I'm the first one to admit that I kind of gave up on this season about 10 games ago. I was also the person that said there was no way Seattle could lose to either Chilliwack or Prince George and make the playoffs...
Well... I was wrong.
The road to the playoffs are still very difficult but they aren't impossible. 10 days ago Everett was in a pretty solid position... but now they have lost 7 straight (2 in overtime) and they now finish the season with 4 straight road games. Pretty tough finish. It isn't impossible to see Everett getting only 2 more points the rest of the way and Seattle would need to go 3-1 to tie them.
Now let's look at Kamloops. Kamloops is 1 point ahead of Seattle but with only 2 games left in the season. If Seattle were to go 3-1 over their last 4 it wouldn't matter what Loops did. Their 2 games are a home and home with Prince George and with their playoff position not locked in yet you should expect PG to fight pretty hard for at least one game to get them into the playoffs.
Now... can Seattle go 3-1? Still pretty tough. The margin of success for Seattle is razor thin and you saw that last night. They fight and fight just to stay in game (again I say because of lack of talent... but you haters keep hating and fighting the "good fight") and once the 3rd goal was scored (not the 2nd) it becomes too difficult mentally to keep fighting when the game doesn't come very easy. Even Friday night when they did play well they still only managed to win 3-2 in overtime despite out shooting the Bruins by a ton.
So the task is difficult... but not monumental and hopefully the boys realize that despite the disappointment of last night this thing doesn't have to be over. Kelowna should be resting at least a guy or two on Wednesday since they have the BC Division locked up. At Spokane is the game I expect to be a loss, though the Tbirds have had a little success there. Finish out the season home against Portland and Tri-City... both tough games. It won't be easy... but it also doesn't have to be time to throw up the white flag.
Hockey Challenge 2014
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I think they are done. That was a pretty lame effort last night in basically a must win game. The article in the Seattle Times today summed things up well. I'm guessing they'll go 1-3 to finish up.
I don't see this team winning another game. Maybe an OT point if we are lucky. 0-4-0-0 is more realistic.
Actually Kelowna still has something to play for. They can catch Tri for the conference's 3rd best record, which means a better shot at home ice if they advance to the 2nd rd should Portland or Spokane get upset in Rd 1. Small chance but I think they will still play their regulars. At the very least 3rd means they avoid Portland in Rd 2. Getting Spokane could be the lesser of two evils, so to speak.
I think that Prince George looked like the team that wanted to be in the playoffs more, but hopefully the T-birds can rally and play well this week and sneak in.
The defense will have to be a lot better if they are going to get in, I thought they were horrible in their own zone Saturday. I really don't understand why the defensive scheme lets people park in the slot and go unmolested.
I think they will need to get back to playing physical. I can see Portland resting their top lines if they have the #1 seed wrapped up. Tri Cities could also be in a position to rest up their top lines by Sunday.
Personally I appreciate your optimism. Nay-saying will not help anyone at this point. Attitude will play a great part in the outcome.
I hope that this group earns a chance to move on.
Again... I'm not saying it WILL happen but Everett is the worst road team in the Western Conference... them losing all 4 remaining games isn't exactly impossible.
Getting the Tbirds to win 2 of 4 and making sure PG keeps Kamloops out is probably a tougher feat.
put a fork in 'em
2years in a row missing the playoffs.
Last year we had a 5 game winning streak early in the year and went into a tail spin. This year we were in the upper half of the conference till the holiday break and again went into a tail spin. It's time for change at coach and I wish that the owner would look at himself in the mirror and remove himself from the GM position, this game has passed him by, he has the final say on who we draft and horrible decisions have taken place the last 5 years in the draft.The buck stops with him.
As much as I want to see this team succeed. Part of me wanted us to not make the playoffs. Four extra losses to Portland were not going to help this team. We have glaring needs and quite frankly don't deserve to be there. Not to mention do we really want to spend more money to watch bad hockey. As much as it's talked about I have a feeling that Sumner's last game in Seattle is tonight. We can rant on Sumner being fired all we want my only fear is who does Farwell bring in after him. Do we just get another subpar coach or do we finally get someone who can put it all together. Here is hoping for the best.
I'll write more in-depth about this on Monday... but...
I hate to tell all the Haters out there but I'm 99% sure that Sumner will be back next season and Farwell isn't going anywhere.
Which sucks only because I get to go through another year with the Haters whining and complaining constantly after every loss. Oh well.
Also maybe tell us what you think this team needs to be better next year. I would suggest that the forwards will be the least of Farwell's worries. He will lose Toomey but should get Trock to replace at least his scoring. The bottom 6 this year should all be better & improve their stats. Gallimore, Lockhart & Noebels should all be point a game guys. Jacobs could be the trade bait for a top Dman. Hickman and Sanvido need to step up or be replaced. Defence will be the challenge Dillon gone, Button could be gone and then we have to rely on Sutter (who I thought was the biggest disappointment this year), Bonsor, Fleming & maybe Frank and then a couple of 16 year olds. YIKES!!! Pickard again will be under the gun the whole year but we should score more next year. Just my take but we need to add a quality D man over the summer.
Leaving the management intact next season(Farwell, Sumner, Colin Alexander, etc.) and expecting different results wouldn't surprise me at all. Ownership just doesn't seem to get it, and seems to be satisfied with mediocrity. Only when enough season ticket holders start voting with their feet and not renewing, will they take notice.
I for one will be not coming back, after 13 seasons as a season ticket holder, it's just not fun anymore. And if I hear "Hi fans - Jonathan West here.." one more time, I might go homicidal....
Sumner can't get another coching job that pay's what this one does. Farwell knows this. Stevenson must not care about coaching as a future or he would have already been out of here. The third coach is a home only cheap comodity. There will be 3,000 people a night coming through the door. This organization couldn't care less about winning that is quite obvious.
You realize Hickman was a 16 yr old this season don't you? And you want to get rid of him? He was the youngest player on the team. Jacobs trade bait? Are you serious? You don't trade a player who is about to be drafted into the NHL. He's only 17. This was Sutter's first yr in the Dub as well. Never played on the small ice or had to play as physical as he did this year. It was an adjustment for him and he did quite well for a guy still learning the North American game....he'll probably be drafted or at least invited to an NHL camp. And I also heard the Sumner is pretty much a lock to return next season.
I'm with Tyler on another year of listening to folks carry on about Sumner for another year. The real question looking to next year is which forwards do we trade to fill our huge gaps on D? While disappointing the finish this year was no real sunrise. To address some specifics in this thread...Sutter has all the makings of a serviceable 2nd line defenseman. I'd expect(and hope) Button to be back next year. Bonsor has shown some signs of promise though his pack if size is a real concern. Past that......yeah......pray to the trade gods that Farwell can work some sort of miracle in the trade department. Though I wouldn't hold my breath.
Totally agree with you on the whining about the coach, Tyler.
We should probably remember that the last draft was heavy on the D side in the top rounds:
1st: Jared Hauf D
2nd: Taylor Green D
3rd: James Neil RW
3rd: Shea Theodore D
5th: Justin Myles G
5th: Zach Douglas D
6th: Daniel Wray F
7th: John Edwards F
7th: Brad LeLievre C
The only question is do I remain an optimist about the future of the D or the pessimist considering our past drafting. I do like Green, Hauf, and Theodore though and at the very least they are all tradable assets.
Why is it if you are not a fan of Sumner you are labeled "a hater"? That is an awful strong label to pin on someone who just doesn't believe that he is the the right position to succeed.
Is it too much to just ask for change without being labeled a hater? Rob has been given ample opportunity to win and has not.
If you know the road you are going down does not take you to your desired destination then shouldn't you change the road traveled? And for that one is labeled a hater?
Go figure.
Yay, now we can listen to the people who whine about the people who whine about the coaching. Funny stuff, since both sides are right, blaming Sumner for everything is completely unfair with the hand he was dealt. However we all know he isn't going to be the guy to lead this team anywhere so why keep him around... Not sure why Tyler has a problem with this, you made a great blog to discuss T-bird issues, and its safe to say this is the biggest discussion piece on this team right now. And will probably continue to be. Would it really be any better if we discussed the other big issue of how untalented certain players are? Just my thoughts
Actually I'd say it probably would be better.
I think talking about the lack of talent on the roster is a much more relevant issue than talking about Coach Sumner.
I'm cool with people who don't like Sumner. I say "Haters" as a tougue in cheek reference to that particularly vocal minority of fans but I don't really have a problem with those people. I just have yet to see an argument I agreed with that these team failures have anything to do with coaching.
My belief is that this team lacks top-end talent save for Pickard and Dillon and that (not the coaching) is the reason why this team hasn't been very good the past couple of years.
Talking about the coaching isn't a worthless topic... I just don't think it is nearly as impactful as the talent issue.
I would call some of the "haters" because a few of them have actually used the the word on the T-birds facebook page. They say they hate him. While some have salient points about why they want a coaching change most just say "he sucks" or words to that affect or mimic what others say without knowing what they are talking about. Mostly sophomoric comments from fans with no clue. Tyler is right, it is the lack of talent and not the coaching that is the major issue right now with this team. Hopefully the last few drafts are correcting that. And for those who scream and yell while the coach is conducting an interview? How childish. What makes you think you 7 or 8 fans are more important than the 100s of others who want to hear what the coach has to say? This idea that buying a ticket gives you that right is ridiculous. It doesn't. Buy something at Wal-Mart then scream and yell at the clerk and see what happens. You'd probably get arrested. I just hope that when Sumner is back again next season you all keep your promise and stay away.
I completely agree with the last post. I am not a Rob fan but I see no point to the ranting and raving -- the anger and all the negative energy being spent on what feels like personal attacks on him.
The fact is that the team this year was better than the 2009-10 team. They worked harder and games felt very different; well most of them. I don't think this is a team that can go "all the way" next year, especially if the American Division continues to be this tough, but they will compete and they will make the playoffs.
Tyler, as always thank you for your posts and insights and the anti-inflammatory way you present it.
I agree with the two posters above me. I cannot believe the horrible things that are yelled at Sumner during his radio interviews. One drunk idiot even yelled stuff all during the player awards last night. It's just so...unnecessary.
Maybe if this team wouldn't have failed to make the playoffs two years in a row poor Rob and Russ wouldn't have to endure all this "mean" behavior from fans. I would say that they should feel lucky to have some fans so passionate about their team to ask for changes in the manner that seems appropriate given the results of the previous two years.
Not everybody is as Milk Toast as all the apologists on this board.
Rob and Russ should be thankful they are not in a market that has any media coverage, because if they were, they would have reporter after reporter and article after article written about their woeful record of the past seven years.
Rob & Russ are big boys, they can handle it. But ruining the game experience for other fans because you think you're more important than the other fans is selfish. You aren't the only one who buys tickets. If you don't like the product, stop buying it.
If the opinions of other fans who are expressing their frustration "ruins" the game experience for you. I would suggest changing your allegience to a team that at the very least is competetive. Coaches and organizations that have shown a history of NOT being competitive. Should endure some critics. At least Rob doesn't have to answer to them.
Although as you say Rob is a big boy and can handle it right? That must be why he told one fan to get the F--- out of here!
Good thing the "Big Boy" has you defending him on a Blog.At least he doesn't have to answer to someone with a pen
Yelling at the top of your lungs to drown out an interview isn't expressing your opinion...it's trying to make yourself the center of attention. I'm defending no one but the fans who want to hear what the coach had to say.
Are you waiting for some kind of insight from a post game interview? What's he going to tell you that you don't already know? Is Tom going to ask him some tough questions? Why don't you just get into your car and listen to his drivel on the way home if somebody expessing themselves bothers you so much. Don't be stupid
So I am guessing from this last comment that the "right" that a few feel they have to boo and scream at the top of their lungs during a post a post game interview (that you obviously do not think much about, by the way you talk about Thom's line of questions) by faar outweight the rights of a majority of peoples actually trying to listen (wether they like Sumner as a coach or not) and that THEY should be the ones leaving the arena if they are bothered by the antics of few.....interesting way of seing it.
Yes, because if you've heard Sumners obvious answers to obvious questions after EVERY game you probably realize you will hear nothing of interest. Didn't you just watch the game? What are you expecting to learn from Rob? How we lost another home game because I wasn't able to get the team ready to play AGAIN? Or did we play great we just had a couple bad breaks. We need to take less stupid penalties. We needd to improve our power play /penalty kill.The other team played great.We need to play for 60 minutes not 20. We need to overplay our goalie because we don't think our second goalie is worth playing on a last place team.
There does that just about cover it?
Now get in your car and let the people that want to yell at him have their time.
If you don't like the people yelling at the coach during his post game interview take some of your own advice.....Leave and go home.
Well maybe the game was a great game and the few bad bounces were the reason they lost. But maybe you were too busy listening to yourself yell and putting up blow up toys to watch the actual game and missed all that. So the post game interview would have done you good. Just sayin'.
Why don't you tell me where you sit. I'll come over and stand up in front of you the whole game and block your view. Since you say the outcome is the same every night, you aren't missing anything then are you? Just stay home.
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