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Another "Ruff" Defensive Year?


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Truth is their D isn’t that good (yet). Hopefully fox becomes a great player. Same for Hajek. But they were nervous last night, it was obvious. Staal is what he is. And Tony D cannot play defense. So it’s going to be up to Trouba to eat almost 30 minutes a night. That’s the role he wanted in Winnipeg. He’s definitely gonna get it here. Hopefully the other guys can grow.
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I do wish we had some big hitters on the team. I don't mean dirty like Wilson or Lucic, but just someone that makes the other team pay for coming into our zone. We've always had the scappers like Avery, Lemiuex, etc but no one that really makes the other team keep their heads up.
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I do wish we had some big hitters on the team. I don't mean dirty like Wilson or Lucic, but just someone that makes the other team pay for coming into our zone. We've always had the scappers like Avery, Lemiuex, etc but no one that really makes the other team keep their heads up.

 

Trouba will be that.

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Truth is their D isn’t that good (yet). Hopefully fox becomes a great player. Same for Hajek. But they were nervous last night, it was obvious. Staal is what he is. And Tony D cannot play defense. So it’s going to be up to Trouba to eat almost 30 minutes a night. That’s the role he wanted in Winnipeg. He’s definitely gonna get it here. Hopefully the other guys can grow.

 

I saw the clear potential with Fox last night. Hajek was more challenging to see it. He didn't have a good first game.

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Trouba really impressed me with his ability to get the puck on net with authority.

Fox seems like a "+" to our D-corps.

Ozzy reminded me that Skeij is young and that some D guys need time. I'm patient.

Staal? Yeah, more of that please. last time he did a wrap-around was 9 years ago? What are you waiting for buddy? Go to the net again.

Smith playing like he doesn't want to see Hartford.

Hajek finding some mojo?

ADA gonna' be fine.

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Trouba really impressed me with his ability to get the puck on net with authority.

Fox seems like a "+" to our D-corps.

Ozzy reminded me that Skeij is young and that some D guys need time. I'm patient.

Staal? Yeah, more of that please. last time he did a wrap-around was 9 years ago? What are you waiting for buddy? Go to the net again.

Smith playing like he doesn't want to see Hartford.

Hajek finding some mojo?

ADA gonna' be fine.

 

Good for you Frank with that glass half full. Hope you're right. To me way too many things have to fall into place to fix what I see as a major weakness playing the other side of the puck. I lean more towards it could very easily just be a bad mix of players who's strengths (if they have them at this point) aren't playing D. Regardless it's time to sit back and see what happens.

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It’s probable if a NHL team is struggling defensively and they fire the defensive coach and hire a new one the difference in play will amount a hill of beans. Assistant coaches follow orders from headquarters. If the dmen and system sucks it’s on Quinn. If Ruff wasn’t following orders, Quinn would see it and deal with it. That being said the first 10 games is a benchmark for overall initial assessment of a body of work, to get enough of a range to offset a few bad games. If they are all bad the watch is on.
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Ruff probably isn't that good, but name the defensive coach who would have turned last year's chicken shit defense into chicken salad. I'll wait. The problem with that roster ? with this roster still ? was composition, not coaching.
Agreed...we now have seen the same helter-skelter D under 2 different coaches and systems. I think that QUINN -- not Ruff -- needs to put his stamp on things.

 

I also think we have been a bit too quick the last few years to elevate some of our D-men into Bobby Orr Status based on 1 or 2 years or a decent playoffs: Ryan McDonough, Brendan Smith, Skjei, etc. That said, they shouldn't have done a complete 180 and gone from major plus to major negative.

 

I hope Quinn gives the pairings -- whichever ones he settles on -- 20-30 games where they aren't touched. We need CONTINUITY to see what these guys can do. Offense is something you can do by yourself, but defense is something you need to know where your partner and the front line is or are going to do to be effective.

 

Brian Leetch and Jeff Beukaboom were both NOT exceptional defensive players but they were very good because they played together for years and knew each's tendencies.

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