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Lanny_McDonald · 10-31-2015, 08:12 AM

It is time for Mr. Treliving to earn his money. He has to do some serious evaluation quickly, figure out what and where the problems are, and make corrections immediately. Here is some advice for Mr. Treliving, I hope he is reading.

The first problem with the Flames is their strategy. The book is out on them, and they cannot adapt. They should be playing a much different game. The stretch pass game is done. Every team in the league knows we are going to play for it, and they have taken that away. That has put way too much pressure on the defense, as the opposition knows they have to jump on them early and often before they can get ready to make the Hail Mary pass. This is also doubly bad because the forwards have all left the zone and have left the defense prone to a mistake and quick turnover. This was a good strategy, but it no longer works and it is time to move on to something else. This leads to the first personnel issue to deal with.

The pressure is on Bob Hartley to prove he is anything but a one trick pony coach. He has proven that he can come up with an inventive game plan. Now he has to prove he can adapt and come up with a second and a third. This team is not prepared to play and they don't know what to do when things aren't working for them. They look baffled when the defense stands them up and the blue line and they can't adapt. That is all coaching. Either Hartley comes up with something fast, or he's got to be fired. Good coaches are good strategists and teachers. Hartley seems to be lacking at both right now, which makes him a problem.

The second problem with the Flames is the value they are getting from their veterans. There are too many guys that are supposedly here for their veteran presence and calming influence. If these guys have so much presence and understand the game so well, why are they the ones that look so lost out there. Mason Raymond, Brandon Bollig, and David Jones provide little to this team. They don't project much leadership on the ice unless falling down at every opportunity, taking dumb penalties when you can, and blending into the woodwork so you are un-noticable at both ends of the ice, are the leadership qualities you are looking for? These guys are wasted roster spots that could go to guys that have potential to get much better. These guys on the forward lines need to go immediately and opportunity given to players that may have a future with this team.

The third problem is the back end and the makeup of it. The top guys are obvious. Giordano, Brodie and Hamilton are your top three. Now you have to find an effective bottom three. Wideman, Russell and Engelland are not it. All are too expensive for what they bring. You can keep one of them, but not all three. If I were making the choice I go with Engelland and I move the other two. I think Engelland actually has some leadership qualities and plays a different game that is complimentary to the top guys, so he is the best fit. Wideman and Russell are redundant pieces to the top three, so they need to be moved for complimentary pieces that solidify the back end. I think those complimentary pieces exist in the minors, or possibly in some form of trade, so I'm not concerned about what comes back, as long as these two guys are moved so we open up the roster spots.

The fourth problem plaguing the team right now is under-performance from players in important roles. I'm talking about centers who are here to provide solid two way play and be calming influences out there. Mr. Backlund is stinking the joint up this season, and that is a big problem for a team looking for secondary scoring. To make matters worse, his defensive play has been atrocious. The bigger problem is that Mr. Stajan is playing just as bad. One of these guys has to step up and start playing, and the other guy has to be moved to make room for younger players that may be part of the long term solution, because neither is part of the long term solution. It is time to start looking to the minors and giving Billy Arnold that chance to step up and be that solid defensive guy who can also chip in some offense, like Craig Conroy did for us. I see a lot of Craig Conroy in Billy Arnold, and it is time to give him a chance.

The fifth problem on this team is the 1,000 pound gorilla in the room. The goaltending situation is a mess. Brad Treliving created this monster and now he has to deal with it. It was obvious the Flames weren't happy with Hiller after last season as they tried to deal him all summer. They were so certain they had a deal in place they went out and signed Ramo. Unfortunately the deal fell through and the Flames were stuck with Hiller. Instead of just sucking up this mistake and moving forward with the plan, by waiving Hiller and dispatching him to the minors, they went with the three-headed goalie mess. No one stepped up in camp, making it more complex. The team played like crap in front of Ramo and he gave up a back breaker in a game they should have won, so he was sent to the minors. Unfortnately, Hiller's Shooter Tutor-like play has been picked apart and has hurt the Flames even more. By time they are forced to go to Ortio he hasn't seen a meaningful shot in weeks and it shows. The Flames are left with not a single goaltender with any confidence or playing to their ability. They should have stuck with the original plan, got rid of Hiller at any means, and gone with Ramo and Ortio. Now they have to hope these guys can right the ship and start playing after an extended period of BS and putting the team behind the 8 ball. This type of poor decision making, and the impact it has on the team, is enough to get a GM fired, so how Mr. Treliving manages this debacle should make the decision pretty easy for Mr. Burke moving forward.

The final problem for the Flames is the handling of their talent in the minors. This is a team that is rebuilding. They should be leaning on their young guys that have potential to be players in the NHL. I understand the whole "never given, always earned" mantra, but when you have Raymond, Bollig, Jones, Jooris, Backlund, Stajan, Russell, Wideman and Hiller sucking on the tail pipe each night, it is hard to put much faith in that mantra. It is tough to see a kid like Kulak get sent down when he clearly played better than many of his team mates. It is also hard to understand what the team is thinking when they recall a guy like 25 year old AHL journeyman Derek Grant over some of their better prospects. Does this guy have a NHL future? Will he make this team better long term through the learning lessons he's getting in the NHL? I think we are much better off bring in guys that may be a long term solution and getting them some on-the-job learning experience.

This is a team that had so much potential coming into the season, but a couple bad decisions here and there really hamstrung the team. They may still right the ship, but they need to do it quickly. 10 points is almost an insurmountable lead in the NHL, even with 70 games left in the season, so they need to make moves now, or throw in the towel at Halloween. Pretty bleak situation, one that Mr. Treliving is fully responsible for. Will be interesting to see what he does.

10-31-2015, 08:12 AM	#273
Lanny_McDonald Franchise Player Join Date: Mar 2013 Exp:	It is time for Mr. Treliving to earn his money. He has to do some serious evaluation quickly, figure out what and where the problems are, and make corrections immediately. Here is some advice for Mr. Treliving, I hope he is reading. The first problem with the Flames is their strategy. The book is out on them, and they cannot adapt. They should be playing a much different game. The stretch pass game is done. Every team in the league knows we are going to play for it, and they have taken that away. That has put way too much pressure on the defense, as the opposition knows they have to jump on them early and often before they can get ready to make the Hail Mary pass. This is also doubly bad because the forwards have all left the zone and have left the defense prone to a mistake and quick turnover. This was a good strategy, but it no longer works and it is time to move on to something else. This leads to the first personnel issue to deal with. The pressure is on Bob Hartley to prove he is anything but a one trick pony coach. He has proven that he can come up with an inventive game plan. Now he has to prove he can adapt and come up with a second and a third. This team is not prepared to play and they don't know what to do when things aren't working for them. They look baffled when the defense stands them up and the blue line and they can't adapt. That is all coaching. Either Hartley comes up with something fast, or he's got to be fired. Good coaches are good strategists and teachers. Hartley seems to be lacking at both right now, which makes him a problem. The second problem with the Flames is the value they are getting from their veterans. There are too many guys that are supposedly here for their veteran presence and calming influence. If these guys have so much presence and understand the game so well, why are they the ones that look so lost out there. Mason Raymond, Brandon Bollig, and David Jones provide little to this team. They don't project much leadership on the ice unless falling down at every opportunity, taking dumb penalties when you can, and blending into the woodwork so you are un-noticable at both ends of the ice, are the leadership qualities you are looking for? These guys are wasted roster spots that could go to guys that have potential to get much better. These guys on the forward lines need to go immediately and opportunity given to players that may have a future with this team. The third problem is the back end and the makeup of it. The top guys are obvious. Giordano, Brodie and Hamilton are your top three. Now you have to find an effective bottom three. Wideman, Russell and Engelland are not it. All are too expensive for what they bring. You can keep one of them, but not all three. If I were making the choice I go with Engelland and I move the other two. I think Engelland actually has some leadership qualities and plays a different game that is complimentary to the top guys, so he is the best fit. Wideman and Russell are redundant pieces to the top three, so they need to be moved for complimentary pieces that solidify the back end. I think those complimentary pieces exist in the minors, or possibly in some form of trade, so I'm not concerned about what comes back, as long as these two guys are moved so we open up the roster spots. The fourth problem plaguing the team right now is under-performance from players in important roles. I'm talking about centers who are here to provide solid two way play and be calming influences out there. Mr. Backlund is stinking the joint up this season, and that is a big problem for a team looking for secondary scoring. To make matters worse, his defensive play has been atrocious. The bigger problem is that Mr. Stajan is playing just as bad. One of these guys has to step up and start playing, and the other guy has to be moved to make room for younger players that may be part of the long term solution, because neither is part of the long term solution. It is time to start looking to the minors and giving Billy Arnold that chance to step up and be that solid defensive guy who can also chip in some offense, like Craig Conroy did for us. I see a lot of Craig Conroy in Billy Arnold, and it is time to give him a chance. The fifth problem on this team is the 1,000 pound gorilla in the room. The goaltending situation is a mess. Brad Treliving created this monster and now he has to deal with it. It was obvious the Flames weren't happy with Hiller after last season as they tried to deal him all summer. They were so certain they had a deal in place they went out and signed Ramo. Unfortunately the deal fell through and the Flames were stuck with Hiller. Instead of just sucking up this mistake and moving forward with the plan, by waiving Hiller and dispatching him to the minors, they went with the three-headed goalie mess. No one stepped up in camp, making it more complex. The team played like crap in front of Ramo and he gave up a back breaker in a game they should have won, so he was sent to the minors. Unfortnately, Hiller's Shooter Tutor-like play has been picked apart and has hurt the Flames even more. By time they are forced to go to Ortio he hasn't seen a meaningful shot in weeks and it shows. The Flames are left with not a single goaltender with any confidence or playing to their ability. They should have stuck with the original plan, got rid of Hiller at any means, and gone with Ramo and Ortio. Now they have to hope these guys can right the ship and start playing after an extended period of BS and putting the team behind the 8 ball. This type of poor decision making, and the impact it has on the team, is enough to get a GM fired, so how Mr. Treliving manages this debacle should make the decision pretty easy for Mr. Burke moving forward. The final problem for the Flames is the handling of their talent in the minors. This is a team that is rebuilding. They should be leaning on their young guys that have potential to be players in the NHL. I understand the whole "never given, always earned" mantra, but when you have Raymond, Bollig, Jones, Jooris, Backlund, Stajan, Russell, Wideman and Hiller sucking on the tail pipe each night, it is hard to put much faith in that mantra. It is tough to see a kid like Kulak get sent down when he clearly played better than many of his team mates. It is also hard to understand what the team is thinking when they recall a guy like 25 year old AHL journeyman Derek Grant over some of their better prospects. Does this guy have a NHL future? Will he make this team better long term through the learning lessons he's getting in the NHL? I think we are much better off bring in guys that may be a long term solution and getting them some on-the-job learning experience. This is a team that had so much potential coming into the season, but a couple bad decisions here and there really hamstrung the team. They may still right the ship, but they need to do it quickly. 10 points is almost an insurmountable lead in the NHL, even with 70 games left in the season, so they need to make moves now, or throw in the towel at Halloween. Pretty bleak situation, one that Mr. Treliving is fully responsible for. Will be interesting to see what he does.