Did Travis Green mishandle Nikolai Goldobin?

[*Buzzsaw*]

So we have seen the end of the season, and quite possibly the end of Nikolai Goldobin's career with the Vancouver Canucks.

 

It seems Travis Green had limited patience... he was not prepared to tolerate the errors, the occasional lack of focus and the lack of goal scoring production.

 

What are the facts?

 

Goldy had 7 goals and 27 points in 63 games.  He was a -10.   His shooting percentage was a horrible 6.7%... more like a defenseman than a forward.  Advanced stats are here:

 

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/g/goldoni01.html

 

He did improve on his play of last season based on the above... with one serious exception... shooting percentage which fell from a normal 16% in 2017/2018 to the above mentioned 6.7% this year.

 

Goldobin, as anyone who has watched him play can confirm, is a talented puck handler and skater.  His passing can be excellent, but he is also known for some gaffes and give aways, although not as much as might be suggested.

 

From observing him, it seems clear to me he has a problem with self confidence... when he has it, he is capable of just about anything... when he lacks it, he is less than visible.

 

At the beginning of the year he did show a lot of confidence and he was putting up points and scoring.  His defensive play was less effective.  At a certain point Green began to bench him as a penalty for his defensive play... and while his defensive play improved when he returned from those benchings, his offensive confidence disappeared... his shooting percentage shrank dramatically.

 

At that point Green benched him permanently.

 

The question I have to ask... might a little more positive encouragement and patience been rewarded with better results than Green's methods?  Maybe playing him further down the lineup?  He was actually known as a goal scorer in junior and the AHL... might not some encouragement bring him out of his slump?

 

Obviously Green did not think so...  So we come to the question...  Who exactly was Goldobin replaced with?

 

Ryan Spooner?  Spooner has by far worse stats than Goldobin.  He is 27 years old to Goldobin's 23, and has had at best mediocre career... his two best years were in Boston when he was lucky enough to be on a decent team.  This year he has basically disappeared as a statistically important player.

 

Tim Schaller has also had a mediocre season, not withstanding the last couple of games.  He is also someone who the team is paying considerably more for.

 

But because Goldobin has been benched, his value has basically almost disappeared.  He will probably be lost to waivers or head for the KHL.

 

Could the Travis Green have handled Nikolai Goldobin better?

[xereau]

He appeared to me, to be "getting it" just before he was yanked out of the line up.  He was digging for the puck.  He was not floating in the back of the play.  He (mostly) stopped the really dangerous passes.  He hit a LOT of posts, meaning, he was beating goalies.  He appeared to me, to be doing as the coach asked.

This being said, we do not know what goes on behind the scenes.  We don't know what kind of person Goldie is.  We don't anything about what kind of attitude he has in training. Not saying its bad.  We don't know what kind of attitude when he has one on ones or when criticized or leaned on by the coaches.  Not saying its bad.  We simply do not know. Given that he appeared to be finally become a complete player, there surely must be more to this story that we as fans on the outside are missing.

[b3.]

5 minutes ago, xereau said:

He appeared to me, to be "getting it" just before he was yanked out of the line up.  He was digging for the puck.  He was not floating in the back of the play.  He (mostly) stopped the really dangerous passes.  He hit a LOT of posts, meaning, he was beating goalies.  He appeared to me, to be doing as the coach asked.

This being said, we do not know what goes on behind the scenes.  We don't know what kind of person Goldie is.  We don't anything about what kind of attitude he has in training. Not saying its bad.  We don't know what kind of attitude when he has one on ones or when criticized or leaned on by the coaches.  Not saying its bad.  We simply do not know. Given that he appeared to be finally become a complete player, there surely must be more to this story that we as fans on the outside are missing.

I've had this thought as well.

 

Sometimes I feel the organization tries so hard to make a player something they aren't and kill their "niche" during the process.

[xereau]

Just now, b3. said:

I've had this thought as well.

 

Sometimes I feel the organization tries so hard to make a player something they aren't and kill their "niche" during the process.

[*Buzzsaw*]

Something I didn't mention in my OP:

 

I felt when Goldobin was playing on Petey's line, there was much more entry into the zone with the puck in Canuck possession... it wasn't always a case of 'Dump and Chase'.

 

There were a lot fewer goals scored on the rush after he was removed from the line.

 

I am not saying Goldobin was a perfect player or that he didn't have faults.  But he did show an ability to gain entry with the puck and sometimes to make passes which worked.

 

He also showed a lot more lateral and criss cross movement... and creative play...  without him on the line, the line seems to play straight lines... there is not a lot of interplay.

 

Sometimes you need to temporarily tolerate the defensive liabilities of a player in order to get the creativity. 

 

I feel that Green is very unimaginative in his offensive thinking... he likes straight up and down, Dump and Chase hockey.   Goldobin didn't fit that mold.

[Drakrami]

Maybe Goldobin mishandled Goldobin... Stop blaming everything on the coach. 

[Honky Cat]

Neither option is applicable where Goldy is concerned.

[JeremyCuddles]

I just think there were better top 6 options and he didn't fit into the bottom 6. Baer and Pearson are superior LW options. Eriksson and Leivo both can play the left side as well and in Leivo's case he had some success with both Bo and Petey. Boeser is for sure a better top 6 RW option. So he was fighting with Eriksson and Leivo, and to an extent Virtanen, for that last top 6 spot. And in terms of defense he is way out done by both Eriksson and Leivo. Not to mention Leivo is good on the forecheck and he battles. Brings something to that top 6 that few of our current top 6ers can. When healthy we had Baer and Pearson on the left, both better than Goldy. Eriksson and Boeser on the right. Both better than Goldy, in Eriksson's case it's close but I imagine that 6mil price tag keeps him around there longer. 

 

With all that said I am surprised he went with Spooner down the stretch there in place of Goldy. Every coach has that player in their doghouse that may not make sense. I am guessing Goldy played himself into that role and despite playing better lately it was too little too late. At the end of the day Green is human and generally when our minds are made up about things we stick to them tooth and nail. Goldy had all the time in the world to play better away from the puck early in the season. Didn't do it. Benning went and got Pearson and that was pretty much the end of Goldy since Pearson fits Green's more dump and chase style better.

[naslund.is.king]

Welcome to the offseason...

[6string]

Nikolay to me is the most puzzling of all players, highly skilled who processes the game at a very fast level. Yet weak with physicality ( making strides for sure ) though still short on being completley invested.

 

I recall going into this season thinking coach Green had seen enough of Virtanen and Hutton but he gave them their oppurtunity to make good and they did.

 

I expect the same for Goldobin and if he succeeds you have him on a budget salary too.

[Nuxfanabroad]

Sometimes back-pats aren't sufficient. There are certain personalities who require a circular back-rub(between shoulder blades) in a clockwise motion. Any coach worth his salt has this down. It's no wonder Goldy lost his lustre.

[Twilight Sparkle]

the guy's a goal scorer, and thats it. nothing more. what else can he bring? green knows this, and when green sits him out for someone like tim schaller, and tim plays well, and chips in offensively, cdc ****s all over it, because "the guy we traded hansen for" isnt getting ice time. sometimes you don't get what you want

 

you point about his defensive skills being less than effective, well in todays NHL, thats an element that you kinda need to succeed. brock boeser wasn't lighting the league on fire like people thought he would, but he worked on his defensive game and turned himself into an all around player who can do it all, and these young guys, you can teach them all aspects of hockey that will help the team in the future. thats something goldobin never really understood, and thats why a guy like tim schaller would take his spot, because he "understood" the role, same with ryan spooner. they all know their role and are willing to be a team guy, and not a "me" guy

[Smashian Kassian]

This is crazy to me. Every time Goldobin played Green had him in the top 6 & on the PP. He was given offensive opportunities everytime he played.. 

 

The reason he came out of the lineup is because he wasn't producing with the opportunities he was given. The door was WIDE OPEN for him this year.

 

I remember feeling like this about AV with Kassian. Kassian would play with the Twins for a few games, score a goal, then go back to third line. I understand how people feel & in my case, Kassian was never given the chances Goldy has been. Goldy has been given opportunities. This can't be painted in some way that he hasn't, because he absolutely has. 

 

Goldy just hasn't been good enough plain & simple. 

 

 

[ItalianCanuck1]

I don't blame Green.

Maybe Goldy deserved a full season, yes, but overall I think he had his chances.

 

Simply not a fit here.

He's skilled so he can be succesful in other systems.

 

It's a shame but that's not on Green.

 

 

[NHL'er]

Nikolai Goldobin mishandled Nikolai Goldobin 

[Lancaster]

It wouldn't be viewed as mismanagement if a player like Virtanen had a similar short leash.  

Green probably should have "punished" Goldobin by playing him in a bottom-6 role at times and demanding he play the system and play physical while there.  Then put him on the PK and demand he throw his body in front of a one-timer to show how much he wants to stay in the line up, a la Motte.

Shouldn't just be top-6 or out... something more in-between would have been better.  

[vannuck59]

5 hours ago, b3. said:

I've had this thought as well.

 

Sometimes I feel the organization tries so hard to make a player something they aren't and kill their "niche" during the process.

Greens way break the spirt at all costs to get his way

[tas]

the guy had multiple practices and video sessions designed just for him by the coaching staff. he got plenty of help and guidance.  

 

goldobin improved, and his attitude never seemed bad. green likes him. but either he loses focus or commitment to the details, or he just can't grasp what he's being taught. 

 

give him a shot with another organization. 

[vannuck59]

5 hours ago, Drakrami said:

Maybe Goldobin mishandled Goldobin... Stop blaming everything on the coach. 

Coaches job is to get the best from each player, Green Fails miserably at this.

[vannuck59]

5 hours ago, N7Nucks said:

I just think there were better top 6 options and he didn't fit into the bottom 6. Baer and Pearson are superior LW options. Eriksson and Leivo both can play the left side as well and in Leivo's case he had some success with both Bo and Petey. Boeser is for sure a better top 6 RW option. So he was fighting with Eriksson and Leivo, and to an extent Virtanen, for that last top 6 spot. And in terms of defense he is way out done by both Eriksson and Leivo. Not to mention Leivo is good on the forecheck and he battles. Brings something to that top 6 that few of our current top 6ers can. When healthy we had Baer and Pearson on the left, both better than Goldy. Eriksson and Boeser on the right. Both better than Goldy, in Eriksson's case it's close but I imagine that 6mil price tag keeps him around there longer. 

 

With all that said I am surprised he went with Spooner down the stretch there in place of Goldy. Every coach has that player in their doghouse that may not make sense. I am guessing Goldy played himself into that role and despite playing better lately it was too little too late. At the end of the day Green is human and generally when our minds are made up about things we stick to them tooth and nail. Goldy had all the time in the world to play better away from the puck early in the season. Didn't do it. Benning went and got Pearson and that was pretty much the end of Goldy since Pearson fits Green's more dump and chase style better.

Really then why was our record better in the first half of the season then the second half.