Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - [POLL] Calgary Flames coaching change mega-thread—with poll

Calgary4LIfe · 04-10-2018, 08:59 PM

The problem with trading any of the top 4 D right now is that you don't really know how well these kids will respond.

Rasmus looked anywhere between really good, and just serviceable in his time up at the end of the season. How will he fare over the course of an entire season? What if he is 'kind of inconsistent' and even shaky at times (which, for a young defencemen breaking into the NHL, is not unheard of at all), and Hamonic goes down? Or Brodie goes down? Suddenly you are playing him in the top 4, and recalling... Ollas-Mattsson? Healy? Well, I would assume Treliving would acquire another 7th D (hopefully not Bartkowski) to act as insurance.

Wotherspoon will probably be moving on. I love Valimaki, but I really don't think he will be ready to step into the NHL right away. Fox is returning for another year of schooling.

I am high on Kylington, and I think he can start getting long looks in the NHL - and I thought he was the best D prospect (including Andersson and Kulak) during the preseason. Who knows how he will do with a full season of NHL games?

It is risky. Lots of risk. At some point, the Flames will have to start moving guys out as prospects progress. The only change this season that I wouldn't mind seeing is moving Stone out and replacing him with Andersson.

Move out any of the top 4, and now you are asking a lot from the guys, and double so when an injury or two happen and they no longer get to be sheltered.

I really would prefer that a new coach comes in and actually plays this defensive group like the racehorses that they are, rather than hitching them up to a yoke and plowing some barren scrub land.

I think this team is a new coach, a line juggle, and maybe a 3rd line RW'er (might even be Foo) away from being a team that can make some noise.

I liken this situation to the one that the Flames found themselves in during the off-season where Keenan was fired and Brent Sutter hired.

They were a pretty good offensive team that allowed too many goals against. So Darryl hired a more defensive oriented coach, and his personnel moves took away from the offence and added to the defence. That is what precipitated the move to trade Phaneuf mid-season to try and re-balance a team that swung way too far the other way.

I think a new coach with a new system that fits this team better should be the 'big move' this off-season. I think that the Flames shouldn't do both. Tinker with the lineup - find a way to increase skill and speed somehow, but the strength of this team is the backend.

We have seen a much less talented Flames team be a good offensive team without being worse (IMO) defensively than they were this past season. I am worried that the pendulum swings too far one way.

04-10-2018, 08:59 PM	#715
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	The problem with trading any of the top 4 D right now is that you don't really know how well these kids will respond. Rasmus looked anywhere between really good, and just serviceable in his time up at the end of the season. How will he fare over the course of an entire season? What if he is 'kind of inconsistent' and even shaky at times (which, for a young defencemen breaking into the NHL, is not unheard of at all), and Hamonic goes down? Or Brodie goes down? Suddenly you are playing him in the top 4, and recalling... Ollas-Mattsson? Healy? Well, I would assume Treliving would acquire another 7th D (hopefully not Bartkowski) to act as insurance. Wotherspoon will probably be moving on. I love Valimaki, but I really don't think he will be ready to step into the NHL right away. Fox is returning for another year of schooling. I am high on Kylington, and I think he can start getting long looks in the NHL - and I thought he was the best D prospect (including Andersson and Kulak) during the preseason. Who knows how he will do with a full season of NHL games? It is risky. Lots of risk. At some point, the Flames will have to start moving guys out as prospects progress. The only change this season that I wouldn't mind seeing is moving Stone out and replacing him with Andersson. Move out any of the top 4, and now you are asking a lot from the guys, and double so when an injury or two happen and they no longer get to be sheltered. I really would prefer that a new coach comes in and actually plays this defensive group like the racehorses that they are, rather than hitching them up to a yoke and plowing some barren scrub land. I think this team is a new coach, a line juggle, and maybe a 3rd line RW'er (might even be Foo) away from being a team that can make some noise. I liken this situation to the one that the Flames found themselves in during the off-season where Keenan was fired and Brent Sutter hired. They were a pretty good offensive team that allowed too many goals against. So Darryl hired a more defensive oriented coach, and his personnel moves took away from the offence and added to the defence. That is what precipitated the move to trade Phaneuf mid-season to try and re-balance a team that swung way too far the other way. I think a new coach with a new system that fits this team better should be the 'big move' this off-season. I think that the Flames shouldn't do both. Tinker with the lineup - find a way to increase skill and speed somehow, but the strength of this team is the backend. We have seen a much less talented Flames team be a good offensive team without being worse (IMO) defensively than they were this past season. I am worried that the pendulum swings too far one way.