Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike F
And the Flames have once again plummeted to the bottom of the league in faceoff%. The injuries to Backlund and Staja aren't helping, but even they are just at 50% to lead the team. This has been a glaring problem for years, and it's inexcusable that the team hasn't tried to address it.
|
I agree it's still a concern, but I'm quite positive the Flames have made multiple attempts over the last few years to address this issue. The problem is that the other teams focus on things like this as well, as in the best players in the world. It's one thing to identify issues in this league, it's another to fix them. Furthermore, it's only one metric, and doesn't necessarily trump other markers of success.
Based on the mantra of this rebuild, I assume they plan on improving faceoff % through developing their own players. Unfortunately, relying on rookie centremen to immediately start winning faceoffs against the best centremen in the world is a tall order, and will take time.