Red Wings vs. Leafs - Oct. 11th, 7:00pm - SN

[Chris]

Matthews is a problem. He looks like the same guy who was very pedestrian for large stretches of the year. He's too good to not be a PPG player but he's paid to be elite and he has looked anything but it so far

I don't see much difference from last year, despite us being told how healthy he is and how well he is moving etc. He did get off that one great shot off the cross bar but other wise, generally not imposing his will on the game like one of the highest paid players should do.

 

[cw]

Holy hell this team is too slow to play dump and chase. What a miserable effort and this team continue to suck with their net empty because they dump it in and immediately it goes back the other way.....

They were supposedly below average speed last year. Someone did some analysis on that.
On paper, they got slower adding the grit DNA.

They looked slower in preseason. I'm not the only one to observe that.
To me, they looked slower against the Habs.
And they looked slower against the Wings as some observed in this thread.

So there's the opening for Cowan ....

They do have a number of forwards with above average speed so some of it must relate to them not clicking together. That is a little odd because the D with Stolarz is unchanged. One new forward to the top 6 and two to the bottom 6. That is not massive change given all the adds are vets.

More grit might sound great on paper. But it has always had limited effect if the grit guys can't keep up to use their grit. They become pilons. They may to have to adjust their game plan.

It's early. We need at least 10 games to get a better handle on what is going on. Too soon to panic. But given their opponents were not the top teams in the league, there is some basis for concern.

Again, it is early but so far, Matthews seems like the Matthews of last season.

 

[ZBBM]

The one wrister Matthews got off that hit iron looked like the release of old. That was encouraging. His general play otherwise, especially on the PP, was not. It looks like they have no idea whatsoever how to create space for him with a man advantage. I think he needs to swing out to the point sometimes. Then they can feed him so he can try and skate it downhill and shoot.

Their movement on the PP is so predictable. It's criminal that the haven't gotten this fixed by now.