A new season, a new coach, a fresh start. NHL hockey is back, and the Minnesota Wild start with a 0-0 record just like everyone else. The optimism is never higher than it is on day one, right?
Let’s face it: Everyone had a bad taste in their mouths after that Game 6 loss at home to the Dallas Stars in the playoffs last spring. There was the lackluster effort for most of the game, then that (called) no-goal that went against the Wild. Not trying to rehash what’s been done for months, just pointing out that it doesn’t even matter tonight. It’s all about 2016-17.
There’s been a lot of good content on WildXtra.com from our talented group of writers surrounding predictions and expectations for players. Will they make the playoffs? Will the 24-year-olds make some positive strides? It’s all good stuff.
For me, the biggest reason for excitement is the new coach, Bruce Boudreau. It’s also why I’m having a bit of a tough time really nailing down some predictions about what will happen. Last spring, I wrote that I was excited for the Boudreau hire as the Wild’s next coach. It wasn’t a great market to pick from, but I thought he was the best choice.
I’m very curious to see how he will make a difference with this team. Yes, the players are responsible for how they play. Yes, I don’t expect Boudreau to snap his fingers and make the Wild a division-winning team overnight. I get all that. I think I’m really just hoping to see something positive, some key difference from the year before.
Really, that’s what it all comes down to for me. It sounds basic and simple, but I just would like to see steps forward on a lot of levels with this team, individual players included. I want to see that from the coaching perspective, too.
Perhaps the main thing I’ll look for is the Wild’s offensive zone setup. For years, and over the span of multiple coaches, this team’s system has done the same thing more times than I can count: Put three guys behind the goal line. I hope some of you know what I mean here.
I’m no x’s and o’s coaching expert; I just know what I see. They’ve got the puck in their offensive zone, passing it around, trying to set up plays. The puck goes behind the goal line, maybe there’s a battler for possession in the corner. Then a third player dives behind the line, too. When the puck finally gets loose, who’s out in front of the net to accept a pass and get a shot on goal? Usually no one.
This isn’t something that happens on every play. It’s just happened enough over the years that I’ve noticed it, and I know others have, too, because we’ve vented about it on Twitter together.
Like I said, I’m no coaching expert. I don’t know if this is a typical strategy that teams like to put in place, if it’s the players doing it or if the coaching staff is directing it. I just see it a lot and I don’t think it’s effective. I’ll be interested to see if this pattern continues.
Anyway, I’m cautiously optimistic about the team this year, because it’s the very beginning and easy to drink that positive Kool-Aid. I’d like to believe that Boudreau can carry over some of the regular-season success he’s had with other clubs and bring it to Minnesota. I’d like to see them avoid yet another mid-season swoon and have a comfortable entrance into the playoffs. That’s probably very wishful thinking right there, but it’d be nice, right?
Then again, the negative side of me knows what these players have shown in the past, knows injuries could be a real pain and knows the chances of them missing the playoffs are probably just as likely and wouldn’t shock me. Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll have plenty of negative takes on this team as the season moves forward.
For now, I’ll take the excitement of opening night with a new face behind the bench. Let’s play some hockey, boys.
This was originally posted at WildXtra.com.
Follow Wild Xtra on Twitter @wildxtra
No comments:
Post a Comment