What’s the faceoff percentage among the four centers?
- roenick97

I dont know those figures, I thought I read he was the only one who was over 50%. Now, I could be wrong.

I dont know those figures, I thought I read he was the only one who was over 50%. Now, I could be wrong.
- Trox88

Looks like Coots is the only one above 50% at 53%. The oh so useless Hathaway is at 69%.

Looked offside.

I love Couts, but the bottom line is his play has slipped and has just not been an effective player. I hope that changes soon, though it will also be nice to see how the rest of the team, especially young players respond.
- jd250

Gotcha, so would you agree he is still the best on the team on the dot and as a defensive forward?

Offside female genitalia

Looks like Coots is the only one above 50% at 53%. The oh so useless Hathaway is at 69%.
- roenick97

Thanks for tbe info. Not trying to knock Cates, but he just is not good at faceoffs. IMO, he should just be left on the wing.

Damm makes you wonder how the refs missed that?

THERE IT IS .. RIGHT THERE! Frost earlier in the year would have passed the puck but now if the pass is not there he takes the puck to the net which set that goal up .. Oops .. guess it was offset, but still a great play by Frost!

He could say the same about Tippett, Farabee and others.
- bmeltzer

and yet he doesn't

Gotcha, so would you agree he is still the best on the team on the dot and as a defensive forward?
- Flyfly

Couts is the best faceoff center on the team, but his average this year is down from his previous years, and right now his defensive game is lacking.

Don Johnson>>>>>>36 year old Erik Johnson

That's one way to erase a huge f@ck up.

Oh, Brendan Lemieux good enough for Brind'Amour 👃

That's one way to erase a huge f@ck up.
- Pelle31Forever

Thank god it was Lemieux and not Guentzel. .

Couts is the best faceoff center on the team, but his average this year is down from his previous years, and right now his defensive game is lacking.
- jd250

He's at 54 percent for the season, 58.2 percent since Jan. 6.

Defensive game isn't "lacking". Had a six-week stretch post injury where most things were a struggle. Lately, not an issue.

It doesn't matter what I think. It sure as hell doesn't matter what YOU think (whoever the hell you are). it DOES matter how this went over in the room, with Tortorella barely communicating beyond "you need to be better", then scratching their captain in a must-win game, and then sending an assistant coach out to do gameday media because the HC "doesn't want to talk today" (THAT was the reason we were told, and which turned out to be true). That was weak as hell.

And if you don't think the players noticed and didn't like it -- or that the GM and the POHO didn't notice it and were A-OK with it (not the scatch decision, which is a coach's prerogative, but with someone who preaches professionalism and accountability out the wazoo demonstrating anything but those traits -- I can you that you are 100 percent wrong.


Fact: Back in November, Tortorella was asked about Couturier's very heavy ice time. He said they KNEW he had to be mindful of load management but "with the way the games have been, we have to focus first on winning."

OK, then. So Tortorella is AWARE there's a risk of Couturier hitting the wall but decides to cross that bridge when he comes to it.

Now it's early January. Couturier has played 40 games, putting up basically three points per every four games (29 to be precise) and is averaging 20:03 of ice time. So he's doing fine, team is winning, but they're still burning candle at both ends with the player.

Now it's Jan 12-13. Couturier misses two games with an injury (not his back, but something that could linger for awhile). Returns against Dallas. Has a good first game back (adrenaline?). THEN the drop-off happens, steeply and immediately.

It lasts for six weeks. Tortorella KNOWS all the backstory. Yet, reportedly, it's Tortorella's decision to name Couturier captain (which has also been insisted is acurate behind the scenes). Meanwhile, Tortorella had already taken to the crap on the players head/ damn with faint praise method he often uses.

Now it's March. Couturier has never uttered one word of complaint about being moved down in the lineup. Downplays that the mid-January injury had anything to do with his drop-off in play. Actually started playing better in three of his last four games. Healthy scratch for the first time in his NHL career. Faces the music by discussing it, admitting his frustration. That's all it was. A moment of frustration. Insisted he wouldn't rock the boat and would just keep working, which is 100 percent credible because it's what he's done, day in and day out for 13 years.

Where's the coach? Didn't "feel like" talking. Sends an assistant coach out -- who, by the way, gave some worthwhile insight about the area he actually does coach and defers all Couturier questions to the head coach. But the head coach refuses to discuss it again after the game. And won't discuss it two days later when he scratches his captain again in another huge game.

YOU, pal, are not around the room. You have no contact with players or management or anyone around the team. You're a Tortorella fan, and that's fine. But don't tell me you have the slightest clue what's been going on all year. You don't.

No, I don't think Tortorella is going to be dismissed as HC or anything like that. No, I don't think he deserves no credit for things that have right overall this year. He does. But don't tell me "this well strengthen his grip" or some bullcrap like that. This did not help and was not necessary.

That's it.
- bmeltzer

Thanks for the insight. I’m amazed you’d take the time during a game to respond to this.

THERE IT IS .. RIGHT THERE! Frost earlier in the year would have passed the puck but now if the pass is not there he takes the puck to the net which set that goal up .. Oops .. guess it was offset, but still a great play by Frost!
- jd250

There you go again with fantasy and what you think would've happened instead of just analyzing the facts of the play. You just don't learn lessons.

He's at 54 percent for the season, 58.2 percent since Jan. 6.

Defensive game isn't "lacking". Had a six-week stretch post injury where most things were a struggle. Lately, not an issue.
- bmeltzer

Another careless penalty by Frost .. this is becoming a gamely event.

Frost is a penalty factory lately

He's at 54 percent for the season, 58.2 percent since Jan. 6.

Defensive game isn't "lacking". Had a six-week stretch post injury where most things were a struggle. Lately, not an issue.
- bmeltzer

Bill, that doesn’t fit the narrative though

😂

Thanks for the insight. I’m amazed you’d take the time during a game to respond to this.
- Dkos

Wrote it pregame. I'm not in Raleigh.

Wrote it pregame. I'm not in Raleigh.
- bmeltzer

Sounds like Torts threw a grenade and the whole organization has taken some shrapnel. From the room to the front office.

Torts will be Torts I guess.

C'mon guys I know you're bad but you need 1 here.

Wrote it pregame. I'm not in Raleigh.
- bmeltzer

It’s a shame Couturier didn’t take a page out of the coaches book and refuse to accept the benching. “F you. I’m not sitting.”

Good thing Ersson saw the guy coming out of the box