The Flames as a team play a style (GG's?) that I don't like: they don't pressure the puck carrier directly, but play a foot or two off him. Every frickin' time. That allows the opposing player WAY too much time to move the puck.
This is an old technique from the very static game of Go -- play just off your opponent as it allows you latitude to cover a wider area. Works fine in a static environment - does not work at all in hockey.
As far as the breakouts go, they are just overthinking and not trusting their instincts -- you can see that in the bad, bobbled, dropped and fumbled passes. That part can change - but the defensive side of the puck....that type of plan simply will not work.
The other thing I see regularly is guys with their backs to the puck: Wideman was a perfect example of that on the PP vs St Louis -- several times the puck was cleared back to him at the point - but he turned his back to the play, tried to stop the puck (maybe intending to spin around?) and lost it over the blue line. I've seen the same thing from others. No idea what they're trying to do there.
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