.  Losing a key FO guy like Ryan should have made us worse.  But he was declining since the year we played Dallas in the playoffs.  Bennett was a distraction.

 

BSD was a missed opportunity.  Poor usage under Wardo.  Cooked him in the playoffs.  

 

On paper we are a lesser team, but the distractions are gone (Bennet, Gio's team, constant RW missing man).

Sutter is using 12 F and 6 D to cover any holes.  There is no one line that consistently gets creamed.  No one pair that has a bad game and is left to rot.

 

The country club is closed.  Players have bought in.  

[robrob74]

1 hour ago, travel_dude said:

 

Like I was saying, the losses should have made us a worse team.  Yeah, I think we can agree that the depth guys and Coleman have been a welcome change to fringe guys like Leivo and Simon and Nordstrom.  Losing a key FO guy like Ryan should have made us worse.  But he was declining since the year we played Dallas in the playoffs.  Bennett was a distraction.

 

BSD was a missed opportunity.  Poor usage under Wardo.  Cooked him in the playoffs.  

 

On paper we are a lesser team, but the distractions are gone (Bennet, Gio's team, constant RW missing man).

Sutter is using 12 F and 6 D to cover any holes.  There is no one line that consistently gets creamed.  No one pair that has a bad game and is left to rot.

 

The country club is closed.  Players have bought in.  

and to answer your own question, you said it here, that it is mostly coaching.

 

I think it is coaching, but also what i said earlier. 
 

plus Sutter has made weird line combos but seem to work. 
 

I could see Monahan needing time to recover. And that also bestows more criticism on letting him play how long he did, that the recovery needs time too. Hopefully Monahan and or the Flames learn from that, because a healthy scoring Monahan could mean 2 or 3 extra wins…. And last year that would have got us to the playoffs… I still think last year was a tough year and the team played like crap for most of it.

 

i always

like it when they actually play. So it’s refreshing to see them. It’s hard to watch when they aren’t putting an effort in. I think there is a noticeable between the game ebbing and flowing and the team sitting back. Teams are going to push, but a true effort, even when being pushed is noticeable. And that is why I think a lot of us thought it was coaching, because the players were being let off the hook for this for too long, and Sutter is bringing that accountability. It’s why I think it worked for Hartley when it did, and when he got away from it, they didn’t need to play as hard anymore because the stars of the team got the playing time regardless of their play, and it continued since.

[travel_dude]

5 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

and to answer your own question, you said it here, that it is mostly coaching.

 

I think it is coaching, but also what i said earlier. 
 

plus Sutter has made weird line combos but seem to work. 
 

I could see Monahan needing time to recover. And that also bestows more criticism on letting him play how long he did, that the recovery needs time too. Hopefully Monahan and or the Flames learn from that, because a healthy scoring Monahan could mean 2 or 3 extra wins…. And last year that would have got us to the playoffs… I still think last year was a tough year and the team played like crap for most of it.

 

i always

like it when they actually play. So it’s refreshing to see them. It’s hard to watch when they aren’t putting an effort in. I think there is a noticeable between the game ebbing and flowing and the team sitting back. Teams are going to push, but a true effort, even when being pushed is noticeable. And that is why I think a lot of us thought it was coaching, because the players were being let off the hook for this for too long, and Sutter is bringing that accountability. It’s why I think it worked for Hartley when it did, and when he got away from it, they didn’t need to play as hard anymore because the stars of the team got the playing time regardless of their play, and it continued since.

 

Sutter - coach of the year so far?  Probably.

Team - they are playing like a 5 man unit.

Attitude - no woe is me, get scored on?  Go out and get the next goal.

Toughness - undervalued at times but has been a shift in the team.  Big teams are still an adjustment, but we have not been out of a game all season.  PITTS may actually be the worst we played, but only parts of the game.  

Next Up - pound them with one shift.  Follow up with same next shift.  Speed of other team neutered.

Depth at center - our #4 is a former #1.  Dube is learning.  

Forecheck - essential for this team, create offense and not let other team have any.

No Lazy Plays - you want to make a lazy play?  You can try that on the bench or eat popcorn.

Better PK - not tops yet, but we have been really good 4v5 and 3v5.

OT - work in progress.  Have been really good with possession, but small details killing us.

 

[LouCifer]

I agree with mostly everything everyone's suggested thus far. And I'd like to add one thing as well.

 

NO CAPTAIN.

 

Sutter is clearly steering this ship, and avoiding the knee-jerk reaction to name a captain BEFORE the expectations are bought-into is a NO-NO in my books. Convince your troops to play a certain way, and hand over the leadership to the person who will continue to tow-the-line with those expectations. 

[travel_dude]

10 minutes ago, LouCifer said:

I agree with mostly everything everyone's suggested thus far. And I'd like to add one thing as well.

 

NO CAPTAIN.

 

Sutter is clearly steering this ship, and avoiding the knee-jerk reaction to name a captain BEFORE the expectations are bought-into is a NO-NO in my books. Convince your troops to play a certain way, and hand over the leadership to the person who will continue to tow-the-line with those expectations. 

 

We are a team in transition.  Don't know the long term roster.

Even if Tkachuk was ready and the logical person, do we know that he will be here?

Lucic and Tanev are good ideas.

But they are not long term fixtures maybe.

 

I do think the C needs to be the guy they listen to.

Doesn't have to be HIS team, just needs to say the right things to the team.

Get them up when they are down.

Be someone that the refs will respect.

 

[sak22]

I think Darryl Sutter's Kings teams are a clear indication of how overrated team captaincy is.

[conundrumed]

1 hour ago, LouCifer said:

I agree with mostly everything everyone's suggested thus far. And I'd like to add one thing as well.

 

NO CAPTAIN.

 

Sutter is clearly steering this ship, and avoiding the knee-jerk reaction to name a captain BEFORE the expectations are bought-into is a NO-NO in my books. Convince your troops to play a certain way, and hand over the leadership to the person who will continue to tow-the-line with those expectations. 

You know what makes me laugh, is Monahan will eventually be the captain. I've, for years now, listened to analysts and posters and what direction they're going. What I've learned is, they are wrong more often than not. Myself included.

Just look at this past offseason. Most were up in arms. But we're playing the best hockey we have in a long time.

Where the hell is cross and JTech? btw. Great posters like most here. I'm jonesing for their perspective.

Anyways, if you haven't listened to the Sutter presser that I linked, do so.

Played it for my bros last night, Leaf and Bruin fans. They were blown away. He really is being brutally honest. I think he always is. But the media spins it into something it's not.

He just seems like, "I'm telling you guys how it works, I'm too old to care about how you spin what I'm telling you.

It's that old adage, "You're not doing much learning when you're too busy talking".

My Leaf bro was, " Then you listen to Keefe last night, he blames the players". It's coaching. The Leafs play a we're going North game and always getting caught by odd-man rushes going the other way. Matthews is a 1C that barely gets below the hash-marks in his own end. It's laughable.

Keefe will be fired this year is my thinking.

[The_People1]

46 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

 

Where the hell is cross and JTech? btw. Great posters like most here. I'm jonesing for their perspective.

 

Every time we update the boards, we lose some members.  Hopefully they come back soon.

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, conundrumed said:

You know what makes me laugh, is Monahan will eventually be the captain. I've, for years now, listened to analysts and posters and what direction they're going. What I've learned is, they are wrong more often than not. Myself included.

Just look at this past offseason. Most were up in arms. But we're playing the best hockey we have in a long time.

Where the hell is cross and JTech? btw. Great posters like most here. I'm jonesing for their perspective.

Anyways, if you haven't listened to the Sutter presser that I linked, do so.

Played it for my bros last night, Leaf and Bruin fans. They were blown away. He really is being brutally honest. I think he always is. But the media spins it into something it's not.

He just seems like, "I'm telling you guys how it works, I'm too old to care about how you spin what I'm telling you.

It's that old adage, "You're not doing much learning when you're too busy talking".

My Leaf bro was, " Then you listen to Keefe last night, he blames the players". It's coaching. The Leafs play a we're going North game and always getting caught by odd-man rushes going the other way. Matthews is a 1C that barely gets below the hash-marks in his own end. It's laughable.

Keefe will be fired this year is my thinking.

 

Love it or hate it, Monahan is now a more complete player.

In the thick of it.

But, I do enjoy a good Dutter presser.

Makes guys like Francis look like the tool they are.

The media must dread having to ask one of their canned questions.

He comes back with "it's not like that at all" or "that's old school thinking" or "which players do you mean when you say line 3".  Keep it coming Dutter.  

 

I was so sick of the Ward or Gully pressers.  I don't know what I'm doing, so I will fall back on "pucks on net" and "200 foot game", etc.  No mention of the fact they were in over their head or that they have no idea how to mentor.  

[robrob74]

6 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

Love it or hate it, Monahan is now a more complete player.

In the thick of it.

But, I do enjoy a good Dutter presser.

Makes guys like Francis look like the tool they are.

The media must dread having to ask one of their canned questions.

He comes back with "it's not like that at all" or "that's old school thinking" or "which players do you mean when you say line 3".  Keep it coming Dutter.  

 

I was so sick of the Ward or Gully pressers.  I don't know what I'm doing, so I will fall back on "pucks on net" and "200 foot game", etc.  No mention of the fact they were in over their head or that they have no idea how to mentor.  

 

 

Personally, I think it is more about the accountability. Sutter holds the players accountable and they ultimately (in the end through their play) decide whether they get playing time or not. In the same breath they also will get the parts of the games that they can actually handle or play up for. For the life of me, I can't understand how someone can't always be up for a game? Why they need further motivation, that's how competitive a winner needs to be. The X's and O's had to be there a bit as for the longest time, we were one of the better possession teams. So what is it? 

 

I too love how candid Sutter is. He's to the point and no humming around anything. And if it's a non-factor subject, he won't answer it.