Weave

It took the kid to show some real emotion. I’m not sure about the rest of these jackalopes but the kid is gonna be alright.

I think there was a realistic expectation of Ralph moving upstairs. Emphasis on past tense. The longer that the team looks completely ineffective, the less likely an upstairs move is viable.

The timeframe for turning this around likely precludes keeping him. If he truly has reached apathy now, what state will he have achieved in 2 more seasons while mgt continues to mold the team? Downright hostility?

I seem to recall hearing the PSE has the restaurant half of the brewhouse and Labatt USA operates the brewery half. Regardless, I doubt Southern Tier needs additional brewery space to run 716. Frankly, I don't know why Southern Tier would be interested in that location. It's a bit outside of what they normally do.

Good to see you again. I miss alot of the old crowd that left during the last decade. And I have similar feelings regarding Jack.

Run 2 coaches out of town. Well on their way to running a 3rd out of town. I'm not convinced anymore that any of those coaches had the wrong system for the players they had. How may systems are there really in the NHL? How many breakout schemes? O zone setups? Neutral zone tactics? I'm calling bull ***** on it's a system problem anymore. There is a stink in the locker room. Well there is a high bar. Actually, I think there can be some debate there. Jack's rookie year had some pretty healthy talent too.

If there are hockey gods that need to be appeased, shedding the ill gotten tank gains might be the appeasement needed.

If RK has lost the room thats 3 coaches in a row that have lost the room. The chances that this core leads the team anywhere with any coach at the helm if they have turned on 3 coaches is pretty damned concerning. Huge red flags regarding the core in that room IMO.

Have you heard? There are meetings even!

That thread became a club. The conversation move, and likely died, there. I could care less about stats, really. Detracts from actually enjoying the game as a fan in my experience. The simple enjoy of watching a rush unfold, a two on one get played by the D man, the subtle wasting of time that is running out along the boards. Those are much more important to me than corsi, shots from danger zones, or whatever those groups of X's and letters are supposed to represent. They certainly don't represent the flow and ebb on the ice. That's all I got.

I understood. My reply is what I think it would take to provide a team that Jack would want to stick with. One good offseason can do it. I'm not sure this team management is the right one to pull it off though.

This seems most realistic.

IMO the path forward HAS to include a bonafide 2C, 1B goalie, and it includes moving Skinner out. I'm pretty well convinced Skinner is not on the same page as the rest of the team. I also think there is room in the path forward for Taylor Hall. I don't think it needs to be any more than that. Although 2C and 1B goalie is a pretty substantial get.

Now THAT would be an interview I would listen to.

Google is your friend. There are studies on asymptomatic influenza spread. Short story, it happens.

Yes, credit due for professionalism in that interview. Now go the rest of the way as a professional and play the game you are asked to play and see where it goes.

Without a playoff push, it's gotta be an F. Period.

I don't think the benching is really about Skinner playing poorly. I think it is about how he plays relative to how the coach wants him to play. Howver, if Skinner were putting up points it would be tolerated more. Whether or not he agrees with the how, I think it is imperative that the team as a whole is on the same page, and if one player is not on that page it affects the other players overall. And we get the situation that exists now. I said it Jack's 1st and 2nd year, and I'll say it regarding Skinner. You do what the coach tells you to do. If it doesn't work he gets fired and you move on. You don't go rogue.

Me too. Read that one like a book.

If the logic behind Skinners benching can’t be obviously explained and fully accounted for with on ice performance, off ice issues have to be the next logical deduction. Or at least a significant contributor.

But your responses regarding his place in or out of the lineup never mention it. You mention it in passing and never again use it in any of the logic you present when stating your case.

Thorny, you are completely discounting the idea that there is some sort of off ice motivation for the benching, and I think that is the most likely reason for it.

3 pts in the 3 games he's been sat and an overall better looking product on the ice, innit? I don't actually know its looked better. I haven't watched, but is that the general feedback?

Anyone saying that COVID-19 is just another flu has 1. probably never had actual influenza (if they did, it would get the respect from them it deserves) and 2. grossly underestimated COVID-19 as 500,000 dead Americans attests to.

I think this whole thing is as simple as, whatever put Skinner in the doghouse would be much more readily tolerated by RK if he were getting points. But as you show above, the points haven't been coming for quite some time so whatever Skinner isn't doing is not at all tolerated. It puts him on a line more appropriate to his performance level.