No Coaching Change Expected In Anaheim
from Helene Elliott of the LA Times,
Murray said Monday he has “total confidence in Dallas.” However, Murray said they’ve discussed bringing in an experienced assistant to work with Eakins, as Darryl Sutter did until Sutter took the Calgary Flames’ coaching job last week. “I think he’s doing a pretty good job right now, with everything that’s going on,” Murray said of Eakins. “I have no issues whatsoever.”
But Murray's team has issues. Lots of them. “I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. Our record is not good enough,” he said. “And I expected to be better and we’re not and there’s no sugarcoating it.”
Since he insisted: The Ducks’ average of 2.16 goals per game through Sunday’s action ranked 30th among 31 teams and their power play had converted a feeble 13.6% of its chances. They were 5-7-6 in one-goal games, occasions when a power-play goal or two could have made a difference. That failure is on the coaching staff and, ultimately, on Murray. The Ducks have had key injuries on defense, notably to Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm, but most other teams have had similar problems.
Despite his insistence on not sugarcoating the situation, Murray found a shred of a silver lining in the team’s recent narrow losses. “I'm much more encouraged by our play this year than last year except for obviously, we’ve got to score some goals. The power play has to be better. It’s unacceptable the way the power play is now and that’s hurting us big-time,” he said.
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