D. B. Doucette wrote, in part,  on 4/21/2005 11:40 AM:

>Let the kid concentrate primarily on offense,
>

Yea, like that's going to happen.  Team defense works because everyone
buys in.  If one player can't defend 1-on-1, can't be in the right spot,
then the system fails.  I think the challenge is to teach the system and
have enough time left to come up with and teach an offensive system that
can do more than score an occasional accidental goal.

Maybe we're talking about the same thing.  Certainly stretching the
defense is a great tool at times.  It can get the defense out of
position, and *that's* 80% of offense.  Get your shot and execute it.
We've been a little shy on both of these elements, IMHO.   Speed helps.
A quick, hard, accurate shot helps.  Making the right pass at the right
instant helps.  Being in an offensive position to receive a pass really
helps.

I think we need some former players on this list to tell us how it
really is ;-)

>Besides all that, isn't it a LOT more interesting to be a spectator at a
>more wide open scoring hockey game ?
>

Now that's the truth!

cheers, wayne