No tv for the Panthers I think next month. I agree inexcusable. ‘Course the Panthers and ’Canes…. at this point, if that ain’t a who cares game????

It’s a real shame that the fans and many with the organization see the absolute and utter failure of this team and nothing is being done. Lavi says “there is nothing good about the power play”. Maybe do something about that, been a little obvious ALL FRIGGIN’ YEAR.

So again we give up the first goal, try like hell in the second period and lose the game in the third.

Since that is the only consistant thing who do we as fans thank for it? Or blame? Poor coaching? Player conspiracy? Bad luck? Waiting for a bailout from obama?

4 days until the next game. Good opportunity for some meaningful action.

Good effort in the second aside this team sucks and they are now on the bubble. They have squandered enough points and the SE in general sucks, so again probably only one team from this area is going to the big dance. In 25 games we have 26 points that will be about shy of 90, not gonna make it. The Sharks have 41 points in 24 games. We are 3 behind the golden ticket holders, the craps. We are 8th in the conf. with the sabres 1 point behind us. Remember last year how all we needed was 1 more point….

Ground hog day = ’Canes hockey

This ride sucks.

A

After i realized center ice wasn’t showing the game, the family made a rash decision, head out to the game! We didn’t have tickets, but we knew we could get seats.
We also remembered the BOGO tickets were valid last night too. So we got lower level seats, 2 for $70. (counting my 2 year old son it was 3 seats for $70) Hell the whole row was empty for the 1st period. I know its december, but where are the fans?

I really enjoyed the game for the first 2 periods. Since we had our son with us, we were out the door when it was 3-1.

I was not at the game, so obviously I did not see it. I just hang my head these days. I know we all worship JR for his great patience, but there is a narrow line between patience and indecision? Or is that the line between patience and incompetence? I dunno anymore. At least Lavi got the stones to cut Staal’s ice time back.

Eaves has had solid back-to-back efforts … outside of that, there’s not much to be excited about. I’ve never been a “fire the coach” guy, but at this juncture what else is there to do? I think JR needs to take a long, hard look at the style the team is playing (which is supposed to be high-scoring and up-tempo) and see the results and determine if it’s going in the right direction.

The coach has lost this team. There is no reason why they can’t at least compete to win games… but all this lame inconsistency is enough to frustrate the average fan… as a season ticket holder I’m furious that our guys come out and play hard in the first two periods and then completely mail it in in the third!!! If they can’t try hard for each other.. they could at least put up a decent effort for the fans who pay their hard earned cash to come watch their sorry a(butts)sses play…..

Coach has to go… and don’t wait until Christmas… no more second chances… not ANOTHER 3 game losing streak either… fire him NOW!!!!

Mateo/Paladin,
What would you guys do? Seriously. You say the coach has lost this team but for 2 periods the canes deserved to win the game. The problem is scoring…period. The problem is not defense…the problem is not effort (mostly). The problem is not coaching. The problem is scoring. They cannot win by scoring 1-2 goals a night.

Taking last night as a perfect example…they did everything right but score. If they scored 2 goals in the second period like the percentages said they should have, they would have won the game. You can say the same thing about many recent games. If they had scored when they were dominating, they would have won.

So back to my question…Paladin said “Maybe do something about that, been a little obvious ALL FRIGGIN’ YEAR.” about the power play. Do what? Seriously. I’m quite sure they spend hours practicing the power play. I tend to agree with Cory at this point that it may be time to dump the coach simply because there isn’t much else to do that can be done.

 What would you guys have them do? Try harder? If you saw the game last night you saw a team that completely dominated the second period like no other team I’ve seen. The 3 shots on goal, if I remember right, were actually all dump-ins that happened to be on net. The Ducks were so outplayed/outworked/outskilled that they couldn’t even enter our zone for long periods of time. What more can the Canes do (besides scoring)?

I’m extremely frustrated but I’m also realistic. This team needs to put the puck in the net when it has a chance…like they had 15 of last night.

—Justin

The problem is coaching! The game is not over at the end of the second period… Those guys came out and played like they wanted to win in the first two… and in the third they were playing for a tie and overtime… and what they got was their butts handed to them on a platter.

The players want ice time… but they are not having to earn it…. Right now this team as 3 or 4 guys pulling the weight for everybody! And any coach who is worth a crap would cut it out ASAP… even if it means benching his so-called best players…

They played great for the first two periods (which is boggling in itself seeing as how they normally fart around for a period and a half and then play great after the damage is already done)… but to win games you have to play great for all three periods. You can’t play for the tie and then hope to win in overtime… you have to play like it’s all on the line each shift… and our guys are not doing that…

it’s easier to replace the coach than to replace the dopes on the team….

Mateo,
OK…so lets say they fire Laviolette and Rowe takes over and they continue to fail to score. Then what?

Today is the perfect day for a news conference from the Canes organization to make an annoucement. Send Lavi packing since they have today and 3 more days until the next game to reorganize which is at home. Sounds like a good plan to me.

If I can answer, you let Staal and Brindy watch a game or two from the press box.

There’s a guaranteed way to lose the room, Wylde. I don’t think anyone has questioned Brind’Amour or Staal’s effort. The results haven’t been there, but the effort, IMO, has been. To sit them would seal Laviolette’s fate.

I simply fail to understand why LaCouture and Conboy are not given an opportunity, especially under these conditions. It is really starting to bother me; to me, failing to give these players and the team this opportunity is becoming representative of everything that is going wrong with the Canes. In my opinion, they represent trying something slightly different and jolting the current mixture of: players/system-style/emotion-desire/physicality/screening-the-net. Even Forslund is now repeatedly calling for both of them to come up.

• I do understand, however, that LaCouture and Conboy are not the panacea and automatic cure for all woes. It might not work (although it has last Spring and early this Fall). *

But at least try it – Dan LaCouture and Tim Conboy… PLEASE!!!

The main problem is scoring – the secondary problem is GRIT. I would make the coaching change, and try to bring in another banger to put on a scoring line – this way, when they dump it, someone could actually retrieve the puck. A guy who plays BIG would make room for the other forwards. Shed salary if you have to – unfortunately, what I have heard from the organization is that money is too tight to make ANY changes, including paying LaViolette’s contract if he’s fired. I agree with Wylde. Send the non producing forwards to the press box for a few games, call up some guys who WILL play like their jobs depend on it (LaCouture, Conboy) and see what happens. The prima-donna’s will complain, but the point will be made. The Hurricanes, as an organization at this point, have lost my interest and my patience. I love the game, playing it and following it, but nothing they are doing is drawing my interest or my money. If they think they are in financial straits now, imagine how much money they’ll lose by not making the playoffs for a 3rd straight season.

I agree with wylde4canes. We lack leadership from the players in the leadership positions. Maybe Brindy is still recovering, maybe Staal is lacking line support and cohesion, ….. but the fact is the coaching staff must managed these situations to make the team successful. This teams lacks overall talent, so a new coach is not going to solve that. My problem is that I keep hearing Lavi talk in his post game press conferences about “energy” like they are waiting on some enlightenment to overcome their problems. He is not holding his players accountable for their poor performances. Leadership is our problem, from the ice and on the bench!

Agreed, marc! I think the budget crunch has a lot to do with it. A financial spiral now – with the current situation and lack of excitement or momentum, they are losing ticket/concession revenue and gaining empty seats from those fans who may be more fairweather than us and on the fence on a given night and those who live near the RBC (and can attend).

Yup – Grit and scoring go hand-in-hand and are related with these particular Canes (and their emotional make-up) and how these particular Canes engage this particular system of play – in both ends. Hopefully, the added grit can achieve the ultimate goal – which is more goals and more wins.

I have to say I was happy with the game yesterday. Not with the final score. But with the game. If the Canes keep on playing the way they did last night, the wins will come. Again, the dump and chase on the power play was unacceptable, but the rest of the game… it was fun to watch (until we got into penalty trouble in the third and fell apart after that). There are some signs of hope. But the question still remains at the start of every game – which team will show up? The one that played yesterday, or that other one that makes us all really irritated? I don’t know the best way to get that first team to show up every game.

… I also share the understanding – and acknowledge – that salaries and the $$ issue was present and tight even before the any relatively minor and shorter-term attendance issues. Hopefully the latter does not grow and continue. Hurricanes “red” takes on a new meaning.

Agreed, Andrea (as usual). I would like to see, at the start of every game, a more emotional and physical presence to set the tone for the other Canes (shock them awake) and for impact on the other team. And to protect our forwards for later in the game. The start of the game and the overall lack of consistency – and consistent wondering about what Canes team will we watch tonight – is getting ridiculous.

Hence, my broken-record harping above and in the past on LaCouture and Conboy. Conboy playing either Defense or Fwd… or SHORT shifts of both. Especially now with Walker out. And the other current injuries on defense!! Just try it… get these guys on the ice.

The team is just as frustrated as we are. That’s why I believe we need better leadership. We need a coaching staff that isolates problem areas and coaches them through it with real solutions, not hocus pocus, “let’s hope the right team shows up with a high level of energy”. I hope Lavi and his staff can get their heads on straight, rise to the occasion, and lead. Unfortunately, I think the Cup year was caused by exceptional player leadership that does not exist right now. Brindy can only do so much with a bum knee and a tired body.

SamsonovFan:
You said “I would like to see, at the start of every game, a more emotional and physical presence to set the tone for the other Canes (shock them awake) and for impact on the other team”. I agree. One small thing I did notice that stuck out at me yesterday was the 2nd line on the ice last night was the 4th line. The Cullen line got the start but Sutter/Dwyer/Brookbank came out immediately after. It could be that Lavi was trying to match lines and Anaheim sent out their 4th line. It could also have been a subtle message to the Staal and Brindamour line that their performance of late has been unacceptable.

I’d also point to Bubba’s comments from yesterday’s thread about the Staal line only getting 3mins ice time in the first period. Again, this could be a coaching decision to give that line the message that their play has been unacceptable.

—Justin

If they fire Lavi and Rowe and bring in someone new… and they still continue to not score… start trading for draft picks… rebuild… we have done it before…

I’d rather see a team of players w/ less talent who try their hardest than the team of talent we have where 2 or 3 players give a crap and everyone else is kind of doping around… it’s ridiculous!

I think Lavi needs to go. I agree with everyone else that he’s lost the locker room. I believe Lavi’s lack of emotion spills out to everyone on the team. If Lavi dont care we dont care kinda thing. I fear that Rowe will not be the answer if thats the direction the team goes. You know how its different when someones been your supervisor for a few years and suddenly he’s your manager, than it is when someone all new you’ve never met is put in charge. Its a level of respect. Maybe its a fear of not knowing how the new boss will react to whatever you do. If they’re cutting corners now with Rowe as the asst. why are we to believe they will muster up newfound respect if hes made coach? Rowe needs to stay the asst, but we need someone all new to coach this team.

Just one more quick thought…. I hear folks on the radio saying, “Well… we just need to be healthy and get some injured players back. Once they come back, it will be alright.”

To borrow a legendary phrase from PALADIN6:
I don’t give a “fuzzy rat’s bananna skin purse” about this. Ok… maybe that overstates my feelings (don’t quite know what that phrase means, but it is funny). Do the injuries matter? Yes, of course!! Especially with high-impact players out (like Gleason and Williams) and for a long time. But no team can continue to use this as a reason and live in the future rather than dealing with the present or building themselves for the reality of the NHL. This is hockey… almost no team (esp the Canes) will ever be 100% and have all the players on ice. Especially when we at times – and relatively/in-comparison look as if we are a youth hockey team playing against an opponent analogous to a foe with Detroit skill and Hanson Brothers’ beastliness.

If the Canes, as a team, and their fortunes are so delicate that they must have everyone and everything operating at 110% to win, than something has to be adjusted. That is not organizational depth and that is not a winning approach. Maybe winning teams or win some games, but not a winning PROGRAM. New strategies and new approaches are necessary. This is what I – with help from MARC and others – tried to express in postings last week. The “mixture of variables” and delicate house of cards concept.

I dont think cutting Staal or Brindys ice time is much of a message, I’d (like I posted a few losses ago) like to see Lavi pissed off, and I mean REALLY PISSED. Call Staal out all together, rip him in the media or something. Athletes that make it this far in a sport are clearly very competitive people who have a strong desire to be the best. Maybe calling him out would be a sort of challenge for him to get his act together.

Here’s a very different point of view. To this point the Canes are greatly exceeding reasonable expectations. Few of the experts rated them higher than 20th in the NHL or 4th in the Southeast this season. Our first line is an unexpected and complete disapointment. Our defense is consisently without 1 and usually without 2 of our top 4 defensemen. The depth there that should be trade options for offense has been essential just to field 6 NHL calibre players on our backline. Our power play of late is the worst in the league and only detracts from our 5 on 5 game. Goal tending is improving, but at best only slightly above average in the league. With this reality Coach has us in the playoff hunt. Better teams on paper are behind us in the standings.

Anaheim came in red hot. Their back-up goalie is even hotter. Arguably he stole this game for the Ducks. Their best players were the best players on the ice while ours were invisible. The refs became picky late in a game calling penalties that were not called early in the game. Based on results we should have denied our chances on our penalty plays. Size matters and our lack thereof makes finishing the close-in scrums exciting but unproductive. The game was closer than the score would indicate. Our record this year is 1 and 1 with the Ducks. Few teams in the league would be disappointed with that outcome. The fixes? They will come from the first line and the powerplay. Both are doable. Both are probably the same thing.

Here’s a serious question that occurred to me while eating some lunch…

What if our team really is just average? Do fans of all 30 teams really think their team should be winning every game? In reality, there has to be a 20th best team and a 30th best team, regardless of how hard everyone plays. What if our team is just the 8th best team in the conference?

I’m not saying I don’t think our team is great or that I don’t want them to play harder sometimes…but every team has a place and hypothetically what if our team really is just average?

—Justin

The first words out of everyone’s mouth is fire Laviolette. I do not agree with this. And as for having no passion. You obviously don’t watch him on the bench.

Our power play needs work. We need somone to step up to the plate to help the team with it.

I also don’t agree with calling out players in the media. It doesn’t do anything but pull down what little morale is left.

I have never been a Jim Rutherford fan and I would love to see him gone.

Even average teams have to give 100% all of the time in order to compete… I don’t think our Stanley Cup team was too far above average… but they always put forth 100% effort and had no regrets… if they lost then at least they lost knowing there was nothing more they could have done…

As it is now… they aren’t even faking it good.

I said last week that I thought our team was average or maybe just a little above average… but if every guy on the ice pulled his weight for every shift over the entire game… they could at least compete….

Can’t win a hockey game in two periods…

Tom,
I think your point posted right when I posted mine gets to what I was hoping to address, only MUCH better. :) Thanks!

Yea I like Toms points he makes………..

Well, to Justin,

First I would axe Lavi and eat the money. We lost more than that from not making the PO’s last year, so head it off at the pass. Next I would bring in Ron Francis as temp. coach. He is involved with player developmenbt and no one on the time has more exper. on the ice. It gives instant respect and authority. Then I would suggest that he tactifully asks Staal and Brindy to sit up in the press box and “evaluate” what they see. Let Rowe get his sea legs under him if he’s next. Then start playing real hockey. You play well, you get minutes. If not we work on what ails you. If we can’t fix it, put your house up sale you are either going to Albany or to the highest bidder. Once the atmosphere has settled into a routine and the players have been evaluated and the team strategy has been reorganized, bring in Rowe, make an offer on Scotty Bowman, whoever, I don’t care. Neither does Lavi. Some one mentioned Lavi’s intensity, I noticed that every time he got gum spitting mad last year we lost the game.

I think Rods and Erics “eval” period should last 2 games. I think by Christmas they had better sort stuff out. If not in a stronger position than last year by mid January, then jump ship and rebuild around Staal, if he’s worthy and Sutter and the like. Sell off the money you can get and start from scratch and rebuild.

My honest true opinion is that JR got Lavi and they exploited the new system and got the Cup. Well that’s fine and dandy but nothing has clicked since. They shot thier wad and it’s over. Time to get with the league and compete or rebuild a team that can. Under Lavi’s system this team can’t and hasn’t been. I wouldn’t of given him the contract and probably fired him the next year, but, I never liked him on the island and don’t now. I just believe this team is better than 500. Despite the record they aren’t playing 500 hockey.

As for effort. That’s just like intentions. If it isn’t full throttle all the way even the best go awry. This team has not put forth thier best for 60 minutes in along long time.

That is the coachs job, if you can’t squeeze extra effort out you failed and he isn’t even getting full effort.

I still think this team has potential. Lavi don’t.

Man I hope they don’t get Melrose or Tort’s.

So there is an answer to the question with a plan for whatever the results may be.

A

Good points Tom, I was working on an article comparing preseason media expectations, salary issues, and YTD results. I’ll throw out a couple of other tidbits as well.

For those of you noting the team’s financial stress, (also mentioned in an N&O article last week), if Laviolette is fired, I doubt he would remain unemployed for long. As soon as he gets another job, the Canes would be free from future obligations to him. So the decision to hang on to him or fire him probably is not based upon finances. I believe it is based upon his relationship with Rutherford, and if the two of them continue to see eye to eye on things.

BTW Samsinovfan,

I don’t know what it means either, I was pissed and what I wrote was rather foul so I used that instead.

Feel free to use it anytime!!

A

Forslund suggested in his blog yesterday that Williams could go on Thursday.

Carolinahurricanes.com is suggesting that he could play “sometime this week…”

I don’t think that Williams coming back will cure all that is wrong w/ us…. but it sure would provide a lift for the team to have him back…

Guess we’ll see..
-M.

Replacing Coach would only improve the team if you would replace him with another coach who could pull more out of this team with better tactics or better motivational skills. Every place that he has coached before would take him back if they needed a change. Says a lot. When you change for the sake of change odds are 50/50 you make things better, 50/50 you make them worse.
Our problem is simple, size matters. A bigger coach won’t change that need. The change in the way the game is called since we won the Cup is as big as it was pre to post lockout. In our Cup year obstruction was taken out of the game. Period. It is now back in the game. Meaningless hooking is always called, nearly every other sort of contact on players without the puck is allowed. In 2006 our players could stand near the net and play hockey, in 2008 they get pummeled ruthlessly without the thought of a penalty. (Especially Stahl.) Right now we don’t have forwards who can take the contact and still play the puck. In 2006 we could productively cycle the puck on everyone, today we can only do that against the “smaller” teams like us. Today big and pretty fast trumps small and fast. Our team is still small and fast. Sometimes it gets hard to watch. (Detroit, Nashville and Anaheim come to mind this season.) It’s almost enough to make one hope they can trade anyone for Holik. Wow, I can’t believe I said that.

Detroit is a neat comp. We have Ruutu who is a banger, Eaves is supposed to be. Couple of the D guys, mainly Gleason should be. What we don’t have is a Franzen or a Homer. Neither are that much bigger than our guys, but they play like it. I don’t think an enforcer from outside th team is needed. The team needs to police the ice like they own it. Sutter gets creamed, everyone on the ice is on the guilty guy like white on rice. Screw 5-3. After a short while the league will get the hang of not killing our players. As for the occaisonal fight, we got guys that will. Walker, Brookbank hell Rod was ready the other night. The guys have to be a team. One asskicker does not make a line, let alone a team. LaRouque will be lesslikley to make a nasty one if he knows 5 guys are going to jump and pound his ass. Gonna put some pressure on the goalies for sure, but with the breakaways and poor play, it isn’t that much diff. Once the team acts as a team, I honestly and truley believe alot of diff. can be had. It has to start from the coachs and work down and make a team.

My .02

A

To all you who want to fire the Coach, I suggest you look at the events of this Summer:

1) JR throws Lavy under the bus after the season ends, then hangs him out to dry for a couple of months for good measure. How can this not spill over to his relationship with the team? If Lavy goes, what makes anyone think the team will be better?

2) JR trades Cole (a top 5 power forward ) for Pitkanen. With Cole (and his speed) gone, Stall has less space to
work in, he struggles and the fans are on his case. Pitkanen is average in his own end, and continues to make
poor decisions which hang out the goalie, just as he did in Philadelphia and Edmonton. We did not need another Corvo, we needed a defenseman like Aaron Ward or Hatcher (when he was healthy) with a mean streak and attitude.

3) JR signed Melichar (who can’t cover) and Babchuk (who plays like Julie Andrews) at 1.0 million each. Neither of these guys is an NHL quality player.

4) JR overpaid Samsonov based on 1/2 season, then the team
  struggles with salary issues?

Coach is not the problem here.

2)

First off, anything this team does to “change” things up will be better than what they are doing now. For Godsake, we can only go up from here right? So if they get rid of Lavi and the same train continues to roll in a ball of flame, well then we know it is probably the players. Seriously, how low can we get? Scoring 1 to 2 goals a game is not gonna get ya to the playoffs and everybody here knows that. The reality is is that this a very talented team that is not using their talent to win games. Yes, I expect this team to win at least 80% of the time. The core of this team is still the core group from the ‘05-’06 season (minus a few). There is no excuse for the way they are playing.

As for why fans are not showing up, well, why should I spend $20+ in fuel, $60+ in tickets, and $15+ in food to see a game like last night? I’m not takin the chance that they will lay a clunker like that on Sunday. I won’t even take my brother, who has never seen a game in person, to a game because of the way they are playing. Wouldn’t want to leave a bad impression on him.

If Lavi is fired, look for his replacement to come from within. No Melrose, no Tortorella. Thank God.

Maybe it’s time to give Conboy, et al, chances on the blueline, give up on Melichar, and move Babs to #7 D.

Haven’t seen but one game this year — has Brindy really slowed down that much? And if Cole made space for Staal, why hasn’t Ruutu been able to do the same?

Don’t forget $10 for parking (if you don’t have a parking pass).

In regards to JR throwing Lavi under the buss and then leaving him out to dry… LAVI DIDN’T DO HIS JOB!!! He was supposed to conduct exit interviews w/ players… this is not optional… it is required of him by his boss and he did not do it… any of our bosses get pissy when we don’t do what is required of us at our jobs…

And can we get over Cole being traded???? Cole isn’t really doing too good this season anyway… and I am not sure where you are sitting for the games… but Pitkanin is one of the few players who looks like he is trying to do anything he can for the team… (after all… he was brought here to be an offensive defenseman). He isn’t ever going to be Sean Hill… and I don’t think that is what is expected of him… (he could hit a little more though)

In my opinion Lavi shouldn’t be fired. Remember the last time they kept a team from scoring a powerplay goal? Remember the last time the entire starting lineup played together? Lots of new faces on the blueline, no leader back there either. A team is only as strong as it’s D-men, ours is pretty banged up and Wesley’s not walking through the door to straighten things out. Get the defense healthy, things will change. Bringing back Babchuk made absolutely no sense to me though, and Melichar looks like an older Anton Babchuk, stiff,predictable and slow. I also think everyone calling out the coach sounds like typical ex-Ranger and Isles fans. It’s still early, we can catch teams just like we got caught last year. Don’t panic ….. yet.

Oh yeah, thanks. Forgot about that ridiculous $10 for parking (I thought it was $8, but I guess it went up). More of a reason not to show up!

Something’s rotten in the state of… Carolina?
(thanks to whoever reminded me of that line last week)
Well, I think whatever it is is stinking up the locker room at the RBC center. I think this team is average in skill level. But then I think most teams are average in skill level. Sure, there are some superstars out there. But I think there are two things that matter as much as, if not more than, raw talent (I’m not saying you don’t need any skill, just that one assumes a certain skill level is required for playing at this level). These are (on ice) chemistry and intensity. I really think it’s these two factors that separate the top of the heap from the bottom. Sure, if your whole team is packed with talent, you can get away with a little less intensity. But generally, chemistry and intensity (or lack thereof) are what make teams over- or under-perform. Both are either lacking or inconsistent in this team so far. I may be way off base here, but this is how I see it. Finding the right on-ice chemistry is the coach’s job. Certainly the players are involved in the process, but knowing when to shake things up a bit, or let them settle on their own is the coach’s job. Are the Canes at a point now where they need a new perspective (read new coach) on this? I don’t know. The fact that Lavi’s so stubborn (no pregame skates, a reluctance to play Brookbank or let the team stand up for themselves, etc.) suggests to me that maybe it’s time for a new perspective. But I don’t know. As for intensity, that is each players own responsibility. Sure, there are things a coach can say to help motivate his players, but to make it to this level, players sort of have to be self-motivated. They have to WANT to win, they have to WANT to be the best, and they have to want that for themselves. On top of this, they also have to really enjoy playing. And they have to understand that if they leave that motivation at home, they will not win and they will not improve. And they won’t have any fun doing it. They can’t make it to this level without understanding that. Some of them clearly haven’t forgotten this (we all know who they are). So what gives with the rest of them? There is no excuse at this level for such inconsistent (or consistently absent) intensity, is there? Maybe the on-ice chemistry isn’t working out for them even though they’re working hard at it and they’re so frustrated that they don’t enjoy themselves anymore. Maybe the problem is that the ‘leaders’ are so used to being the leaders that they haven’t learned how to feed off of what little enthusiasm still remains in the locker room, on the bench, and on the ice. But the on-ice chemistry isn’t likely to materialize without any enthusiasm. I think Lavi knows that and is patiently waiting for the enthusiasm. On the other hand, it’s hard to muster the enthusiasm without the chemistry. The players need to suck it up and play like they care – like they did last night. I think some days they get it, and some days they don’t. Maybe Lavi needs to make it crystal clear. Maybe that’s the stench emanating from the Canes locker room. And maybe I’m just talking out of my fuzzy rat’s banana-skin purse.
I do think bringing up Conboy would be a good move. Now there’s a guy with enthusiasm! (and a little somethin’ else – call it a streak of instability?) Melichar has failed to impress, I can’t see any reason to keep him here when there’s someone else who could more than fill his role and maybe even get a little spark going in this team.
Wow, on a totally unrelated note, if we think we have it bad with injuries… The Canucks (super-captain) goalie Luongo was injured last week, and now their backup goalie is out with back spasms and their backup-backup is in goal for them. They don’t have anyone to back him up.

I think many here are letting feelings for the game cloud the facts.

*oh and if you think the island would take Lavi back, I want to buy what you are smoking, that shit will pay to get Sundin on our line.*

Anyway, cretins aside, the bottom line is that the team isn’t working as a team. Yea the players have to be the big part of thatm but the coachs have to be the designers and force behind the vision.

this team has a zombie for a coach. He’s lost his way again. Look at the real facts and he has been fired for killing a team (maybe euthenised is better), but they didn’t work under him. We got the same situation here. He just isn;t in control, doesn’t have a rock solid plan and can’t control the players.

Can him now. Let the players choose who goes out, anything wouod be bette than what we are getting.

A

Sorry for that little novel there… I got started and just couldn’t stop myself.
Anyways, Mateo – you CAN win a game in 2 periods. Anaheim did last night. But it’s not a very good strategy in the long run.

One thing for sure, Caniacs are passionate about their team. A lot of good opinions are being shared.