Hard not to get emotional after an embarrassing loss to our number one rival who the fans here measure everything against. But we do have to look at this pragmatically and what is best for the team moving forward.
This team has the talent. Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett, Brodie, and others did not magically forget how to play hockey overnight. There is something systemically wrong on this team. Looking at the roster and play, there appear to be only a few players who are having positive seasons - Backlund and Frolik - and everyone else struggles. Coincidence, or a result of a bad coach and worse systems? Frankly I think the problem is a mediocre coach with horrible systems. I think his systems keep the puck out of the hands of the best players and make them play a style not suited to their game. When you have race horses you don't hook them up to a beer wagon. This team needs a coach that knows how to use the players skills, not force the players into a system that limits their creativity and works against their skill level. The Flames need a real NHL coach.
The real downside to bringing in a new coach is they are very likely to go with veteran players in hopes of finding stability quickly. what this means is another lost season for the Flames prospects and another year of watching garbage players on the bottom lines and defensive pairing. Any hopes of seeing Jankowski, Klimchuk, Poirier, Kylington, Kulak, Gillies, Rittich, or anyone else is essentially done. Unless these expectations are laid out for the coach prior to his hiring, the odds of a new comer putting his job on the line with a bunch of kids in the lineup is pretty much nil. Not if you want an experienced NHL coach. That means we will watch as another batch of prospects wash out of the system without getting a real chance to show whether they can play in the NHL.
On to the GM, this is a very tough discussion point. Treliving has done some good things. He's done some not so good things either, but he has made a shrewd move here and there which buys him a lot of good will. But he has also made devastating decisions that have put the team behind the eight ball and crush back-to-back seasons. His three headed goaltending monster debacle was strike one. His inability to find a competent coaching staff is obviously strike two. Some of his contracts have not been wise, but he also got some really good ones put together, so no third strike. I think Treliving gets one more crack at righting this ship, or he's gone too.
Burke is tied to the success of the organization. Frankly, he should start thinking about where the retirement home is going to be, because this team is in disarray. Burke was brought in to provide some stability and hire the right people. He was to provide some guidance and prevent his staff from making crap decisions. So far this team has not performed and is headed in the wrong direction. The Oilers are crushing it, and the hapless Canucks, with Dim Jim at the helm, will likely pass us as well. I'm not sure where I see this team as having much direction, which is the ultimate responsibility to Burke. Might be time for a new philosophy from up high as well.
Hell, while we're at it, we might as well burn the who ####ing thing to the ground. Ken King has done a crap job at trying to get a new building launched and he's burning through the goodwill built up with the fans like Evander Kane goes through Benjamins in Vegas. Might as well buy blind folds in bulk.
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