Sad that the season is over. You have to look at the silver lining here, and who thought playoffs were going to be a realistic thing in November? Even January when the team stumbled, I thought playoffs was just a silly dream.
Getting into the playoffs and playing those games is still a benefit to the core. It is a learning experience. Every forward on this team should look at Versteeg and Monahan. Those two cranked up their games and were effective everywhere.
I thought that throughout this series, the Flames carried most of the play. I feel bad for Elliott - there is probably nobody in YYC that feels worse than he does right now. Flames won't re-sign him, but I hope he lands somewhere next season and finds consistency in his game. With that being said, I do think that Gulutzan got out-coached, but that was really to be expected heading into the playoffs. As much as the Flames players gain experience from the playoffs, so does a coach, and Gulutzan is a rookie playoff coach. I mean that in the most honest and positive way.
Hartley was a much more tenured coach, and I have no doubt that he would have made more adjustments and would have managed the goalies better. Hartley pulled off a win with a much less talented and smaller team that limped into the second round (who wasn't hurt? Even Ferland had broken ribs). This isn't to say that the Flames should go out and get Hartley, or go out and fire Gulutzan - Gulutzan is just very much gaining experience like the rest of the team. I bet next time around, he pulls Elliott earlier in the series. Carlyle definitely out-coached him, and game 3 was the most evident with his line juggling, pulling the goalie, and so on. Again, not a slight at Gulutzan, but you can't expect him to manage the team and make in-game adjustments as readily as a guy like Carlyle or even Hartley - guys who have a lot more experience and actually won the cup.
Johnson was pretty solid the rest of the game. Poor rebound control on the one and only goal he let in, but it is the type that should be an easy clear.
Next silver lining here is that the Flames have 2 spots open in net for next season, and I can't think of a better year in which to actually go out and obtain a starter on the cheap. Lots of young guys and vets. Hopefully the Flames solidify this position, as it has been wildly inconsistent for too long.
Ducks are a team that is well coached, they have a tonne of experience, and know how to squeak out those wins. People forget that they were just as resilient as the 2014-15 Flames, but continue to be that resilient team. They don't quit, no matter how badly they get outplayed. Flames just need to continue to get a bit bigger and a bit faster, and experience will take care of the rest.
One thing that really struck me is how probably nobody would have been complaining this playoffs if Brouwer and Versteeg traded contracts. Brouwer wasn't as bad as people felt the need to complain about him, but I am sure Treliving wouldn't have inked him to that deal knowing that he would have ended up on the 4th line with PP time and strong side face-offs.
Chiasson is a good depth player - happy with him. Wouldn't mind him getting re-signed on a similar contract (raise is to be expected, but he has to come cheap to make me like him). Versteeg needs to be re-signed.
One thing I would really like to change is splitting up Monahan and Gaudreau. I felt Monahan played his best this playoffs (and throughout the season) when he had the puck on his stick more. Throw Gaudreau and Bennett together. Versteeg and Monahan is a good combo, and I think makes the Flames a more difficult team to shut-down. Just what I have felt for a while this year.
I won't touch the D. So up and down. Not sure if it was being rattled from the poor goals or not, but as a unit they all pretty much were terrible at different points. Had good games as well individually, but it seemed that the top 6 all had terrible individual performances throughout this series. Even Engelland, who is always 'Mr Reliable' had some shaky games.
I expect a lot of changes this off-season, and it will be interesting. I also expect that next season will be another forward step, and I am assuming that goaltending will improve. Ducks showed the Flames one important lesson - resiliency. Even though they got outplayed through LONG stretches, they never gave up and didn't seem to stay rattled for long. I can't say that about the Flames during any game. Hopefully with more stable goaltending, this team will have that incredible resiliency that they did in 2014-15.
Looking forward already to next season!
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