We have to stop burying our heads in the sand. Now it's time to tell us the real things: The Canadian is regressing.
The role of everyone in the organization is to help players progress, but that is not the case at the moment. As a group, I don't see any improvement from last season. If we only saw a 5% improvement, which would be minimal, CH would be in the playoff picture, but unfortunately we are not there. If the team continued to advance, there would be more enthusiasm among fans and fewer empty benches at the Bell Center. We must not forget that CH is not a team like any other due to its glorious past and the unconditional love of the fans.
The entire organization must examine its conscience, both the managers, the coaches and the players. I would like to be as positive as she is, but given the results, that's impossible. I have always believed that this should be the proof of everything.
Kent Hughes recently said he wouldn't change his plan if he had to do it again, but given the results he should consider adjusting. Normally your best players should be your best players on the ice, but right now the best players are behaving like normal players, especially the forwards. They even rank last in the NHL in terms of the number of goals scored. This is a revealing and worrying statistic.
Photo Martin Chevalier
Take responsibility!
It is imperative that players take responsibility, be more consistent and get their noses dirty more than before. At least Juraj Slafkovksy is making progress. Lately I find him faster, more committed and more confident. He is undoubtedly the most positive point for the Canadian in the last two weeks, while showing qualities we haven't seen since his arrival in Montreal. Samuel Montembeault also offers good hockey in front of the net. Brendan Gallagher and David Savard act like good veterans by setting an example for young people.
Don't give me the hurt excuse, I don't want to know anything. I would understand such a regression if the best players were in the infirmary. If Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield were injured it would change everything, but they are healthy. And despite everything, they neither produce anything nor make progress.
I don't know exactly how things are done internally, but I find it difficult to believe that management is really happy with what they say publicly. The Canadian has decided to rebuild, but there is still a lot of work ahead of him before he reaches the promised land. We should start by making progress first.
Congratulations to the Three Musketeers of Penguins
Additionally, I would like to highlight the fact that Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kristopher Letang have set a North American professional sports record for most years together on the same team, currently playing their 18th season with the Penguins.
I knew them when they started in Pittsburgh in 2006. It's phenomenal that they're still on the same team after all these years. It shows their loyalty to the penguins and each other. They agreed to make financial sacrifices to stay together. They could have hit the jackpot somewhere else, but that's not in their personality. Crosby, Malkin and Letang always thought about the team. That is their merit.
What's even rarer and more impressive is that all three players are still dominant today despite their age. And it's not over yet. Long live these three extraordinary men!