[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by DT77

So much CP angst. I get it, but I also see why the Flames themselves don't care.

Get this: The Flames have no hope for the playoffs this season. They didn't from Game 1. They know that. Essentially, this year can be called a "teaching season" and this game is a prime example of that. In the team's (coach's) eyes, Baertschi needs to learn some skill set, presumably something defensive. To the team, that was best served by observing the game (again) from the press box. So be it. Jackman, Reinhart... whomever, gets the nod in his place. Whatever. The kicker here is, the Flames don't need to win this hockey game. They need to win this exact same hockey game two or three years from now. THAT is what we as fans need to realize. If sending Baertschi or Backlund or (oh no!) Monahan to the press box for random games throughout the season and playing "plugs" like Jackman, Grats, etc. in their place means the team's future core learns what it takes to win these games when it truly matters - well, I'm ALL for it.

I take a lot of pride in the fact that while the Flames were outplayed by a far superior Blues team for much of this game they still stuck with it. A close game with under 5 minutes left... way better than I expected. The fact that Baertschi might well have helped out on a late PP or even a 2nd period PP that might have possibly won this game is entirely beside the point. Winning this game did not truly matter to the Flames. Learning lessons from each game (win or lose) most certainly does.

/my 2 cents...

Winning IS the lesson, and should always be. It should not and cannot be something you decide to turn on at some arbitrary point