I don't know about you guys, but I am starting to see a similarity with Brent Sutter - though not nearly as dreadful.
One thing that I noticed that is a 'plus' that this team can do at an average ability level is cycle the puck. 3 or 4 seasons ago, the Flames had few forwards that could maintain a cycle, and they would often be hemmed-in their zone due to the other teams' cycles. I have noticed a significant increase in both their ability to cycle, and their ability to break up cycles. That's actually fantastic.
What isn't so fantastic is that this team seems to be relying too much on a cycle at times - shades of Brent Sutter. At least the outlet passes aren't forced up along the boards. Ward is, in my opinion, a better coach than Brent Sutter in realizing (and least somewhat) what the strengths of this team is.
This team just needs a FASTER transition. They have the horses to do it. They just don't, and it drives me crazy. I almost want the Bob Hartley rule reinstituted - "No reversing the puck between defencemen". The other teams often seem so set in their neutral zone and defensive zone positioning that the dump-chase-cycle is left as their only means of generating chances. The Flames are MILES better at cycling than they used to be, but by no means are they an elite team at it. I am glad that they have vastly improved this ability, but it isn't a strength of this team. I would venture a guess and call them "average", which is a significant upgrade to "putrid" seasons ago.
For just one game, I would love to see the defencemen get control of the puck in the defensive zone, and make one of two decisions:
1) Skate forward with the puck
2) Pass the puck to a forward for a break-out pass - stretch pass or even just a 5 or 10 foot pass to get the transition going.
By all means, IF there are no available forwards, then pass the puck to the defence partner, but only if absolutely necessary and under forecheck pressure.
Giordano, Brodie, Hanifin, Andersson, Kylington - they all excel at passing the puck (brainfart of a game aside on Kylington's part, but that happens sometimes). Hamonic and even Stone are not totally abysmal at this either, though they are definitely not as competent at moving the puck as the other 5. Even Davidson looked 'fine' at passing.
This team looks so damn slow. Want to beat a forecheck effectively? Get the puck out of the zone right away and it forces the other team to stop being so aggressive on the forecheck, or they will end up with too many odd-man rushes against.
For all of Gaudreau's issues this year, I bet this would help his (and others as well) game out. May not get Gaureau back to his 99 points, but I bet it gets him to be more effective as well. He is always double-teamed, and he has no choice but to button-hook and try to pass. That's fine, but when the opposing team is already set defensively, his passes are being anticipated (as he only has perhaps one player semi-open to pass to, or has to dump it along the boards), and turnovers are happening galore.
Also, next overtime, please stick with pairs that know one another and frequently play with one another. I have no idea why Ward is splitting up Monahan and Gaudreau, and Tkachuk and Lindholm. Giordano with the first unit, Brodie with the second. That's what I would love to see.
They just look so slow out there and I really do blame it on a poor transition game. Slow teams are a heck of a lot easier to defend if they have a slow transition, so they have to rely on cycling. It is no surprise that scoring from defencemen is WAY down this year, much like under Gulutzan it seems. Just too damn slow of a transition.
If Treliving sells Brodie and re-signs Hamonic, my head will really explode.
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