Why the Flyers will improve in the Shootout in 14-15

[hf101]

The Flyers were 3rd worst in the league last year in shootouts only the Devils and Predators were worse.   Had they've been 6 - 5 last season they would have had home ice advantage against the Rangers.  They've had losing records every season except for 2009-10 with a record of  27-51 since the 2005-06 season when they were adopted.

 

Flyers shootout record

2013-14: 3-8

2012-13: 1-2

2011-12: 4-7

2010-11: 3-7

2009-10: 4-3

2008-09: 4-6

2007-08: 3-6

2006-07: 1-6

2005-06: 4-6

Totals: 27-51

 

 

On the other hand the Penguins have been among the leagues best since their inception and were 3rd best last season.  Under Blysma the Penguins practiced the shootout after every practice.

 

I think there is an easy answer to fixing the problem, and Berube knows it.  

 

Here is some of what Berube thinks.  

 

 

Why not practice them every day for a few minutes, Berube was asked?

 

"I think it gets done for awhile, then it goes away,: the coach said. "Stuff comes in. But I think we need to make a real conscious effort of working on it. I don't think everybody should work on it. The goalie, obviously, goalies … and take six-seven guys and work on it."

 

Pressed, Berube was asked if he has established a plan on how to work more on shootouts. Will he try to make it fun for the guys by having a contest or something?

 

"You can do a lot of things, but it's like anything else - work on it,” he said. “Just work on it. Work on it, but work on it with a purpose. Don't just go cruise in there and put the puck between your legs and flip it over the goalie because you've not going to do that in a game. A couple times it's happened, but work on it properly and work on some different things in it. It's good for the goalie, too.”

 

Berube then was asked how often the Flyers worked on shootouts last season.

 

“I don't know,” he said. “We just picked random times to work on it or we took some guys down to one end and (goalie coach Jeff Reese) grabbed the goalies and five guys to run through some shootout stuff.”

 

That approach didn't work, as their shooters, aside from Claude Giroux, really struggled and their goalies failed to come up big.

 

No. 1 goalie Steve Mason had a nice season in net, but let in 11 goals on 32 shots in losing five of eight shootouts. Backup Ray Emery stopped just two of seven shots in going 0-2 in shootouts and rookie Cal Heeter lost his only shootout, allowing a goal on two shots.

 

Giroux scored on five of his 11 shootout attempts, but the Flyers other shooters were a combined 6 for 28.

 

Read, 4 for 6 as a rookie in 2011-12, is just 2 for 9 over the last two seasons, including 1 for 6 in 2013-14.

 

Lecavalier has 403 goals in his career, but has been a poor shootout performer. He was 2 for 8 (25 percent) last season, dropping to 14 for 58 (24.6 percent) lifetime.

 

One of the most gifted offensive players in the league, Voracek was picked just once to participate and was 0-for-1.

 

The Devils missed the 1013-14 playoffs because they went 0 for 13 in the shootout.  These extra points are very important,  and it is time for an attitude change, and yeah, it starts with the attitude of the coach. 

 

for the rest of the interview  http://www.nj.com/flyers/index.ssf/2014/08/flyers_coach_craig_berube_vows_to_devote_more_practice_time_to_shootouts_next_season.html

[jammer2]

@hf101   Cripies.....Flyer shooters other than G were a whopping 6 for 28....wtf!  They really do need to work on that specific skill. Outrageous we are that bad at it with as much talent as we have. How in the holy hell is Vorachek only making one damn attempt....unacceptable!!  I don't like Berube's blase attitude towards this either....this has to be taken more seriously. It's almost getting to the point where you might have a shoot out specialist on the end of the bench....maybe a guy who would not even normally take up a roster spot on your team. A shoot out ace for hire if you will....lol. I thought I read the Frenchman Bellemore was good at the shootout...maybe that give him an edge coming into camp?

[hf101]

@hf101   Cripies.....Flyer shooters other than G were a whopping 6 for 28....wtf!  They really do need to work on that specific skill. Outrageous we are that bad at it with as much talent as we have. How in the holy hell is Vorachek only making one damn attempt....unacceptable!!  I don't like Berube's blase attitude towards this either....this has to be taken more seriously. It's almost getting to the point where you might have a shoot out specialist on the end of the bench....maybe a guy who would not even normally take up a roster spot on your team. A shoot out ace for hire if you will....lol. I thought I read the Frenchman Bellemore was good at the shootout...maybe that give him an edge coming into camp?

 

If the Flyers coaching staff would have been reading my posts over the years, they wouldn't have had all these losses. Or better yet hire me to be a shootout analyst.     

That's the maddening thing jammer the Flyers organization hasn't taken these extra points seriously, yet they will employ a Jody Shelley or a Hall Gill to sit in the press box night after night.  

[Podein25]

No.

[murraycraven]

Not sure how the Flyers will get better w/ the same lineup in terms of offense.  After G this group is just flat-out terrible in shootouts.   RJ, the only "notable" addition, is a whopping zero percent and was never used much.  The only bonus is that  statistically they cant get much worse.  

[sarsippius]

I loathe the shootout. But as much as it sucks, Chief needs to have a shootout plan and pick his 4-6 regulars and have them practice the Hell out of their fancy hot dog moves. Cuz that's how we decide games in Bettman's vision of the NHL

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

I completely agree with @sarsippius ...as much as we joke about how the shoot-out is a glorified skills competition and that it has NO PLACE determining the winner of a HOCKEY game, the fact of the matter is this:

It is there, it IS how winners are decided past OT, like it or not, it is the difference between getting one point or two points, it is NOT going away anytime soon (much to our chagrin), therefore, teams MUST take it seriously enough to devote time practicing and strategizing for it.

Simple as that.

 

Teams can sit and say how it shouldn't be a deciding factor (and they'd be 1000% right) all they want.....but it is part of the game, and like anything else that goes with planning for wins, shoot outs MUST be accounted for.

 

As for people who are surprised when normally good players/snipers, even goaltenders, suffer so much during a shoot out....I really don't see what the surprise is.

On PAPER, sure, elite players should be elite shooters and elite goalies should be able to stop simple one on ones, right?

 

Well, those players/goalies are elite because they read plays, they anticipate courses of actions by the opposition, and many times let raw emotions dictate their physical reactions...and all the decision making is also done with your teammates in mind, thus those that work best as units are usually the most successful...

 

Well, the shoot out has NOTHING to do with all that. Players spend about 80-90% of their time and energy to trying to prevent big plays while breaking open some of their own that the simple 1-1 of the shoot out for both the skater and goalie, simply become almost foreign..........UNLESS, the team devotes real time to practice it.

 

And whether it's Craig Berube of the Flyers, Peter DeBoer of the Devils, Jon Cooper of the Lightning, Mike Yeo of the Wild......whoever it is......they do need to spend time on it, make players see how important it is to spend time on it, put in the work, and ultimately have it pay off for them in the current points system the NHL has in place.

There simply should be no excuse for teams with players good enough to win games to lose games and points in a skills competition, simply because it is so different from the actual game itself.

 

Real hockey fans don't like it, I am sure there are many players (probably mostly goalies) that don't like it, but it is what it is, and unless Gary Gnomeman has a huge change of heart, it is there to stay....thus coaches and players need to integrate it in their preparation regimen.

[The Quigster]

The goal scores of today pale compared to the goal scores of the past. There used to be a number of 30,40, goal scorers on the Flyers,what happen ? Homer ?

[mojo1917]

goalies got bigger and better, players are bigger, faster, more fit,  defensive play has advanced because everyone is fast and so defenders can get into the body and stay there.. 

[jammer2]

goalies got bigger and better, players are bigger, faster, more fit,  defensive play has advanced because everyone is fast and so defenders can get into the body and stay there.. 

 

 I honestly believe this little gem is partially responsible also.

 

 http://www.usantdp.com/teams

 

  The US started their developmental program in 1996 for under 17's and under 18's. It has grown by leaps and bounds since it started up. They have accounted for a whopping 51 1st round draft picks, and the number climbs higher each year. Those are strictly U.S homegrown players that are honing their skills at a very young age. Those kids would have not played hockey 20 years ago. It's an awesome program that is churning out stars as we speak. The work they do on defense there is astounding. The forwards backcheck like demons, some (not all of course) of the d-men are beasts that love to hit....and the goalies are playing against elite talent like Eichel (sp...lol) every day. Not to mention the international tournys where they get to see just how they stack up against the worlds best at their age.

[canoli]

I forgot all of Read's 4 for 6 rookie season SO goals (the SO is so forgettable). But man he's really bottomed out in a few hot years. I hope he decides to work on it this year even if his coach doesn't. Berube was pretty nonchalant about it all, doesn't sound like he's planning on taking it more seriously this year...As much as the SO sucks to stink at it is even worse...points down the drain...

[ruxpin]

I saw the title "why the Flyers will be better at the shootout" and was sure the very simple answer would be "because they cannot be worse!"

[Podein25]

@ruxpin

At least you read the title accurately, lol.