Video: No bail-outs planned: The onus is on Sheffield Steelers players to find a way out of their mess

But injured centreman Evan McGrath - one of the forwards Barrasso will be hoping to super-charge the roster on his return - believes the squad can respond and grow under his command.

"Tom has come in and put some real solid systems in" the Canadian said. "He is really intense, he has come with a lot of experience, a coach that comes in with the resume he has, the passion he has. It is only beneficial or our team and we're hoping to build off that.

"It is everybody's responsibility (to turn form around.) "Tom knew what he was coming in to and you can tell he is a passionate guy. I think that is something we can all instill in ourselves.

"We are just trying to learn from him. He has got a lot of knowledge...he is here to make the team better and in the last week I think we have made steps to do that."

McGrath may have a battle on his hands to persuade training staff he will be fit for Saturday's trip to Cardiff.

Referring to his injury, he said: "It's something minor, hopefully a week or so I'll be back at it."

As for making the Devils' game: "I can't make any promises or anything but that's the goal. "Training staff say maybe otherwise but we go day to day. We'll so how to goes, hopefully, every day is an improvement."

McGrath shares the coach's view that Steelers must improve on the power play and penalty kill. "But at the same time, everybody is going hard, doing what they have to do. It's just not quite going the way we want it to, right now."