[868904]

I think a lot is being made of the system. This is the same system that got this team to the second round last year. It is the same system that plays to the strength of the mobile defencemen. It is the same system that placed this team in the top ten of scoring last year.

I don't know if the current struggles have to do with the system or if it's just a bad stretch with some pretty bad luck.

A lot of the perceived system issues were also noticeable during the 8 game losing streak last year. During that streak, it looked like the Flames were done. They had problems breaking out of their zone, handling passes, scoring goals.

Is it possible that the league figured the system out? Maybe, but I highly doubt that the NY Ranger and Islanders spent that much time over the summer game planning to beat the Flames in the first month of the season.

The team is simply struggling with some confidence right now and it is affecting all facets of their game. I honestly thought the team deserved a lot better versus the Rangers, I thought they outplayed the Rangers in that game but were the victim of some bad bounces. I think if they had scored that second goal to make it 2-0, they would have cruised to a victory but unfortunately, they just didn't get the bounces. The Flames also looked like last years team against the Wings and I thought they had turned the corner. Against the Islanders, it really looked like their confidence got shot the night before, after playing so well and still losing.