Since the beginning of this franchise, Jonathan Marchessault has been telling it like it is. It’s not often, post-game, players don’t offer the usual canned responses; they’re very careful how they answer questions, especially after a loss. Last night, not only Jonathan, one of the original Misfits, but also the new guy in the room Jack Eichel, were surprisingly candid about the uncharted waters that the VGK find themselves in following a disappointing performance in their 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins at T-Mobile.
“We’re trying to get some mojo, but at some point, there’re no excuses for our group,” Marchessault said. “Enough is enough.”
Jack Eichel wasn’t quite as direct, but he did pretty much admit that the offense is one and done and back out of the zone, with no flow to their game.
The old saying, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” doesn’t apply here. It’s broken big time and it needs repairing, especially the power play.
Kolesar and Dadonov don’t deserve 1:59 of power play time, which they both had last night, especially when the team only had 4 minutes of on the PP. It’s just not working. I’d rather see the team’s best 5 players play with the man advantage, then take your chances with the other forwards back to playing 5 on 5, while your best players take the next shift off to recover from their power play time.
Dadonov hasn’t scored a point in 42 days or 14 games. He’s dragging down Eichel and Stephenson playing on the makeshift #1 line. He has zero power play points in 16 games/51 days.
Keegan Kolesar has scored just 4 points in the last 46 days/15 games with zero power play points in the same 16 games and 51 days.
To be fair, the team isn’t lighting up the board on the power play. The Golden Knights are 1-for-18 (5.6%) in the past nine games.
They’ve scored only 25 PPGs in 55 games and have given up 5 shorthanded goals while on their own power play. In comparison during the COVID shortened season of 2019-2020, in their 56 games, they scored 31 PPG and surrendered 2 shorthanded goals.
A new voice is needed. I don’t want to see anyone lose their job, but give the reins of the power play to someone else, because Steve Spott’s system is just not working. If you don’t fix this before the playoffs, it will be their ultimate downfall. Specialty teams and goaltending win playoff series and right now, these are 2 of the areas that need the most attention.
The uncharted waters I speak of? For the first time in their 5-year history, the VGK are not a shoe-in to qualify for the playoffs. They currently sit in the last wild-card spot and that’s only because they’ve played more games than Dallas and Nashville.
A silver lining does appear on the horizon, even though 6 of their next 7 games are on the road. Six of these games are against teams that aren’t currently in a playoff position. In my opinion, the next 7 games will make or break the season for the VGK. They must accumulate at least 11 out of the next 14 points to sail out of the unchartered waters they currently find themselves in. Otherwise, a season of high expectations will succumb to the daunting number of injuries, the shortened bench due to COVID protocols, the necessity of throwing AHL players into NHL games, and the salary-cap gymnastics, all of which have boxed this team into a nightmare of a season.
Other game notes and quotes.
As if the team didn’t have enough players injured, Brayden McNabb, who has been solid and steady for the VGK on defense and hasn’t missed a game all season, departed with a minute left in the 2nd period and didn’t return. When Coach DeBoer was asked for an update on McNabb, he said he was having pictures taken. I’m not a doctor, but that could only mean they believe he may have broken something.
Eichel cut it to 2-1 at 17:34, scoring five-hole on a breakaway after Boston turned it over at Vegas’ blue line. It was Eichel’s first goal at home since making his Golden Knights debut Feb. 16 in the 2-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
“I think they might have had a bad change there. The puck came out of the zone and I had a step on my guy,” Eichel said. “I just tried to go to the forehand. I lost the puck and it went into the net. I’ll take it.”
“I think there’re always solutions and things you can do better, and I do think it’s execution,” DeBoer said. “When you’ve got [Max] Pacioretty and [Mark] Stone out of the lineup, you can’t have multiple guys going double-digit games without a goal. That’s the difference in a game like that. Two pretty even teams and a tightly contested game.”
Boston Bruins player Craig Smith who had 6 goals in 47 games, scored 3 goals last night for a hat trick. The announced crowd of 18,109 had a lot of Boston Bruin fans, evidenced by the unusual number of hats thrown onto the ice when Smith scored his 3rd goal in the 3rd period. I guess when it’s 16 degrees in Boston and 65 degrees in Las Vegas, it’s an easy choice to jump on a plane and come see your team play wearing a Bruins jersey, a pair of shorts, and flip-flops.
My 3 stars of the game: Craig Smith (3 goals), David Pastrnax (2G, the GWG, 7 SOG), Jeremy Swayman (stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced for a save percentage of .944)
Next game is tonight vs. Anaheim in an absolute must-win game at 7 p.m. at the Honda Center, followed by a game on Sunday March vs. Ottawa at 5 p.m. at T-Mobile
Your comments and opinions are welcome here at Las Vegas Advisor or you may contact me directly at [email protected] or on my Facebook page or the Facebook page of Vegas Hockey Guy or on Twitter @TheRealJoePane
For more VGK content, check out the Hockey Knights in Vegas Podcast that can be found at this link or on my Facebook page.
One other note: If you’re reading this blog from Facebook or Twitter and would like to access it earlier in the morning before I share it on social media, it’s usually published by 8 a.m. the morning after a game on LasVegasAdvisor.com. What better way is there to enjoy your morning coffee than reading my take on last night’s VGK game.
Jake Eichel first goal at T-Mobile
Marchessault goal with Robin Lehner on the bench for the extra skater
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Drew Thrasher was candid here with his opinion
fuck yes, it’s broken, they were supposed to have the pp fixed, even with stone and patches out our top line is still better than half of the league, the coach needs to go, get someone in here that knows what is going on
Drew Thrasher, is it broken beyond repair that is the real question? Is removing Spott the answer?
Joe P.
Drew Thrasher responded to me
Joe Pane, they need to fire the coach. Look At Edmonton once they fired their coach a few weeks ago, they’re now in playoff hunt and we’re on the way out. They do not have a plan for the offense period, and I can’t think of the last time I’ve seen a pp goal.
We have plenty of talent on this team, there is no reason we should be fourth place in the division
Kobe Hollenbeck asked this question of me
I feel like they’ve been playing like a collection of individuals rather than a team, correct me if I’m wrong
Kobe Hollenbeck you are not wrong, but it goes deeper than that they stopped hitting they have lost their passion and as Marchessault said they need their MOJO.
Joe P.
Louise Millman had this response to my comments in regard to the power-play
I agree with you, especially regarding the power play, Spott needs to say goodbye 👋🏻
Nothe VGK is firing him, WE need to say goodbye. You have it backwards.
Susan Vail sent this opinion in
If we don’t get going, we won’t even make a wild card
Susan Vail spot on, they are only in the last Wild Card spot because they have played more games than Dallas. If Dallas wins their games in hand VGK are OUT of the playoffs.
Joe P.
Joe- Maybe in a strange way this is what we need. The first 4 seasons have been filled with should I say TOO MUCH success.
Michael this could very well be a solid point. Almost like wake-up boys it’s not an automatic that you will walk into the playoffs without having to earn that right,
Joe P.
Brian Mishefske
On point Joe and when your key players are pointing out problems and DeBoer just has that happy go lucky attitude. Losing never feels good no matter what team you love, and this is new for this fan base. We will be lucky to make 8th place and this year with Colorado that’s a death sentence! 27 games left and the locker room is gone with more injuries last night. It’s not fork time but boy nothing seems to be working when we play playoff teams.
It’s not fork time just yet but the next 7 games against 6 non-playoff teams will be the deciding factor if the fork gets inserted
Joe P.
Brian responded to my comment
Joe Pane amen brother and yes indeed, I always speak before looking at the schedule. Oops see i told you no journalists skills here, I shoot from the hip. 😂
Brian Mishefske as they would say over the police radio back in Brooklyn “SHOTS FIRED” “SHOTS FIRED” which is really close to “SPOTT FIRED” “SPOTT FIRED” 🙂
Joe P.
Gallant got fired for much less and with much less talent too. Time for Deboer to be gone. We need grit, we need defense, we need someone to hold players responsible. One name that comes to mind is John Torterella.
Tortorella is a cancer..Everywhere he goes he causes trouble..He cant stand using young players..He tried to bury Chris Kreider when he was a rookie with the Rangers..And look at Kreider now..
Richard Santomauro sent this into Vegas Hockey Guy Facebook page
On the bridge of the VGK Titanic. But we have Eichel! Send Eichel to the bilges, he will stop the flooding!!!!! No, Foley threw the baby out with the bathwater after the “not a major” incident. I have seen it many times in the military. When something goes wrong leaders make radical major changes to try and correct/prevent it from happening again. As a result, the chemistry of this team has been completely shredded. The ONLY player who might be a starter on line 1 of EDM is Eichel. The rest of them are not top line forwards. The reason why the VGK was so good isn’t because of their legacy, it was because they were impassioned to win and had chemistry instilled into them by a great NHL coach.
Vegas Hockey Guy responded
Richard Santomauro I could not agree with you more.
Joe P.
Richard Santomauro responded to Vegas Hockey Guy Facebook page
Vegas Hockey Guy, McCrimmon flushed the chemistry and excitement out of this team. The chemo applied as a result of “not a major” killed the patient.
Robert Franco had this to say
Gallant got fired for much less and with much less talent too. Time for Deboer to be gone. We need grit, we need defense, we need someone to hold players responsible. One name that comes to mind is John Tortorella.
Robert Franco Torts would light a fire under their asses that for sure. And if you’re not blocking shots, you are not seeing the ice. Where has the hitting gone?
Joe P.
Robert Franco responded
Joe Pane, I grew up a Rangers fan and he’s a damn good coach. He’s never had the talent we have except maybe with the Lightning and he won the cup with them. I would welcome him with open arms, and you will see him instantly bring fire to this team.
Robert Franco I also spent many years bleeding blue and was lucky enough to be there in 1994 which helped ease the years of pain and suffering.
Joe P.
Robert Franco responded
Joe Pane Awesome. I spent many of my teenage years trekking from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station and up to the Garden. I was glad to see Gallant go to the Rangers and bring excitement back to New York City.
Robert Franco, Gallant has them firing on all cylinders in NY City, that’s for sure, while here in Las Vegas the VGK are in need of a tune up in a bad way.
Joe P.
Josh Nilson had this comment directed at Robert Franco
Robert Franco, I wish everyone would stop toting this “gallant was fired for less” crap. The ONLY reason he made it to season 2 was because of season 1. Well documented. Their crap record at the time was their final excuse to get rid of him. 🤷🏼♂️
Robert Franco responded
Josh Nilson See New York Rangers. Enough said!
Josh Nilson said this in response
Robert Franco I’m not saying he is a bad coach. I’m saying he wasn’t meant to take them past year 1 🤷🏼♂️
Robert Franco wrote this back to Josh
Josh Nilson, Are you kidding me? I don’t even know what you’re trying to imply. “He wasn’t meant to take them past year 1.” What does that even mean? He took a bunch of misfits to the finals. And turned NY around in one season. He was clearly fired prematurely. He also didn’t have 4 ex captains at his disposal either.
Josh Nilson replying to Robert Franco
Robert Franco management has admitted that he was only supposed to coach year one. They kept him due to the success of year one but his luck eventually ran out.
Josh Nilson I never heard this about Gallant, but if it’s true what did they give him a multi-year contract?
Joe P.
Josh Nilson responding to my question
Joe Pane, I’ve heard it from multiple internal sources.
Do you think he would have signed up if they had said “hey, we only want you for a year and then we are going to go find someone better”?
Robert Franco sent this in
Joe Pane Exactly. There isn’t a coach out there that would take a job as a one-year rental. Where do people come up with this nonsense? 🤦
Ken Masden wrote
They are playing like how they are coached to play…….
Ken Masden which if true is not cutting it.
Joe P.
Douglas Carle has this opinion of what is wrong with the VGK
There simply has to be a coaching change – and far more than the power play coach (who I believe is an actual pylon). Deboer has to go and frankly, McCrimmon should be touching up his resume. You can actually time with a calendar the day the VGK went from a run and gun exciting team to the disaster we see now and that was the day McCrimmon was promoted.
Douglas Carle those days seem so far gone, the stretch passes catching teams flatfooted the power play that got the puck down low into the blue paint the screens set up in front of opposing goaltenders. Yes, the “Good Old Days”
Joe P.
Douglas Carle responded
Joe Pane it is absolutely heartbreaking how this “band of misfits“maverick stallions have been neutered into a team of plow horses. How a GM could take a explosive team that was handed to him in 2019 turn it into the disaster it is now and still have his job is beyond belief.
There simply has to be something going on behind the scenes.
The simple undeniable fact is that since halfway through last season till now the offense has been a total disaster. The power play has been nonexistent. It is absolutely gaslighting to suggest that the problem is Pacioretty and Stone being out (they have done virtually nothing on offense when they are here and frankly are two of the most injury prone players in the league).
There needs to be a broom taken through the front office and coaching staff immediately.
Douglas Carle well if they fall flat on their face this season you may get your wish.
Joe P.
Douglas responded
Joe Pane well it certainly isn’t my “wish“ that they fall on their face. I want them to win the Stanley Cup this year (although I think it’s pretty clear that is not happening). But it is absolutely clear from the middle of last season that this “system“is not working. It is simply time to make a change now to try to salvage what’s left
Douglas Carle, I do not believe you will see a coaching change this late in the season. DeBoer has some additional rope space simply because of the vast number of injuries. But it wouldn’t shock me if Spott was taken off the power play coaching role.
Joe P.
Douglas Carle responded
Joe Pane, I absolutely think you are right. We are stuck with what we are stuck with this season. I can’t help but wistfully look over and see how the Rangers are doing.
What a debacle
Marie Archuletta-Nabit wrote this
They have all the pieces they don’t have the direction they don’t have the chemistry they don’t have the desire they don’t have the right coach they don’t have the right goalie need I say more oh yeah The GM needs to go as well! karma at its finest, they bit off more than I can chew and now they’re choking!!
Robert Matusiewicz responding back to Marie
Marie Archuletta-Nabit everything you said I believe was ridiculous. What they have is Major injuries all season long. This is the best team in hockey and hopefully one day there’ll all be healthy at the same time then prove it to all you haters
Marie Archuletta-Nabit asked Robert this question
Robert Matusiewicz what water are you drinking surely you jest sir, heehaw 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Robert Matusiewicz added this to the conversation
Marie Archuletta-Nabit Well I am very fortunate that I have eyes and what I have seen is a team that is decimated with injuries and if some people can’t see that well they simply do not understand the game of hockey or Sports in general. This is the best team in hockey by far. And hopefully if we can sneak into the playoffs with our third string players playing and the team gets healthy, they will easily prove it and then bandwagon jumpers can take a nap.
Marie Archuletta-Nabit and the spirited conversation continues which is a good thing. Love the feedback from all of you. Joe P.
Robert Matusiewicz everyone can see that there are many injuries in this team but these guys are professional hockey players they have been hand-picked and they have been paid very well they are playing like a junior team right now despite the injuries ,choices were made by the organization to keep a goalie that is not an elite player sorry not sorry doesn’t take a bandwagon fan or a true hockey fan to see that!
Robert Matusiewicz added this
Marie Archuletta-Nabit Still don’t get it do you Marie. Yes, they were hand-picked yes, they picked them to stay However every team in professional sports does that. They are called second string and 3rd string players and are used mainly as a relief during a game for the Stars. In this particular case because of injuries, they have to carry the whole load which was never intended for any of them. And as far as the goalie goes, if all the star players were in there there wouldn’t be as many shots on goal and the goal against average would be much better. If you think for one second, the flower would be doing any better with the Knights you are delusional. AND to prove that point he is on a poor team now and where is he last place.
Marie Archuletta-Nabit continued the conversation
Robert Matusiewicz I get it plenty you don’t have to explain to me and tell me what I can see from my own eyes, seriously !!! If that’s how you feel then that’s how you feel that is your opinion everybody in this group has different opinions just because I don’t think what you do or see doesn’t mean that I don’t know what I’m talking about, good god , no one is carrying anyone in this team they are all playing sloppy !
Everyone wants to be a know it all, Right?
Robert Matusiewicz responded
Marie Archuletta-Nabit LOL that last sentence is only thing you got right. Have a good day!
Robert Matusiewicz and Marie Archuletta-Nabit thank you both for providing your opinions and feedback on a topic we are all passionate about. They won tonight and looked much better. Sunday is a big game with 2 important points.
Joe P.
Marie Archuletta-Nabit wrote back to me
Joe Pane thank you Joe always appreciate your opinion and commentary at least you know what you’re talking about certain people above just like to hear themselves say a lot of words that have no value lol❤️
Robert Matusiewicz responded
Marie Archuletta-Nabit what part of have a nice day don’t you understand give it a rest
Marie Archuletta-Nabit one last comment to Robert or is it 🙂
Robert At least you’re from Detroit I guess your maybe a little ok lol, only because I love the Red wings, they were my first love for hockey ❤️
Dave Campoverde sent this opinion in
Lehner needs to go. Back check and forecheck is almost nonexistent. The team just looks weak, and this isn’t how they play.
Robert Franco responded to Dave
Dave Campoverde Lehner is just big. But slow as molasses. Huge mistake locking him up long term. We need to trade Valarmov for Lehner at the deadline. He goes back to LI, and we give Valarmov some new scenery.
Marianne Coninx sent this in
Very true and great article. Enough with excuses. Something needs to change. I honestly may like to see Brossoit start more. I think Lehner is nursing an injury as it is.
Kevin Homer responded to Marianne
Marianne Coninx you might have something there with Lehner. Brossoit can hold his own right now. He is a solid goalie for us. I wouldn’t push Lehner to come back if he isn’t 100%, plus it might help with cap issues until playoffs
Marianne Coninx wrote back to Kevin
Kevin Homer, I agree. If it’s true he has a torn labrum that is something, you don’t nurse along. He is already weak glove side as it is. Maybe get a cheap back up in trade.
Kevin Homer
Marianne Coninx I wouldn’t go that far and do a trade. See how it plays out, but we need to win some games down the stretch, as well as work in those players off LTIR, only way to do that is to shift cap around. Let Brossoit play if he does well, and we go all in with Lehner next season still, we can get some good players in trade for Brossoit.
Marianne Coninx responded
Kevin Homer well I mean Thompson plays well but I don’t know as him being a solid back up for Brossoit IF something happened to Brossoit. That’s why I mentioned that
Kevin Homer replied
Marianne Coninx I think Thompson could do well of he saw more NHL ice time as a starter and not a backup. It’s hard to be consistent when you aren’t playing as often, or you relieve someone in the middle of the game. Can’t get in the mindset when you have no idea when you will be playing.
I do think we need to be cap creative. Martinez needs some ice time before playoffs, but he carries a $5.25m salary hit. Who do we move if we play both our current goalies? Lehner is $5m and Brossoit is $2.3m
Marianne Coninx
Kevin Homer yea. We have to be creative for sure. At this point short of a couple, many are expendable if their play continues. I’ve heard they wanted to move Dadanov but nobody wants him. I don’t know what’s going on with Martinez. At this point it has to be beyond the injury and Covid.
Marianne Coninx also added
Kevin Homer and I agree Thompson would need more ice time
Toby-Murphy Pilkington offered this suggestion to fix the scoring
They seem listless, almost disinterested at times…. can’t coach that. Nonetheless having Dadinov on the 1st line with Eichel seems like a BIG waste….put. Marchy or Smith with him and perhaps then you’ll have a legit 1st line.
Toby-Murphy Pilkington not a bad idea but if you do this then you break up the “Misfit Line” which has been their best line as of late.
Joe P.
How about Roy? He.s a grinder and does have a nose for the puck.
Bill Dickerson wrote this
Pretty accurate. Tonight, through the road-trip will be key. The good part is our division is not good. Only Calgary has some separation. With that said this team was constructed for the cup and this seems to be the furthers it has been. If this road trip goes bad it could even lead to being sellers at the deadline. Foley is not one to accept that
David Kogowski wrote this
McNabb injury could prove to be costly if he needs to miss a lot of time. Especially if Lehner is in net.
David Kogowski very true McNabb has been a rock on defense.
Joe P.
Vincent D Gori wrote this opinion on the teams lasck of scoring
Stone and Patches out don’t help but they are not the sole solution to our crappy play. Neither of them have been contributing in the goal department either. There is little team effort and no consistency
Anthony Soro wrote this
Edge! more like a butter knife.
Damien Garrett sent this opinion in
Pathetic and frustrating effort from the boys. If we play badly like this for the rest of the season. The golf course is waiting
Damien Garrett they will get good tee-off times that’s for sure.
Joe P.
Barb Sinatra Burdo wrote this comment
We can’t win games when they are struggling to score goals
Brian Mishefske responds to Barb
Barb Sinatra Burdo bingo! Could not establish a good offensive line last night and again this power play has disappeared!
Denise Chapman McClung sent this opinion in
They need to have a few practices dedicated to passing. So tired of seeing passes behind and in the skates of a break away player.
Derick
Hey Joe.
Great recap! Nice to at last see some reactions from the VGK fans.
This time I don`t have to write some “aggressive” comments. Good1
The commentators on ESPN, who spent half the game laughing at internal jokes, did say the same things as many of the comments from the fans on this site. Were not alone.
I`m not betting on the Knights to get to the playoffs.
I`m almost hoping they wont do it. I hate it when the VGK lose due to bad coaching and a lot of players without enough skills to pass the puck more than one meter to a linemate.
I lose it like Gallant did at a game Rangers won in the last dying seconds. Zibanejad got under his skin and Gallant went dangerously red in his face. His eyeballs almost popped out of his head and a guy in the staff went for the heartstarter behind the bench.
I´m exaggerating a bit but maybe DeBoer must show the red face he used when he coached the Sharks.
If the Henderson players playing on the fourth line is the best young players in the system, Vegas is out on thin ice.
We don`t like it when hockey players are drowning.
This season is lost. Even if Vegas gets a wild card, there are to many good teams to get by in the playoffs.
And these teams are much more fun to watch. Watching Vegas Golden Knights play hurts. It`s not fun anymore.
Christopher Reade wrote this
The difference in passing and stickwork between Boston and VGK last night was stunning. And that is a team that is 4th in the Atlantic Division.
AJ Behl wrote this about my thoughts on last night’s game and where the team is headed
Spot on but prefer SPOTT GONE!
Craig Klatt added to AJ comment
Even I can see this is right on!!!!!!
Johnny Lawless added this comment to the conversation about the power play
Good article. Not sure calling out Kolesar who has had very little PP opportunity is fair or productive when the rest of the team has been miserable at it all year. But good article overall.
Johnny Lawless he has had enough time for me to see that he is just not the right guy for the power play. I rather see Carrier in his spot while they are playing a short bench because of the vast number of injuries.
Joe P.
Andrew Gilland responding to Johnny
Johnny Lawless not having Stone, Pacioretty, Janmark, and now McNabb 2 key frontline players and a massive defenseman it’s hard to find you’re MOJO and it gets in your head wtf can we do they just need to stay focused stay strong don’t give up.
Johnny Lawless asked this question
Joe Pane who is the right guy based on what you’ve seen? Keegan has less PP TOI/GP than 15 other players. Yet his PPG/ 60 is right between Smith and Stone.
Johnny in tonight’s game against the Ducks we saw the first unit of the Misfits with Eichel and Pietrangelo or Theodore on the point. I like that combo, Spott took Kolesar completely off of the PP last night and used Stephenson Amadio and Roy and Carrier. They still went 0-4 but they seemed to have more puck movement and even got the puck into the bumper guy a few times which hasn’t been the case for the most part.
Joe P
Hey Joe.
Any thoughts about the trade deadline?
There are some players who should be fasten the seatbelts according to the way they play.
Dadonov doesn`t even make his mother proud of the way he`s playing.
Theodore has found a new soulmate in Hague. They are competing against each other in the sport “Hitting the stick of an opponent with a let-out-pass”.
As Coghlan is scatched more than often, Theodore and Hague are way ahead of the rest of the roster.
Theodore will not get any better. Hague is still young so Theodore is expendable as I see it.
As Theodore has a very good reputation around the league for some strange reason, he`ll be worth a lot.
Either fixing a Cap-hit or getting a good D-man in return.
Trade him before the other teams gets the grip of his shortcomings.
I`ve said it before, get Martinez to work as a mentor for Whitecloud. He`ll be a solid D-man in a few years.
Trade for one or two solid D-men who can play some of the extra minutes Pietrangelo plays game in and game out.
His second name is “Exhausted” late in every game.
Lehner is a very good goalie with the right help from all five players on the ice.
He`s makes a save on most of the first shots but needs the D-men to take away the puck or the defenders on the rebounds.
If he`s going to stay the team must play for him.
Last night Whitecloud chrashed into the skate of Lehner and knocked him down. That lead to the fourth goal for Boston.
That was probably a lack communication.
I think Lehner is haunted by the “Ghost of Fleury” at the Fortress. He`s trying to much at home. He`s much better at the away games.
The jury is out there with the future of Lehner.
Deboer must give Thompson some games to prove if he´s near the NHL standards.
Brossoit isn`t a number one goalie in the NHL. He`s a back-up.
Coghlan can`t have any itches due to all the scratchings.
Coghlan is a young version of Theodore making all the mistakes he does. They are both weak along the boards and get pushed a side in front of Vegas goal. It`s hard to see him as a Vegas defender in the future.
Hutton is a good AHL D-man. Keep him as a spare part. At least he enjoys playing in Vegas.
McNabb must stay as a defensive D-man and a great hitter.
Martinez is cut in the mold of an allround D-man among the best in the league.
Pietrangelo is the “General” among the D-men. Very good allround.
The “Misfit-Line” is almost untouchable. If they trade away Smith for contracts/Cap-Hit reasons they might split up Karlsson and Marchessault.
Kolesar isn`t even a poor mans Reaves. Reavo looks like a peacemaker at the Rangers games. He found his role in Rangers as he did in Vegas in the beginning. Gallant must be grateful to Reaves for playing the role as “Reaves” so good.
Rondbjerg, Amadio isn`t ready for the NHL yet. Let them play another season at Henderson.
Carrier, Roy and Howden are good fourth line material, nothing more.
Stephenson and Janmark could be the foundation of a third line.
Karlsson and Marchy plus maybe Stephenson if Smith is traded away.
Eichel, Stone and Pacioretty on the first line if healthy.
If not healthy we have a second coming of this season next year.
And a new coach?
Bringing in Tortorella is a little tone deaf these days. The Dinosaurs died because they had nothing to eat.
Old school coaches dies because they can`t hate Swedish players anymore. Plus they can`t do the management-by-fear tactics in 2022. Just look at how Columbus played last season compare to this season. Laine is a new player 21-22, scoring goals like he did in Winnipeg in his rookie season.
What about Barry Trotz?
He took the Caps to a SC win 2018 after 4 years with the team. That was a good offensive team.
Then he took over the Islanders in the 18/19 season. I don`t knowhow they played before, but he turned them in to a solid defensive team (ask Lehner). He took them to a Conference SF loss 18/19, to a Conference Final loss both in 19/20 and in 20/21.
Now he`s been coaching the Islanders 4 years exactly the same amount of years as for the Caps.
It`s time for him to use his 4 years coaching cycle system. Lehner could be the bridge between Vegas and Trotz.
Marie Archuletta-Nabit wrote this
They have all the pieces they don’t have the direction they don’t have the chemistry they don’t have the desire they don’t have the right coach they don’t have the right goalie need I say more oh yeah, The GM needs to go as well! karma at its finest, they bit off more than I can chew and now they’re choking!!
I was hearing from both VGK and Bruins fans that Eichel is poison in the locker room. Is this a possible reason for such a lack of “mojo”?
Jill
I have not heard such a thing, but I will tell you that winning cures everything no matter the size of the problem. Plus, what goes on inside of an NHL locker room is not something a fan would really know. Even when we had access to the locker rooms prior to Covid nothing is really learned on what goes on behind closed doors.
Joe P.
Lenore Vescia Cohen wrote this
I just about lost my mind when I saw Kolesar on the PP.
I don’t understand why he gets as much ice time
Lenore
You can rest easy now because tonight in the game against Anaheim he did not see the ice on any of their 4 power plays
Joe P.
Neil Mullins
Fans. We had a bad month in February. We started the season with Covid problems and more injuries than any team in the league. Patch and Stone are out again. Eichel is just getting warmed up. When this team is healthy, we will be fine. We should be thankful we are even on the bubble when it comes to playoffs. Also, the advantage of winning the Conference is home Ice Advantage. For whatever reason, our team now plays better on the road. We get to playoffs, with some great players returning, we will be competitive. Relax and enjoy the ride! The coach has little to do with this!
Linda Ganz wrote this
I love the knights…we r crazy fans. I am not a coach or management so i can’t possibly know how to fix the problems however Kolesar being on a PP just like carrier in the OT play recently is just a plain dumb move. Goaltending with panda has been poor. Both things need fixing. I own a business and understand sometimes there’s an undercurrent happening we may not be privy to but FIX It! Go knights go!
Robert Matusiewicz responded to Linda
Linda Ganz there is absolutely nothing to fix we are playing second and third string players for the most part because of massive injuries we have had all season. Amazes me that people don’t see this.
Vincent D Gori sent this comment in
Stone and Patches out don’t help but they are not the sole solution to our crappy play. Neither of them have been contributing in the goal department either. There is little team effort and no consistency