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Post by jimmy on Feb 20, 2018 9:48:12 GMT -4
With next year being the first year in the new Downtown Centre, you only have one chance to make a first impression. If the team under performs, all of a sudden little things become big things in a hurry to the fans - the walk to the car seems that much longer, tickets and concessions are that much more expensive, etc. If the team disappoints it could have a lasting long term impact on what the fan base looks like going forward. That said, if you put out an exciting product (not saying it absolutely has to be a top contender, just a team that plays hard and wins most games at home), winning fixes a lot of things and will take the wind out of the sails of the complainers as the games downtown become the "place to be". With the long term financial implications of next season for the franchise, I feel it is less likely with each passing day that we go into the new centre with the current management team and coaching staff - they just have not shown they can get the job done IMO. My personal expectation/prediction is that Irving brings in a big name coach/GM this summer to build buzz for the team.
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Post by jimmy on Feb 20, 2018 9:49:34 GMT -4
I will not pretend to be an expert but here are some comments and observations. I seem to recall that when we had Flynn as a head coach there were a lot of complaints on this board that the Wildcats were playing a boring wait for your chances defensive game. When Rumble arrived he made it clear that his teams were not going to be boring. It was going play a high tempo offensive game. And he kept his promise. I don’t recall hearing it this year but last year and certainly the previous year you could often hear someone from the bench yelling “Wheel Wheel” when a D had the puck. The D was definitely encouraged to rush the puck. There are two ways you can look at this. You can go for four guys skating up the ice and try to create a good scoring chance or you can have a forward stay back to cover up the hole on defense created by the rushing D. What we have seen is that there are forwards who will stay back and cover, others will back check such as Pelletier but others are suddenly too tired to skate back when the D looses the puck or the play goes the other way. This year we often see a forward trying to get behind the D when the puck is in our defensive zone waiting for a stretch pass to go on a breakaway. One name that I’ll mention is MacDonald. He does it constantly. Pelletier does it also. The way I see it is this has to be encouraged by Rumble. Otherwise they wouldn’t do it. Occasionally this works and the crowd goes crazy as a result but you are mostly playing shorthanded when this is attempted. So, do we want a boring defensive game à la Flynn or a high risk offensive game à la Rumble. Maybe we want something in between. I don't think it has to be at the extremes. You can have an up tempo game but still have a team that is defensively responsible. The best teams in Junior(and NHL) play with a lot of puck pressure in all 3 zones and guys are coming back hard. The Cats seem to have a lot of players who only skate hard one way, plus the defense overall is not very good. That is in large part to a GM that keeps trading away top 5 picks and doesn't keep young d-men around to develop. There is no secret to developing d-men...1- you have to draft them, preferably the top 2-3 rounds for guys with top 4 ability 2-you have to keep them, not trade them away at the first good offer 3-you have to play them so they develop and work with them in practice. This is not rocket science. Considering Rumble's background as an NHL d-man, it is odd that his team's play so loose defensively, and that he seems to have little interest/ability in developing young d-men. |
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Post by SteveUL on Feb 20, 2018 9:54:57 GMT -4
With next year being the first year in the new Downtown Centre, you only have one chance to make a first impression. If the team under performs, all of a sudden little things become big things in a hurry to the fans - the walk to the car seems that much longer, tickets and concessions are that much more expensive, etc. If the team disappoints it could have a lasting long term impact on what the fan base looks like going forward. That said, if you put out an exciting product (not saying it absolutely has to be a top contender, just a team that plays hard and wins most games at home), winning fixes a lot of things and will take the wind out of the sails of the complainers as the games downtown become the "place to be". With the long term financial implications of next season for the franchise, I feel it is less likely with each passing day that we go into the new centre with the current management team and coaching staff - they just have not shown they can get the job done IMO. My personal expectation/prediction is that Irving brings in a big name coach/GM this summer to build buzz for the team. I have a feeling Irving is looking for somebody this week. Two blow out losses has a way of making him get pissed off. Edit: I wonder if Ted Nolan would come back with the knowledge that his favourite player Josh Hepditch is with the team. He is apparently coaching in Poland ... is Poland at the Olympics ? |
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Post by Captain Obvious on Feb 20, 2018 10:00:36 GMT -4
With next year being the first year in the new Downtown Centre, you only have one chance to make a first impression. If the team under performs, all of a sudden little things become big things in a hurry to the fans - the walk to the car seems that much longer, tickets and concessions are that much more expensive, etc. If the team disappoints it could have a lasting long term impact on what the fan base looks like going forward. That said, if you put out an exciting product (not saying it absolutely has to be a top contender, just a team that plays hard and wins most games at home), winning fixes a lot of things and will take the wind out of the sails of the complainers as the games downtown become the "place to be". With the long term financial implications of next season for the franchise, I feel it is less likely with each passing day that we go into the new centre with the current management team and coaching staff - they just have not shown they can get the job done IMO. My personal expectation/prediction is that Irving brings in a big name coach/GM this summer to build buzz for the team. I think cleaning house becomes more and more likely with each ugly loss. I can't see RKI being very patient with the way things are going... |
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Post by Captain Obvious on Feb 20, 2018 10:04:05 GMT -4
With next year being the first year in the new Downtown Centre, you only have one chance to make a first impression. If the team under performs, all of a sudden little things become big things in a hurry to the fans - the walk to the car seems that much longer, tickets and concessions are that much more expensive, etc. If the team disappoints it could have a lasting long term impact on what the fan base looks like going forward. That said, if you put out an exciting product (not saying it absolutely has to be a top contender, just a team that plays hard and wins most games at home), winning fixes a lot of things and will take the wind out of the sails of the complainers as the games downtown become the "place to be". With the long term financial implications of next season for the franchise, I feel it is less likely with each passing day that we go into the new centre with the current management team and coaching staff - they just have not shown they can get the job done IMO. My personal expectation/prediction is that Irving brings in a big name coach/GM this summer to build buzz for the team. I have a feeling Irving is looking for somebody this week. Two blow out losses has a way of making him get pissed off. Edit: I wonder if Ted Nolan would come back with the knowledge that his favourite player Josh Hepditch is with the team. He is apparently coaching in Poland ... is Poland at the Olympics ? I think a more likely fit is a guy like former RN head coach Andre Tourigny if he was to come back to junior... |
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Post by bois on Feb 20, 2018 10:23:33 GMT -4
I will not pretend to be an expert but here are some comments and observations. I seem to recall that when we had Flynn as a head coach there were a lot of complaints on this board that the Wildcats were playing a boring wait for your chances defensive game. When Rumble arrived he made it clear that his teams were not going to be boring. It was going play a high tempo offensive game. And he kept his promise. I don’t recall hearing it this year but last year and certainly the previous year you could often hear someone from the bench yelling “Wheel Wheel” when a D had the puck. The D was definitely encouraged to rush the puck. There are two ways you can look at this. You can go for four guys skating up the ice and try to create a good scoring chance or you can have a forward stay back to cover up the hole on defense created by the rushing D. What we have seen is that there are forwards who will stay back and cover, others will back check such as Pelletier but others are suddenly too tired to skate back when the D looses the puck or the play goes the other way. This year we often see a forward trying to get behind the D when the puck is in our defensive zone waiting for a stretch pass to go on a breakaway. One name that I’ll mention is MacDonald. He does it constantly. Pelletier does it also. The way I see it is this has to be encouraged by Rumble. Otherwise they wouldn’t do it. Occasionally this works and the crowd goes crazy as a result but you are mostly playing shorthanded when this is attempted. So, do we want a boring defensive game à la Flynn or a high risk offensive game à la Rumble. Maybe we want something in between. Flynn hockey is never boring when you have a contending team ... it is boring to fans of other teams (cue Bois) as they play a smothering defensive style that shuts down weaker teams. Flynn hockey is boring in rebuilding years as you try to win 2-1 every night. But losing 4-2 in a rebuilding year is better than losing 13-2. edit: I doubt Flynn would ever come back though ... he knows what he has to deal with. since you cued me i'll bite i watched your game Friday night versus Halifax..... i was thoroughly entertained  |
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Post by jimmy on Feb 20, 2018 10:36:16 GMT -4
Flynn hockey is never boring when you have a contending team ... it is boring to fans of other teams (cue Bois) as they play a smothering defensive style that shuts down weaker teams. Flynn hockey is boring in rebuilding years as you try to win 2-1 every night. But losing 4-2 in a rebuilding year is better than losing 13-2. edit: I doubt Flynn would ever come back though ... he knows what he has to deal with. since you cued me i'll bite i watched your game Friday night versus Halifax..... i was thoroughly entertained Unfortunately, if I were to rank my priorities, it would look something like this: 1. Win games 2. Develop players 3. Keep games close and have a chance to win 4. Entertain the fans ... 1436. Entertain rival fans  |
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Post by bois on Feb 20, 2018 10:37:57 GMT -4
since you cued me i'll bite i watched your game Friday night versus Halifax..... i was thoroughly entertained Unfortunately, if I were to rank my priorities, it would look something like this: 1. Win games 2. Develop players 3. Keep games close and have a chance to win 4. Entertain the fans ... 1436. Entertain rival fans there were some great goals scored by both teams that game much better entertainment than watching 5 guys chip and chase all night plus your bench door is only open to let players change now .... |
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Post by SteveUL on Feb 20, 2018 11:13:25 GMT -4
Unfortunately, if I were to rank my priorities, it would look something like this: 1. Win games 2. Develop players 3. Keep games close and have a chance to win 4. Entertain the fans ... 1436. Entertain rival fans there were some great goals scored by both teams that game much better entertainment than watching 5 guys chip and chase all night plus your bench door is only open to let players change now .... I use to get chills when Flynn would stand in the open gate. |
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Post by npsh on Feb 20, 2018 12:06:44 GMT -4
With next year being the first year in the new Downtown Centre, you only have one chance to make a first impression. If the team under performs, all of a sudden little things become big things in a hurry to the fans - the walk to the car seems that much longer, tickets and concessions are that much more expensive, etc. If the team disappoints it could have a lasting long term impact on what the fan base looks like going forward. That said, if you put out an exciting product (not saying it absolutely has to be a top contender, just a team that plays hard and wins most games at home), winning fixes a lot of things and will take the wind out of the sails of the complainers as the games downtown become the "place to be". With the long term financial implications of next season for the franchise, I feel it is less likely with each passing day that we go into the new centre with the current management team and coaching staff - they just have not shown they can get the job done IMO. My personal expectation/prediction is that Irving brings in a big name coach/GM this summer to build buzz for the team. I think cleaning house becomes more and more likely with each ugly loss. I can't see RKI being very patient with the way things are going... The Wildcats are part of the JDI conglomerate and RKI is a CEO, which means to be successful( in their eyes) results are essential. I think many of us, if not all agree things have fallen apart as the season comes to an end and the way the remaining schedule indicates, it won’t get much better if at all. In a way shades of last season of which fan memories are still fresh and as both of you qualified gents suggest, isn’t positive heading to new facility. I wouldn’t be surprised in the off season it will be quietly announced a change in direction in on/off ice personnel aka Coach/GM. |
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tom
Draft Pick
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Post by tom on Feb 20, 2018 16:34:04 GMT -4
Bring back the pair Nolan and Flynn, with no interference from RKI.
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Post by Captain Obvious on Feb 20, 2018 16:56:45 GMT -4
Bring back the pair Nolan and Flynn, with no interference from RKI. I don't think trying to replicate the past is the right plan either. If Nolan wanted to run a junior franchise he would be doing it by now. I think Tourigny is a better option if he was willing to come back. |
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Post by Arnold Slick on Feb 20, 2018 17:10:28 GMT -4
Bring back the pair Nolan and Flynn, with no interference from RKI. I don't think trying to replicate the past is the right plan either. If Nolan wanted to run a junior franchise he would be doing it by now. I think Tourigny is a better option if he was willing to come back. He just left Halifax last off-season to join the Ottawa 67’s. I believe he’s also involved in the hockey ops department with them as well. You can scratch him off the list. |
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Post by Captain Obvious on Feb 20, 2018 17:27:55 GMT -4
I don't think trying to replicate the past is the right plan either. If Nolan wanted to run a junior franchise he would be doing it by now. I think Tourigny is a better option if he was willing to come back. He just left Halifax last off-season to join the Ottawa 67’s. I believe he’s also involved in the hockey ops department with them as well. You can scratch him off the list. For some reason I thought he was in the AHL. Regardless, there are guys like him with a strong track record that can be found. |
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tom
Draft Pick
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Post by tom on Feb 20, 2018 19:51:47 GMT -4
Unless they get someone that RKI likes and feels comfortable with you will never see the end of RKI interference, why I suggested Nolan as GM.
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