Quote:
Originally Posted by cznTiburon
I find it funny that this is a problem that is hung on the coach. He has been very vocal about it in the media and obviously what he has been doing isn't working well but this is 100% on the players. They need to get their asses together and get mentally prepared to play the damn game. Gulutzan is in a position to direct but if the players are going to continue to be incompetent there is only so much he can do.
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When people say the team isn't ready to play, they don't mean that the guys don't care, or aren't passionate. It's not a lack of emotion that is being referenced, it's that they are not ready in the right way. Occasionally, a lack of emotion or desire to play will actually be a problem with individual players, but not all 20 at once, on a regular basis. That's not what we're talking about here.
When people say the team isn't ready, they mean that the prepared gameplan, and the mindset, is wrong.
First the mindset: Gulutzan constantly talks about 50/50 hockey; he talks about being prepared for what the other team is going to bring; he talks about good positional hockey; and he talks about not making mistakes.
These are all good things to discuss, but in the aggregate, what we get is a coach that is always talking about reacting to the other team, as opposed to instilling their own will. What the Flames rarely do under Gulutzan is dictate the play - they react to what the other team is doing.
And they don't adjust - at least not quickly enough.
As for the gameplan, the same issues come up. Everything is about reacting to the other team, focusing on positioning, focusing on sticks in lanes (as opposed to maybe a body check once in a while). He (via his staff) puts Brouwer on the PP. He started the 4th line Saturday. AGAIN. He put the 4th line out after Bennett made it 6-2.
Look at the comments from the assistant coach after the game Saturday. He said that Gulutzan talked about the players being nervous and playing nervous. Yeah, because you have them thinking about positioning instead of thinking about running the Oilers pathetic D through the end boards.
He talks about how they need to relax and play relaxed, which is fine for regular games (like Thursday against ARI), but hockey is a game of passion, and when the other team cranks it up, the Flames aren't ready.
People talk about the Flames being slow. They aren't slow. When they are skating, and playing a transitional game, they can skate with any team. The problem, IMO, is that they are being told to slow things down. You can see it in their play - they
look to slow it down on many occasions through a game. These are things that are dictated by the coaching staff.
The Flames are -10 in the first period. Only Buffalo is worse. Even Edmonton is only -8. As NewEra pointed out, the Flames have taken a lead into the 3rd period 3 times in their last 26 games. They are 41-44-23 in regulation under Gulutzan. The only thing keeping them afloat is their stellar 18-5 record in OT and SOs.
Anyone who says 'they are above .500 and playing ok' is not paying attention.
Not being ready, in the context of these discussions, means being prepared in the wrong way. It doesn't mean they're all lazy.