Team Toughness and Skillset
- Thread starter Celticdruid
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You may not remember it. I certainly do. I came away from the games thinking that we played within ourselves, a foot smaller. The trenches mentality was simply not there.
I remember because it frustrated me over and over, and not just against the Giants.
When Joey Martin is having to engage with players because no one else is doing it then the team has issues.
I remember because it frustrated me over and over, and not just against the Giants.
When Joey Martin is having to engage with players because no one else is doing it then the team has issues.
Duggan wasn’t protecting our players he was looking for a spark.
I don’t think we were ever bullied. We were out worked by better team that may have resulted in taking a few hits, but that isn’t bullying or players in need of protection. As I posted earlier, most of the hits fans gasp and cry about are water off a ducks back for anyone who’s played a contact game.
Players need protecting when injuries are happening, things are going on behind the play, not taking a few hits because the opposition are out working us. I’ve coached and played at league level hockey, I wouldn’t be telling my players to start dropping the gloves because they’re making themselves easy targets for a good forecheck or taking fair hits. I can’t think of many dirty plays against the devils last year at all.
I don’t think we were ever bullied. We were out worked by better team that may have resulted in taking a few hits, but that isn’t bullying or players in need of protection. As I posted earlier, most of the hits fans gasp and cry about are water off a ducks back for anyone who’s played a contact game.
Players need protecting when injuries are happening, things are going on behind the play, not taking a few hits because the opposition are out working us. I’ve coached and played at league level hockey, I wouldn’t be telling my players to start dropping the gloves because they’re making themselves easy targets for a good forecheck or taking fair hits. I can’t think of many dirty plays against the devils last year at all.
Agreed. I’m not sure they bullied us last season, they were just streets ahead of us. Better goalie (well, when Besko returned), better defence, faster and more skilful forwards all round. At times some of their 4th line players would have made it onto our second line such was the form of our players. To be honest a couple of our wins against the Giants at home were very, very lucky. They were just better than us
I think that the day of the out and out enforcer has gone unfortunately BUT that big bodied, hard as nails player is still an asset even in the game we see today. A player of that type who also has playing ability and a hockey brain can be a huge disruption to the oppositions play.
Players of the smaller skilful style would not want to be facing him, even one hard hit against the boards will make them shy away in future plays, it plants a seed in the mind which then disrupts the flow of play or leads to changing up lines. The player doesn't need to beat the living shit out of an opposition to effect the state of play.
Its all about the disruption.
Players of the smaller skilful style would not want to be facing him, even one hard hit against the boards will make them shy away in future plays, it plants a seed in the mind which then disrupts the flow of play or leads to changing up lines. The player doesn't need to beat the living shit out of an opposition to effect the state of play.
Its all about the disruption.
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I want a tough guy as much as anyone, but just because I find it entertaining seeing people punch each other in the face (I’m not sorry).
But I don’t want one for those reasons you mentioned. We don’t need a tough guy for that. When was the last time you seen a keeper legitimately run? Not a brush past and a dramatic fall to draw a penalty, but a dangerous running?
What is even more rare than that is a response, haven’t seen a decent one in years. That whole bit is gone, and gone forever I’m afraid. Both the players doing the running and the players trying to stop it.
But I don’t want one for those reasons you mentioned. We don’t need a tough guy for that. When was the last time you seen a keeper legitimately run? Not a brush past and a dramatic fall to draw a penalty, but a dangerous running?
What is even more rare than that is a response, haven’t seen a decent one in years. That whole bit is gone, and gone forever I’m afraid. Both the players doing the running and the players trying to stop it.
Ok spoilsport. 
If you wont indulge me in the hypothetical, let's take a real example. Belfast away, Penny gets sent flying into the Boards with arguably the worst most underhanded clip I've seen in years. The guys gets two minutes for clipping. It's a game ban easy! Penny returns for a bit but his season is done. What does Team toughness do for you there?
To be clear, I'm not advocating a knuckle dragger or a goon. What Im trying to get my head around is "what are people's expectations of team toughness?" As I've said before, I've not seen it executed here and want to understand what it looks like to others.
If you wont indulge me in the hypothetical, let's take a real example. Belfast away, Penny gets sent flying into the Boards with arguably the worst most underhanded clip I've seen in years. The guys gets two minutes for clipping. It's a game ban easy! Penny returns for a bit but his season is done. What does Team toughness do for you there?To be clear, I'm not advocating a knuckle dragger or a goon. What Im trying to get my head around is "what are people's expectations of team toughness?" As I've said before, I've not seen it executed here and want to understand what it looks like to others.
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And then draws a needless penalty and not against the actual player that ran ours initially, thus potentially injuring another innocent keeper on the ice. Very tit for tat (can you still use that saying these days).
I personally would prefer, if a penalty is to be given then it is for giving the player who chose to run our keeper a old fashioned hiding by one of our big lumps and then for the rest of the game to continue to be cleanly levelled by players like Brandt whenever he steps onto the ice to ensure he and his team keep in mind that there will be repercussions to whoever chooses to do something dumb and make them very nervous of ever doing that again to out keeper.
I personally would prefer, if a penalty is to be given then it is for giving the player who chose to run our keeper a old fashioned hiding by one of our big lumps and then for the rest of the game to continue to be cleanly levelled by players like Brandt whenever he steps onto the ice to ensure he and his team keep in mind that there will be repercussions to whoever chooses to do something dumb and make them very nervous of ever doing that again to out keeper.
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Ok spoilsport. If you wont indulge me in the hypothetical, let's take a real example. Belfast away, Penny gets sent flying into the Boards with arguably the worst most underhanded clip I've seen in years. The guys gets two minutes for clipping. It's a game ban easy! Penny returns for a bit but his season is done. What does Team toughness do for you there?
To be clear, I'm not advocating a knuckle dragger or a goon. What Im trying to get my head around is "what are people's expectations of team toughness?" As I've said before, I've not seen it executed here and want to understand what it looks like to others.
If you wont indulge me in the hypothetical, let's take a real example. Belfast away, Penny gets sent flying into the Boards with arguably the worst most underhanded clip I've seen in years. The guys gets two minutes for clipping. It's a game ban easy! Penny returns for a bit but his season is done. What does Team toughness do for you there?To be clear, I'm not advocating a knuckle dragger or a goon. What Im trying to get my head around is "what are people's expectations of team toughness?" As I've said before, I've not seen it executed here and want to understand what it looks like to others.
Sadly I don't think Batch will fill the void. He hasn't done that since he played with Hendo. If he's on a small wage then why the hell should he!?
I'd like to see a no nonsense D man at the back and another Faryna type. On paper we seem to have plenty of firepower in the scoring department both ends of the ice. Add more grit and physicality there and this team has the potential (on paper) to be amazing!
I'd like to see a no nonsense D man at the back and another Faryna type. On paper we seem to have plenty of firepower in the scoring department both ends of the ice. Add more grit and physicality there and this team has the potential (on paper) to be amazing!