Quote:
Originally Posted by Strange Brew
Here's how I see it TC.
Many of the vets had a miserable pre-season. But hey it doesn't matter, they are vets, pre-season doesn't matter and they will come around.
Jankowski was the team's best forward in camp but he was sent down so Bennett could get a final crucial 10 games or so at center. What difference does 10 games make?
Tanner Glass had the most energy of any player in camp. He didn't have a contract and was playing for a job. It was clear when the season started that he was not NHL calibre.
The Flames didn't ice a good forward group this season IMO. Period. It is the culmination of several poor decisions and bad moves. And some bad play by players who are getting paid a lot of money.
I get why fans want to point certain individual decisions during the early part of the season as evidence of the team's failure. But if you are going to quibble with these certain opinions, are you defending the overall approach? If not, where do you think it went wrong? Tanner Glass wouldn't be my choice for where to make a stand.
As for Jankowski, the mistake IMO was not getting him enough NHL games at the end of the previous season so he would be better prepared for an NHL season this year. But the Flames were tooth and nail for the playoffs, and for all the defenders of Flames management, I have yet to see anyone saw they are good at playing the long game.
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This applies to Jankowski as well. In fact, it can be argued that the 10 games in the minors catapulted his season forward.