I haven't been as quick to jump on the coaching staff, but I'm noticing several alarming things:
- As has been mentioned several times, their best skaters are on pace to have horrible seasons. The players must be accountable, but Giordano/Brodie/Monahan/Gaudreau have taken such a dramatic turn for the worse that there's gotta be something there
- Powerplay looks even more tragic than last season. Didn't think that was possible. Why is the person who was at least partly responsible for the Senators anemic PP in charge of this?
- Playing Grossmann at all. Enough said.
- Waiting so damn long to re-unite Giordano and Brodie. That one is so much of a no-brainer, it actually scares me it took several games to happen
- Overall inconsistency with pairings on D. For god's sake, stop blending this up
Nitpicky things:
- Wouldn't mind Gulutzan blowing up at a ref once in a while. I think you're allowed a couple of f bombs here and there. Why is Johnny's stick allowed to be chopped in half, out of his hands? Also, couldn't kill him to show a bit of emotion after a big goal
- Chiasson on the top line, please never again. It hasn't mattered because Gaudreau is neutering whoever he plays with, but come on
- These quotes from post-game yesterday:
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"I thought LA came out with a good start and it put us on our heels a little bit," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. "I think if we could've come out of the first period with the score being 0-0, got out of that last minute; then I thought that would've put us in a position to regroup in the second and come out better. I just thought they came real hungry and ready. That's what happens."
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Why didn't your team?
Quote:
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"I just didn't think we were prepared to play in the beginning. I didn't think it was our best," Gulutzan said.
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Um, that's your job.
Quote:
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"I thought we were a little bit intimidated. We came out better in the second, but we couldn't sustain it. They're a real good hockey club. They had their groove on today, the LA-style game. We just couldn't match it. We have to find a way to match it."
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Wait, what? Intimidated by another NHL team with a similar record? Are they armed with maces instead of hockey sticks?
I highly doubt any change to the head coach will happen this season, so every single person in that organization needs to be better. Starts with a win in that godforsaken pond.