[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Bunk

This team's core and leadership group, that has been around 5 or so years, seems to have what you could compare to something like the putting or chipping yips in particular situations on the ice. Beginning of seasons, beginning of games, key games, powerplay, Anaheim - there seems to be a mental barrier that emanates from the core group to the team as a whole. The patterns are so seemingly consistent that it's hard to ignore despite different coaching staffs, turnover in the non-core players. That core group of Gio, Brodie, Monahan, Backlund, Gaudreau have been the common denominators and leadership group of the team. They are all really good players, but are they in the right frame of mind for those situations, and are they helpful leaders in getting the team as a whole in the right frame of mind.

I'm trying to explain these trends in my mind, and this is the only thing that's making sense.

Well 1 game into a season isn’t a big enough sample size to find any trends. Reading way too much into 1 game.