Pretty interesting article suggesting the Kraken season is at an inflection point. But the fix is not in a coaching change. It is in a more predictable, consistent effort.
Allyson’s stuff is really good. I think you should subscribe to her Substack and seek out her Davy Jones Locker Room game recap videos.
by First-Radish727
6 Comments
Now, I am not fully on the fire Hak train yet, but…in my mind a mental slump still comes down to coaching…eventually.
I get what she is saying and don’t disagree, but it’s kind of just an excuse to cover everyone’s butts in a way.
What if we’re still in a mental slump a month from now, 3 months from now, next season. Do we just keep waiting til everyone gets happy again? Ultimately something has to change if nothing is changing if you get what I mean.
I think individual efforts are important but ultimately it’s still a team sport. I think we expected some regression as the offensive assault we showed last year was definitely unexpected, but individual work ethic and individual effort isn’t going to fix the whole team on its own, just my opinion.
Look at players like Turbo, Kartye, Yams, and a few others that have strong nights, those individual efforts are amazing at times, but doesn’t necessarily translate to the whole team.
All this said, we could snap out of it and start streaking and still finish in a good spot. It’s not too late, but that “too late moment,” is looming closer every loss.
I think one of the problems is that we’re still a young franchise mostly built from kinda good players that weren’t protected or were free agents who wanted to risk starting with a new franchise. It’s tough to find really good leadership from a top player to drive that, especially when you’re theoretical two top players are a bit out of a rookie campaign or still making their way up to the league.
This should be branded editorial / opinion. It’s not reporting and it’s void of data.
Also, who does she think sets the mental tone? Why have a coach at all if they can’t do one of their main functions.
Hard disagree that a new coach couldn’t change mentality. I don’t think we should fire Hakstol but I have to argue that a new coach could absolutely change the mentality of the players for the better and to make a claim against it is absolutely asinine. Very clear from the verbiage used this writer has little to say about specifics and wants to stick with generalities just to have a “hot take” that’s actually luke warm.
I think this comes down to the leadership in the locker room. Which one of those guys is going to step up and put some energy out there? Coach can only do so much when when it’s the players that need to step up on the ice and control the game. Hakstol knows the issue and is trying to enforce shooter mentality, but the players need to put that identity out there.
We’re one of the smallest teams in the NHL, 29th in average size (195 lbs). Exclude the Big Unit and we’re the smallest team in the NHL.
We need some muscle, we need a power forward, and we need a 4th line that can dominate and intimidate.
You can get by in this league as a small team, but you have to score goals, i.e., Colorado.