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Originally Posted by Enoch Root
You make some good points. I, for one, do not think Hartley was a better coach - exciting, passionate, but I hated the defensive structure.
Are there positives with Gulutzan's coaching? Of course. And yes, when the team is executing the 5-man system well, they can be dominant. But I would counter that they aren't dominant with it often enough. That is either due to a lack of talent, or the system is flawed in some way (too complicated, or too inflexible, or whatever). I think the talent is there, so...
As for lacking competitive depth, I would argue that no one in the bottom 6 is exceeding expectations, and everyone in the bottom 6 is under-achieving, and regressing. That is either a horrifically unfortunate coincidence, or there is a fundamental problem that is causing it.
Same argument can be made about the defense. Either there is way less talent than everyone (including experts outside of the fanbase) thought, or the D is under-achieving.
I am a big believer in Occam's razor. I think if the whole team is under-performing, it is more likely that there is a problem that is causing it, than it is the case that all of the players are suddenly not as good as they used to be or are expected to be.
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What about the defensive structure did you dislike exactly?
I think that given the makeup of the team - including forwards - I thought that system actually fit the Flames until the final year when the wheels fell off (and I do think that it may have been just as much of a symptom from a team losing confidence in their goaltending as much as any other reason - in fact, when Ramo was called back up, I do remember that the team started coming back to form, broke the franchise record for most consecutive wins at home, and maintained a fairly low GA until Ramo got injured).
The passive shot blocking was 'phase 2' of that defensive structure, and given that Giordano and Brodie were the only really mobile defencmen at the time (Russell was average, Wideman was slow, Smid was slow, Engelland was slow, and Diaz didn't have much of an IQ), I thought it was a decent fit. Get in the lanes, block like crazy, and avoid 2nd and third chances. Once the goalies started getting beat clean on the first shots from lower scoring chances, it all went to hell.
Before that, you had goalies finishing in the middle of the pack in SV%, a team that finished in the middle of the pack in GA, and a team that finished in the top 10 offensively.
I do believe that Hartley would not have utilized that exact system if he had the talent on the back end today - maybe I am wrong, maybe not. However, the Flames had unquestionably better talent under Gulutzan, but haven't been much better defensively, but are much worse offensively. Given that Hartley had a 'rebuilding' team, vs Gulutzan's 'starting to compete' team, it does make me wonder if Gulutzan is indeed an upgrade or not.
Hartley's last season was a terrible one, but I do think that the revolving door of goalies was just as much to blame, and that the larger body of work he had done was perhaps more important. Ramo and Hiller were both garbage to start the year, but when Ramo was recalled I believe that team went on a nice run holding down the GA really nicely, and setting a new franchise record for most consecutive home wins. Then Ramo got injured, and the GA exploded with the revolving door of goalies again.
There are facets of that Hartley system that I would love to see Gulutzan use - even defensively - and some facets that I am glad that Gulutzan has modified. I just really dislike that it has neutered the offence somewhat.
I wish I could find that Sportsnet article where they broke down Hartley's defensive structure. I did a quick look, but no luck. I specifically remember that article praising his system.
At any rate, I think Bob was the better coach simply because it felt like that system was tailored for the makeup of the Flames, and they executed that system well for a while. To me, that is what a good coach does - develop a specific system that fits a team, and then get the team to actually execute it consistently. I haven't seen consistency out of Gulutzan, and the system has made me worry a bit too much of being able to generate enough offence off of it.
However, I do think that given Gulutzan's NHL experience, and the length of time he has been with the team, it could happen under his watch as well. I really don't feel he is anywhere close to as bad of a coach as Brent was (poorly constructed system that didn't fit the team, and inability to ever get the team to play it consistently).
I do agree with most everything you have been saying about the Flames now, just being curious as to why you felt that Hartley's defensive structure was poor (a common sentiment on these boards, even though it seemed to me that it went pretty well until the goalies started letting in those first shots from low danger areas). The only thing I disagree with you on thus far is that I don't think the time is necessarily right to replace Gulutzan.
Howerver, I just don't see his defensive system all that impressive yet with any consistency, especially given the increased talent on the blue line, and especially coupling it with the hit on offence it seems to be taking. If that doesn't change soon - by December by my own insignificant and arbitrary little timeline in my head - then I do think Treliving needs to step-in and make a change.