Quote:
Originally Posted by moon
The coaching is very weak but lack of talent is the biggest problem.
|
Lack of talent in certain positions too. The wings are pretty decent overall, a good collection of wingers.. but just a huge void down the middle is a massive problem.
To address the topic.. no it's not just coaching but over the years that's been one of the things. This team went from one of the best coaches in the NHL to Jim Playfair and Mike Keenan, who was a shade of his former self. It went from a high level of leadership from behind the bench, to nothing. Playfair was a big softie, which doesn't help as moving from assistant to head coach is almost impossible to do successfully at the NHL level.
After that a general apathy seemed to set into the locker room over time. This is blamed on everyone, the coach, the captain, everyone. Once apathy sets into a work place it's damn near impossible to get it out and I think that's the problem now. No one person can change that and that's why I'm all for turning over everything. It's not one persons fault but it needs to be corrected.
We've seen guys brought in who tend to have jump and vigor and give them time on the Flames and it's sucked out of them, it's a retirement home. Not bringing in young players to provide that spark doesn't help either.
We've seen Wideman get frustrated at it earlier in the season, which doesn't surprise anyone.
It's apathy, no passion, they don't care.
Sure you see glimpses of it but it doesn't last long. Even last night vs Nashville, it wasn't that great of a game, it was pretty pedestrian like.
Before Darryl Sutter was hired it was there too. I remember one long losing streak in 2002-2003 where Craig Conroy was almost laughing at the lack of losing. Sutter brought a tight rope and didn't let go and when he was gone a lack of leadership behind the bench let it seep right back in.
I don't place the blame at any ones feet in particular, though Jarome Iginla being the captain surely some blame lays there... but this issue is bigger. The work force is apathetic and it's time to gut it and start anew. I really don't even care how it happened as I only care how to fix it and get it out of the system all together.
The Flames need two weeks of constant diarrhea to clear the system, get some new liquid into the body and start fresh.