Jeremy Rutherford @jprutherford · 31m 31 minutes ago
Too much information? Oshie: “I can’t point one finger on it. I’ll just say it was nice for me coming in tonight. I was mentally fresh."

Jeremy Rutherford @jprutherford · 32m 32 minutes ago
Oshie: "I didn’t think the flu would be good for me, but coming back in tonight and not having to sit through all the meetings ... (1/2)

Jeremy Rutherford @jprutherford · 32m 32 minutes ago
Oshie cont'd: " ... and same old practices it really felt good to get out there." (2/2)

Too bad you played like shit tonight TJ. This team is done. TJ needs to go for saying shit like that to the media.

I don't mind having a little light shined on the issue. Better then the typical answers of how they didn't play a full 60 / 200 foot game, north and south.

Sometimes things need to be said. There have been signs of unrest and issues for a while now. As a fan that pays too much money for tickets, I want to have some answers. I do get that a "good team player " is supposed to keep it in the locker room. But I also know that after a while, it starts to creep out of the locker room if nothing changes/improves.

Maybe Osh overspoke..but IMHO, HItch should go out on the blazing saddle as well. Possibly DA. Again, based on the "IF" we go out early in April.

I'd rather honestly go through a rebuild/retool than seeing underachievement like this.

More, but less abrasive; pointing finger at selves, but that also falls on coach to get the message:

Jeremy Rutherford ‏@jprutherford 46m46 minutes ago
Michalek cont'd: "It seems like everybody's doing different things and isn't on the same page and playing with one another." (2/2) #stlblues

Jeremy Rutherford ‏@jprutherford 46m46 minutes ago
Michalek: "I don't think there's one good thing about our game right now. We need to look in the mirror. (1/2)

This is Oshie's third coach. Maybe he is part of the problem. It would be one thing if he played well tonight and could back that type of talk up. But he played like dog shit. Unprofessional.

More info from Oshie:

Jeff Ponder ‏@jponder94 59m59 minutes ago
Oshie (con't): I know we’re not there yet, but there’s a lot of information going around and guys are getting a little indecisive. #stlblues

Jeff Ponder ‏@jponder94 59m59 minutes ago
Oshie on the effort: "There’s so much information that we’re trying to pack in before the postseason." #stlblues con't...

(Me): Could it be they're being 'over-coached'? We heard this before from Cole and a couple others I believe. Something to discuss and ponder...

MIZDSP wrote:This is Oshie's third coach. Maybe he is part of the problem. It would be one thing if he played well tonight and could back that type of talk up. But he played like dog shit. Unprofessional.

What does that have to do with it?

Hitch is Jax's 5th coach IIRC. is he a 'coach killer'?

Sorry, this is on Hitch as much as the team leaders.

There are what, 5 or 6 games left and players are publicly saying that they are indecisive, confused, too much information, etc.

Hitch keeps fucking tinkering with things every time something bends as he fears it will break, instead of just realizing a good team will bend and then find their way back, as long as you don't keep hammering on them.

I really am done with Hitch unless they make a serious run in the playoffs. This is 3 out of 4 years here where the team has fallen to pieces down the stretch. With a 60% roster turnover since 2012, that's on Hitch. New players same dead legs come April. Very similar to Tortorella teams in recent history guys like Hitch and Torts just wear teams out. Also I have no idea how a guy like Brad Shaw is still around after so many coaching regimes.

No way. This is on the players. When guys like Stastny and Michalek are coming in as outsiders and saying the things they are saying, it is pretty clear the players just don't have what it take mentally. Get over yourselves and go play hockey. Oshie needs to look himself in the mirror and step his game up. He is in April form a few days early this year.

ratonmono wrote:I really am done with Hitch unless they make a serious run in the playoffs. This is 3 out of 4 years here where the team has fallen to pieces down the stretch. With a 60% roster turnover since 2012, that's on Hitch. New players same dead legs come April. Very similar to Tortorella teams in recent history guys like Hitch and Torts just wear teams out. Also I have no idea how a guy like Brad Shaw is still around after so many coaching regimes.

Yep, me too. I am stunned right now at what we are witnessing. The awful play, the players comments, etc.

I was soooooo excited for these playoffs, and now I feel like it is already dying.

At this point, give me a hard checking team that has energy over this mess.

Something's very wrong (other than Bouwmeester being hurt and only a shadow of his former self). And I don't think it's mostly on the players. I think Hitchcock is too much into a complicated system, and is changing up the lines and defensive pairings too much. I think that, like Andy Murray, the team, especially the forwards, are tuning him out. It's just a guess. But, he's had friction from Backes, Oshie, Stastny, (and seemingly, Tarasenko and Berglund).

MIZDSP wrote:No way. This is on the players. When guys like Stastny and Michalek are coming in as outsiders and saying the things they are saying, it is pretty clear the players just don't have what it take mentally. Get over yourselves and go play hockey. Oshie needs to look himself in the mirror and step his game up. He is in April form a few days early this year.

I guess I feel like some of Stastny's comments have been more directed at Hitch as well. Talking about coming to this team and suddenly feeling like a rookie again, that his first 500 games didn't seem to matter. Then the talk of how down (paraphrasing) the team gets......i place that team attitude on coaching. I really do.

Robb_K wrote:Something's very wrong (other than Bouwmeester being hurt and only a shadow of his former self). And I don't think it's mostly on the players. I think Hitchcock is too much into a complicated system, and is changing up the lines and defensive pairings too much. I think that, like Andy Murray, the team, especially the forwards, are tuning him out. It's just a guess. But, he's had friction from Backes, Oshie, Stastny, (and seemingly, Tarasenko and Berglund).

Very true Robb; by now you should have your lines set and chemistry committed, game plan ready to roll. Obviously injuries and some in-game adjustments will happen, but there's just a sense of 'complication' or perhaps a combination of that plus the players not giving enough of a sheet.

No matter what, they need to throw some chairs, beat some ass, and then come out and play as a unit here on out, or it will be early exit all over again.

Mph6689 wrote:

MIZDSP wrote:No way. This is on the players. When guys like Stastny and Michalek are coming in as outsiders and saying the things they are saying, it is pretty clear the players just don't have what it take mentally. Get over yourselves and go play hockey. Oshie needs to look himself in the mirror and step his game up. He is in April form a few days early this year.

I guess I feel like some of Stastny's comments have been more directed at Hitch as well. Talking about coming to this team and suddenly feeling like a rookie again, that his first 500 games didn't seem to matter. Then the talk of how down (paraphrasing) the team gets......i place that team attitude on coaching. I really do.

He also said this team doesn't know how to act after losing. As we have seen the past two postseasons.

This isn't 100% on Hitch or the players. If they lose in the first both Hitch and a large chunk of the core should and will be gone.

And Michalek, has complained about how they're playing, after only playing a couple games with the team. He didn't refer to any friction between Hitch and the players. But the undertone is there. Otherwise, he'd probably not have made that quote public, but rather would have kept it private, only in the locker room.

MIZDSP wrote:

Mph6689 wrote:

MIZDSP wrote:No way. This is on the players. When guys like Stastny and Michalek are coming in as outsiders and saying the things they are saying, it is pretty clear the players just don't have what it take mentally. Get over yourselves and go play hockey. Oshie needs to look himself in the mirror and step his game up. He is in April form a few days early this year.

I guess I feel like some of Stastny's comments have been more directed at Hitch as well. Talking about coming to this team and suddenly feeling like a rookie again, that his first 500 games didn't seem to matter. Then the talk of how down (paraphrasing) the team gets......i place that team attitude on coaching. I really do.

He also said this team doesn't know how to act after losing. As we have seen the past two postseasons.

This isn't 100% on Hitch or the players. If they lose in the first both Hitch and a large chunk of the core should and will be gone.

I agree....major changes will be on the horizon. If they look bad again, I hope Hitch is one of the first to go.

I'm surprised how much of you are attacking Hitch and not Oshie.

With comments like that, Oshie is part of the problem. Him and Backes both need to go.

And these comments coming after another ugly loss? Time to look in the mirror, TJ.

Unreal.

I have no issue if they get rid of Hitchock but Oshie coming out and saying this stuff right before they go to war is chickenshit. If he has a problem, it should have been addressed long ago or he should have waited until they were finished playing. I tell you what, someone give me a swift kick in the ass when Mr. Shootout produces some meaningful stats when it counts.

This sounds exactly like Hitch in Columbus, Hitch in Philadelphia, and Hitch in Dallas.

I think they're all to blame for various reasons and all should be held equally responsible.

Despite things not looking very good, nothing is fucked here just yet.

I don't recall reading it anywhere except in JR's tweet, maybe because everybod y wants to rag on Hitchcock so hard (yes, I hate him too), but according to JR:

"Hitch says if players feel they're receiving too much information, then the team will talk and adapt"

So that's at least some kind of encouragement.

MIZDSP wrote:No way. This is on the players. When guys like Stastny and Michalek are coming in as outsiders and saying the things they are saying, it is pretty clear the players just don't have what it take mentally. Get over yourselves and go play hockey. Oshie needs to look himself in the mirror and step his game up. He is in April form a few days early this year.

The problem with Hitch looking in the mirror is he can only see part of himself look back.

OV-ER COACH-ING *Clap clap clap clap clap* OV-ER COACH-ING *clap clap clap clap clap*

HockeyFan85 wrote:I'm surprised how much of you are attacking Hitch and not Oshie.

With comments like that, Oshie is part of the problem. Him and Backes both need to go.

And these comments coming after another ugly loss? Time to look in the mirror, TJ.

Unreal.

I agree...I'm more on page with Michalek here. Oshie has looked like shit since the trade deadline. Is he trying to say that Hitch changed everything up at that point or something?

Steen is the real leader of this team IMO

Qapod The Mortician wrote:
"Hitch says if players feel they're receiving too much information, then the team will talk and adapt"

.

Players: We are having too many meetings

Hitch: We'll have a meeting about it.

MIZDSP wrote:Jeremy Rutherford @jprutherford · 31m 31 minutes ago
Too much information? Oshie: “I can’t point one finger on it. I’ll just say it was nice for me coming in tonight. I was mentally fresh."

Jeremy Rutherford @jprutherford · 32m 32 minutes ago
Oshie: "I didn’t think the flu would be good for me, but coming back in tonight and not having to sit through all the meetings ... (1/2)

Jeremy Rutherford @jprutherford · 32m 32 minutes ago
Oshie cont'd: " ... and same old practices it really felt good to get out there." (2/2)

Too bad you played like shit tonight TJ. This team is done. TJ needs to go for saying shit like that to the media.

Lets take a step back from the edge. Its at the end of a long season, and the team hasn't had to play desperate hockey. A full NHL season is as mentally draining as it is physically. I don't take Oshie's comments as shots at anyone.

Let's put this current stretch of poor performances into perspective. I'm withholding judgment until the playoffs. If they have a bad playoff showing, then fire Hitch and move some players. But what if this team makes a deep cup run or wins it all? Then what would you do with Hitch?