The comeback means nothing when your a team that aspires to a playoff game, have a game against an opponent changing you that's missing two of its major pieces, and instead of stomping on their throats until their head falls off, you come out like its a Sunday Beer scrimmage, and then with three minutes left turn it on.
This team really needs to find a better fight level and a better level of resolve then they're showing. As it stands we could be 8 points behind the Oilers by Saturday, and if we are, you can bet they're going to try to stomp out guts out and put the Flames away.
I'm really disappointment with the effort level tonight. I'm left wanting a lot more.
I remember a couple of years ago, when I was coaching football and the effort in practice was BS, the efforts in games were BS. I could have sat there and bought the whole team together and crapped on them because they deserved it. Or made some speech about victory and honoring the team and the game and blah blah blah.
But instead I called the Captains together, reminded them that this is their team and we expect a lot from them, and we recognize why they should be Captains.
Then I told them to fracking fix it, that they need to control the dressing room and demand more of themselves, and until they deliver that none of us can demand more from anyone else.
Then I told them that the better effort starts tomorrow, and if I don't see it we're having another harder conversation.
Brad and Greg really need to start pushing this leadership group a lot harder. yelling at the young players won't do anything, but the Captains and Alternates need to make sure that their team mates know what's new in the zoo.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
I think trying to pigeonhole an entire lineup into playing an entire system only works on the defensive side of things. If you do it too strictly in the o-zone, it takes away a lot of the creativity from the game.
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Until the Flames make the Western Finals again, this signature shall remain frozen.
This team has invested big money in "locker room guys" and leaders a la Giordano, Stajan, Engelland, Brouwer. Each of those four are getting paid a premium due to intangibles.
Flames really need them to earn their money now. I'm not questioning their compete level, but overall we are seeing too many lackluster efforts from the team as a whole. This team isn't that young.
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Inexcusable dog crap effort for a team that has a chance at making the playoffs. I 100% agree with the sentiment that Gulutzen needs to stop with playing Brodie on the left side. Put him back with Giordano and have Hamilton (who's been playing great) play with whoever.
Also agree with putting somebody, anybody other than Chiasson on the line with Gaudreau. Johnny hasn't been playing great lately but saddling him with Chiasson certainly doesn't help, the guy's a 4th line boat anchor.
Not impressed with Gio as a leader or as a player right now. Bad pinch (and soft half-assed effort from Dougie) takes it from 3-0 to 4-0 and then an idiotic undisciplined penalty to kill the Flames powerplay with 7 minutes left. And then can't keep the zone or get the puck over the blueline when it's 4-3. Never mind the poor effort level when they've come out 6 straight games and every period of this game. Lots of responsibility to go around but a captain should take more of it and lead by example. I don't think he's doing that.
No. I really don't know if it's better to cheer for a wildcard spot or a divisional spot right now, but I just can't bring myself to cheer for the Oilers when we're in a playoff race with them. A loss tomorrow and Saturday means we're only 4 points back of them.
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I think trying to pigeonhole an entire lineup into playing an entire system only works on the defensive side of things. If you do it too strictly in the o-zone, it takes away a lot of the creativity from the game.
Agreed. I hate the "we have to play the right way" cliche that both Gulutzan and Brent use. Structure is a good thing, but not always the expense of skill.
Adjust your damn system and lineup for different teams. Brodie/Wideman is the new Bouwmeester/Butler.
Move Tkachuk to another line. Or put Backlund with Johnny. The team isn't winning consistently anyway. Plus they are rebuilding so who really cares if they miss the playoffs?
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I have to say that Monahan launching a player's stick out of their hand with an aggressive sticklift is great.
He's done it like 5 times this year, and they never call it I think because it's a lift up that causes it, as opposed to slashing the stick down. Took Fisher's stick away, then stood right in front of Fisher to pot the goal.
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No. I really don't know if it's better to cheer for a wildcard spot or a divisional spot right now, but I just can't bring myself to cheer for the Oilers when we're in a playoff race with them. A loss tomorrow and Saturday means we're only 4 points back of them.
Yeah, when it comes to playoff races I always look ahead not behind. It being the Oilers makes it even easier.
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Notice how much better the team was when they abandoned the system and went for it? System is stifling more often than not.
Every winning team has a system. You expect them to play with no system? Does that make any sense at all? Why bother with coaches? Just put the players on the ice and "see what happens" right?
The system works just fine, the players aren't executing.
Gaudreau - not sure what's wrong with him but if he wants to earn his $6 million a year, he better figure it out fast.
Dougie Hamilton - this guy has all the physical tools to be a dominant player, but i'm really starting to question his hockey IQ. He makes some really stupid reads in the offensive and defensive zones.
Giordano - has struggled all season. It has nothing to do with the points. He's been making really stupid boneheaded plays all year long. Maybe the age thing affects the brain more than the body.
The Flames best players aren't their best players right now. It's as simple as that. You can hate on the Chiasson's, the Wideman's, the Jokipakka's, the Bennett's, the Brouwer's all you want. If the core guys aren't playing well, no team will have success.
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Calgary Flames, PLEASE GO TO THE NET! AND SHOOT THE PUCK! GENERATING OFFENSE IS NOT DIFFICULT! SKATE HARD, SHOOT HARD, CRASH THE NET HARD!
Yeah, when it comes to playoff races I always look ahead not behind. It being the Oilers makes it even easier.
That should be the strategy, but unfortunately this team didn't have the horses to be top 3 in the pacific from the get go. Fully expected SJ and the Ducks in there, but Edm is a surprise over the Kings thus far. My guess is we need 22 wins out of the last 34 games to make top 3 in the pacific. Doesn't seem likely. So best to cheer for teams below us to lose from here on.
That should be the strategy, but unfortunately this team didn't have the horses to be top 3 in the pacific from the get go. Fully expected SJ and the Ducks in there, but Edm is a surprise over the Kings thus far. My guess is we need 22 wins out of the last 34 games to make top 3 in the pacific. Doesn't seem likely. So best to cheer for teams below us to lose from here on.
They've put themselves in a tough situation the last couple of weeks losing games they shouldn't but that still won't change my view until we hit the final ten games or so and it looks highly unlikely they'll catch the third seed.
They've put themselves in a tough situation the last couple of weeks losing games they shouldn't but that still won't change my view until we hit the final ten games or so and it looks highly unlikely they'll catch the third seed.
I remember there were posters on here complaining about how the Flames would only beat the teams below or near them but couldn't beat the teams above them.
Sure would have been nice if this were true over the past couple of weeks.
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Calgary Flames, PLEASE GO TO THE NET! AND SHOOT THE PUCK! GENERATING OFFENSE IS NOT DIFFICULT! SKATE HARD, SHOOT HARD, CRASH THE NET HARD!
