Willie Desjardins' Scratch Choices Make Sense

[VanIsleNuckFan]

People are praising up WD like he is the second coming or something but really can anyone do any worse than the last Coach. I have seen slow goalie changes, constant too many men penalties and sitting some players while others should be. Not complaining about him just not sure we should be jumping the gun on his accomplishments yet.

Ya we could do a lot worse, not saying he's won the jack Adams or something, but if we make the playoffs and get a few rounds deep, he should be in the talks..

[GreyHatnDart]

Most of that bottom 6 depth is because of Gillis- Horvat, Kenins, Richardson, Kassian (not exactly bottom 6 at the moment), and Matthias. Correct me if I'm wrong but the only guy that JB brought in that's added depth to our bottom 6 and having an impact is Dorsett.

Thanking JB for this is still applicable because of the moves being made to get these guys into the lineup. But I get your point. I think our management team is all on the same page and working together rather than last seasons train wreck of poor communication.

[snucks]

Its is maybe time to start evaluating Linden and if he will push Benning or just stick with the present bunch. The coach and his assistants seem to be able at times to get the team motivated but they aren't consistant. The team still needs major changes. It reminds me of a minor hockey league team, not NHL, but the NHL is questionable too. The team will have its hands full tonight. Eddie will have to save their butts again.

[Crabcakes]

Time for somebody to disagree with the OP.

WD carefully manages ice time. This is how he combats team fatigue. Notice that since he now knows the players well we almost never see a player, any player with less than 10 minutes of ice time even if they have spent a lot of time in the penalty box. By the end of the game, the minutes are always over 10 minutes. He can do this because of bottom 6 depth which I agree is outstanding.

If he were rotating players in and out of the line up, it would be much more systematic. Bottom 6 players who play every game they are healthy include: Richardson, Dorsett, Hansen, Matthias and Horvat. The players who are in and out are younger players who have struggled with inconsistency: Kassian and Kenins. The other player who is in and out is Vey. He gets a consistent effort from him but he is really the 13th forward and he slides in when there are injuries etc and out if there are healthy bodies.

Kenins sat recently because his effort wasn't what it had been. He also tries to get fancy sometimes and when he attempted a drop pass inside the offensive blue line that resulted in an odd man rush the other way, he sat the following game. WD is sitting these guys to try to teach them how to play. Play like we say, or you will sit.

I honestly believe that if a player (other than Kassian, Kenins or Vey) sits for some unknown reason, he is probably hurt or needs a maintenance day. If WD is trying to manage fatigue in general, he will give the team a day off practice.

[Crabcakes]

Snucks

C'mon. The Canucks are "fragile" and can't play if a player gets hurt? They just got over having 8 or 9 guys injured at the same time and they kept on winning the whole time.

Bieksa has been fighting consistency and is just getting over a broken left hand but Edler is having a great year. Hamhuis has a torn groin that should be operated on. He is not small, he is 6'1" 209. The only D bigger than Hamhuis is Edler at 215.

Benning has a long term plan and Linden agrees with it. Linden is just not going to call Benning to his office and say, look we need to make some personnel changes here.....The day that Linden starts to tell Benning what his job is, is the day Benning walks. It just doesn't work like that.

[Tambellini's Wrist Shot]

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