2010-11 review (micro)

So what happened? Why did the Everett Silvertips’ 2010-11 season stray off course?

It’s rare that there’s a single answer to that type of question, and I believe there were many, many factors in why the Tips had a disappointing season.

I’m going to do this a little differently this year. I’m going to list off the series of factors I think brought Everett to this juncture.

A lot of this is conjecture on my part. I’m certain I’m wrong on a couple of these points. I’m also certain there’s a whole lot of gray area I’m doing an injustice to by presenting in a black-and-white manner. But this is my best effort at deciphering Everett’s puzzling season.

Anyway, here it goes:

I think the 2009-10 Silvertips overachieved during the regular season based on the amount of talent on the roster.

I think that overachievement had many believing Everett’s roster for 2010-11 was better than it actually was.

I think I’m just as guilty as everyone else in this regard.

I think everyone knew the player losses from 2010-11 were a big deal, but I don’t think anyone realized how profoundly the losses of the likes of Radko Gudas, Shane Harper, Zack Dailey and Chris Langkow would affect the team both on and off the ice.

I think the additions of forwards Landon Ferraro and Josh Birkholz during the offseason were intended to offset the offensive losses. However, I think those players’ strengths (skating, powerful shots) did not complement the rest of the roster the way the Tips intended or needed.

I think the loss of defenseman Curtis Kulchar, who decided to head to college rather than return for his overage season, was a far bigger deal than people realize because of his positive influence in the locker room.

I think the last-minute decision by defenseman Chris de la Lande to also not return forced the Tips to trade goaltender Thomas Heemskerk for an overage defenseman (Chad Suer) instead of a quality overage forward who could have aided the offense.

I think with further trades early in the season designed to plug holes, the roster underwent so much turnover that the Tips didn’t fully grasp exactly what they had. I also think the turnover left the team with a roster lacking in leadership and emotional attachment to Everett.

I think coach Craig Hartsburg’s absence because of heart surgery couldn’t have come at a worse time. With all this turnover there were too many players who were unfamiliar with Everett and the way Hartsburg wanted things done, and Hartsburg wasn’t around during the formative section of the schedule to provide the necessary guidance. As a result the team never bought in the way it did last season.

I think goaltender Kent Simpson struggled to adjust to having the No. 1 role all to himself for the first time.

I think the rest of the team played tentative when Simpson was struggling and never recovered, even after Simpson began playing well in the second half.

I think injuries played a significant role in Everett’s struggles, particularly those to Ferraro and Clayton Cumiskey. I think those two never got back to to their normal selves following their first-half injuries.

I think part of the reason why Everett suffered all those injuries, particularly the concussions, is because opponents didn’t have any fear, either of the Tips physically or of Everett’s power play.

I think this team had a shortage of skill, best illustrated by the team’s struggles to catch passes cleanly. I think if the players were just able to control passes cleanly Everett’s power play isn’t nearly the disaster it was.

I think the Tips thought Cumiskey and Scott MacDonald would build upon strong second halves from last season and provide secondary scoring, something that didn’t happen.

I think Tyler Maxwell, though he scored 41 goals, missed the presence of his longtime linemates Kellan Tochkin and Byron Froese.

I think the trade of Tochkin and Alex Theriau to Medicine Hat for Ryan Harrison and a draft pick at the trade deadline was the first step in the coming rebuild.

I think Everett would have avoided facing the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs (though I think it might still have been Portland) and avoided getting swept if Simpson doesn’t suffer the sprained ankle.

I think the low attendance numbers in the two home playoff games were an eye-opener for the front office.

I don’t think the season was a complete lost cause. Ryan Murray was great. Simpson managed to get over that hump and will be a better goaltender for it. Luke Siemens did an admirable job as the back-up goalie. Evan Morden took big strides forward as the season progressed, and 16-year-olds Jari Erricson and Nick Walters showed promise. And while the playoff attendance was poor, attendance remained solid throughout the regular season.

Nevertheless, I think this season was one most associated with the Tips would rather forget.

Next: 2009-10 review (macro)