tucson83

sorry, if they are good enough, we shouldnt be losing games and getting outplayed it's that simple. the d is overrated and it's costing us, if you want to keep defending it, then they wont make the playoffs.

i think the blueline is a big issue right now, nissy,provy are the only keepers, the rest is garbage.

jake you idiot.

i agree and realistically i think fletch has alot of work to get this team back on the track.

if fletch trades them, fletch has to find players that can score forwards and d, that's the problem with this team.

alot of fans on twitter are calling out the coaches and hart, that's why im saying about the contending part. i think the biggest problem is that hextall should have played the young players last year because at least they would have experience and chemistry under their belts going into this year with a different coach and maybe they would play at a high level. i mean no great coach with this massive roster turnover is going to make them a contender in the first year, there's too much inexperience. this year is going to more of a building year for the young players and next year they will dominate.

this is on hextall for not bringing the kids up last year because they could have built chemistry going into this year and av wouldnt have to worry about who plays who on this team he even said that, it seems like fans arent listening to him and expecting cup contenders on the bat, that's why the canes and islanders arent struggling because they already have a team in place when the coaches signed on their teams, this team however is not the canes and islanders. that's why my expectations are not very high. it wouldnt matter what coach comes on this team, it would be the same result because it's not a completed team, fans that are complaining have their expectations too high because of the rookies, well, the rookies have to find chemistry with other players, that's why this team is up and down. they are not vets, it takes time. if want to blame the coach for everything, that's your issue because you just dont get it. i still expect this team to make the playoffs and next year assuming everyone is still here and healthy with experience under av's tenture will probably make a big jump, make the playoffs and will be a contender.

sure im willing to get them a chance this season but if they dont make the playoffs, i think the blueline is going to be upgraded. that's what homer did after 07 disaster, he upgraded the blueline and the team make the playoffs the next year.

do you think the blueline is really that good that fans want to believe? i just dont see it, besides provy, nisky, myers, the rest of them are just not good, i mean what has ghost done besides turn pucks over and not shoot the puck? sanheim is another one that just cant play defense, he looks disinterested half of the time. if the core goes, the blueline has to be looked at in the offeseason, i just think fans are overhyping this defense and it's been the problem since pronger and timms have been traded

im hearing alot of overreactions saying we should bring up frost, i mean i dont think he's going to make a difference either, fabree, tk, myers they didnt score either. you have to give credit to ottawa as well, they have alot of youth and have coach that plays similar to av. it's not that team has been playing really bad either, they have been playing really good, i can see them being a good team next year. sucks to lose but it happens, these next coming games is going to really difficult since they are defensive trap coaches, im not expecting high scoring games, hopefully they can pull it out.

i could be wrong but i believe this is the style of hockey that's going to win championships, i get that no one likes defensive hockey but that's always been identity of winning championships, you dont see teams in the playoffs outscore every team because of good goaltending and good defensive players, it's just matter of which goalie falls under pressure.

i just dont think this team can compete with the caps yet, but we will get there. they have a great record for a reason.

im just putting it out there, if the fo decides to move on from jake and giroux at the end of the season if they dont make the playoffs, not saying it's going to happen, im just talking about young players in general, you have alot of confidence in them that they can take the next step?

i think the young d is hurting us, that's the answer. i remember in 07 when this team was consistant, we had alot of experienced d and a solid goalie named biron, after pronger got injuried, timms wasnt healthy, we traded the vet d away, this team wasnt the same, very inconsitant. no one may not like this idea but i think they have to get more experience on d.

i agree but who for example?