"I see a mistrust in players"

    That is one damning statement, but it's an accurate one by coach Dave Tippett after another shoddy loss by this team. And when players don't trust each other, that's big, big trouble. That's the one thing that has always been in Stars teams of the past. Trust. And a cohesiveness that would get them through their troubles. That's not there right now.
    More from Tippett:
    "You trust your teammates and make sure your part is taken care of. And when you have mistakes or you have situations in a game that go against you, you band together tighter. We’re not going to be a good team until we do that consistently. They have to trust in each other. When stuff happens, you help your partner out. We’re pretty much individual right now. Until we start playing like a team, it's going to be helter-skelter."
    Said Brenden Morrow, "We've been saying all the right things, but talk is cheap. Until everyone looks in the mirror and stops pointing fingers at other people and say, ‘OK, we’ll find a way out of this hole,’ it’s going to keep snowballing and the playoffs will be out of reach. It’s a big hole and everyone needs to start pulling the same way. Right now, we don’t look like a very tight team. Everyone’s pulling in different directions."
    Said Mike Ribeiro: "There’s no trust, no chemistry. That’s what happens when things don’t go well. There's no trust. People are trying to do other guys’ jobs instead of doing their own. It’s trust, and we need to get better at it."

    Also alarming was this: how could this seemingly desperate team get off to another non-desperate start in a game? Here's what I got from a few guys:
    Stephane Robidas: "There's no excuse for it. It comes down to work ethic, and it’s not there. Until we realize it, we’ll just keep going down in the standings. We played a young team that doesn't have many superstars, but they show up and work hard. We didn’t do that, and that’s what happens."
    Morrow: "We haven’t gotten breaks, but we haven’t earned anything. Until we do, we’re going to keep puttering around in last place in our division. I don’t know. We've just got to keep plugging away."

    This team is in trouble.

Comments

[Dwain]

Looks like it's going to be a very long season for watching and short for the Stars. At the moment, they are not a team. We fans can only hope they wake up.

[Brooklun Bill]

Tracey,
Watching last nights game at AAC was brutal and incredulous. Many season ticket holders are reflecting disbelief.We look so balanced and talented on paper. National and local media predicted a strong season. Comments reflecting on ice performances almost become irrelevant right now. How do you change a team "psyche" quickly???The knee jerk reaction is some quick player/coach changes...I'm not sure that is the answer, but something dramatic is needed...and FAST

[fistricfan]

i'm really embarassed for this team. i'm thinking of making firelogs with my season tickets...**** flows downwards, maybe we need some changes starting at the top. the 'young guns' playing for the moose are probably very happy they are on a winning team instead of this mess.

[hip czech]

I was hoping that my old question about problems in the room would not be answered this way.

The "leadership in the room", if there is any, can't seem to get the ship righted either.

Ribs: There's no trust. No chemistry.

Robidas: It comes down to work ethic, and it’s not there.

Wow...

Who are the 'boys playing this weekend??

[hip czech]

Ms. Myers, my 'new' question is:

What has caused the players to choose not to care anymore?

[Tracey]

Hip,
I question the mental toughness of this group right now. I don't think it's that they don't care, I think they've just lost their confidence to such an extent that they almost expect things to go wrong. Look at how they came out last night. Did you see any belief there? Any swagger? These guys are tentative, afraid to make a mistake. When that happens against teams like L.A., who are fearless and ready to push you around, there's trouble.

[hip czech]

Ms. Myers,

Thanks. And yes, they looked tentative. Not aggressive. But is that all that it was? Is a lack of confidence all that it is?

Yes, I know that you can't relay a fraction of what you are exposed to, if you expect to get anything from the players. It just leaves me frustrated.

I still don't understand how NHLers of this caliber can simply forget how to get through a rough patch. Albeit a very rough patch.

They've been through it before. More than once. They know how it goes. What to do. I guess Tip is next. Too bad. Hope I'm wrong.

Let me pay homage to your writing style by saying that it's easier to yank the coach than the whole team. ;)