Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
Two things
1) If you have a problem with the style, then you should argue we fire Burke. No matter who we hire we will play up-tempo so long as he is POHO
2) Players win championships. If we're going by what you and I generally agree represents the most reliable form of "defense"...
What changed between the 2013 Ducks (48.0% CF) and the 2016 Ducks (52.5% CF)? It wasn't Bruce Beaudreau.
What changed between the 2007 Ducks (53.8% CF) and the 2014 Leafs (42.8% CF)? It wasn't Randy Carlyle.
What changed between the 2014 Bruins (53.9% CF) and 2016 Bruins (49.5% CF)? it wasn't Claude Julien.
The Flames need to improve defensively. Well yeah of course. We've got a 22 year old #3D, a 21 year old #1B Center, a 19 year old #1A Center, and we don't even have a #4D. And aside from Gaudreau we may have the worst winger group in the NHL.
Sometimes I get driven a little bit crazy by some of Hartley's ideas on defense, like how they defended the senators that night Ortio got lit up. But then you watch a Blackhawks game and it's really not all that different. The difference is a guy like Toews or Hossa making a huge play where no one on our team does the same. I'm sure there are tweaks Hartley can make to improve this team but it's also possible he's willing to make them come playoff time as adjustments.
I don't think this year's roster underperformed or overperformed relative to who was on the ice. It wasn't a case of the Pittsburgh Penguins missing the playoffs.
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Here's the flip side of your argument:
What happened to Pittsburgh on December 12th that had them at 48.4% CF then increase to 54.9 after?
Or Toronto finishing with a 46.5% last year and getting 51.3 this year?
Coaching can make a difference and I think it will for Calgary