What are your thoughts on Glen Gulutzan's system?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Being smug after a hot streak isn't so different from being frantic after a cold streak. Both are over-reactions.

Seriously?

That's pretty weak.

I think you'd have a point if I was in here making coach of the year predictions during a hot streak. I'm not.

This could easily slide off the table on the team again. However I do feel pretty content saying firing a coach on a three year contract after one month of hockey when you've done an exhaustive search and are still paying the last coach is pretty easy statement to make.

Do you want to be right so bad you're hoping for losses?

So no I'm not smug at all, just pointing out that people clearly were acting emotionally a little prematurely. Can we agree on that?

[automaton 3]

They look much improved as of late both on the scoreboard, and on the 'ol eyeball test.

GG to his credit has made adjustments, and they are paying off.

Now if they could just sort out the PP.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Seriously?

That's pretty weak.

I think you'd have a point if I was in here making coach of the year predictions during a hot streak. I'm not.

This could easily slide off the table on the team again. However I do feel pretty content saying firing a coach on a three year contract after one month of hockey when you've done an exhaustive search and are still paying the last coach is pretty easy statement to make.

Do you want to be right so bad you're hoping for losses?

So no I'm not smug at all, just pointing out that people clearly were acting emotionally a little prematurely. Can we agree on that?

I can agree that people acted emotionally and prematurely, but your post in this thread was a sarcastic "told ya so", something that the mods have made clear in the past contributes nothing to the forum.

[Flash Walken]

Told ya so's are imminently important to discussions.

How do we keep track of who is an idiot and who should be listened to?

That it's largely the same contingent of idiots as last time should reinforce the importance of the occasional i told ya so.

[automaton 3]

Re: Brodie. He has been playing on the L side, which seems to be a work in progress for him.

Gio also might not be getting enough credit here, Hamilton has looked much improved playing with him too.

[direwolf]

Looking at the last few games, this team is night and day from what they looked like early in the season, and that's very encouraging. They appear to be finally buying in to Gulutzan's system and despite some hiccups on the road trip, it's working. The PP still needs a lot of work, but it did look much better last night with Gaudreau in the lineup, and was rewarded with 2 goals as a result. If they can keep steadily improving in those areas that need work, these guys will be a very tough team to play against.

8 different goal scorers last night, which was really impressive. Splitting up Johnny and Mony might be the best move they've made, as it now creates a more balanced attack with 3 legit scoring lines instead of putting all our eggs in one basket. I like it, and I really hope Gulutzan sticks with it. At least for the next few games.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by automaton 3

They look much improved as of late both on the scoreboard, and on the 'ol eyeball test.

GG to his credit has made adjustments, and they are paying off.

Now if they could just sort out the PP.

If I counted right...

Powerplay is 5/20 in last 9 games. 25%

Penalty Kill 30/35 over same period, which includes a 3/6 vs the Sabres. Still 85+%

Yes, an arbitrary amount of games that fit the narrative of improved special team's recently, but still.

The troubling part, of course, is the discrepancy. Special teams have to be superb when you are giving up nearly twice as many chances as you get.

[FanIn80]

I saw GG yelling at a ref last night and he even swore at him too. That very moment was the first time he looked like a real NHL coach to me, and now I'm on board with seeing where this goes.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I completely disagree. The breakouts appear slower and more measured because the team is carrying the puck more as a five man unit, and it has been working as of late. The special teams have been top-ten in the League over the past ten games, and the defensive coverage in that time I have thought has been quite strong.

Well, I completely disagree with your disagreement. The weak wing on our team is the RW, and that is the side they prefer to break out on. It doesn't get the puck to the guys you want carrying the puck into the offensive zone. When you have one of the most dynamic puck carriers in the game, you get him the puck! It would be like the Oilers not giving the puck to McDavid.

Things are improving. They're playing with more speed of late. I'm not certain that is on the Flames behalf or the fact they've caught some teams coming in on the 2nd half of back-to-backs. I liked the adjustment to put four forwards out on the PP. When you're that bad you have to try something, so credit given there. Still not happy with his lineup decisions. I think there are better combinations available, Gulutzan just has to open his eyes,

I think there is room for improvement, but they are looking way better than they did at the start of the season.

[calgaryblood]

Gulutzan is on a three year contract? I thought he was on a one year contract? At least that was the discussion earlier in the year.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by New Era

Well, I completely disagree with your disagreement. The weak wing on our team is the RW, and that is the side they prefer to break out on. It doesn't get the puck to the guys you want carrying the puck into the offensive zone. When you have one of the most dynamic puck carriers in the game, you get him the puck! It would be like the Oilers not giving the puck to McDavid.

Things are improving. They're playing with more speed of late. I'm not certain that is on the Flames behalf or the fact they've caught some teams coming in on the 2nd half of back-to-backs. I liked the adjustment to put four forwards out on the PP. When you're that bad you have to try something, so credit given there. Still not happy with his lineup decisions. I think there are better combinations available, Gulutzan just has to open his eyes,

I think there is room for improvement, but they are looking way better than they did at the start of the season.

Well I disagree with your disagreement of the original disagreement.

With Johnny on the left side, you definitely want to break out on the right side (and I could never understand Hartley seeming to want them to use the left side).

The winger being utilized for the breakout is typically standing still, and generally takes a fair bit of punishment. I would rather Chiasson (or whoever) be doing that than Johnny.

Then, once the puck is out of the zone and moving through the neutral zone, that is the time to pass it over to Gaudreau, who should have a full head of steam at that point, and let him enter the zone.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Gulutzan is on a three year contract? I thought he was on a one year contract? At least that was the discussion earlier in the year.

It was confirmed that the 1 year was just a placeholder

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Robbob

It was confirmed that the 1 year was just a placeholder

Must have missed this - how was it confirmed?

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Being smug after a hot streak isn't so different from being frantic after a cold streak. Both are over-reactions.

Is he farting in a glass, then smelling it like a fine wine??

I have no idea what that has to do with your post, but it's hilarious

[Bingo]

I talked to the guy from CapFriendly ...

the one year thing was just a placeholder as they didn't have any information.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Well I disagree with your disagreement of the original disagreement.

With Johnny on the left side, you definitely want to break out on the right side (and I could never understand Hartley seeming to want them to use the left side).

The winger being utilized for the breakout is typically standing still, and generally takes a fair bit of punishment. I would rather Chiasson (or whoever) be doing that than Johnny.

Then, once the puck is out of the zone and moving through the neutral zone, that is the time to pass it over to Gaudreau, who should have a full head of steam at that point, and let him enter the zone.

Perfect example of this last night on the first goal.

Exit was up the RW - Chiasson used his size on the boards to make a nice play to Bennett who with Gaudreau then attacked the Duck defensive with speed since they were already skating from in the d-zone.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Perfect example of this last night on the first goal.

Exit was up the RW - Chiasson used his size on the boards to make a nice play to Bennett who with Gaudreau then attacked the Duck defensive with speed since they were already skating from in the d-zone.

Agree 100% with ER and your excellent example.
Last thing Flames wants is Gaudreau standing still playing the heavy game along the boards in own zone. Both foolish and dangerous.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by New Era

Well, I completely disagree with your disagreement. The weak wing on our team is the RW, and that is the side they prefer to break out on. It doesn't get the puck to the guys you want carrying the puck into the offensive zone. When you have one of the most dynamic puck carriers in the game, you get him the puck! It would be like the Oilers not giving the puck to McDavid.

ER addressed the problems with your thinking on this nicely, but I wanted to point out that your description of the Flames breakout is nothing like the Oilers not giving the puck to McDavid. Unlike the Oilers, the Flames have other very useful players beyond their top scoring forward.

Things are improving. They're playing with more speed of late. I'm not certain that is on the Flames behalf or the fact they've caught some teams coming in on the 2nd half of back-to-backs.

It is because they are controlling the puck better and distributing it more efficiently and accurately. The Flames have continued to have flashes of exactly this throughout the past dozen games or so that must be attributed to more than catching their opposition on their heels.

Still not happy with his lineup decisions. I think there are better combinations available, Gulutzan just has to open his eyes...

I think that the coach has demonstrated in the past month that he has a good grasp of the personnel, and I tend to believe that he is exceptionally better equipped to make these decisions than you.

I think there is room for improvement, but they are looking way better than they did at the start of the season.

They certainly are. It strikes me as somewhat spiteful to also not extend some of the credit for this improvement to the coaches. Hell, it is even reasonable to expect the team to continue to take strides under these circumstances in the near future.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Is he farting in a glass, then smelling it like a fine wine??

I have no idea what that has to do with your post, but it's hilarious

Best episode of South Park. Smug people are so up their own ass they think their farts smell nice. It's exactly what you think. San Francisco, farting in wine glasses and taking a nice big sniff.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by New Era

Well, I completely disagree with your disagreement. The weak wing on our team is the RW, and that is the side they prefer to break out on. It doesn't get the puck to the guys you want carrying the puck into the offensive zone. When you have one of the most dynamic puck carriers in the game, you get him the puck! It would be like the Oilers not giving the puck to McDavid.

If you want to be a good team, don't break out on a side. That's a symptom of a bad team. You break out through the middle. The walls are used to initiate the breakout, where your strongest wingers (Tkachuk, Ferland, Chiasson, Brouwer, Hathaway) hit their centres (Backlund, Bennett, Stajan) in stride. Sometimes you change up the concept a bit if your centre is a slower, less confident player like Monahan and your winger is a quicker winger like Gaudreau, but it's not ideal as it can put both guys out of defensive position. C, not D or G or W, in my opinion is the most important position in hockey because it coordinates defense, offense, and everything in between. I would rather have Patrice Bergeron than Carey Price. It's my believe that one of the reasons Monahan is played with Brodie so often, is because Brodie handles the breakout through the middle with his skating so well that he is almost the centre on the play functionally. But Brodie hasn't been himself this season, which may be systemic.