Having written this....
1. Earlier this season Scott Gordon moved Kyle Okposo to left wing for a stretch of games and he disappeared, after moving him back to right wing Gordon admitted that was a mistake.
Don't repeat it with Blake Comeau shifting him to right wing as we saw for Saturday so Jon Sim (or anyone) can play the left side, Comeau has to be play the position he was brought in to play and that goes for all these players.
2. Sim-Hilbert-Park on the powerplay? No more. Bergenheim is a first round pick who skates well and is visible and he rarely sees powerplay minutes, Comeau is doing well, Bailey needs more looks with the man advantage.
To that end Chris Campoli needs powerplay minutes, Doug Weight can go play up with the forwards because if he does not stay long-term someone has to man the point with Streit.
3. A fourth line that can skate. Overspeed demands faster players. Scott Gordon said anyone can play this system when camp started, that may be true but not with three lines.
No more Mitch Fritz and trying to play a hard skating system with less that twelve up front as he sits after a few first period shifts. As games wear on Jackman's numbers drop with Thompson and what we get is a mix where other players wear down between icings that extend shifts and special teams.
The fights by appointment will have to suffer.
4. Make the call to Jack Capuano and get Jeff Tambellini back here now, find out what Trevor Smith, Jesse Joensuu, Colliton, Iggulden, Walter can do. Jack Hillen could use another look for Thomas Pock.
I like Tim Jackman for what he can do but he is not the right player for a club with this lack of speed and skill, same for Fritz, Thompson and one of Park-Hilbert.
Career scoring records do not lie. Poor even strength clubs have to do things to improve at even strength.
5. All veterans ride the bench for a game or two.
Guerin, Weight, Sillinger, Witt all get a game off here and there, not only to find out what others can do but so these players have something left at the end of the season regardless where they end up playing. If Meyer, Martinek, Hunter are dragging give them a game too.
Time for some very tough choices, the record demands other players get a look before Okposo, Nielsen return.
