If they can bring the team average down to 2.5 or 3 goals against per game, they are capable of winning a lot of games.
When we’re looking at what went right for this team, let’s be honest … not much. Losing three games by three goals is not how you want to start the season. We can look at some individual performances and single guys out who have played well, but the team as a whole just looks like it’s lacking direction right now. Hopefully a couple of days of practice will help.
They need to get back to basics and go over some of the simplest details, if they’re going to turn this thing around. They need a 5-man effort defensively; everyone needs to be contributing in the defensive zone and working as one to get the puck back. We’re seeing too many turnovers because guys are in a hurry to create offense the other way, which has killed this team early on. The personnel that are on defense here, are the guys they have to work with; so the forwards need to do a better job helping them out.
There isn’t a single player in the NHL that can fix this defense corps, and nobody is giving away quality NHL defenders. All of the talk of trading for Jakob Chychrun is really irrelevant at this point. One guy doesn’t clean this mess up, and the assets they would have to give up just aren’t worth it. Imagine Jarmo trading away four first round assets for this guy, and the team still misses the playoffs this year. Then where are we? The best roster acquisition this team can probably make right now, is to give Nick Blankenburg a chance to play.
Improved team defense will take some of the pressure off the goalies, and honestly, the offense as well. If they can bring the team average down to 2.5 or 3 goals against per game, they are capable of winning a lot of games. This is a talented team that can score in transition now, but they need to work harder defensively to make it all work. Allowing an average of nearly 5 goals per game, just isn’t going to work.
They’ll be facing an easier schedule as the season goes on, but it doesn’t get better in the immediate future. They have four games this week, including their next three straight at home: Tuesday vs Vancouver, Thursday vs Nashville, Saturday vs Pittsburgh; and then a road matchup Sunday in New York, to face the Rangers.
It goes without saying that they have to win at least two of these games to stay afloat in the standings. It certainly won’t be an easy task – but it starts with keeping pucks out of their own net. Read: Laine Injury Presents Opportunity
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