Any Room on the Train? I Just Bought my Ticket

I'm finding myself becoming more and more apathetic towards this season and I don't really know why. I'm not overly a wins and losses guy, I will watch a game we are winning 5-1 or even losing 5-1 because I'm watching for more than an outcome, I'm watching the plays and the players making them.

But this hockey of recent is different; its disinterested and lacklustre play, there is no fire, no flare, and no finish. Its boring in every aspect. I guess this is where you can mark me down as joining the "MacTavish has to go" bandwagon. I'm upset I have to do this, he's a good coach and I enjoy being a fan of the team he coaches. He's demanding, intelligent, and very upfront. I have heard quotes from him that were so critically true that I almost choked. He has had times where he publicly calls out players (Torres for example in recent years), but lately has kept it at a good balance of not hiding a players faults but not embarassing him either. He's a good coach and more people should recognize that. Anytime you take an 8th seeded team to the finals, you know something. He out coached Carlyle in the west finals straight up, working match ups to his advantage (Torres destroying Michalek didn't hurt) and finding ways to win. He has helped this team.

So why have I joined the darkside? Simple: NHL coaches (as in most sports) have a shelf life with one team. Craig MacTavish's has expired, and the play is showing it. They have something like 10 regulation wins in 54 games this season, an atrocious statistic. In the last two years this team has won maybe a handful of games by more than a goal (and by handful I'm guessing under 10, someone look it up) (Edit to add: 11 regulation wins in the last 74 games). The kids are being kids with inconsistent play, but its the veterans who are showing up on MacT's tarot cards. Pisani and Moreau have disappeared after strong returns, Reasoner is getting nothing done, Staios is Staios, only worse. I don't know if MacTavish has lost the room, given up, or run out of tricks but this team needs a shot in the arm. A new philosophy if you will. Not that it will be any better than MacT's but it will be different.

I also want to specify no hiring from within bullshit this team has been infatuated with since inception. If I see Buchburger's name even come up in rumours as our next coach I'm going to lose it. We need someone with ingenuity and a proven track record for success. Someone who looks at the team we have and creates a plan for that, instead of trying to make the team fit their plan.

"I'm buying in because he has the resume to prove that it works."
- Rick Nash, on playing for Ken Hitchcock