Originally Posted by
chopper
I agree with lot of what your saying but do you really think this team is deep enough to score 3-5 goals each night? I have been saying for months now that we need defensive help. We also need a tough gritty winger(s) because we are not winning enough battles in the offensive zone. You win or lose games along the wall. If we keep trying to score off the rush then 1 or 2 goals per game will be the norm. Not having a stout d-man is one of the reasons the PK is so poor.
So far this season I've watched every game home and away. Steel and other rookies have been abused. Steel a bit more than others. No WINNING team allows it's 16 year old to be abused plain and simple. If you do they will start to back off. Absolutely guaranteed. Steel took uncalled for crap last night as did Klimchuk. You don't let the stars get the business or soon they will be hurt, and you'll be out of business. By the 3rd period Klimchuk was completely perimeter. That whole line was useless. Portland had it figured out.
Young players and young stars need to be an asset that's looked after. Last year nobody dared touch Barzal in Seattle or you would be dealing with Hickman, Yakabowski or Wardley. You get the picture? In any successful business you look after your assets.
I have no problem with a kid being hit cleanly but there are hits, and then there are hits. There are some rules and understandings out there on the ice that some teams don't adhere to. That's when a youngster has to know somebody has his back.
I think there will be a lot of nights full of frustration with a younger inexperienced team. If management is committed to going this way then we have to adapt. The will likely be under .500 overall and miss the layoffs. I just hope the assets are protected.