Coaching and systems

[hockeyfan1]

Want to see if we can start a discussion here... I'm a life long maple leaf fan, all the way back to if Borje Salming would play in game 7 in 1978 against the islanders.... This team in the last 2 years gives me more confidence than any time I have followed them, except for maybe the 1993 team... My question is... What gives? How can players not seem to follow a system? We have to assume Carlyle is not being tuned  out, he is a competent coach...missing one defensive defenseman in Fraser and one shut down forward in Kulemin does not cause all the running around we saw last night...Carlyle had a full camp... Puck possession was a worry at the beginning of the year and last year... I see this team as having the talent to follow a system... Thoughts?

I don't believe too much in the tuning out part.  If that had been so, even some of the toughest and best coaches such as Bowman, Babcock, Keenan, etc., would never have lasted as long as they did/have with their respective teams as soon as the going got rough, so to speak.

No, it's usually the coach who initiates success and the players who interpret that success on ice.  The personality or rather, how a coach transcends himself towards his players, either by using a certain amount of psychology/motivation/toughness/etc., is key.

Carlyle has all the makings of being an even better coach than even he's shown.  What he needs to do is let the players be players, adapt and let them adapt, learn and let them learn, etc.  If Babcock could do it with Detroit, (and we all know the Red Wings haven't been the same dominant team as they had been in the past), with even a 'depleted' lineup (different players, etc.), then, there's plenty hope for Carlyle too.

The Red Wings have long had a far more dominantly successful organization at many levels in terms of drafting, scouting, trading, personnel and management.  That's been a huge advantage to them.  One can add the Canadiens of the '70s, as well as the Oilers to that category, as teams that built up excellent organizational acumen.

The Leafs are attempting to veer in that direction thanks to smart drafting, player acquisitions, etc., both Burke and post-Burke. 

BTW speaking of that 1978 playoff  against the Isles, remember Lanny McDonald's OT series-winning goal scored on Isles' goaltender Chico Resch?!  Ah, memories are made of this! 

 

 

[Highlander]

hell I was at a playoff game in the late 7o's where Inge Hammerstrum scored the overtime goal against the Bruins...I thought the roof would fly off the Gardens when that happened.

 

[nutman]

hell I was at a playoff game in the late 7o's where Inge Hammerstrum scored the overtime goal against the Bruins...I thought the roof would fly off the Gardens when that happened.

Ahhhh!!! the Gardens.... I miss that grand old girl. I felt the rumble many a time under that roof.

 

[Highlander]

Yes had many fine nights in the Gardens, first time was in 67 and Cheevers was in net for Boston..we won that one 1 or 2 to 0.  Then Loggins and Messina's last concert in 76 or 77 opening by Heart whom know one new of at the time.  Also had the Olympic Benefit concert for the Montreal Olympics; Gorden Lightfoot, Murry Mclaughlin, Liona Boyd and others...some fine times for sure
How old are U Nutman must be in my vintage.

 

[nutman]

Yes had many fine nights in the Gardens, first time was in 67 and Cheevers was in net for Boston..we won that one 1 or 2 to 0.  Then Loggins and Messina's last concert in 76 or 77 opening by Heart whom know one new of at the time.  Also had the Olympic Benefit concert for the Montreal Olympics; Gorden Lightfoot, Murry Mclaughlin, Liona Boyd and others...some fine times for sure
How old are U Nutman must be in my vintage.

51. Am getting up there, but I would not trade a min for the memories of  MLG. I think the last concert I saw there was Trooper.

 

[vm8444]

Well obviously getting outshot every night,
and not carrying the play with puck possession is certainly a flaw that I'm not sure they have the
Personnel to straighten it out.

The lack of technical know how and intensity has me worried till the third period last night.
That they are too easy to play against doesn't help.
Maybe Kulemin Clarkson and Fraser should help in the grit department I'm sure.
Losing komerov and the fact he was a pain to play against has hurt them,
But hey 7-3 all is well I say.

I wish maybe they steal some ideas from Detroit and Chicago
They seem so structured and organized with puck possession
And aggressive forechecking (Hense swarming)


I say copy some drills aka Detroit uses on breakouts and puck possession systems I heard they start all over every time a pass is fumbled etc.


Start slow with puck possession drill then pick up speed it's bound to help,
And forwards damn it we don't need a huge gap between forwards and D
Quick short 9 ft passes always best.


There a bit of a rant.
Tyx

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm bumping a bit of an old thread, but over at PPP they looked at why Carlyle's defensive system might cause the Leafs to struggle at getting the puck out of their zone:

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2013/11/4/5059676/collapsing-defensively-leafs-coaching-breakouts-101

 

[CarltonTheBear]

And this article by the same author takes a look at the Leafs powerplay formation:

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2013/11/8/5072516/the-1-3-1-power-play-leafs-analysis