Quote:
Originally Posted by indes
I'm not saying to switch the whole system around, just that we need some variation. It looks easy to defend against the flames because they never change it up. The D can hold the line because they know no one will be behind them and that the flames will chip it to center or hold onto it and go cross ice. It's the same thing with our PP entry. Just a serious lack of deviation from set plays.
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I feel like yes and no on this.
Early this season I've been watching a lot more games around the rest of the league than I normally would at this time, and it seems obvious to me like it was in the first game of the season against he oilers: the Flames are one of the slowest clubs in the league.
I don't think that is coaching, I think it's personnel, and it really creates what you're noticing: the appearance of not enough speed through the neutral zone to create hesitation on the defending side of the puck.
Backlund is probably the Flames fastest forward and while he's got some nice straight ahead speed and hustles his bag off, I don't think you'd say he's a top 30 skater in the NHL.
I think that reflects in the penalties as well. I'm just not impressed by Bennett's foot speed and think it's the largest contributor to his stick infraction penalties.
The Flames are missing two elements you need if you want a chip and chase aspect to your gameplan: speed and physicality. Flames can't catch the puck if they chip it in because they aren't fast enough, and they can't force enough turnovers when they do chip it in because they aren't a physical threat on the forecheck. The top 6 forwards are butter soft in that regard, which I don't think is a huge deal necessarily, but it limits your ability to play different styles. Even if Gaudreau wanted to chip it into a corner when he has no passing options, he doesn't have a linemate that will go get it for him. Monahan is good along the boards if he's already there, but he's not going to win any races for a contested puck to use that skill.
A top 6 of: Gaudreau - Monahan - Jagr - Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik isn't going to intimidate anyone in the league. You'd like to see Ferland in that mix but I think his potential to be that player is drying up quickly. Even then, he's still just one player. Tkachuk is irritating but he's not a consistent physical factor in terms of the forecheck unless doughty is on the ice. I'm not talking about running guys through the boards, but enough physicality to make an easy out a contested puck.
This was somewhat predictable:
SN: Do you have enough scoring? Or will better goaltending and defence mean you won’t need as many goals?
Treliving: Part B, you hope. If there’s one thing that keeps me up at night it is, are we going to get enough scoring. That’s what everybody talks about. The encouraging thing for me is, we’re not coming off a year where six guys had career years. If anything, we had guys under (achieve). That gives me some comfort. But you’re always worried about it. Whoever scores the most goals wins. That’s still how they keep track.
Do we have enough? We’ll see. We’ll see.
I had hoped that Bennett progressing might have been enough to help that but it's just not looking that way at this point.
Flames are definitely heavy on the back end and the longer they go scoring 2 or less goals per game (4 of the last 7 games), the likelier it is to see a forward and a defender packaged together to get a high value scorer in return. If Bennett keeps playing the way he has, basically averaging a minor penalty per game with no points, it's likely he'll be the forward on the way out. Brodie going with him wouldn't surprise me either.