[bubbsy]

I've been a pretty big anti-Gulutzan guy, but you definitely can't blame the entire season on him.

1. It's not his fault that the roster has only 2 forwards that have the ability generate offense. Gaudreau is our predominant offensive cog, and tkachuk is showing that he can consistently use his style of play (along the boards, in front of the net, behind the net) to create chances. Not enough skill, no real right handers or one-timer type players to create different PP looks.

2. The second pairing was greatly overrated. That pairing doesn't defend very well, doesn't seem to breakout very well, and don't generate much as far as offense and scoring from the point.

3. Leadership void. The captain is similar type captain to Iginla, quiet, show ur leadership on the ice and how you carry yourself. Monahan's appears to be a quiet personality. Brouwer is useless, giving useless players a letter is never a great idea unless the guy is just loved in the room. They have a few players who definitely appear physically upset and angry at losing (gaudreau, tkachuk) but those guys are young, and i'm not sure they are necessarily leader material, at least not yet.

4. Roughly 2/3rds of the league is in a similar position. The salary cap, the parity, means that outside of the top5 teams of league, every team has holes in their lineup and lack depth. we're following this team daily, so the ups & downs of an average lineup seem so detrimental, but given that the flames are just outside a playoff spot shows that there are other teams just like ours.

Now, in spite of these points, I am still quite disappointed with the coach is the way he has mismanaged things that he does have control of.

- We're a top heavy team, outside the playoff picture. We have zero scoring potential outside the top 6. Why are we rolling 4 lines regardless of the game situation (up a goal, down a goal, tied)?? As we get into the toughest part of the year, where offense and scoring is hardest and games are tightest, why aren't we seeing a shortening of the bench?!?

- Player utilization. Brodie on the top PP when he's a terrible offensive dman in a halfcourt offense (no shot, no real vision to make plays from the point). Gio/Hamilton only becoming the top pair after half a season of being a bottom PP team. Throwing stajan/brouwer over the boards on the PK when any and all underlying PK stats show they are among the league's worst.

- identity. The top line is your scoring line with the best player on it. The second line is your best 2-way line that hopefully can chip in offensively. Then there's a massive drop off. Yet, in spite of the lack of talent in those lines, I just see these lines go out there and really have no actual mission or metric of success. We all know they aren't likely to score, so what should they be hoping to achieve in order to be successful?!? You'd think if they aren't scoring, you want your bottom 2 lines to be able to either be able to forecheck using their speed, hit guys to get into the other team's head a bit, and try to cycle the puck a bit to spend more of their shift in the opposition zone rather than their own. Yet, instead of yanking stajan/brouwer, who have been useless in these areas, they have been given consistent time on that line. Why the hell does lazar come out of the line up instead of stajan last night? it's just stupid.

- "puck moving defenceman". The flames have good 5 defencemen that are solid skaters, and have the skills to move the puck either on their stick or by making a few strides out of trouble and making a pass. The system deployed has absolutely zero value in having a defensive group made up of such skillset. Quick transition, which seems to be the fundamental key to success in the current day NHL is meaningless to the flames. Slow it down, let's make a few d to d passes and have a controlled breakout, and if it ain't there just flip the puck over and give up possession to the opposition in their own zone (the NHL version of a PUNT). Hartley's defensive system was garbage, but his offense was decent as his style of play was heavy on quick transition. Team's started to adjust, diminishing Hartley's system's success, however, the new regime has all but abandoned the concept, which has been, in my opinion, also stupid.

in summary, the flames are a mediocre team, because they have a mediocre roster. The problem is even more apparent due to having a sub-par coaching staff who have no clue on how to get the most out of what they have been given as far as players.

This team, like many teams, will remain a bubble/mediocre team. They don't have enough offensive game breakers to be a top tier team in the current NHL. Now, are they a team that is a playoff team vs not, will depend on the coaching staff. If gulutzan is back next year, i expect very much of the same, with the team fighting tooth and nail but probably a safe bet for 9th.

Replacing the coach does not mean that we can expect a better team, as the same issues as stated above likely exist (barring any major changes made by the GM). But if the rationale for removing hartley was "he's taken this team as far as he can take them", well I think everyone's seen enough of gulutzan over the past 2 years to say the same. Our window is the next 3-4 years. I would rather try betting on another coach than wasting more time on a coach i've seen enough of.