Sharks Coach Todd McLellan feeling the heat

[J0e Th0rnton]

http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_27005630/sharks-coach-todd-mclellan-sensing-heat

 

As well he should. Usually I pick on Wilson's lack of effort to fill the holes and stupid decisions. He makes a lot of them. But lately, he seems to have wised up, at least for the moment, first by filling our gigantic hole on the left side defense, and by dumping Burish to waivers.

 

TMac on the other hand, has been doing his line blender and pairing the defensemen in some of the dumbest ways possible after problems arise. I get the idea of having a power shutdown duo who can move the puck in Vlasic and Braun, but it places out eggs in one basket. I get the idea that he wants to roll 4 lines, but at least build them for success. I also get that the long road trips have made practices few and far between. but at least give these guys a chance to develop chemistry.

 

Forwards. Yes, Thornton and Pavelski have chemistry. They have been the most consistent 2 on forward this year. However, without the puck retrieval presence of Burns, it is not effective as last season. The simple solution to me is Wingels. He works hard along the boards, is fast and feisty. Why they keep putting him on the 2nd or 3rd line does not compute to me.

 

Couture has been so bad at faceoffs this season that Marleau has been taking them then moving to wing after the faceoff. Marleau looks like he is phoning it in many games and removing Nieto from Marleau's line is a mistake. The points were not there yet, but the two have undeniable chemistry with their speed. Their speed left Couture in the dust a lot is a problem, but it was working. On plays that they failed to score with their speed, but maintained possession, Couture caught up and contributed. Nieto has since been demoted. ill grant that kennedy looked better than last year the games e was put with them.

 

Hertl has been struggling. But his best games seem to be at LW with Sheppard at C of all people on the 3rd line. No matter who their winger is. Be it Kennedy, Nieto or Wingels. For some reason, we never see Hertl given a shot with Couture or Marleau.

 

In a season they said they wanted to let the kids play more and take more responsibility, we have seen just the opposite. Goodrow, Tierney and Mcginn do not get much playing time. but Scott, Brown, Burish get inserted into the lineup to do nothing?

 

you want balanced lines and scoring?

The lines Could be:

Pavelski/Thornton/Wingels

Hertl/Couture/Sheppard

Kennedy/Marleau/Nieto

Goodrow/Desjardins/Tierney/Mcginn/Torres(When he comes back)

 

Leave the worthless Scott and Brown out of it. Thank you for waiving Burish

 

Defense. For god sakes. Mueller has been good for a rookie. But you don't pair a rookie defender with a maverick like Brent Burns and overdo his minutes(Well, you do when you have worthless Irwin and old Hannan). NOBODY but Vlasic or Thornton was able to cover for and anticipate Burns. Ideally, Vlasic, the leagues best defensive Dman, and Burns, the Maverick should be our top pair.

 

Dillon I have seen enough of in Dallas to think he would pair well with Justin Braun, the teams second best defensive D and a good puck mover.

 

Leaving Mueller on the bottom pair with Hannan for sheltered minutes. WAIVE IRWIN. Good lord he sucks. The only thing NHL caliber about him is his shot. Sheltered minutes for a rookie with a veteran. Hannan still ha the Hockey IQ. I can see it. unfortunately, he no longer has the reflexes or Skating to use his toolbox. However, with sheltered minutes it should not be a huge problem and he is miles better than Irwin.

 

That or, you know, call up Fedun, who impressed in training camp and just did not have an open spot on the right side due to Burns/Braun/Demers. Use Hannan as a 7th. but for god sakes, waive Irwin.

 

it is hard to judge goaltenders when defense and forward chemistry in front of them have been utter train wrecks. but I still dislike Niemi.

[yave1964]

It is hard to play the kids when the coach is feeling the heat. When every win or loss could be the game that either gets you extended or whacked, and you are coaching for your job.

It might be time, a fresh perspective might be the best thing for the team. I still think he is one hell of a coach though. But every team eventually quits on their coach in one way or another. And with the big boys having no trade deals the coach is the natural place to look.

[J0e Th0rnton]

It is hard to play the kids when the coach is feeling the heat. When every win or loss could be the game that either gets you extended or whacked, and you are coaching for your job.

It might be time, a fresh perspective might be the best thing for the team. I still think he is one hell of a coach though. But every team eventually quits on their coach in one way or another. And with the big boys having no trade deals the coach is the natural place to look.

That's the thing. All offseason, Wilson preached that we were rebuilding and there would be some pain and bumps as we play the kids to get them experience, etc

 

But overall, the dumb line combos, line blender not allowing them to build chemistry and defensive pairings that make no sense are on the coach.

[yave1964]

@J0e Th0rnton

 

Okay now it is getting silly. The Sharks against the bottom feeders, CBJ, Carolina, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Edmonton, are a combined 2-5 and against the rest of the league they are 12-6-4.

 

  That says to me that McClellan is not getting them up for the games that they should win. They are ready when they face the Kings or the Lightning or the Ducks and then they lay an egg against the Oilers.

[J0e Th0rnton]

@J0e Th0rnton

 

Okay now it is getting silly. The Sharks against the bottom feeders, CBJ, Carolina, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Edmonton, are a combined 2-5 and against the rest of the league they are 12-6-4.

 

  That says to me that McClellan is not getting them up for the games that they should win. They are ready when they face the Kings or the Lightning or the Ducks and then they lay an egg against the Oilers.

Yup.

 

I have a feeling the locker room is not a fun place right now. It is strange that most of the criticism was centered towards Thornton/Marleau, and the comments geared towards letting youth play, yet the only changes so far have been to remove Burish and Demers, Couture's two closest buds and youth is not being given a real shot at all..

 

Yet Couture is still getting the Co-Top line time with Marleau. Thornton's PP time was not cut at all, etc

 

A lot of people were calling for Couture to be named Captain, but I do not see it. The guy is such a.......well, beta male. Comments from most players indicate they still see Jumbo Joe as the leader even if Wilson does not. TMac still says nice things about Jumbo to the media.

 

TMac has been strange with his lines and home ice. He has last line change, yet still insists on matching up Couture against the opposing teams top forwards. Couture has been bad in the faceoff circle this season, to the point that Marleau has been taking draws, then moving to wing after the draw, while Couture oves back to center.

 

Couture's line considered top line or not, opposing teams still try to get the best checkers out against Thornton.

 

I get the idea that TMac wants a two way guy against the opposing teams top lines, but when we are down a goal, it might be good to, you know, try to get the top scorers out against the opposing teams bad players with home ice last change! We have no checking line. Literally. our third line is Hertl, Sheppard and either Nieto, Wingels, Goodrow or Kennedy, depending on the blender options of the day. None of whom are exactly checking guys. It would be nice for Tmac to try to form a true shutdown line instead of relying on matching up against the opposing teams top lines, never giving the scorers opportunities to, well, score.

 

And our bottom line is usually a cluster#%$. Desjardins is good. But is usually flanked by Scott, Brown(Two guys who you have to seriously limit icetime to due to lack of skill), Kennedy or McGinn. I can't believe how much I miss Raffi Torres.

 

I would even support moving Thornton to 3rd line center with lesser linemates. He checks well and can make gold from Goldenrod. Let Pavelski have some of the more solid wingers. Flank him with Hertl and Nieto. Spread the scoring options out.

 

Marleau/Couture/Wingels

Hertl/Pavelski/Nieto

Torres/Thornton/Sheppard

Goodrow/Desjardins/Kennedy/McGinn

Brown/Scott

 

And good god TMac, enough with pairing Dillon and Burns. Burns is an unpredictable wookie Maverick. he needs a solid shutdown guy with him. VLASIC.

 

What good does it to the team to have the top two shutdown puck movers on a single pairing??

 

Dillon actually has a nice set of wheels and looks like he would like to move the puck more, but seems so taken aback by trying to figure out what the heck Burns is doing. Only Thornton was remotely able to sort through Burns' controlled chaos, and Vlasic was a close second, if only because Vlasic can read anyone and always plays it safe.

 

Pair Dillon with Braun. Braun plays like Vlasic and would allow Dillon to open up a bit.

 

For the love of god, bench Irwin and shelter Hannan's icetime. Hannan still has the brain to be where he needs to be, but not the body. you can literally see he knows where to go, but can't get there in time anymore. 5 on 5, his gap control has gone way downhill. On the PK? Sure keep him there to save the breath of the other guys.

 

Mueller was playing better than Hannan OR Irwin so why in god's name has he been benched?

 

 

 

Why in gods name he was trying to use Burish on the PK so much, I will never know. At least they finally waived him.  Never gives PK time to some of the younger guys. Sends them down. Just wears out the top lines so that theey are tired by the time ES rolls around.

[yave1964]

@J0e Th0rnton

 

Dillon, to me is a perfect 2nd pair puck mover. He kind of got a bit screwed up with the Stars this year to start the season and IMHO the Sharks win this deal easy. Last year his blocks and hits were towards the to of the league. And he really does have a good first pass.

 

So funny your description of Burns on defense. He needs Vlasic or Braun. I agree with you on poor Dillon, away from the mess that is Dallas D, and then paired with Burns, ugh.

 

  TMac as you call him, just does not seem to get these guys up against the bad teams. No excuse. Turn that 2-5 into a 5-2 and they are in the thick of the West instead of the lower middle of the pack. You gotta beat the teams you should beat, period. That is a coaching thing IMHO.

[J0e Th0rnton]

@J0e Th0rnton

 

Dillon, to me is a perfect 2nd pair puck mover. He kind of got a bit screwed up with the Stars this year to start the season and IMHO the Sharks win this deal easy. Last year his blocks and hits were towards the to of the league. And he really does have a good first pass.

 

So funny your description of Burns on defense. He needs Vlasic or Braun. I agree with you on poor Dillon, away from the mess that is Dallas D, and then paired with Burns, ugh.

 

  TMac as you call him, just does not seem to get these guys up against the bad teams. No excuse. Turn that 2-5 into a 5-2 and they are in the thick of the West instead of the lower middle of the pack. You gotta beat the teams you should beat, period. That is a coaching thing IMHO.

I just don't understand it myself.

EVERY sharks fan on every twitter feed, fansite, weboard and even analysts are perplexed at the idea of keeping the top two defensive defensemen on the top pairing. Vlasic and Braun are both good skaters, great puck movers and first passers. Both are tremendous defensive defensmen who play it safe and can cover for horrendous errors from partners.

 

WHY? WHY are they together? Vlasic/Burns makes so much sense. Don't get me wrong. When I call Burns an enraged Wookie, I mean it in as affectionate tone as possible. But the man is a maverick and occasionally thinks he is a bowling ball going to the crease. Nobody knows or can predict what he is doing. Putting the best defensive defenseman in the league with him is the logical thing to do. Vlasic is also a possession monster, which would lead to more offensive zone time for Burns

 

Braun plays better on his natural side, so staying on the right with DIllon, who is a natural left makes a ton of sense too!

 

And Benching Mueller, who was playing very well for a rookie, and the poor kid was paired with the wookie no less. Talk about into the fire. Yet, Mueller was easily far better an option than Irwin or Hannan.

 

Not only has TMac ignored it. HE HAS NOT EVEN TRIED IT.

He uses a freaking blender on the forward lines whenever the Sharks are looking to get something going. Changing linemates every game. Failing to use home ice advantage to get his scorers out against the good matchups.

 

Yet he NEVER experiments with the pairing of Vlasic/Braun and thinks of spreading the love.

They have played 95% of every game together.