[bubbsy]

As we approach the mid-point of the season, my frustration with the coach has 3 primary reasons:

1) Utilization of Defense - If one looked at the flames roster, and stack rated the players as far as current NHL Impact/effectiveness level (not potential, prior ability, etc), it's obvious that Giordano, Hamilton, Brodie, Hamonic, and perhaps Stone would be make up the upper level of the list. However, in practice, the flames are not getting near enough from their back end. Up until the last half dozen games, they seemed lost defensively, and for basically the whole season, they have been below expectations in offensive contribution. The point positions have been a major area of contention on the power play all season. The second pairing hasn't really clicked, the top pairing doesn't seem to be at the levels they were last year..... I understand things not clicking as far as pairings or special teams go. However, the complete and utter lack of trying something different straight up pisses me off. Enough with brodie on the top pp unit, enough of the current d pairings. They don't look good, half the season has wasted away, and this coaching staff is getting "WORSE than the sum of their parts" results from this defense. The rigidness and stubbornness is sure making the management and coaching staff look pretty stupid in my opinion.

2) Powerplay - the way they gain the zone (99% bump back to gaudreau), the way the play the pass/catch game between brodie/gaudreau until gaudreau is left with the "shoot, cross seam" options, is NOT working. How many weeks has it not worked now? How many weeks until they decide to do something different?? Brodie sucks as a PP qb. He doesnt' skate the puck into the zone, he can't/won't shoot the puck, he isn't some great offensive visionary with decent play making ability. He's offensively inept and lacks instincts to play the point position. We have 2 players much better suited to play a PP point, and have had success at the NHL in that role their entire careers, yet Gio/Hamilton basically are stuck with PP garbage time. Again, coaches looking stupid in their rigidness/stubbornness. Try something different already geniuses.

3) Team fragility - This team starts games nervous, especially big games, rivalry games. Lot's of teams have a sub-par PP, yet this team goes on to give up a goal within 5 minutes of having a terrible PP. Things avalanche so easily when the first bad thing happens. that 2nd period last night was just another classic example of how, unlike most half decent teams that can have a few shifts where they struggle, perhaps several minutes, this team is fully capable of not showing up for entire periods of time.

I'd throw line matching, as another thing out there but i'm fed up just typing thus far.

This team may win a few more games than they will lose this season, and may get that last division spot, but it's looking more and more likely that it's a wild card spot at best. Once they do, i have absolute zero confidence that this coaching staff could go into a 7 game battle against another team and win a series given the above major flaws.

Gulutzan looks like one of those guys that's just better suited to be an assistant. It was a bad higher by Treliving. Unfortunately, the GM has got to be scrutinized for the decisions made going into this season.