12/30/08 Official GDT - Bruins @ Penguins

[littlemoonboot]

I love that he's trying to be a leader. Give him the "A" again in January, and lay one on Talbot too.

Yes.

I kind of wonder if the rotating As have any effect on things that have gone on? Not that I know or anything.

[netwolf]

I don't know if they do, but they shouldn't. If a player changes how he approaches a game depending on whether he has an A or not, something's wrong. Leaders are leaders no matter what.

[passmaster16]

Therrien looks like he's out of options. As Netwolf said earlier, he doesn't seem to know which button to push, because the players aren't responding on their own. I don't blame him, but when a coach has nothing to fall back on, it bodes not well. I'm glad he's stuck with a more consistent gameplan through these rough patches rather than changing things up all the time, as it puts the honus on the players to find their own game. But now Shero has to find some way to shake this team up. Maybe it needs more veteran leadership? Maybe it needs a younger coach? I don't know. I guess we'll see if RS does.

I think you're right on. I really think that MT does not know what action to take. Or he might feel that at this point, the players have to figure it out, and thus you have a closed door, players only meeting. MT was very calm in his post game conference which is not what I really expected. I don't want to say that he sounded defeated but he did not take show much emotion as he normally does. His comments were very general. I think this is why the next few games will be important. The hope is that the team will come out and show they're capable of putting forth quality effort. If things do not change, I can't see Shero waiting too long before making a coaching move. I don't think he can afford to wait too long if things are not going in the right direction.

[Daniel87]

Did anyone else sense a bit of nervousness in MT's presser? I know he still said certain things about the players attitude, but maybe he's a little worried of throwing a fit and calling out players. Is it possible that he thinks his job is in jeopardy?

I don't know, maybe I'm just reading too much into it. He's obviously upset that his team isn't performing so that is probably all it is.

[pcm]

When an article comes out in the local paper saying the coach's job is not in jeopardy, you know the coach is on the hot seat.

[Henry Hank]

What can Therrien really do? He's obviously not telling the players to play like this. He's called them out in the media a few times this season, not to any great extent but enough to know that he recognizes the problem and isn't happy about it. They were just talking about how he talked to the players after Christmas and told them how their performance against Tampa tempered his enjoyment of the holiday. Then they played a pretty crummy game against NJ that was saved by Fleury's brilliance and some luck. Another classic rant from him doesn't look like it's going to be effective. The players know what they're supposed to do. Either they're going to respond to that and finally get it together or this is the beginning of the end for Therrien. A coach lasts as long as the players are willing to listen and play for him. We'll see what this bunch has chosen in the coming days.

[Pens4Life]

MT isnt to blame.. and i would like to see him stay for sure,but Shero wont have any choices if team wont perform better after NY,than to sack him or just really shake roster up,which i would rather see.. Call up Caputi,scratch Boucher,Satan and Eaton..

[CKA24]

Stats are necessary because I think statements like that are nonsense. And I really mean no offense to you by that. By no measure will anyone convince me that Staal has been bad this year. Given what is expected from him and he's current place on his development track, he's fine. There's no reason Staal or Satan should be the ones getting called out all the time when it's obvious that this is a TEAM problem where everyone on the TEAM is getting outworked on a game by game basis.

I have no problem stating that stats are overrated. The stats that I'd like to see are goals w/ the game on the line, tied, late in the game, gwg, etc... I feel like so many of the goals that Satan (and Staal to an extent) has scored have been simply fluff goals; goals that, otherwise, don't matter because they were in the process of blowing a team out. Staal is a bit different (read-Detroit), but I still have the same feelings on him...

[penny lane]

I'm no expert, but I felt the game was lost when Boston went up 3-2. It was a woeful shift for the pens. Granted Hal Gill fell, but too much skill to not get the puck out of the zone.

M Savard's goal over Flower's shoulder, reminded me of A Kovalev's against Curtis Joseph at Mario's comeback. You applaud that goal for sheer beauty.

Refs were bad, but that is an excuse and excuses are getting old and weak. These refs better not follow them to Boston.

*Tim Thomas, what is up with the taking the knee pose during TV timeouts? He comes way out to the red line.

Mike Tomlin is one cool guy; shows up wearing a Sid jersey, comes for warm-ups, stays the entire game.
And, cheers for the pens!

I have faith pens will work their way out of this malaise.