Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
That's pretty much me.
I cringed under Hartley because the system relied so much on getting dominated that you almost felt "dirty" after every win, and those wins largely came in one season.
I like puck possession teams, and I like a team that generally outplays the opposition and we've been seeing that in the last 14 months.
However the special teams have been a mess, and he's ultimately the guy that can put a stop to that if a Dave Cameron isn't getting it done. Bad luck happens but not swapping sides for shooters or including Hamilton was insane.
I don't like his fourth line usage ... terrible times of the game. The third pairing used to be the same, but they improved the third pairing so it's less of an issue.
I really don't understand dressing Glass last night.
The big thing now though is culture, leadership and fragility.
The only way to fix those things is to move out your core, or add a leader. The leader can't be a fourth line player so it may have to come from a coaching change, and I get that.
But I'm with you; loser organizations hire and fire GMs and coaches too frequently.
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Bingo...i agree with all of this except two things:
1) I also like puck possession teams, but it's not enough and for the flames i honestly believe they're doing puck possession wrong. This team needs to be able to transition faster, activate the defense more on the rush (not just in the offensive zone) and cut down the number of d-to-d passes. I said it as early as the preseason and many times so far this season - the flames play slow! So many times when you watch the flames play, puck possession starts with the puck passed back and fourth between the defensemen, by which time the other team is fully is a defensive posture and for the flames, no one is saying hard because they've slowed the play down too much.
I can't fully explain it yet, but I believe this type of puck possession the flames execute creates advanced stats that overstate the flames probability of winning. For example, it results in less quality scoring chances off the rush, less odd man rushes...but it allows for better shot generation. The system generates "high danger opportunities" but they're not all created equally and I'll take a high danger opportunity on the rush over a high danger shot off the cycle any day.
2) I honestly believe the backend isn't being used to it's full potential given the system. We have some of the best mobile defensemen in the league, but how often do you see them try going end to end, rush the puck beyond the center line, or even activate themselves creatively on the cycle. There is something wrong when you're spending this much cap space of the backend, but are not willing yo utilize them to their fullest.
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Is this roster a top 5? No - it's not Boston, or penguin, or Nashville or Tampa or capitals.
But it's probably in that 6-12 range. We're not getting results. The team is underperforming in a big way.