Last night was basically another small snapshot at the entire season. I really think talent is the main source of the struggles, not the coaching. They outshoot Detroit 49-26 and out chance them by a healthy margin. They don't have the talent to convert the shots and chances into goals, game remains right, a rookie d-man makes 2 mistakes and they're down 3-2 in the 3rd and have to scramble back to get a win in OT. Same thing happened against Chicago. Came out like a house on fire, can't capitalize, suddenly it is late in the game and they make a mistake and lose 1-0. I'd have to go game by game, but I feel like they've had far more games like this that turn into coinflips than they have no-shows like that Isles game a week ago. I'm not sure what sort of coaching adjustments could be make to change the outcome of these games.
I look at the roster and see a legitimate top line. From there, it gets ugly. Krejci is still a legit #2 center, but that's where the forward talent ends. They don't have any top 6 talent to play with Krejci. Backes isn't a top 6 player. Krejci's LW this year has been Schaller, a player who passed through waivers unclaimed at the beginning of the season and Spooner who is a playmaking C playing out of position (not that I think he is any good at C). Vatrano's getting a look now, but he's a 2nd year pro who isn't really established yet. Maybe he hits, maybe he doesn't. 3rd line has basically been the leftovers of who hasn't worked on the 2nd line and Riley Nash / Austin Czarnik. On D, I think they are mostly OK. It'd be nice to fire McQuaid into the sun, but I don't think Morrow or Liles present a major upgrade.
I don't know, I'm rambling here. Ultimately, in my view, they have 4-5 really good players, a middle portion of decent players that are playing too high in the lineup or out of position (Backes, Beleskey, Spooner) and then the rest are rookies and/or AHL fodder. I think the biggest change they could make is finding Krejci some legitimate wingers.